Four injured during brawl at NS camp in Pekan


http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/6/29/nation/4216870&sec=nation

PEKAN: Four trainees were injured in a fight at a national service camp here, including one who needed two stitches on his head.

Thirteen of the trainees have been detained by police to assist in investigations. The four who were injured were also detained by the police later.

It it learnt that the incident occurred inside the camp’s community hall at 8pm during a heavy downpour on Saturday.

There was a misunderstanding between two students, aged 17 and 18, resulting in the others joining in the brawl.

They attacked one another with chairs and their bare hands.

The situation was brought under control minutes later by the camp commandant and the injured were taken to the Pekan Hospital for treatment.

State CID chief Asst Comm T. Narenasagaran said police have classified the case as rioting under Section 148 of the Penal Code.

He said the trainees would be released after their statements were recorded.

Teruntum assemblyman Chang Hong Seong, who was alerted about the incident, assisted several parents to meet with the trainees.

Chang said all the trainees detained by the police were still being held at the district headquarters lock-up here for questioning.

He said some parents had complained that their children were handcuffed when being taken away by the police.

“I have contacted the police and they informed me that it was a normal procedure to use handcuffs for offences involving rioting,” he said.

NS camps hit by flu, food poisoning (Update)


http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/20/nation/20090520155340&sec=nation

PETALING JAYA: It was not a good week for National Service trainees with two different camps being hit, the first by influenza and the second by food poisoning.

The Health Ministry sent out an alert about the spread of suspected influenza at the National Service Training Centre in Setia Ikhlas, Semenyih.

To date, 30 trainees have started showing symptoms of fever, light cough, sore throat and aching muscles beginning last Thursday.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said 26 of the trainees were being treated at the camp’s isolation room, three were still warded at Kajang Hospital and one has been discharged on Tuesday.

The situation in the camp was being closely monitored by the ministry, he said in a statement Wednesday.

“This involves vector control through fogging, surveillance and daily monitoring of all trainees and referring all suspected cases to nearby hospitals,” he said.

Later Wednesday, Kajang Hospital deputy director Dr Sharum Ismail said that three patients came to the hospital with "dengue-like" symptoms. One of them is in the intensive care unit but is stable.

The hospital has ruled out H1N1 however, although blood samples have been sent for tests, she said.

On Tuesday, the ministry confirmed that Influenza B has been identified as the reason why trainees at the Police Training Centre (Pulapah) in Air Hitam near Bahau fell ill.

Last Thursday, a trainee died of acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart. The inflammation was brought on by Influenza B.

Subsequently, 29 trainees were placed under observation at the Jempol Hospital.

At the NS training centre in Cancun Park, Pasir Mas, 100 out of 350 participants came down with food poisoning on Tuesday, C.A. ZULKIFLI reports from KOTA BARU.

State Health Department deputy director Dr Wan Mansor Hamzah said 15 of the afflicted had been admitted to the Pasir Mas, Raja Perempuan Zainab II and Perdana Specialist hospitals.

The rest received outpatient treatment at various hospitals in the Pasir Mas and Kota Baru districts.

On April 14, 17 participants at the same camp had also come down with food poisoning after they consumed food that had passed its expiry date. The health department responded by closing down the canteen and the NS centre then engaged a new food caterer.

“This latest incident could have been caused by the fried rice and chicken supplied by another contractor appointed by the food caterer,” Dr Wan Mansor told newsmen at the Pasir Mas hospital after inspecting the centre Wednesday.

There was also another case of food poisoning involving 10 trainees on May 12, caused by poor food handling by the caterer, he added.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/24/nation/3112211&sec=nation

No more NS for my kids, says dad of trainee in coma
By SYED AZHAR

KOTA BARU: The father of national service trainee Ahmad Al-Hashyiemi Md Hussein, who is in a coma after falling into a monsoon drain, will not allow his other children to participate in the programme.

Mohd Hussein Yunus, 45, said he was traumatised by the incident and would not allow daughter Nur Amirah to take part in the program if she was drafted. Nur Amirah will be sitting for the SPM examination this year.

“Which father would not be affected by this incident? My son is still in a coma,” he said when met at the Intensive Care Unit of the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital yesterday.

“I am not going to allow my son to continue even if he recovers,” he added.

On Jan 1, Ahmad Al-Hashyiemi, 18, fell into a drain at the Selama NS camp and was treated at the camp’s medical centre.

He was diagnosed with shoulder pains and his parents’ application to have him continue the programme in Pasir Mas was subsequently approved.

Later, he went into a coma after being diagnosed with lung infection.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop, who visited Ahmad Al-Hashyiemi at the hospital yesterday, said the camp commandant had taken every safety measure to get the participants away from the flooding camp at the time.

Ahmad Al-Hashyiemi was given the best possible care and attention by the relevant authorities, he added.

He also said that based on the briefing by the specialists at the hospital, Ahmad Al-Hashyiemi was recovering but was uncertain when he would be transferred to an ordinary ward.

NS trainee who fell into drain slips into coma

PASIR MAS: A trainee who slipped into a drain during floods while undergoing the national service training in Selama on Jan 1 is now in critical condition.

Mohd Alhasyhiemi Mohd Hussin, 18, who almost drowned in the incident was transferred from the Lati Hospital here to the Raja Perempuan Zainab Dua Hospital in Kota Baru three days ago.

“He had breathing difficulty on Thursday and became unconscious. He is in the intensive care unit and is in critical condition. said Mohd Hussin.

“The doctor said my son had a viral lung infection as he swallowed a lot of water in the incident. He slipped into the drain while taking goods to a higher ground when the training camp was inundated,” added Mohd Hussin.

He said Mohd Alhasyhiemi was saved by an instructor and admitted to the hospital but the camp commandant did not inform him about it. Mohd Hussin lodged a report about the incident at the Kota Baru police station yesterday morning.

Kota Baru police chief ACP Zahruddin Abdullah said Selama police would investigate, he said. — Bernama

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/17/nation/3050716&sec=nation

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

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/9/nation/2978232&sec=nation

Friday January 9, 2009

Trainees down with food poisoning

LUMUT: Some 155 national service trainees at the Teluk Rubiah camp here came down with food poisoning yesterday and were rushed to the Seri Manjung Hospital.

They were brought to the hospital at 7.20am after suffering from stomach ache, diarrhoea and vomiting following a meal of chicken chop at the camp’s canteen.

A hospital spokesman said most of the trainees had been sent back to the camp after treatment but eight were warded.

The camp commandant, Commander K. Kannan, declined to comment and asked newsmen to contact the national service department headquarters in Kuala Lumpur for information.

Manjung police chief ACP Mohd Jamil Osman said police had yet to receive any reports on the incident from the Seri Manjung Hospital or the management of the Teluk Rubiah camp. — Bernama

I'm really sick of this National Service. From time to time you read about death, food poisoning & gang fights. Don't they (the powers that be) have any concern on our children's well-being?

How would you feel if your child is selected? I'll be damned worried I tell you.

Any VIP's sons or ministers daughters have ever been 'selected'?
Since this program is the brain child of Najib Tun Razak, he should offer to enrol his son to participate!

From now on, the scope of my blog will revolve around news on the Malaysia National Service & mat rempits.

Why are mat rempits still allowed to terrorise the streets of Malaysia?

Is it so difficult to stop them? They gather at the same place at the same time almost everyday! Why can't the authorities channel more effort to protect the citizens against this menace?