NS Issues ALL Ironed Out?

Can we really expect all the problems of the NS go go away just like that? Can one press statement dispel the doubts and concerns of parents? I have said it earlier here, here, here and here - the National Service needs to be more transparent. What is so difficult to update the website in details, tell the public the activities they have carried out, issues they have address - a report to us parents and citizens.

YBhg Tan Sri, do not treat us like kids - be open and tell us, work with us. Otherwise, just suspend it or quit! We do not want to see any more crocodile tears and finger point after the next incident.

Convince us all!

‘NS issues all ironed out’ (Sunday STAR, Dec 30, 2007)

By STEVEN DANIEL

MALACCA: The national service (NS), now into its fifth year, has ironed out most of its previous problems, said NS Council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.

“We have a team to monitor the effectiveness of co-curricular activities as well as the infrastructure and management at all camps.

“Another measure soon to be set up is the flying squad that would resolve problems related to welfare, cleanliness and conflicts immediately,” he said.

Goodbye: NS trainee Nor Baizura Samsudin,17, waving to friends and relatives after boarding the bus to the Tasik Chini camp in Pahang at Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. — Bernama

Lee urged parents not to worry as steps had been taken to ensure the trainees were well taken care of at the 83 camps nationwide.

He said parents should not think of the NS as a nuisance or waste of time but be supportive as it helped build character and instil good values.

“Trainees and their parents can also provide their feedback to further improve the programme,” he said after seeing off 639 trainees in Ayer Keroh to camps within the state, Negri Sembilan and Johor.

He said the trainees would be allowed to return from Feb 5 to Feb 10 for the Chinese New Year holidays. Those celebrating Thaipusam could also go home from Jan 22 to Jan 24.

Malacca mayor Datuk Zaini Md Nor said his second son Mohd Fahmi Zaini, 18, was excited to join the NS.

“It will be a good learning experience for him and he can make a lot of new friends,” he said.

All set: An NS trainee being sent off by his family at Stadium Perpaduan in Kuching.— Bernama

A total of 37,000 trainees will undergo the programme from Dec 29 to March 11.

They are part of a total of 110,000 youths from across the country to join the NS training programme for 2008.

Last year, 100,000 youths were trained under the programme.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Zainal Abidin Zin said 800 buses were used to transport the first batch of trainees to their respective training camps in the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak.

He also said 41 aircraft were used to fly the youths from the peninsula to Sabah and Sarawak, and vice versa.