The current condition of the former Kepimpinan Gemilang National Service camp in Lawan Kuda, Gopeng after the programme was halted back in 2018. Picture taken on May 2, 2024. — Picture by Farhan NajibKUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Back in 2003, entrepreneur Mohd Rawi Mohd Arof said he was elated to sign up with Putrajaya as one of the 25 National Service Training Programme camp operators. This, he said, was a chance for him to give back to the community.
“We made it into the list of camps that were rolled out for the of the national service programme in 2004, but we never thought we’d be where we ended up today: saddled with debt, with most of our campsites gone to waste,” said Mohd Rawi, who is now leading the lobby group called Former National Service Camp Operators Association.
He said among others, this included a requirement for campsites to be turned into permanent buildings instead, which posed financial difficulties for the operators. Following negotiations, this was changed to allow semi-permanent structures that must last for 10 years. Mohd Rawi said during the hiatus, camp operators received token government aid of RM70,000 per month to cover rental. However, that was not enough to cover monthly costs since the camps would also had to account for government officers stationed there.
The buildings at the former Bukit Desa Rimba National Service camp in Sauk, Kuala Kangsar were left to ruin and abandoned after the programme was halted back in 2018. Picture taken on May 2, 2024. — Picture by Farhan Najib The operators initially managed to secure loans with SME Bank Bhd after the government agreed to extend their contracts between 2018 and 2020. However, it was then that the PLKN was scrapped altogether with 27 months left in the contract.
“In 30 days, how were we to find money to pay off the workers, along with their EPF, Socso and not to mention income taxes? That’s when we all landed ourselves in a lot of debt,” he said.In February this year, 28 out of the 57 camp operators filed a suit against the Malaysian Government alleging a breach of the contract. The first case management took place in March.
However, he has expressed frustration that it was not consulted when the government announced the return of the programme as PLKN 3.0. The decision was taken as their time was running out, he said. Under their contract, they had only six years to take legal action if there was a breach of contract.