The Federal Government’s National Service programme will be back in full swing next year, but as part of Putrajaya’s plan to revamp how it works (and probably save some national budget money along the way), the NS will gradually be made fully voluntary by 2019.
Deputy Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri told The Malay Mail Online that the NS programme will be rejiggered to target Malaysian youths who are unable to attend college or university after completing secondary school.
“In 2017, 60 per cent of the trainees will be randomly selected through online computer system while another 40 per cent will be made up of volunteers.
“It will be 50 per cent selected and 50 per cent volunteers in 2018 with the goal of seeing all trainees being volunteers by 2019,” he said.
Abdul Rahim added that the decision to rework the NS programme and turn it into a fully voluntary initiative was reached following feedback his ministry received from 24 private companies, non-governmental organisations, government agencies and parents.
NS trainees would also be able to further their training after their term with the programme had expired through vocational mentorship programmes.
“Those who want to continue their skills training after their NS can do so at the skills training centres to obtain their certificate,” he said.
The National Service programme was suspended in January following budget cuts that Prime Minister Najib Razak said would save Putrajaya some RM500 million this year.
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