A total of 100,000 teenagers, born in 1989, have been selected to undergo next year's National Service Training Programme over three batches.

The New Straits Times reported today that the first batch of 34,301 will undergo training between Jan 1 and March 11, the second batch of 35,114 between March 18 and June 9, and the third batch of 30,585 youths between June 17 and Sept 8.

The National Service Training Department, which has begun publishing the names of those selected from today, has identified the training venues for the first batch only.

According to the department's senior assistant director of corporate communications, Lt Kol Zalina Abdullah, those who have been selected must confirm their participation with the department.

"Those whose names have been published but have yet to receive postal notifications sent out last Thursday, should get in touch with the department immediately," she said in a statement.

Zalina also advised the selected youths to open a Bank Pertanian Malaysia savings account to facilitate payment of allowances.

She added that 651 youths had volunteered to take part and would be considered if there were vacancies in the second and third batches.

Lam Thye's warning

Early this month, NS training council chairperson Lee Lam Thye warned that dodgers will be hauled to court, undergo their "punishment" and then sent for training.

"There is no escaping this. The cut-off age is 35," he said.

Lee said the National Service Training Act made it compulsory for those selected to attend unless exemption or postponement was given in special cases.

"It is up to the court to decide what punishment dodgers will receive. But even after they have paid the fines or served their punishment, they still have to sign up and undergo training," he added.

According to the law, those who fail to turn up for NS training can be fined up to RM3,000, jailed six months, or both.

However, once the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) amendments are enforced, students can be sentenced to community service instead of being jailed.