Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari has announced that the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 will be reintroduced in stages starting next January. The initial phase will be held at two military camps, one in Kuala Lumpur and another in Pahang, with plans to expand to 13 more camps nationwide by 2026. PLKN 3.0 will cater to individuals aged 16 to 35, including Form Four students, Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) leavers, and students from higher education institutions. The January intake is expected to accommodate around 500 participants, with more joining during the June intake.
Not only that but the Defence Ministry recently announced that participants of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0, set to begin next January, will receive a daily allowance of RM8. Defence Minister Khaled Nordin stated there are no plans to increase this amount. “We will retain the RM8 allowance for now. The programme hasn’t started yet, so let it begin first,” he told reporters at an event on December 15, 2024. But one question lingers in my mind: “Only RM8? Maggi Curry (79g x 5s) already cost RM 4.71". How is it enough for our PLKN trainees?
To put things into perspective, the National Human Resource Centre reports that the current minimum wage translates to RM7.21 per hour. In terms of daily wages, for a six-day workweek, this totals RM57.69 daily; for a five-day workweek, RM69.23; and for a four-day workweek, RM86.54. In comparison, PLKN trainees earn significantly less than minimum-wage workers. Foreign construction workers may even take home more than PLKN trainees. As a side note, the upcoming minimum wage increase to RM1,700 in February will also apply to foreign workers, raising their hourly rate to RM8.72. This means foreign workers will earn more in an hour than PLKN trainees do in an entire day.
Some may argue that the government is saving taxpayers’ money by allocating only RM8 daily to each PLKN trainee. However, a far more significant saving could be achieved by not reintroducing the PLKN 3.0 program altogether. In 2020, Syed Saddiq strongly criticized PLKN on Facebook, revealing that over its 12-year span, the government spent RM8.43 billion on the program. Alarmingly, 43% of this amount went to camp rentals alone, excluding training costs. This means PLKN costs over half a billion ringgit annually. Imagine if that funding was instead directed toward upgrading schools or hospitals—wouldn’t that be a better use of public resources?
Moreover, PLKN has faced numerous issues, including:
By not reintroducing the PLKN 3.0 program, SPM leavers would have the opportunity to spend that time more productively, such as taking short courses or gaining work experience through part-time jobs—both of which can significantly enhance their resumes. Realistically, does participating in PLKN 3.0 improve their chances of getting into university or landing a job? In all my experience, I’ve never heard of anyone gaining a competitive edge by listing PLKN on their resume. However, I’ve seen plenty of people benefit from taking short courses (like coding bootcamps or short TVET courses like cooking) or working part-time jobs, which demonstrate initiative and provide valuable experience working for an employer. Wouldn’t it make more sense to empower our youth with practical skills and real-world experience?
As we look toward the reintroduction of PLKN 3.0, we must ask ourselves a simple yet critical question: are we truly preparing our youth for the future, or are we clinging to a program that fails to deliver meaningful value? RM8 per day is not just a number; it’s a reflection of how little we seem to value the time, effort, and potential of our young people.
If the goal is to build resilience, foster patriotism, and equip our youth with life skills, surely there are better ways to invest in their growth. Imagine a Malaysia where every ringgit spent on programs like PLKN is redirected toward initiatives that genuinely empower our youth—programs that offer practical skills, financial independence, and a competitive edge in an ever-evolving world.
It’s time to rethink our priorities and ensure that every decision we make helps build a brighter, more sustainable future for our next generation. After all, isn’t that what true patriotism is all about?
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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