The goverment said today it planned to make national service compulsory for youths after forming a special cabinet committee to draw up implementation plans.
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the cabinet would make a final decision on whether to go ahead with plans for national service after studying the committee's report.
But he made clear that it would be made compulsory once given the green light by the cabinet.
"Of course national service is compulsory. There is no national service that isn't compulsory. A national service that isn't compulsory would be imperfect or incomplete," he told reporters.
The special committee is headed by Defence Minister Najib Razak, and includes four other ministers.