Najib and NS

Below is an excerpt of an article from NST on Najib commenting on the National Service programme in Malaysia in which I happen to caught as well on TV3 Buletin Utama last night.

Najib berkata, sejak 2004 apabila kumpulan pelatih pertama diambil hingga sekarang, 16 kematian dilaporkan membabitkan pelatih PLKN iaitu 11 kematian ketika mengikuti latihan, manakala lima lagi kematian ketika pelatih diberikan pelepasan cuti. “Daripada 11 itu, tujuh kematian kerana penyakit, manakala empat lagi akibat kemalangan,” kata Najib yang juga Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kabinet mengenai PLKN.

Beliau berkata, kematian itu hanya membabitkan peratusan kecil daripada pelatih PLKN yang sehingga ini sebanyak 339,186 orang.Beliau menempelak sesetengah rakyat yang begitu beriya-iya supaya program itu gagal dan ditamatkan, sedangkan rakyat Singapura memberikan

sokongan penuh terhadap program yang hampir sama iaitu ‘National Service’.“Di Singapura, lebih banyak yang mati tetapi rakyat Singapura lebih utama kepentingan nasional,” katanya menyebabkan Dewan Rakyat riuh.

His statement is really cold hearted, dont you think so? He said so far there is only 14 deaths out of 339,186 trainees so far. So what? 14 deaths are not deaths? For every death, there is a grieving family out there mourning for their lost child.

And he claims Singapore got more deaths in their National Service program. He gotta be kidding. From Hansard, dated 13th May, according to Batu MP, Tian Chua, so far since more than 30yrs ago the National Service program was lauched in Singapore, it has averaged to about only 1 death every 4 years.

Even then I was told by my Singaporean friend, for every death, there will be accountability from the government's end where a commission will be formed to look into it. To ensure that justice is served and the parents are given a satisfactory transparent explanation for this loss. I believe thats the least the government can do. I hope Najib dont get us Malaysians wrong. We are fully supportive of NS program. Please provide us a quality program that provides parents with a peace of mind just like what the parents in Singapore are assured of.

And yesterday Wong Kang Seng, Singapore Home Minister was in Malaysia by the way.