Vandalism At National Service Camps

National Service (NS) training is supposed to instill greater discipline among trainees. But it appears to be not the case with all trainees and in all areas.

Each time trainees leave the training camps, the operators of the camps have to think how much they have to fork out to rectify the damage caused by the vandals and in this instance the NS trainees.

The vandalism mentality must have been inherited from their schooling days at Secondary School. That would lead us to think the effectiveness of our education system in instilling discipline and basic values like not to vandalize.

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* Malaysia National Service a Failure

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From theBorneoPost

Operator laments vandalism at NS camp
By Irene C

SERIAN: National Service (NS) training is supposed to instill greater discipline among trainees.

But it appears to be not the case with all trainees and in all areas.

Each time trainees leave the training camps, the operators of the camps have to think how much they have to fork out to rectify the damage caused by the vandals and in this instance the NS trainees.

One camp that is not devoid of this problem is Juara Camp here.

Its operator Lejau Lah said he had to come up with at least RM10,000 for repair of various facilities after each training session ended.

Each training session lasts three months.

“In between training sessions, there’ll surely be things that need fixing and they include broken walls, blocked toilets, broken water taps or damaged fencing,” he said when met by reporters after the closing of the Fifth Series, Third Group NS Training 2008 here yesterday.

He added that different series would result in different damages but did not elaborate.

Juara Camp is one of the private properties rented by the NS Department (NSD) for NS training.

The camp, built on a 35-acre site, costs RM6.9 million, including the cost of the land. Opened in 2005, Juara Camp has a capacity to accommodate 350 trainees and 65 trainers.

Among facilities provided are dormitories, marching field, surau, administrative office and a spacious dining hall.

Apart from being a venue for NS training, Lejau said the camp was also rented out to the public or government agencies to be used for their own training purpose.

“This year is quieter unlike the previous years and maybe it is due to the current economic situation,” he said.

The interval between each training session varied from one week to two months, he said.

When asked if the road leading to the camp would be upgraded, he said it would depend on his financial situation. “I have my limitations and to do this will take time,” he said.

The1.8km-road is sealed for one km from the camp entrance while the remainder is still under gravel.

On future development plans for the camp, Lejau said there was none currently but if there was a directive from the NSD, it would be done.

Lejau also said he could not comment on the number of trainees there as it depended on the decision of the NSD but he welcomed more trainees to his camp.

A total of 206 trainees completed their three-month training yesterday and 15 of them are from Peninsular Malaysia. The next training will commence on Dec 27.