Question: how has the national service helped in fostering racial harmony among the different races in the country?
As we all know, National Service has been introduced to the nation by the Malaysian government in 2002 and the program has slowly received acceptance from the people over the time. Despite the overall general acceptance by the Malaysian public, however, some are still sceptical about the effectiveness of National Service.
As we all know, National Service has been introduced to the nation by the Malaysian government in 2002 and the program has slowly received acceptance from the people over the time. Despite the overall general acceptance by the Malaysian public, however, some are still sceptical about the effectiveness of National Service.
Those who have doubts fail to see how a program like National Service is able to put together a stronger and more united nation. They constantly criticise the program for wasting time, effort, money and energy. Yet if they give something new a chance and look at the issue from afar, we can then understand the bigger picture in the idea behind National Service.
The thing is, when youth nowadays with all the development and privilege they enjoy, are showing signs of losing touch with history of how the country was built in the first place. They allow their petty differences get ahead of themselves. These young and the restless Malaysians tend to become impatient, less tolerant, discriminate, prejudiced and worst of all, divided.
A country will not stand strong if their youth cannot live harmoniously together. Therefore it is important that the Malaysian youth be given the opportunity to be trained in a regimented program with solid objectives and beneficial learning modules. Our future leaders of the country can then be taught the true values that Malaysians have upheld ever since the independence of Malaysia.
Unlike the drafting service implemented by our neighbouring country, the Malaysian National Service basically enlist selected group of young Malaysians who are 18 years old to be trained in programs consisting of 20 % military style of physical training which does not involve combat training at all. In fact, the trainees also undergo various training modules that serve the main objectives of fostering interracial understanding and harmony.
In other words, when Malaysian youths of different races are gathered together to execute a series of training programs which requires team work and cooperation, they will be able to bond and form stronger relationships. They get to learn about each other’s differences through ethnic and cultural modules, they can see the lifestyle and religious practices carried out by different races and most important of all, they understand each other a lot better than before. Such opportunity rarely gets to be experienced by all Malaysians if not given the right time and the right place.
All in all, we must acknowledge the good intentions of implementing National Service for our young Malaysians. After going through the thick and thin with other fellow trainees, certainly they will learn to appreciate each other more. Furthermore, they may then proceed to the next chapter of their life with stronger conviction that national unity can never be compromised or forgotten lightly.
