some comments worth re-posting .
4. Allen Tan (05/17/2008 02:34:55)
Lucrative NSNo termination of NS. No other reason, since it is the most lucrative means of pocketing money. Each year it cost the treasury 500 to 600 over million ringgits.
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3. splim (05/16/2008 09:23:12)
Civil DisobedienceThey can send me to jail but I’m not going to compromise the safety of my children. If NS is not going to be abolished just boycott it.
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2. mengyee (05/14/2008 23:37:53)
Say NO to PLKNWe must create more momentum in calling for the abolishment of this ill planned program which have claimed the lifes of 20 of our young!.
We must pressure our MPs to bring this cause to Parliament!1 total posts | view profile
1. echo41 (05/14/2008 06:42:52)
SCThese are OUR MALAYSIAN CHILDREN, somebody’s child, somebody’s brother, sister or best friend. These are the 9 trainees that died while serving Khidmat Negara (National Service). These are lives wasted and parents are crying negligence and murder! Please write about it, and let there be more OUTCRY!
Tian Chua gives us a glimpse how one of our new MPs is raising the issue.
… I was particularly upset with the continuous sacrifice of lives in the National Service Training Program. I blamed this on the ambition of the Minister who wanted to control the mind of the future generations.
On 14 May, DPM cum Defense Minister started to reply to all issues raised in relation to his ministry. He maintain that National Service is crucial for national unity.
A parent speaks out …
It was what DPM Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in the aftermath of another NS death. 18-year-old NS trainee Too Hui Min became the 16th youth to die during training and strident calls were once again made for NS to be reviewed and stopped. Nope. The government is adamant it will not shelf NS:
"We cannot scrap the programme just like that as many parties are involved," Najib said after launching the National Youth Day and Week at Felda Sebertak.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Hazing & Neglect – Malaysian Style
It’s hard to remain comfortable after looking through the list of 16…
With such attitudes prevailing, it should come as no surprise that the same ministry would view the casualties in the National Service programme with such a dismissive attitude. Afterall, if they can accept a 20% casualty rate among volunteers, what’s a 0.004% casualty rate among conscripts?
Isn’t it a fact that only 16 National Service trainees have actually died due to preventable causes in the four years of existence of this extended summer camp project with questionable intentions and beneficiaries? Despite this, I can’t help but wonder .. be it 20% or 0.004% .. for the parent whose child died, wouldn’t that still be a 100% loss?
Of the 16 who have died, I could only find the names of these :
- T. Saravana, Male, (1986 – 2004)
– Drowned, Sungai Taman Wangi, Gua Musang- Awang Mohd Fazil Awang Borhan, Male, (1986 – 2004)
– Drowned, Sungai Cina, Matang, Kuching- S. Theresa Pauline, Female, (1987 – 2005)
– Suspected Meningoencephalitis, Melaka Hospital- Nurul Ashikin Karino, Female, (1987 – 2005)
– Training Accident (?), Han Sui, Tawau- Haziq Jaafar, Male (1988 – 2006)
– Injury Due To Fight, Kem Padang Hijau, Kluang- Mohd Rafi Ameer, Male (1989 – 2007)
– Contaminated Food (?), En route to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan- Prema Elenchelian, Female (1989 – 2007)
– Drowned (?), Tengku Anis Hospital, Pasir Putih- Ili Ameera Azlan, Female (1989 – 2007)
– Breathing Difficulties, Melaka Hospital- Teng Siau Shen, Female (1989 – 2007)
– Lung Infection, En route to Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital, Seremban- Afiq Zuhairi Amat Rozal, Male (1990 – 2008)
– Lung Infection, Teluk Intan Hospital, Teluk Intan- Too Hui Min, Female (1990 – 2008)
– Colon Infection, Slim River Hospital, Slim RiverThis doesn’t include the number of trainers who died during the course of the programme. With the billions spent on this programme so far, Lord have mercy if someone is actually profiteering from this while our children die.
to be fair… Singapore’s NS is not entirely safe. dont think they singaporean boycott the NS there.
From 2003 – 2008, there were 3 NSmen casualties in Singapore .. 1 of which was a suspected suicide. And these folks were actually serving in the armed forces, not having an extended summer camp.
In one of the cases above, a training programme was actually suspended pending investigation and in another, independent probes were conducted both by MINDEF and the Police.
Therein lies the difference.
Plus .. unlike our PLKN, one can’t really trace the procurement and logistics providers of Singapore’s NS service to a handful of connected individuals
Bob K – I was at the cinema today and saw the advertisement shown to recruit people for National Service and promote it. The feeling was strange.