Govt plans to revive National Service programme

KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry plans to revive the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) to instil patriotism among youths.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pic) said the proposal to revive the programme would be presented to the Cabinet soon.

“PLKN was abolished in 2018 by Pakatan Harapan government.

"However, based on the benefits of this programme on instilling patriotism among youths, the ministry will propose its reimplementation to the Cabinet," he said in his winding-up speech on Budget 2021 on Tuesday (Nov 24).

Ismail Sabri also said the Public Services Department had offered “soft landing” contracts to 1,394 former National Service Training Department officers.

He said the officers were placed in various agencies and ministries for the period of one year beginning 2019.

“These appointments were to give officers a means to support themselves before finding a new job, ” he added.

PLKN was introduced in 2004. When it was shelved, the Pakatan government replaced it with a youth leadership programme.