Change in NS dates will help govt save RM15mil-RM20mil

By Syed Azhar, The Star

KOTA BARU:The government will save between RM15mil and RM20mil annually by moving the date for National Service (NS) registration from March to mid May, said National Service director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil.

The dates were changed to ensure that those chosen for NS could complete their three-month stint in one stretch.

“Previously, when the intake was in March, many trainees had to interrupt their NS stints half-way after they were accepted into institutions of higher learning.

“With the mid May date, students who applied for places at local universities would know already know whether they were accepted or rejected. This way their training would not be affected,” Abdul Hadi told reporters after seeing off 3,082 NS trainess to the respective camps in Pengkalan Chepa here on Sunday.

The government would save money because if those students start their national service, break for studies and come back at another time to finish, the government would have to spend twice on them in terms of transport, logistics and other needs, he said.

On that basis, the cabinet had approved the change in dates for this year, he said.

This year, 42,485 NS trainees will be heading to camps nationwide to serve the mandatory three-month stint.