Thursday June 5, 2008

Modify NS programme to protect trainees

COMMENT
By V.K. CHIN

THE Government should continue with the National Service training programme, which has brought many positive benefits to trainees.

The scheme has been criticised due to the deaths of several trainees during their three-month stint. It must be pointed out that some of them died while they were outside the camp.

Still, the Government cannot ignore such incidents as any death is unacceptable, and it is important to dispel the misgivings or the fear of sending loved ones to this character-building project.

The reminder from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to camp commandants to be more hands-on in running them is therefore timely.

It cannot be denied that some of the deaths could have been avoided, especially those who succumbed due to medical reasons.

Najib, who is also Defence Minister, told those in charge, who are all military personnel, to tighten up procedures and to send the sick immediately for medical treatment.

A few trainees died because by the time they were sent to hospital, their condition had already become critical. Early action could have saved them.

This is good advice that all commandants should take to heart, and they must act quickly when facing such cases in future. If all precautions should be taken, then it would be possible to achieve a zero-death target.

Parents must have full confidence in the programme before allowing loved ones to participate. Apart from more stringent health checks, it may be necessary to review the training modules used.

While physical training is part of the itinerary, one important objective is to teach loyalty, discipline, understanding and interaction with fellow trainees who are from different communities.

There is a tendency to treat them as army recruits and subject them to tough physical assignments they are not ready for. The emphasis should be on soft skills and they should not be subject to strenuous excursions, such as jungle trekking or survival.

Perhaps the Government should allow commandants to be recruited from outside the army, since military personnel tend to be too tough with trainees.

In the early days, there used to be some civilian commandants but, unfortunately, this function has now been taken over by serving officers. In the process, some good trainers were taken off.

Caught in the crossfire is Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, the first honorary chairman of the NS department. Since he has become the face of NS, he has borne the brunt of criticism, abuse and anger of parents whose children died or were injured.

Though he is the chairman, he has no executive authority and has no say over the running of the camps or control over the behaviour of the training staff.

This is quite unfair to him since he had agreed to head the department as a service to the nation. No one can blame him if he should refuse to serve another term if the present situation should continue.

Though he has tried his best to act as a go-between with parents of trainees and the trainers, he does not seem to be getting much support or sympathy from both.