DAP representatives today called on the Defence Ministry to compensate the family of a National Service (NS) trainee who fell ill in camp and died a year later.

They were denied payment from the NS group insurance plan.

a kugan detention death funeral ummc to puchong 280109 m manogaran Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran ( left ) said the premise on which the insurance payment to A Tamilarasi's family was denied did not hold water as she had passed away as a result of the training, even though it was a year later.

"The impression that the sole daughter of the family had fallen sick in the training camp then recovered before she died a year later, is wrong.

"The fact is, she fell ill in camp while undergoing training, was admitted to hospital, went into a coma and died a year later," he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby this morning.

Manogaran was responding to a statement by National Service director-general Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil who said the family did not qualify for the group insurance payment as it only covers the trainee while in training.

Adding on, Kota Melaka MP Sim Tong Him said the insurance only covered trainees 72 hours before they enter camp and 168 hours after they leave.

dap dompok and sexist remarks pc 170507 fong poh kuan "So if a trainee falls sick while in camp but dies after the stipulated hours, they are not covered under the insurance. This is unfair," he said.

Meanwhile, Batu Gajah MP Fong Poh Kuan ( left ) said despite RM4.36 billion spent on National Service since its inception in 2004, a total of 19 trainees have died while 23 others were permanently handicapped.

"I call on the Defence Minister (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) to take this matter seriously and to compensate Tamilarasi's family."

She added that denying insurance did not inspire confidence in parents to send their children to National Service.

Also present at the press conference was Seremban MP John Fernandez.

The group had this morning submitted a letter to appeal to Ahmad Zahid on this matter.