The problem-ridden national service programme is expected to spend more than the current allocation of RM500 million following the government's move to set up a special camp and to give the 10,000 absentees a ' second chance '.

National Service Council chairperson Prof Dr Ahmad Fawzi Mohd Basri said, however, that the council has yet to ascertain the additional amount required.

"The cost, for instance, will involve transport charges to send the trainees to the camps," he said after chairing a two-hour council's meeting in Kuala Lumpur today.

The emergency meeting was held to discuss the 10,000 absentees who have been given a "second and last chance" by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to attend the compulsory programme - two days after the council's threat to take them to court.

Due to this, the council has to deal with certain logistic problems such as to identify suitable premises for these trainees as well as their trainers. The pioneer batch of 85,000 trainees were divided into three groups, with the third group scheduled to finish their training in June.

Extra funding is also needed for the setting up of a special camp for some 100 delinquent trainees.

The opposition, especially DAP , has earlier urged the government to stop wasting taxpayers' monies amounting to RM500 million to implement a "failed" programme again next year after it was plagued with problems ranging from allegations of physical assault to sexual harassment.

DAP chief Lim Kit Siang has also demanded a full audit of the RM500 million being spent on the national service this year.

Names published

At its meeting today, the council also decided to inform the 10,000 shirkers to turn up for the programme by publishing their names in major newspapers by next Friday.

The 10,000 will be given a two-week period to register with the district education office.

The council will then need another two weeks to process their registration and publish their names in the dailies again to inform them of the date of enrolment and the venue of their training camps.

"We expect to start the training for this batch after June," Ahmad said.

He added that from readers' letters published in newspapers, some of the absentees could be deceased.

"Therefore, we need two weeks to process the registration. If the trainee has passed away, I hope their parents will come forward and tell us.

"Also, whoever wants to apply for deferment or exemption have to do it within the two weeks," he said.

This will be the third time that the trainees' names are published in the dailies. The first was the 85,000 full list of selected trainees while the second was those the council failed to contact through letters.

The fresh advertisements and announcements will incur an additional cost for the council.

Ahmad warned that legal action will be taken against those who refuse to answer the call-up again.

Under the National Service Training Act 2003, absentees face up to six months' imprisonment, RM3,000 fine or both.

Special camps in Selangor

On the special camp, Ahmad said the council has identified two areas in Selangor but declined to divulge the details before discussing it with Defence Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"It involves legal implications because the premises have to be gazetted first, such as the 41 camps nationwide now," he explained.

Meanwhile, council member Lee Lam Thye also disclosed that some of the trainees who were given permission for Ching Ming leave two weeks ago have never returned to the camp.

Lee could not confirm the number of trainees involved but said legal action will not be taken against them.

"We will try our best to encourage them to report back for national service," he said.