The government may separate national service trainees according to their background in an attempt to remedy the shortcomings in the training programme.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak told the Dewan Negara today the factors to be considered included how long the trainees had left school and whether they were already working or married.

"The ministry will consider whether to separate them based on all these factors and their compatibility," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Najib, who is also defence minister, was replying to a question from senator Hazizah Mohd Sultan

The deputy premier said he received various proposals to plug the shortcomings, including separating the fresh school-leavers from those who had left school for a long time.

Programme will continue

To a supplementary question from senator Yaakob Mohammed, he said the government would continue with the programme despite the teething problems.

There was no reason to stop the programme as the public had found it to be beneficial, he said.

"Eight-six per cent of the 6,153 respondents polled found the programme to be beneficial and useful. I think there are no more calls to scrap the programme," he said.

Yaakob wanted to know whether the government would bow to pressure from some parties, including the opposition, to cancel the programme.

"If there are problems we will try to solve them. When we bring together 80,000 people, there are bound to be all sorts of problems. God willing, we will continue to improve on the programme," Najib said.

The inaugural national service programme, which ended on June 5, involves mobilising a random section of 18-year-olds of various races for training to enhance integration and the spirit to patriotism.

However, the programe came under fire from certain quarters after cases of fights, theft and sexual assault were reported.

The programme has also claimed the lives of two trainees, who drowned during separate outings.