KUALA LUMPUR – The National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 may be implemented beginning in 2025, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Mohamad told the Dewan Rakyat that it was not possible to revive the programme next year as no such allocation had been provided in Budget 2024.
He said the 13 territorial army camps throughout the country proposed as PLKN locations also needed to be upgraded for this purpose.
“PLKN (implementation) is still at the study stage. The cabinet has given the green light for the ministry to conduct further studies on reviving PLKN.
“All related analysis and feedback including the mechanism for relaunch will be discussed with stakeholders, the community and NGOs and then brought to the cabinet for a final decision,” he said when winding up the debate on Budget 2024 at the committee stage on behalf of the ministry today.
Meanwhile, he said the ministry has obtained approval to open a new Defence Attache Office in Egypt and it is expected to start operations next year.
Mohamad said the opening of this office was part of the country’s strategy to strengthen regional and international ties in defence.
According to him, there are now 26 Defence Attache Offices overseas following the closure of the office in Jordan in 2018, with the one in Pretoria, South Africa being the only defence office in Africa covering the southern and central parts of the continent.
“We are setting up one in Egypt; it has been approved by the government. It can cover the northern Middle East and northern Africa,” he added.
However, he said the Defence Ministry will not close the Defence Attache Office in Vientiane, Laos, which has not been very active, as that country will be the 2024 Asean chair.
On the Rumah Keluarga Angkatan Tentera (RKAT) housing project, Mohamad said 3,307 units of RKAT were under construction, including 284 units at Markas Sg Pancing, Pahang; Kem Tentera Syed Sirajuddin Gemas, Negri Sembilan (1,309 units); Kem Muara Tuang, Sarawak (190 units); and Kem Lok Kawi, Sabah (513 units).
“RKAT is using an allocation of RM517.4 million while RM400 million is for upgrading existing RKAT units… because the RKAT built previously are too small and not suitable for occupation by families,” he said.
On the issue of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s procurement of long-range radar systems, Mohamad dismissed allegations that it was only at the prototype stage, saying the asset was now categorised as in-production and mature, apart from being rebranded as GM400 Alpha.
He said it was also not true that the physical assessment report for the asset had been manipulated because the evaluation criteria were based on the schedule of document compliance by the tenderers and members of the physical assessment team comprised expert officers appointed by the air force.
The Dewan Rakyat then approved operating and development budget estimates totalling RM19,731,497,700 for the ministry with a majority voice after the debate involving 15 MPs. – November 23, 2023