Changes badly needed at NS camps

I REFER to the article “Killed for jumping queue” ( The Star, Sept 25 ) where yet another death occurred at the National Service (NS) camp.

It was reported that since the NS was introduced, there were 22 deaths, one rape, mass brawl and bullying incidents plus the deplorable condition of some NS camps.

With the death of trainee Muhammad Suhaimi Norhamidi at the Pinggiran Pelangi National Service camp in Muadzam Shah on Sunday following an attack by a couple of other trainees, parents are beginning to question the wisdom of sending their children to NS.

Our NS is unlike that of other countries. Ours is more of a boot camp where the youths are trained to be useful citizens.

The question is, has the NS programme achieved the desired objectives in building resilient, disciplined, civic-minded and patriotic youths?

The litmus test is when the nation celebrates National Day where ex-NS youths from various races were not seen.

When some of them enter universities or colleges, they keep apart from one another preferring to mix with their own race.

Maybe the Government should consider placing NS under Biro Tatanegara as they have good training facilities and is directly under the Prime Minister’s department.

NS is a serious national programme and should not be given lip service.

It should not be allowed to be turned into a business for profit.

In the event of war, it is the NS youths that should come forward in the name of King and country.

In times of peace, the NS youths should prepare themselves for war.

If our NS is just a summer camp to fill up the free time of the youths while waiting for tertiary education or other vocations, then we should not make noise when we see these youths wandering aimlessly and become misfits. HASSAN TALIB Gombak