The local mass media has been urging tough action on national service shirkers which is enlightening and commendable but this may prove to be fruitless considering the Malaysian way of doing things.

As many other laws in Malaysia, the compliance is very poor as law-breakers know for sure that many of them will get away with it. Just look at the examples of road indiscipline, hogging bus lanes, peddling illegal VCDs, using illegal software, overloading by commercial vehicles, slimy practices by taxi drivers, dumping of toxic waste and the open burning in many parts of Malaysia.

More often that not, the transgressors gets away with it, as they are never penalised for one reason or another.

I don't think the authorities have the resources or the willpower to prosecute all of the NS delinquents. Yes, some unlucky ones will have their hides hauled up to courts but I believe most of them will escape. That is Malaysia. Let us not kid ourselves.

In fact, the local media should not even urge for action but call for the total abolishment of this egoistic, fruitless and ill thought-out plan, a legacy of the whims and fancies of a past leader.