After a four-year-hiatus, the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) was formally reintroduced again by the government, where it now has a totally different structure from its previous iteration.
Aside from recruiting Malaysians who are in their teenage years, the government is now looking to include university students into the program as well.
Uni students to be included in National Service (NS)
The announcement was made by Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari in the Dewan Rakyat today, where he said the ministry is finalising the programme’s module and holding final engagement sessions before NS is relaunched next year.
It will involve students in secondary schools, university students, and youth who do not continue with their tertiary studies.
“There will be an age limit (of youth who will be involved in NS3.0), and we will ensure to implement the programme as best as possible,” he said as quoted by NST.
He was responding to a question posed by Ketereh MP Major-General (Rtd) Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor, who asked whether the revamped NS will involve school students as it wasn’t discussed in the Defence Select Committee meetings.
NS too harsh for M’sian teens?
There was also a spate of complaints from concerned parents who alleged that NS was too “harsh” for their children, an issue which Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said he was aware of.
“We take note of parents’ concerns, and we will tailor the module according to age. The NS3.0 may not involve those in schools,” he said.
The newly-revamped NS is slated to restart in 2025, where it consists of two raining components – military-based training and nation building or patriotism.
It will be held at 13 army camps and one police camp over a 45-day period.
What do you think of this move? Should uni students be recruited for NS too? Let us know in the comments!
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