Read! If your kid is selected for National Service

[edteam]

Read! If your kid is selected for National Service

From a parent who responds to Jeff Ooi's blog:

From: cwhitemoss [ Email Hidden ]
To: jeffooi@usj.com.my
Cc:
Subject: [Screenshots...] New Comment Posted to 'National Service: Side-income'
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 04:25:26 +0800

My son has been selected for the National Service "scheme". As a concerned parent, I find the total lack of full disclosure and details as to the exact programme disconcerting. This "news" does not only affect my son, but everyone around him, from parents, grandparents, relatives and friends. It affects my plan for his education, which has long been thought of carefully, evaluated and acted upon - quite unlike this (in my opinion) hastily put together National Service institution.

Since my son is just 17, from a legal standpoint, he is still my ward and not the ward of the state, unless I am seriously mistaken. He cannot act on his own without my express and written permission, in official matters. My question is this - will I be given the opportunity of signing a consent form for his admission to this programme? The second matter concerns insurance against personal injury and, to think the unthinkable, sudden death? Who will be responsible? The third matter concerns the "No Visits" stipulation. In the first place, even convicts have visitation rights. In the second place, will we be inform of his location at all times? Even workers are required by law to be given a day off per week and on public holidays. This "No Visits" ruling implies that we will lose contact with our children for the 3 months period.

I am not against National Service per se, but against the speed that it has been put together and the nature of its setup where only a small amount of children are selected. If one of the priorities is to foster a sense of unity, this random selection of dividing the "selected' from the "not-selected" does not augur well for national unity. One cannot start to think of making a good cake if some of the ingredients are missing from the stated recipe.

A Concerned Parent

There's a college-going student who has been selected. Read her dilemma:
http://www.jeffooi.com/cgi-bin/mt-co...?entry_id=1330

[edteam]

THE STAR
Friday December 12, 2003

It’s not what I had in mind, says college student

PETALING JAYA: Gerard Loh Chien Siong logged on to the Defence Ministry’s website on Monday in New Zealand and was shocked to see his name among those selected for the national service programme.

“My first reaction was of shock. Returning to Malaysia for national service was not what I had in mind.

“Worse still, I initially thought it was going to be held military style,” said Gerard in a telephone interview yesterday.

The student of MacLean’s College will be back this Saturday after spending the past two years in New Zealand studying for the National Certificate of Education and Achievement.

He was among 85,000 youngsters called up to be part of the first batch of the inaugural national service programme scheduled to start on Feb 16.

“I am not happy but I have no other choice,” said Gerard, who now plans to enrol in Taylor’s College’s January intake for the South Australian Matriculation programme.

As the programme only had one intake a year, Gerard is prepared to do the crash course and complete the programme within the allotted time.

“It is going to be challenging and very difficult, but I will try my best. I will not wait for the next intake in 2005 as I would have wasted a lot of time doing nothing,” he said.

Two of his college mates – Goh Wi Bian and Candice Liew – also received news of their call up on Monday.

“At least I have friends here who got selected as well, so, I do not feel too upset. I guess it would be nice to meet people and make more friends during the three-month stint,” he added.

However, Gerard’s father, Loh Gee Seng said he felt his son was “unlucky to be chosen out of 480,000 17-year-olds in the country.”

“My son was supposed to be in Form Seven in New Zealand next year. How is he going to continue with his studies? Overseas colleges do not give crash courses and taking three months' leave is impossible.”

Loh said although the idea of national service was good, the scheduling was “very poor”.

“They have rescheduling plans for Form Six and matriculation students but what about those entering private colleges?

“Taking up the crash course will mean more workload,” he said.

SOURCE:
http://www.thestar.com.my/services/p...asp&sec=nation

[empress_julz]

i know in italy at least, if you can provide documentation that you have commitments abroad, eg. work or studies, they don't expect you to serve. but that is provided you spend less than 3 months at home.

the fact that they did not think of this shows how well thought out this plan really is.

whilst i think national service is a good idea, perhaps the structure in which they intend to implement it should be fine tuned.

///ej

[brown]

Guess what happen if a candidate has been chosen and he chooses not to register for the National Service Programme?? It stated that 'denda tidak melebihi RM 3,000 atau tidak melebihi enam bulan penjara atau kedua-duanya' will be imposed for those who failed to turn up. They must show 'kesusahan luar biasa' if they refuse to turn up.

Are we going to war?? Are we living in a military economy soon?? I am sure the government did not simply suggest the programme out of its whims and fancies. Check some websites under the keyword 'military economy' and you will see where our government is going with the programme. A good place to start is here : http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m.../article.jhtml

I did not see any campaigns or promotion for the programme. I have not seen the advantage of the programme. I am just guessing the purpose of it. I am not well-versed with the benefit. I may ask my Singapore friends but I don't think it is similar.

