Pakatan Rakyat is proposing a moratorium on the National Service (NS) programme in view of the deaths of 23 trainees since the programme’s commencement in 2004.

NONEPKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim (right) said that the programme should be temporarily suspended next year to allow a parliamentary select committee (PSC) to deliberate on its future.

Speaking to reporters after a Pakatan leadership council meeting, he said the PSC should decide if the programme should be subject to "revisions" or be "scrapped altogether".

He said that the NS programme is among wastages which can be reined in to meet the target of a 3 percent budget deficit.

In 2011, the programme was estimated to cost RM560 million a year.

Besides fatalities, there have also been cases of alleged sexual assault of trainees by camp personnel as well as complaints of the poor quality of food and facilities.

In September a 17-year-old trainee died following a fist fight, while another trainee was charged with homicide.

Meanwhile, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should address the Auditor-General's Report 2012, which highlighted a slew of leakeages, during Parliament this coming week.

He said a high-level committee led by the chief secretary should be formed on the matter.

"Najib needs to table a white paper when Parliament resumes this Monday on steps that will be taken by the high-level committee," he said.