Three teens volunteer to be NS substitutes

MALACCA: Three 17-year-olds who were not selected for the national service programme next year want to go in place of those unwilling to join the training. 

Lee Poa Ting and Nyiau Kean Wei, both from Bedong, Kedah, and Goh Liang Kia, from Butterworth, are keen to be part of the programme and are disappointed that they did not make the list. 

Kean Wei, a student of Sin Min Independent School in Sungai Petani, said he was upset in a phone interview yesterday. 

After reading news reports about students here who did not want to join the training as they had registered for the South Australia Matriculation (SAM) course at Taylor’s College, Kean Wei and the two girls contacted former MP for Kota Melaka Lim Guan Eng yesterday via the short messaging service expressing their wish to sign up. 

On Wednesday, Gan Chia Ying, who is scheduled to start her SAM course on Jan 5, had asked for someone to replace her if that was possible. 

Kean Wei appealed to the Defence Ministry to allow him to join the training as a substitute for Chia Ying. 

Poa Ting, an active scout for the past few years, was unhappy that she had not been selected. 

Liang Kia said she wanted to join the programme for the experience.