The first Malaysian youth to be jailed for dodging the draft was freed today after his fine was paid - by a sympathetic government official.

Eighteen-year-old labourer Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment or a RM600 fine yesterday for failing to turn up for three months' national training.

When he could not pay, he was locked up - but news reports that he had skipped training to help support his impoverished family brought an outpouring of sympathy and the chief minister of his home state of Perlis paid the fine first thing on Wednesday, the Bernama news agency said.

Newspapers had reported Ahmad's mother earns RM150 a month as a kindergarten helper and his 30 ringgit-a-day wages for labouring in rice fields helped keep his younger brothers in school.

Malaysia started non-military national service training for 18-year-olds in February last year to boost patriotism and racial integration.

Those who fail to turn up face a maximum sentence of six months in jail or a RM3,000 fine, or both.