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Supermajority of Malaysians agree with the reimplementation of National Service, MP agrees with youth representation in decision making



  • Two thirds of Malaysians agree with the reimplementation of the National Service Training Programme (NSTP), with only one in ten (11%) disagreeing, in a national survey with 2,633 respondents. 

  • When asked to compare the different priorities of NSTP, national unity was ranked the most important priority (58%), followed by youth development and patriotism (56%), and military preparedness (41%). National unity was rated most highly as a priority among all racial groups. 

  • YB Syed Ibrahim (MP Ledang, Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Security Member) commented that more research needs to be done first on similar National Service programmes overseas. He also agreed that more youth representation is needed in decision-making councils. 


Architects of Diversity (Persatuan Pendidikan Diversiti) conducted a national survey as well as a study on the reimplementation of the National Service Training Programme (NSTP) 3.0. The national survey was conducted from the 24th to 30th of January 2024 with adult Malaysians 18 years old and above with 2,633 respondents in the final sample. The survey was distributed using Vase.ai's online representative panel with active quota sampling, where only individuals contacted are allowed to participate in the survey. Respondents ages 18 and above were quota sampled using demographic statistics from the 2020 Census according to race, gender, age and state.


Focus group discussions were conducted with 3 former trainers, 5 former trainees and a former NSTP camp commandant to review NSTP 1.0's implementation and to gather suggestions for the reimplementation of NSTP 3.0.


Among the main findings of the national survey include the following: 

  • Two-thirds of respondents (67%) are in agreement with the reimplementation of National Service, with only one in ten (11%) in disagreement. The majority (at least 50%) of all demographics analysed - race, gender, age and regions - were in agreement with the reimplementation of National Service.

  • Respondents overwhelmingly thought that National Service would have a very positive or positive effect on society (74%), with only a negligible amount thought it would have a negative or very negative effect on society (4%). Millennials (25-39 year olds) that were the generation that experienced National Service, notably had the highest positive opinion of National Service (78% rating it having a very positive or positive effect on society).

  • When asked to compare different potential priorities of National Service, national unity was the most highly rated as a top priority (58%), followed by youth development and patriotism (56% each), and military preparedness (41%). National unity was most highly rated a top priority across all racial groups, with only Malay respondents rating it equally important as patriotism.

  • Comparing top priority rating (agreement as a priority) and ranked priority score (importance when respondents were forced to choose between priorities), national unity came out as most highly placed by respondents in both dimensions.

  • Among implementation issues of National Service, respondents were most concerned with sexual harassment towards participants (52% answering very concerned), followed by bullying towards participants (49% answering very concerned) and politically-biased content (41% answering very concerned). Fewer than one-thirds of respondents felt that being expensive to run (27%) and being a waste of time (22%) were very concerning issues of National Service.


Among the recommendations provided by the reimplementation study include the following:

  • Study a "crème de la crème" model used by the Peace Corps to select top tier talent in the recruitment of trainers to ensure effective NSTP delivery. Trainers can be recruited amongst high-potential university graduates for two years, with an emphasis on competencies in behaviour, knowledge, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, communication skills and high empathy. 

  • Increase the racial and religious diversity of trainers, where a diverse composition of trainers will model positive social relations and motivate trainees to mirror such behaviour.

  • Along with greater racial and religious representation at the NSTP Council, youth representation should be increased to ensure the efficacy of administrative and programmatic decisions to make NSTP relevant for the new generation of youth.

  • Reduce the representation gap between racial groups, where the ratio between trainee races are reduced so that each ethnic group is roughly equally distributed in each NSTP site to reduce the likelihood of self-segregation and isolation among trainees. 


At the press conference held at Architects of Diversity's Office in Menara Suezcap, Kuala Lumpur, YB Syed Ibrahim (Member of Parliament for Ledang) who is also a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Security commented that: 


"I hope that we at Parliament will survey the implementation of National Service in other nations to evaluate if their implementation has been successful or not, and also see what can be done similarly or even better than those nations."


With regards to the recommendation to improve NSTP administration with greater youth representation at the highest decision making levels to ensure its implementation is inline with generational needs and expectations, YB Syed Ibrahim said "I agree that youth or young people must be in councils that make big decisions for NSTP."


With regards to the ratio between military (90%) and nationhood (10%) priorities, Major(R) Ismail Mohd Hassan who was a former Deputy Commander of NSTP commented: 


"I feel the objective to deepen the patriotic spirit is too general. How? With just practising marching a few times a day, I do not think the patriotic spirit will deepen. I agree that modules should seek to change their [youth/young people] mindset first."


The national survey report as well as the reimplementation study of NSTP 3.0 can be access through the following link: 


 

ARCHITECTS OF DIVERSITY (Persatuan Pendidikan Diversiti) is a youth-led non-profit organisation that bridges communities and identity groups among youth in Malaysia for justice, peace and a sustainable future. Since 2018, AOD has worked towards the promotion of diversity and inclusion in Malaysia by empowering young leaders as champions of inclusivity, pioneering ideas and processes for social cohesion, and building an enabling environment for legislative change towards equity and inclusion.

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Persatuan Pendidikan Diversiti
E-3A-02, Menara Suezcap 2
KL Gateway Mall
59200 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
contact[at]aodmalaysia.org
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