National Service Plans Need Details

Bandar Seri Begawan - The mixed public response about the government's plan to introduce the National Service programme in Brunei Darussalam "as soon as possible" has indicated the need for further details. The following is the experience of some countries already running the programme.

The Malaysian National Service or Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) was first proposed in late 2001, brought to committee the following year, and finally brought to action in 2003. Initially it was thought that all youth of a certain age would be drafted but later the numbers were restricted due to lack of resources. The issue of conscription has always been a sensitive political issue in Malaysia because of the ethnic divisions of the country.

In 2004, Indonesia announced it was drafting legislation to make military service compulsory for young people.

The proposal would oblige men and women to undergo basic training for two months after graduating from high school, which allow citizens to defend the country when needed, as mandated by the law on national defence passed in 2002.

In Sweden, everyone has a duty to do national service from the year in which he/she turns 16 until he/she turns 70. This applies to all Swedish citizens and everyone living in Sweden, even if he/she is not a Swedish citizen. Those with a strong personal conviction against using arms may apply for unarmed service.

National Service is a compulsory conscription in Singapore of all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents upon reaching the age of 18. They serve a two-year period as full-time National Servicemen in the Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Police Force, or the Singapore Civil Defence Force. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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