The National Service Amendment Bill has been tabled for first reading in Parliament today and if passed would lessen the punishment meted out to those who refuse to participate in the compulsory program.

The bill entitled National Service (Amendment) Bill 2008 was presented by the Deputy Defence Minister Wira Abu Semar Yusop.

national service weapon training 220905 interviewees Under the proposed amendment, those who refuse the national service when called-up will no longer face stiff punishment. Instead they will receive a compulsory order to perform community service.

Presently, absentees/refusers are subject to a fine penalty not exceeding RM3,000 and a maximum jail time not exceeding six months.

Since the introduction of the controversial programme in 2003 there have been broad objections to it.

The programme is meant for those 18 years and older, housing them in camps across the country for military-like training with the purpose of reducing divisiveness amongst citizens.

Many have rejected call-ups due to safety concerns, and in very few instances they have been charged for it.

Politicisation of schools

Meanwhile, a debate on the Education Amendment Bill is ongoing - started when it was tabled for its second reading today.

Puad Zarkashi (BN-Batu Pahat) in his debate speech wanted more to be done to ensure teachers don't politicise students.

"The issue is teachers. If teachers are bad examples then students will also be. If the teacher is a PAS supporter than the students will be PAS supporters," said Puad.

He added that this was attributable to a poor filtering process by government.

"We need quality teachers that can maintain neutrality. Most of the teachers employed are lacking this quality as they are not properly equipped with the mentality to excel in what they do but to teach just to makan gaji (get paid)," argued Puad.

He also believed that there was an enormous quality gap between rural and urban education.

"I therefore recommend that an ad hoc committee be set up to study this issue and produce recommendations on how the government can solve this problem," added the Batu Pahat MP.

BN leaders have repeatedly insinuated of opposition infiltration into the education system - to increase their support base.

The opposition in return have alleged the government of controlling students through avenues like the infamous Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) which prohibited student activism in mainstream politics.