The Defence Ministry plans to set up a Territorial Army company for each of the 222 parliamentary constituencies nationwide.

"Some 198 companies have already been set up with the remaining scheduled for next year," said Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The minister said this after launching Territorial Army companies for Besut, Setiu, Dungun and Kemaman at Gong Badak Indoor Stadium in Kuala Terengganu today.

Zahid said today's launch of four companies means that all Terengganu parliamentary constituencies now have their own Territorial Army companies.

Four companies for Kuala Terengganu, Marang, Kuala Nerus and Hulu Terengganu were set up in stages from 2005-2009.

The minister also said that the Armed Forces volunteers have reached 60,632, surpassing the 60,000 target set by the Defence Ministry.

According to Ahmad Zahid, Malays form the bulk with 48,882 (86.2%), Chinese 3,092 (5.1%), Indians 1,067 (1.9%) and others 7,591 (12.2%).

Murugiah to help identify candidates

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department T Murugiah said he would identify 2,000 candidates annually from among the Indian community to join the armed forces.

He said he would have a meeting with Ahmad Zahid to convey the matter so as to provide a balance in the participation of non-bumiputeras in the armed forces.

"A letter requesting the meeting has been sent to the Defence Ministry," he told Bernama .

Murugiah said that if Indian youths could join the armed forces, it would help overcome unemployment and social problems in the community.

On Nov 9, Ahmad Zahid said in the Dewan Rakyat that there were only 903 non-Malays in the armed forces, who had joined the service in the last two years.

He had said that 82 of them were Indians, 26 Chinese and 795 of other races including ethnic groups from Sabah and Sarawak.

- Bernama