Some 150,000 candidates will take part in the National Service Training Programme (NS) next year, an additional 10,000 candidates compared to this year, said Deputy Defence Minister Rahim Bakri.

He said the additional number followed an increase in applications from Malaysian teenagers who voluntarily applied to join the three- month training.  

“We also hope to give more teenagers a chance to participate in the NS training,” he told a news conference after launching the NS Selection Series 11/2014 at Wisma Pertahanan in Kuala Lumpur today.

Also present were Defence Ministry secretary-general Ismail Ahmad and National Service Training Department director-general, Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil.

Rahim said 150,000 trainees were selected randomly out of 526,280 teenagers born in 1996.

Boys make up 55 percent while the racial composition is 60 percent bumiputera, Chinese (28 percent), Indian (10 percent) and two percent other races.

Rahim said those born in 1996 can check starting August whether they have been selected for the training's 11th series at www.khidmatnegara.gov.my , or through the short-messaging service (SMS) by sending PLKN SEMAK <space> IC Number to 15888.

- Bernama