DAP member of Parliament Fong Po Kuan has criticised the National Service Training Council (NSTC) for putting more emphasis into punishing absentees rather than addressing various problems which have surfaced over the programme's implementation.

"The council should not take action against the 10,000 absentees and instead suspend the programme to look into its weaknesses and to obtain public feedback," she said in a statement today.

Fong said the actual implementation of the national service programme thus far does not comply with the proposal unveiled by Defence Minister Najib Tun Razak.

For instance, she said Najib had originally stated that 100,000 students would be selected for the programme because of financial and operational constraints.

"However, for the first session, only 85,000 trainees were selected and from this number, 12 percent failed to attend," she said.

Fong said the NSTC should focus on finding out why this has been the case as well as to work towards crisis of confidence towards the national service programme.

Furthermore, the MP said recent disciplinary problems involving NS cadets have eroded public confidence in the success of the programme meant to foster a spirit of patriotism and unity as well as build positive attitudes among the youth.

In recent weeks, the national service programme has come under intense scrutiny following reports of fights among trainees in several camps, indiscipline, drug abuse and sexual harassment.

The incidents have prompted calls by several quarters for a suspension pending an inquiry into the programme's shortcomings.

Second chance

Yesterday, the NSTC said that it would initiate legal action against the estimated 10,000 candidates who failed to turn up at their respective reporting centres.

The council also announced a plan to segregate some 100 students with disciplinary problems to special camps where they can be "rehabilitated".

The NS evaders, once traced, would also be sent to the special camps.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Zainal Rampak has asked the NSTC to reconsider its decision to take to court those who failed to report for the three-month training.

"These 10,000 youths should be given a second chance. This is the first time NS is being conducted and there are bound to be some problems on both sides, the youth as well as the authorities, so let's give it a second try," he told Bernama .

He added that if the youths still did not report for NS duty for the second time, then the council could take them to court.