National Service : Suspend, Review and Improve

As one who had been involved in the National Service Training Program(NS), initially as a member of the Curriculum Sub-Committee, then as a trainer for the Nation Building module for the first batch of trainees in 2004, I was very supportive of the programs objectives and implementation. I also initiated the arrangement for the NS trainees of Buddhist faith from camps all over the country to attend religious sessions in local temples during the weekend .

During the first year of implementation, as many had read in the newspapers that time, there were many challenges and problems affecting the NS. Either on trainees transportation or payments for the bus drivers, condition of the camps or disciplinary problems, it was headlines for many weeks.

After all the camps were based in sites with facilities for classrooms, ground, highlands and water-based trainings, NS was not on the main radar of the press and public anymore other than the usual open days weekend for parents.

But then from time to time, cases of NS trainees drowned, seriously sick and died during and after attending the training was the news of the day. The NS Training Department will respond with relevant actions each time cases arises. To be fair, the NS training Department, lead by no less than three Director Generals since its inception had been very concern and took actions to address these problems.

And the foremost, the hands-on NS Council Chairman Lee Lam Thye had put in a lot of hard work and commitment to ensure the NS proceed smoothly with as little problem as possible. But then things do happens and when it does, fingers will be pointing everywhere but particularly the NS Training Department and specifically on Lee Lam Thye as he has been "the face" of the NS for the last four years.

The most recent incident affecting NS was when a trainee at the Geo Kosmo camp in Kuala Kubu Bahru, Too Hui Min died after complaining of abdominal pain. The blame game begins again and it seems that Lee Lam Thye got "whacked" by many people because of this incident. It would be unfair to make Lee Lam Thye the punching bag as the NS is the country's official program adopted by an Act of Parliament for the those in the 18-35 age group but something need be to done. It need more than just another statement or two from the NS department or even the Deputy PM and Health Minister.

What is required is a comprehensive review of the whole NS, from the policy on intake of trainees and trainers to the syllabus and modules and the medical standard operating procedure. To enable the review process to be more holistic, all stake holders are to be involved including current and former NS trainees and trainers, camps sites operators, affected parents, NGOs, relevant government departments and etc. The last time a public review and feedback session was carried out on the NS was in mid 2004. Its time to have another one.

While planning for the review and to avoid further unwanted incident and a loving youth sent home to their parents in a body bag, I hope the government will suspend the NS until the review is done and to produce recommendations to further enhance the program to minimalize the "risks" in NS.