National Service running 3 new sub-modules

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Abdul Hadi (left) being greeted by NS trainees at Sungai Rait camp.

MIRI : Three new sub-modules have been introduced to the first batch of this year’s National Service (NS) training which started in January.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, director-general of National Service Department, Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said the three new sub-modules were introduced to further improve the NS programme.

The press conference was held at Sungai Rait NS Camp during a special visit and lunch there.

According to Abdul Hadi, the first sub-module is to strengthen trainees’ patriotic spirits and to provide them with reasons on why they need to protect Sabah.

“This module was created following the Lahad Datu intrusion case. We have been instructed by the Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein to come up with this module,” he said.

The second module, he added, was to educate NS trainees on the usage of social media through the Klik Bijak@PKLN website.

Through the website, trainees would be educated on how to evaluate articles or news they read online.

“They (trainees) will be able to identify which articles are genuine and they too can be part of the social media. No doubt the social media can help them in many ways, but they have to know how to use it correctly,” he said.

The third module meanwhile focuses on healthy lifestyle and it is carried out in collaboration with University Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).

This module is designed to benefit trainees with body mass index (BMI) reading above 27.

“We have identified 650 trainees in this camp (Sungai Rait camp) with BMI over 27 and they are being given special course to bring down their BMI reading.

“At the moment, 60 per cent have successfully reduced their BMI reading. There are still more time for them to do so until the end of the NS programme in March, and we hope they can continue to practice the healthy lifestyle once they leave NS so that they can achieve a healthy BMI reading of 25 and below,” he said.

Abdul Hadi said there are currently 32,000 NS trainees in 79 training camps nationwide.

“Two NS camps have been suspended for not complying with the Schedule of Compliance (SUC). We are still monitoring the infrastructures in these suspended camps and once they comply we will enrol our trainees there,” he said.

He added that so far, this year’s NS training programmes have been running smoothly nationwide since it started last January 6. The programme will end on March 18, just a few days before the SPM result is announced.

“The trainees are now in the community services module. In states which are currently experiencing water shortage, the Defence Minister have instructed me to forge a collaboration with other departments including the Ministry of Housing, and come up with a mechanism.

“This mechanism is to get our trainees involve in community services such as helping senior citizens or people with limited abilities to carry water to their house or flats,” he said.

Touching on the NS programme, Addul Hadi said it is one of the biggest national programme that strengthens unity among Malaysian youths of various races and religions.

“For example, this Sungai Rait camp have more than 20 different races. So this is seen as a huge unity programmes that promotes national integrations among youths,” he pointed out.

He added that they have to make sure that the NS programme continues to be successful because of its positive impact on Malaysian youths.

“I was informed by the Defense Minister several days ago, that the NS Programme had been included in the ‘National Blue Ocean Strategy’.

“This is something very big, especially seeing its importance to the development of youth,” he said.

The National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) is a management tool which can be applied to reduce crime, rehabilitate prison inmates at army camps, provide household assistance, ensure rural water supply and optimise vacant armed forces land for agriculture.