Govt Clarifies After M'sians Were Left Confused With PLKN 3.0's Age Limit Of 35
Finally.
By Sadho Ram — 03 Nov 2023, 12:27 PM — Updated 8 months ago
Earlier this week, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan told parliament that the government's proposed new National Service Training Programme (PLKN 3.0) will involve Malaysians aged between 16 and 35
The programme, abolished in 2018, was officially revived earlier this month when the minister told a press conference on 9 October that the government has agreed to bring it back with a different training scheme.
According to information shared by Mohamad Hasan, PLKN 3.0 will be implemented in two phases, with phase 1 being conducted at the school level, involving Form Four students, and phase 2, involving 45 days of training, to be held after students complete their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations.
"After 45 days of training, they can become part of the existing workforce, ready to join government agencies, such as the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), for instance," he explained.
It's the announcement that came following his explanation that has left many Malaysians confused.
On Monday, 30 October, the Defence Minister — in a parliamentary written reply — said that "Under the National Service Training Act (NSA) 2003, only those aged 16 to 35 will be involved".
The proposal to include youths up to the age of 35 has raised questions and uncertainties about how it will affect individuals in this age group who are already well into their careers and family life
Previous versions of PLKN primarily targeted SPM graduates, usually aged between 17 and 18. Exceptions included those in their early 20s who deferred their national service due to their studies.
While the minister did not elaborate further on his proposal to include youths up to the age of 35, his remarks have left many wondering about the implications for those in their 30s.
Amidst the confusion, the Ministry of Defence today, 3 November, released a statement to clarify the proposed age limit
According to the statement, the ministry said trainees will be called up according to their year of birth, and only teenagers will be called up when the programme commences.
"Trainees will be selected based on their year of birth. There is a specific starting year of birth for trainees to begin PLKN 3.0. If the selected trainees cannot participate in national service training for valid reasons, they can apply for deferment. The maximum age to be a trainee is up to 35," it said.
This means that if PLKN 3.0 is implemented in 2024, only teens born in the year 2007 will be called up to participate in the programme.
The ministry expressed hope that this explanation will clear the confusion and put to rest the public's concerns regarding the age requirements of PLKN 3.0 trainees.
