I don’t know how many parents out there worry long term unnecessarily, just like me, but I’m dreading the thought that 17 years from now, my son will be called upon by the government to attend the National Service training camp. I think many parents will understand my reasons and fears for not wanting my kid to attend NS. There are just too many horror stories of assaults, accidents and even deaths of NS trainees during and immediately after their NS stints.
There was an article in the newspapers (on page 3, mind you) with the headlines “No action against 3,000 NS dodgers” and it reads as follows:
Police will not take action against some 3,000 national service dodgers who failed to attend training since its inception in 2004.
National Service Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said the decision was made following police recommendation of no further action (NFA) against these dodgers.
He said about 6,000 school-leavers had failed to attend training but police only recommended NFA for 50% of them.
He declined to say why half the youths escaped action, but it is believed that police could not trace them due to change of addresses.
“We submitted the names of the dodgers to the police and after investigations they recommended NFA on 3,000-odd cases.
“The remaining 3,000 still have to attend NS training,” Abdul Hadi told reporters after the launching of the first batch of the 2009 programme by Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop at the White Resort NS camp in Balik Pulau yesterday.
Some 300,000 youngsters have undergone NS training since the start of the programme.
Abu Seman said many parents were now keen to include their children in the programme, a far cry from the strong objections when NS was first introduced five years ago.
“At that time, parents were sceptical of sending their children for fear of their safety.”
NS Training Council chairman Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe said the council would propose to the department to impose heavier penalties on youngsters who failed to attend training.
“It is not to scare them and parents away but to encourage them to join the programme,’’ he said.
(source: The Star Online)
Are there really parents who look forward to send their children off to NS camps? And, I would love to know the true reason why the police quarter says to take no further action on half the NS dodgers. Also, I find it quite ironic that the act of imposing heavier penalties on dodgers is considered a form of “encouragement” to join the camp. It looks like they want to punish, but don’t want to admit it’s punishment.
I just hope that 17 years from now, this NS thing will be nothing more than a history we would talk about, something of the past and never to be seen again.
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Luckily i wasnt picked. But a many friends actually enjoyed it.. Well i guess it depends on the individual…
Elaine, you’re lucky indeed! But seeing that your friends enjoyed it, perhaps you wouldn’t feel too badly about it if you were picked too