Saturday June 14, 2008 MYT 12:28:47 PM

NS cuts RM66m from its annual budget

By LISA GOH

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Service (NS) Training Department will play its part in reducing frills and cutting cost by slashing at least RM66mil from its annual budget.

Its director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said that he had informed the Defence Ministry that the department was returning the money to the Government.

"The money was initially allocated for purchase of vehicles in camps, such as four-wheel drives, but we have decided it is not necessary.

"Also, instead of holding courses for camp commandants in hotels, we will now hold them in the NS camps. This will save a lot," he told the press Saturday after seeing a new batch of NS trainees off at Stadium Bukit Jalil here.

However, Abdul Hadi reassured the public that this cost-cutting measure would not affect the effectiveness or the safety aspects of the camps and its activities.

"We will see how else we can save more money," he said, adding that the department still had RM600mil for the rest of the year, which he said "is sufficient".

A total of 36,378 trainees are being moved to 81 camps nationwide in two stages - 22,559 on Saturday and 13,819 on Sunday. He also said that in view of the recent fuel hike, the NS department had an alternative plan to ferry the trainees should the bus operators fail to run as scheduled, as their earlier contract was made prior to the fuel hike.

"We have gotten help from the army, and we have more than 200 army vehicles on standby but so far, everything is on schedule," he said.

The open day for this group of trainees is July 5 for camps in Kedah, Kelantan and Terenggenu, and July 6 for camps in other states, including Sabah and Sarawak.

He said there would also be a four-day break for the trainees from July 17 to July 20 when trainees could to return to their homes should they choose to.