No action yet against 3,000 who skipped NS
By K. KASTURI DEWI


BALIK PULAU: The police will not be taking action against 3,000 of the 6,000 youngsters who have skipped National Service (NS) since the inauguration of the programme in 2004, but they are not off the hook yet.

National Service Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said that 6,000 had failed to report for training since the start of the programme.

Their names were submitted to the police for futher action, but police had recommended NFA (No Further Action) against about 3,000 of them.

“After their investigations, police ordered NFA on these cases; the Attorney-General’s Chambers has also not recommended these cases for prosecution,” he told reporters after attending the launch of the programme for 504 trainees at the White Resort NS camp in Balik Pulau on Wednesday.

However, it is learnt that the 3,000-odd youths would be issued a final letter telling them to attend the programme. If they still fail to attend, then legal action would be recommended against them.

Abdul Hadi said that since the start of the programme, some 300,000 youngsters had undergone NS training. About 140,000 had been selected to undergo training this year.

National Service Training Council chairman Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, who was present at the event, said the Council would propose that alternative penalties be adopted to punish youngsters who fail to attend training.

“Imposing heavy punishments would only make the situation worse and put off the youngsters.

“Our aim is not to scare away youngsters and parents but to encourage more of them to join the programme,” he said.

Such alternative penalties could include required community service or attachments to non-governmental organisations, he said.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/15/nation/20090115130146&sec=nation