I have been to the website and the intention is noble. Maybe it is an upgrade from the Rakan Muda project. Wonder what happened to the Rakan Muda project. Did not hear any news about it for a long time.

Anyhow, if a candidate refuse to join the programme, write to the Defence Ministry and state your 'kesusahan luar biasa'. If they don't, pay RM3K. I guess those who are well to do can pay up but those who can't will have to join or go to jail. It is their choice.

Here is the addess;
Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Latihan Khidmat Negara
Aras 8, Menara TH Selborn
153, Jalan Tun Razak
50400 Kuala Lumpur

Telefon: 603-26873400
Faks: 603-26873434
Talian Hotline : 603-26813446
Email: knegara@mod.gov.my

I say "Enjoy the chance to meet new friends" for those who are joining the programme. For those who refuses, "Good luck".

[Cool Hand Luke]

Rakan Muda Project? Hilarious misadventure. The same is going to happen to the NS Project. We will always start something with a big bang and then it will go out with a whimper. Those teenagers 'enlisted' now are just unfortunate. Give it three cycles and somebody will come up with another bright short-lived idea. I do not know whether to laugh hysterically or to weep uncontrollably.

[lady-o-leisure]

In a country where national service has been mandatory for such a long long time, there are certain rules as to who qualifies and who doesnt. Firstly, 18 is the minimum age. Health checks are carried out and there is a list of illnesses or problems that disqualifies a young man from serving. If the person is still studying, then he can keep out of serving til his education is completed, even if it takes 5 years. Once u're 18, u are not allowed to leave the country until u hv done your service. That means u either leave the country b4 then.. or u put off your studies until u hv finished serving. You do get paid while in service, and there is insurance coverage from the govt. There hv been deaths reported in the army during training. Additional personal insurance should be considered too. U get weekends off as well. If u dont get weekends off.. u are allowed visitors.

As for implementing national service so suddenly, it will most likely fail big time. Not very surprising then.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Guidelines on deferring National Service

KUALA LUMPUR: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced six broad guidelines to be used as basis for deferment of participation in the National Service (NS).

Under the guidelines, deferment is allowed for those:

- sitting for examinations conducted by the Examination Board or Malaysian Examination Council as specified under the Education Act in government or private schools on the same year as the NS;

- studying at international schools and private colleges with schooling sessions or semesters that overlapped with NS training periods;

- currently enrolled or will enrol in matriculation courses in or outside Malaysia with course periods that overlapped with the NS training period;

- studying in government or private schools outside Malaysia for at least six months before the announcement of the selection date for the NS training;

- who have been residing overseas and would remain overseas six months prior to the selection date;

- pregnant mothers or those breastfeeding their own children under two years old.

Students who fall under these categories are required to submit written applications complete with supporting documents as proof for the deferment declaration to the National Service Training Department. Once the deferment ruling is gazetted, application forms for deferment would be made available. Najib said yesterday that Subsection 20 (1) of the National Service Training Act enables anyone under obligation for training to apply for a deferment declaration.

National Service Training Council member Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the fate of matriculation and Form Six students, who would only know their acceptance status after the commencement of the training, would be discussed at the next council meeting. Nevertheless, he said Najib’s announcement of the six guidelines covered a lot of ground and would allay the concerns of parents and affected students.

.......................

The usual screw-up because the policies and implementation were never thought through - unlike EPF's 'thinking stage' and 'thinking aloud' which portrayed the other extreme of thinking!

[osama]

PROGRAM KHIDMAT NEGARA: JANGAN JADI PUSAT INDOKTRINASI UMNO
KENYATAAN MEDIA (14 DISEMBER 2003)


PROGRAM KHIDMAT NEGARA: JANGAN JADI PUSAT INDOKTRINASI UMNO

Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat (DPP Pusat) melahirkan kebimbangan terhadap kemungkinan Program Khidmat Negara (PKN) yang pada asalnya bertujuan untuk membendung gejala sosial di samping menimbulkan semangat patriotisme di kalangan muda-mudi bertukar menjadi jentera terbaru Umno/BN dalam mengindoktrinasikan muda-mudi. Kebimbangan ini adalah berasaskan pengalaman sebuah lagi institusi kerajaan, Biro Tata Negara (BTN) yang telah diperalatkan oleh Umno untuk kepentingan politik. Tidak mustahil bagi Umno untuk menyalahgunakan PKN bagi tujuan politik mereka setelah melihat peralihan sikap politik muda-mudi hari ini yang mula menolak ideologi politik Umno/BN.

