"The closing down of the camps will not affect operators and coaches who are on a permanent payroll," Hishammuddin told reporters in Putrajaya today after Najib's special address.
"Our transformation plan for national service remains at 10 years," he added.
Earlier today, Najib announced that the national service programme will be frozen for 2015, in the government's efforts to cut down some spending in the face of dropping government revenue, triggered by the alarming drop in global crude oil prices.
He said that the move will save the government RM400 million.Instead, Hishammuddin (right) noted, his ministry would organise and conduct "labs" involving the national service staff, in their attempt to revamp the whole programme.
"The labs will be conducted with all stakeholders, including parents, to see where we can take the national service to in the next 10 years," he said.
The defence minister stressed that "this freezing won't affect anyone who are directly involved in the programme".
He added that he "wholeheartedly" supported the PM's measures.
Meanwhile, Hishammuddin remained coy when asked about Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's support letter to the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), vouching for alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua.
"I can only answer for myself. I never sent a letter to the FBI (while being home minister)," he said.
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