IN 2007, I was drafted to join the National Service (NS) programme in Kem Segari, Perak. Although I hated the idea at first, I found the experience rewarding enough that I considered joining the military.

But not all trainees’ experiences were positive. Considering the huge cost of NS 1.0 and 2.0 and unclear outcomes, resistance to NS 3.0 is valid and must be resolved by the Defence Ministry.

Trainees’ safety must be of top priority

No parent should send their child away only to have them return injured or dead. In 2013, deputy defence minister Abd Rahim Bakri told parliament that during NS 1.0 and 2.0, there were 20 deaths, one rape case, 442 misunderstandings/fights, and 242 police reports. Due to the haphazard rollout of NS 1.0, camp infrastructure was shoddy, while food hygiene was not standardised across camps.

To prevent these issues, the NS Establishment Committee and Council must hold in-depth discussions with trainers, parents, past trainees, and youth representatives. All military camps and police training centres designated for NS 3.0 must be thoroughly inspected for safety. To maintain discipline and manage conflict, there must be a disciplinary and complaints tribunal at every camp or in every state. The tribunal should outline reporting guidelines for stakeholders and requirements for escalation to authorities like hospitals and police. There must be zero tolerance for harassment, bullying, and discrimination.

Citizenship modules must be relevant and celebrate diversity

A day in the life of a NS 1.0 trainee: wash up, file into order for morning exercise, breakfast, and then civics classes. Our afternoons consisted of physical and marching drills, jungle expeditions, and water activities. Towards the end of the second month, we were taught how to handle M16 Colt rifles (not enough time to become a sharpshooter). Evenings were spent in the jungle or listening to lectures on how to be a better person, etc.

To be frank, most slept through the civics classes and lectures. First, because we were tired from physical activities, secondly because the lessons were boring.

If the goal is to produce youth who are resilient, energetic and keen on nation-building, the proportion of 90% military exercise and 10% civics lessons needs rebalancing. Collaboration between the Education Ministry, Youth and Sports Ministry, and civil society groups like Architects For Diversity is needed to develop meaningful, interactive, current civics modules that must be presented by ethnically diverse trainers so NS participants interact outside their comfort zones and benefit from a multiracial, multicultural setting.

Service-based modules to bring youth, communities, military together

The general Malaysian public is removed from military and armed agencies. Some may think derogatorily: “Wah, no war, not much work to do la”, while the reality is different.

Published in 2019, Malaysia’s first Defence White Paper (DWP) aims to instil a security culture among the people through one of its pillars – Comprehensive Defence – to enhance the nation’s security readiness. Security readiness is not pure military strength, but involves improving social cohesion – unity, resilience, and robustness – when shocks occur, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the massive 2021 floods, or the Russia-Ukraine war.

NS can help build social cohesion and a security culture through service-based modules, where trainees and trainers engage local communities around their camps and develop initiatives that benefit the communities. These projects can be guided by civil society groups or private sector partners looking to up corporate social responsibility efforts. The desired result: local communities and military personnel learn from each other and share experiences to strengthen social cohesion.

2-year NS programme

One of the three phases proposed for NS 3.0 includes making trainees more eligible for permanent positions in security/armed agencies after undergoing the normal recruitment process.

The recruitment pipeline is a good move, but the standing 45-day programme length would make NS fall into the “summer camp” trap. Although Malaysia is not at war, we should look at moving NS 3.0 towards the two-year models of Singapore, Germany, and South Korea. This will expand and diversify recruitment options for the military and other civil defence and service authorities.

For Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia graduates who have not decided on their next moves, the two-year model would let them explore different surroundings and gain skills before reevaluating their choices. However, the question of allowances or salaries in those two years will have to be calibrated.

NS offers a world of benefit to our youth, but meaningful efforts must be made to lay the right foundations. – November 7, 2023.

* Lim Yi Wei is Kampung Tunku assemblyman.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.