DPP Pusat sangat sangsi dengan perlantikan Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Fawzi Basri, Naib Canselor Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) untuk mengetuai program ini. Ahmad Fawzi adalah seorang tokoh yang dikenali umum sebagai pendukung kuat ideologi Umno, bahkan beliau juga terlibat dengan aktif dalam organisasi Umno. Walaupun beliau merupakan seorang ahli akademik, beliau diketahui sebagai seorang yang partisan dalam tindakannya. Ahmad Fawzi juga adalah tokoh yang aktif dalam Alumni Kelab Umno, sebuah kelab yang menghimpunkan pemikir-pemikir Umno. Pengalaman BTN yang dipimpin oleh Datuk Dr Nordin Kardi, seorang tokoh kanan Alumni Kelab Umno telah memperlihatkan bagaimana BTN disalahgunakan untuk mengindoktrinasikan pemikiran Umno/BN kepada para pelajar. DPP Pusat percaya bahawa Ahmad Fawzi dipilih atas kapasitinya sebagai tokoh Umno, bukannya atas kedudukannya sebagai pentadbir universiti atau pegawai kanan dalam askar wathaniah.

DPP Pusat juga mendapat maklumat bahawa PKN akan menyediakan beberapa program para remaja bersama artis yang bertujuan untuk memberikan hiburan kepada mereka. DPP Pusat membantah keras sekiranya artis-artis digunakan bagi tujuan khidmat negara ini. PKN adalah bertujuan membentuk syakhsiyah para remaja dan muda-mudi agar tidak terjebak kepada anasir-anasir yang merosakkan. Mereka ada aset untuk masa depan negara. Sebarang tindakan yang berunsur hedonisme akan menghancurkan ketahanan jiwa mereka. Artis-artis adalah idola kepada muda-mudi, dan artis juga menjadi salah satu punca utama keruntuhan akhlak mereka. Adalah tidak wajar bagi kerajaan untuk mengembangkan budaya hedonisme bagi tujuan pembinaan jatidiri remaja.

DPP Pusat merasakan bahawa kerajaan mestilah memastikan PKN ini benar-benar menjadi satu program yang mengikut matlamat asalnya. Sebarang usaha untuk menjadi PKN sebagai alat politik murahan bagi mengelirukan para remaja adalah tidak bermaruah. PKN mestilah dibebaskan daripada sebarang unsur kepartian. Kesilapan BTN tidak wajar sama sekali diulangi oleh Kerajaan BN. DPP Pusat juga mencadangkan agar pengarah PKN ini diberikan kepada pentadbir awam yang tidak berkecuali dan bebas daripada gangguan politik kepartian. Jika pengaruh kepartian berkembang dalam PKN, mungkin akan menjejaskan keselamatan negara kerana peserta PKN ini diberi latihan separa ketenteraan. DPP Pusat juga mendesak agar lebih banyak pengisian keagamaan diberikan dalam PKN untuk membentuk keimanan, ketahanan jiwa dan jatidiri remaja berasaskan ajaran agama. Program-program yang melalaikan termasuk artis-artis hendaklah dihapuskan. Sekiranya Kerajaan BN menjadi PKN sebagai alat politik, DPP Pusat percaya semua rancangan ini akan menemui kegagalan dan merugikan negara.


SALAHUDDIN HAJI AYUB
Ketua Dewan pemuda PAS Pusat

[edteam]

THE STAR
Monday December 29, 2003

LETTER
Several issues on national service yet to be addressed

MY daughter has been selected for national service. I had encouraged her on the grounds that it was an honour and that she would gain in the long run.

However, it is obvious that though national service is a good idea theoretically, its implementation leaves much to be desired.

For one, random selection makes those who have been chosen feel they are being penalised.

Second, those who desire to further their studies such as doing pre-university courses like SAM and CPU are seriously affected; deferment only postpones the agony.

Third, it appears that many of the practical concerns affecting those selected have not been addressed.

My daughter, who lives in Petaling Jaya, has been asked to report for training on Feb 16 in Bintulu, Sarawak. National integration is desirable, but not when it is impractical.

Who is going to collect her SPM results from school?

Assuming parents will be allowed to, has anyone pondered the anxiety the children will be undergoing, given our exam-oriented society?

In particular, those who may not fare well will not have the crucial emotional support of family and friends.

Furthermore, most scholarships are advertised immediately after the results. How are these children to apply for these?

The interviews, such as that for the Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam scholarships are usually held in April.

Will the children be able to attend these? Will the Government bear the expense of flying the children over from Sarawak, for instance?

Assuming children are allowed to keep in touch with their family (they should be), who will pick up the tab for the telephone calls from Bintulu to Petaling Jaya?

As a parent, I feel strongly that these real concerns have not been addressed satisfactorily.

National service in the Malaysian context should rightly be viewed as selective punishment, which it definitely was not meant to be.

MKN,
Petaling Jaya.

SOURCE:
http://thestar.com.my/services/print....asp&sec=focus