Ah - PLKN! Some of us have fond memories of it while others don't. For starters, PLKN (Program Latihan Khidmat Negara) was first introduced in December 2003 as a programme that spans for 3 months. Unlike other countries such as South Korea or Singapore, the objective of PLKN was never for national defence but for the objectives which are as follows:
- Develop a young generation who are patriotic and love their country
- Enhance unity among the multi-racial communities in Malaysia
- Instill a spirit of caring and volunteerism among society
- Produce an active, intelligent and confident generation
- Develop positive characteristics among the younger generation through good values
From the start, PLKN has encountered numerous problems ranging from logistical issues to racial polarization. So why on earth would we want to bring back PLKN? Here are a few issues with PLKN since its inception.
1. 23 deaths since PLKN started
Since its inception, PLKN has recorded 23 deaths in total. Of course, you might say mistakes happen but bear in mind, it took our neighbour Singapore 40 years to get 23 deaths (1968 - 2008). Malaysia managed to accomplish that in half the time! Just goes to show how the spirit of Malaysia Memang Boleh!
Not to mention, the rapes, sexual assaults, and brawls that have happened in PLKN camps.
2. Failed to instill love for country
According to the National Patriots Association (Patriots), the programme has failed to instill patriotism among PLKN recruits. The veterans' group attributes this to the inexperienced personnel who handle the PLKN programme. According to Patriots, the PLKN programme isn't done by “people who love the country but by people who only have love for money.”
Not to mention, if you go on forums such as Reddit, you can find confessions from former PLKN recruits. According to one former recruit, throwburgeratface shared that they felt patriotic for 2-3 months after PLKN but that effect soon wore off. In the very same thread, he shared that the only moment when the teachings got serious was during "patriotism" classes; it included preaching about how we should boycott certain Western countries to promote the local economy (Seriously? Is this how we instill patriotism among our youths? By asking them to boycott certain Western countries?). All in all, he even said that PLKN was a huge waste of time.
3. Huge waste of financial resources
The government has spent RM8.43 billion throughout the 12 years PLKN has been implemented. The bulk of the expenses (43%) were on camp rent alone excluding training curriculums. Retired Brigadier-General Arshad Raji would agree with me on this as he insisted that the previous PLKN incarnation was a waste of money and called for the Government to study in-depth the abolished PLKN as there were a lot of weaknesses in PLKN. Wouldn't the billions and billions of Ringgit spent be better used in other aspects of our society such as our education system or healthcare system?
4. Lack of financial transparency
Financial transparency is another issue. Since its inception, critics have been vocal about the financial transparency of the millions awarded to the program and whether contracts were properly awarded. Trainees have even walked out and complained that they were not being compensated properly as promised by Institut Kepimpinan Wawasan (Vision Leadership Institute) - that was back in 2004, mind you! Even back in 2018, our Ex-Defence Minister, Mohamad Sabu even indirectly hinted at the lack of financial transparency when he said, “Rental of the camps, buses – why are they so high?” This means that the government has no idea why it costs that much - a lack of financial transparency.
In my humble opinion most if not all the objectives of PLKN can be achieved via our education system. No need for a glorified 3 months summer boot camp or the government's newly proposed 45-day camp. Take one objective of PLKN, “produce an active, intelligent and confident generation” as an example. The education ministry can ensure that schools increase their physical education hours (such as South Korea), include critical thinking classes, and make building self-esteem a major educational objective.
Aaron Colt is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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