THOSE who failed to attend national service training will have to carry out community service and not be subjected to a jail term under a proposed amendment to the National Service Training Act.

The National Service Training (Amendment) Bill 2008 was tabled for first reading in Parliament to allow the court to order an offender to carry out community service instead of being subjected to a fine or imprisonment as a form of punishment.

Learning curve: Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein chatting with his Australian counterpart Bronwyn Pike during her visit to Parliament House yesterday.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop tabled the bill.

At the Parliament lobby later, Abu Seman said those who did not attend training would still have to face charges.

“However, under this bill, they will no longer be sentenced to jail or fined. They will only be required to perform community service. The length of the community service will be determined by the judge,” he said.

The Finance Ministry tabled a motion to redisburse a total of RM1.12bil allocation meant for the defunct Internal Security Ministry and the Unity Department under the Prime Minister's Department.

The ministry has been reabsorbed into the Home Affairs Ministry while the department is now part of the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry after the general election.

In the motion, it was stated that the move was necessary as both the ministry and department had received the allocation when the Budget was announced in September last year.

“The allocation has to be re-disbursed according to the reshuffling of the functions of the ministries,” it said, adding out of the original sum, some RM290.7mil, had yet to be utilised.

The Government does not intend to ban the application and registration of race-based political parties.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar told Karpal Singh (DAP – Bukit Gelugor) that this was because the right to association was guaranteed under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.

Comments (15)

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written by ralverd, May 21, 2008 | 10:17:01

F*CK OFF! I'd gladly sit in prison for 3 months than to die while undergoing National Service. Ridiculous.

Read more at http://www.ralverd.com (WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE)

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written by riboak, May 21, 2008 | 10:17:39

All for the sake of "korek-ing" more money... to the extend of sending the innocents to jail & community services.

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written by fireduck, May 21, 2008 | 10:43:02

Guys, don't be too hasty to condemn the proposal. I think we can look for the silver lining there. If 'shirkers' or 'those who choose to differ' are required to do community service, then let us all send our kids for community service. And I mean ALL .... i.e. en masse. The judges can only dispense so many types of community services to be done, that can fall within the ambit of the legal definition. Let our kids 'shirk' and go on to 'community service' instead of dying under the current NS camp conditions.

Then we are actually redefining what National Service means. We are going to take control of the situation, and give input to state what National Service means and should be.

Community service is good, and I will have no problems with my kids undergoing 3 months of community help, performing tasks to help the poor, the rural folks, the disadvantaged, the disabled, relief work for disasters, etc. But hopefully, these community work will be carried out under the supervision of those NGOs that are already doing such work, not under the armed forces or Defence Ministry.

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written by atwong, May 21, 2008 | 11:01:58

The NS programme is outrageously costly.

The high NS-related deaths is unacceptable.

It infringes on the human rights of the trainees.

The NS programme has dubious benefits.

Please listen to the will of the people. Instead of making amendments to the act, just repeal the National Service Training Act.

http://stopNSProgramme.blogspot.com

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written by atwong, May 21, 2008 | 11:09:38

The NS programme is outrageously costly.

The high NS-related deaths is unacceptable.

It infringes on the human rights of the trainees.

The NS programme has dubious benefits.

Please listen to the will of the people. Instead of making amendments to the act, just repeal the National Service Training Act.

http://stopNSProgramme.blogspot.com

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written by shamadz72, May 21, 2008 | 11:34:03

I believed the community service is a much better option than a possibility of getting yourself kill inside the bootcamp

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written by Gargamel, May 21, 2008 | 12:14:01

Wow, Datuk Wira is a real wira!! For once, I support the government's initiative. It will do the youth a lot of good to help the underprivileged, and it will help the underprivileged to received assistance from so many youths. Bravo!! Everyone should boycott NS en masse!!!

(Unless of course there are new uniforms to be sold or materials supplied by konchos....)

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written by Cheryl, May 21, 2008 | 14:35:59

I dun mind sending my kids for community service, but like what fireduck said it so correctly - let the NGOs do it, not the BN, otherwise, it may be another money earning avenue for them without proper plan again.

boycott NS, DON'T send our kids to NS

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written by cllim123, May 21, 2008 | 14:52:48

NOw let's see what this Community Service actually means. What if they have NS style of CS? I wouldn't put it past them that they will now open some CS centres to train the NS shirkers in CS. There our kids will still wear special uniforms like NS but maybe different colour like yellow camouflage. Najib and Rosmah still main supplier to CS for uniforms and food. Now maybe to include brooms, sickles, cangkuls, grass cutters. At the end, our kids still risk death from food poisoning and neglect.

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written by nafis, May 21, 2008 | 15:39:57

i agree with cllim, cheryl and fireduck

better to engage our kids to community service but without all the hanky-panky by you-know-who

we have a lot of active ngos which could be 'training ground' for the kids to learn about what's life is all about ie sickness, old age, poverty, disability[learning and physical], environment and so on....

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written by ksmaniam, May 21, 2008 | 15:45:21

I too agree with nafis, cllim, cheryl and fireduck. Let us check out how the situation goes and if it is ok than when the next call comes we move everyone to go for community service. Problem is if too many opt for it, najib will say sorry the system is inadequate for us to allow everyone to do cs. So we have to push them to do it now. Cater for it. Or vote for it. And let the gov know what we want. MY proposal is we should vote for it or have a signature campaign. Cummon guys think. The thought that my children have to go there kills me. Cummon think.

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written by qitaro, May 21, 2008 | 17:56:09

What a stupid proposal. How do they define dodgers when in reality, there is nothing to dodge?

NS is a huge scam job that does little for our kids ... well, perhaps apart from their little fantasy to fire a real gun.

I have no money to migrate. Therefore, if I'm left with no choice ... I'd rather my kids go cut lalang or sweep rubbish than sending them to death camps!

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written by power2u, May 21, 2008 | 19:32:13

N I am SURE this community service will also be a MONEY SPINNING lubang for Mr C4 n proxies....are they going to make our kids do some tough labour PLUS go for some BRAINWASHING couse organised by Biro Tata Negara???Whatever Barisan Najis n this Najis does, sure will cost loss of billions in natinal coffers n loss of youngsters lives one..Pls lah I am FED UP with ALL the crime ,corruption n mess of the evil Barisan Najis...Throw them out .Vote Pakatan.

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written by fairnessforall, May 22, 2008 | 13:05:53

Knowing Najib and rosmah, they may come up with uniforms that all those serving community service will have to wear. Another way of bringing in the bucks by supplying the uniforms.

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written by shiokguy, May 24, 2008 | 13:30:40

Why Najib or the government still insist on NS?

Make your money from somewhere else!
Not over the life of Young Teenage Malaysian!
What go around will come around!

If you feel strongly for NS, pro or con kindly vote on NS poll at my blog. The poll will close in 7 days.

Shiok Guy
http://www.shiokguy.blogspot.com/

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