KUCHING: The revival of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 must have a comprehensive and transparent plan for the rakyat to understand.
In stating this, Federation of Chinese Associations of Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions president Datuk Richard Wee emphasised that this also applies to whatever policy that the government intends to implement.
“More importantly, it must have the political will to be sustainable with a long-term vision.
“We may review and fine-tune the details of the policy but not make U-turns and flip-flops in national matters like national service.
“Moreover, it must be a policy that can withstand the test of time,” he said when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune.
For the record, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan explained that the PLKN 3.0 will be implemented in two phases, with Phase 1 conducted at the school level involving Form Four students, with focus on enhancing existing uniformed body programmes.
“After completing Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), they progress to Phase 2. In this phase, they will be welcomed by other agencies.
“In the past, they just participated and enjoyed themselves, but after that, there was no continuity. Their introduction to the programme was not acknowledged, and they were left in confusion and lacked proper guidance,” he added.
Mohamad said Phase 2 will only take 45 days with its 90 modules being military-focused to build the participants into resilient, energetic, and healthy youths, while 10 per cent is based on nation-building initiatives.
He added that PLKN 3.0 aims to prepare trained youths with strong character and a deep love for their country, which will equip them for future employment in crucial government agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police, the Fire and Rescue Department, and the Civil Defence Force.
“By organising PLKN 3.0 in military camps and police training centres, and employing military personnel as instructors within these facilities, the government could cut annual spending from RM500mil to RM100mil.
“Moreover, instead of adopting templates from Singapore and Korea, which are tailored to focus on manpower deployment, PLKN 3.0 will be using a customised version of our own template,” he said.
He also noted that the paperwork was currently being prepared at the ministry level and will be submitted to the National Security Council for approval before PLKN 3.0 commences.
