National Service won’t be implemented next year

PARLIAMENT | The government will not be reintroducing the National Service Training Program (PLKN) next year; instead, it is expected in 2025 at the soonest.

Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan said the proposal to implement PLKN 3.0 is still being studied.

“There's no possibility of PLKN (being implemented) in 2024; it's not budgeted for either. To use the Wataniah camp (for PLKN), it needs to be upgraded first.

“The ministry will collaborate with stakeholders. PLKN (will be reimplemented) probably in 2025,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

On Nov 3, the Defence Ministry announced that only teenagers born in 2007 and later would be called to undergo PLKN 3.0 if it is reintroduced next year.

It said trainees for the programme would be selected according to the year of birth, and a specific birth year would be selected to kick off PLKN 3.0.

“If the selected trainees cannot participate in national service training for valid reasons, they can apply for deferment. The maximum age for trainees is up to 35 years old.

“The ministry also hopes that this clarification can resolve public confusion and concerns regarding the age of PLKN 3.0 trainees,” the statement said.

Commenting further, Mohamad, who is also the Rembau MP, said the implementation of PLKN 3.0 had been approved by the cabinet and is currently in the phase of studying various aspects of its implementation.

“Various options were studied before the paper was submitted to the cabinet,” he added.

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