http://dapmalaysia.org
|
DAPSY reiterates our calls to the government to scrap the implementation of the National Service in 2004 and embark on a six-month full public debate on the details of the programme involving all segments of the society especially among the youths to reach a national consensus on its implementation
Media Conference Statement by Loke Siew Fook (Petaling Jaya, Saturday): The announcement by the Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak that the compulsory National Service will be implemented beginning of next year involving 100,000 youths aged 18 years is too rush and a unilateral decision by the government without a national debate and consultation to reach a national consensus on the RM500 million a year programme. There are a few aspects of the National Service proposal revealed by Najib yesterday which are highly questionable.
Firstly, the selection process which will be done through computer pick for 100,000 boys and girls out of the 480,000 youths who would be 18 next year is a ridiculous proposal which is most unfair and did not make sense at all. Najib said that the remaining number will have to go through the programme eventually but in the meantime they will be exempted.
There are two possible scenarios here. The first one is that the 380,000 youths not selected this year will still have to go through National Service later that is maybe in 2005 or 2006. If this is so, it will pose even bigger logistic problems as there are almost the same numbers of youths who will attain 18 years every year. Once the programme reached the second year in 2005, it will mean that an accumulative of 760,000 youths who have not gone for National Service yet! How the government is able to cope to include this large numbers of youths in the National Service camp?
If the above is not the case, then it will be the second scenario. It will mean that out of the 480,000 youths who reached 18 years, only 20% out of it will be involved in the National Service. This is downright unfair! Among those who are selected, there will be many who will question why only them who have to go through it while their peers were exempted. If it is a programme about patriotism, national unity etc, and only one selected group who will go through it, will it mean that the group who gone through National Service are more patriotic than the others?
Secondly, it was announced that those who were selected but fail to attend the three-month programme could face a fine of up to RM3,000 or be jailed up to six months, or both. If it is through punishment to force our young ones to do National Service, it has defeat the spirit of voluntarism from the moment it begins. Sense of patriotism and national unity should be instilled and enhanced in the heart of our younger generation through education, respects for each others in a multi-racial Malaysia and through our values in all aspects of our nationhood practiced by all segments of our society and not by way of forced to attend a three-month course. The proposed legislation is totally unacceptable as one who is not voluntarily to attend National Service is treated like a criminal.
Thirdly, will a three-month short term so-called National Service be able to enhance the spirit of patriotism and national unity if the government fails or unable to achieve it in our eleven years of basic education among all young Malaysians? There is something very wrong in our whole education system if after six years of primary education and five years of secondary education which is compulsory with a national syllabus, the government still has to spend RM500 million a year to enhance patriotism.
Is it so necessary to spend RM500 million tax-payers monies a year in a three-month course when this entire programme can be done and incorporated in our education system especially in the five years secondary education?
About ten years ago, there was a big hype and the government spent tens of millions of ringgit just on promotions and publicity alone on the Rakan Muda programme. What has happened to Rakan Muda today? It was a forgotten programme and although it still exists, it is hardly talk about in the public domain even among our youths! This is the mentality of the Barisan Nasional government, spend first and bulldoze everything without a proper consideration on the pros and cons involving all segments of the society.
DAPSY reiterates our calls to the government to scrap the implementation of the National Service in 2004 and embark on a six-month full public debate on the details of the programme involving all segments of the society especially among the youths to reach a national consensus on its implementation. (14/6/2003) * Loke Siew Fook, DAPSY National Secretary |