Sabtu, 28 April 2012

Belanja RM750 Juta PLKN Tidak Masuk Akal



Belanja RM750 Juta PLKN Tidak Masuk Akal
June 29, 2011

Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) diluluskan bagi tahun ini mencecah RM752,922,000.00, meningkat RM252 juta berbanding had asal RM500 juta.

Pecahan perbelanjaan meliputi RM21,328,00.00 bagi kos emolument, RM723,893,530.00 untuk perkhidmatan dan perbekalan, RM6,220,000.00 bagi aset dan RM1,480,470.00 untuk pembayaran dan kenaan bayar tetap termasuk ganjaran kepada kakitangan awam.

Jumlah itu, dikemukakan Menteri Pertahanan, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi bagi menjawab persoalan Ahli Parlimen Rasah, Loke Siew Fook yang memintanya menyatakan jumlah perbelanjaan untuk program itu bagi tahun ini.

Ahmad Zahid berkata, buat masa ini, kerajaan tidak bercadang mengkaji semula pelaksanaan PLKN kerana program itu terbukti berjaya dalam mencapai misi dan visi penubuhannya.

Bagaimanapun, Siew Fook berkata, timbul pelbagai persoalan mengenai kos itu dikatakan tidak masuk akal dan timbul kebimbangan sama ada jumlah itu boleh dikekalkan atau semakin meningkat serta menggalakkan pembaziran wang rakyat.

“Ketika ia mula dilaksanakan pada 2004, semasa Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menjadi Menteri Pertahanan, beliau mengumumkan kerajaan menetapkan satu had perbelanjaan maksimum, RM500 juta setahun.

“Apa yang berlaku sekarang sebaliknya, belum sampai 10 tahun, ia meningkat 50 peratus kepada RM750 juta,” katanya.

Beliau turut mempersoalkan jaminan tiada sebarang peningkatan perbelanjaan PLKN sekiranya tempoh PLKN pelajar dilanjutkan lebih tiga bulan sebagaimana dicadangkan Ahmad Zahid sebelum ini.

“Saya rasa tidak mustahil belanja PLKN sahaja cecah RM1 bilion memandangkan tahun ini baru ada tujuh bulan, belanja hampir cecah RM750 juta dalam tempoh setahun.

“Apa yang kita persoalkan, banyak mana dibelanjakan untuk pakaian seragam, pembekal makanan? Jadi, kerajaan patut kaji pelaksanaan ini kerana kita khuatir matlamatnya tidak tercapai,” katanya.

Berikutan itu, beliau mencadangkan supaya modul PLKN diterapkan ketika pelajar di sekolah menengah bagi menjimatkan perbelanjaan.

“Memandangkan ia tidak telus, saya menyeru Ketua Audit Negara supaya mengaudit perbelanjaan PLKN, kita manu tahu berapa jumlah belanja diperuntukkan untuk setiap peserta,” katanya. -SH

Jumaat, 27 April 2012

Seseorang Harus Bertanggungjawab Kematian Anak Saya - Bapa Pelatih PLKN


Jumaat April 27, 2012

NILAI: A. Tamilarasi, 19 tahun yang koma selepas demam semasa menjalani latihan khidmat negara di sebuah kem di Port Dickson pada Februari tahun lepas telah meninggal dunia.

Anak perempuan tunggal bekas pemandu lori K. Anandan, 42, dan suri rumah A. Krishnamary, 41, meninggal dunia di Hospital Tuanku Ja'afar pada petang Rabu. Dia telah dimasukkan ke wad kerana demam teruk.

Tamilarasi, yang ditempatkan di hospital selama lebih dari setahun, berada dalam keadaan semi-koma dan bergantung pada ventilator untuk membantu pernafasannya.

Doktor yang gagal untuk mendiagnosis penyakit itu berkata peluang pemulihan amat tipis.

Anandan berkata Tamilarasi dibenarkan keluar pada bulan Februari selepas doktor tidak melihat sebarang peningkatan keadaannya.

"Kami terpaksa membawanya ke rumah kerana tidak ada pilihan lain. Kami mengambil berat tentang dia dan menjaganya sebaik mungkin. Dia jatuh sakit pada Selasa dan dimasukkan ke hospital tetapi meninggal dunia pada hari berikutnya," kata Anandan di rumahnya di Taman Desa Cempaka dekat sini.

Anandan berkata mereka hanya memberi Tamilarasi makan susu sejak dia jatuh sakit.

Tamilarasi mendaftar di Kem Khidmat Negara PDS Resort di Pasir Panjang, Port Dickson, pada 2 Januari 2010 tetapi jatuh sakit dua minggu kemudian.

Anandan terkejut melihat keadaan anak perempuannya apabila dia pergi ke sana untuk membawanya rumahnya pada cuti Tahun Baru Cina dan dimasukkan ke hospital pada 8 Februari tahun lepas.

Anandan kemudiannya hilang pekerjaan dan dia bersama isterinya terpaksa mengambil giliran menjaga Tamilarasi.

"2 anak lelaki saya berusia 20 dan 16 tahun, sudah bekerja untuk membantu. Kami tidak mempunyai pilihan dan telah membuat pinjaman kepada menjaga Tamilarasi," katanya, sambil menambah bahawa ia menelan belanja sebanyak RM200 seminggu untuk membeli formula khas dan lampin untuk anak perempuan mereka.

"Setakat yang saya tahu, anak perempuan saya jatuh sakit ketika dia menjalani latihan khidmat negara. Seseorang mesti bertanggungjawab terhadap kematiannya."

Tamilarasi telah dikebumikan di tanah perkuburan Kristian di Sg Pelek, Sepang.

Lagi pelatih PLKN meninggal dunia


NS trainee in coma dies
27 Apr 2012

NILAI: Nineteen-year-old A. Tamilarasi who slipped into a coma after a bout of fever while undergoing national service training at a camp in Port Dickson in February last year has died.

The only daughter of former lorry driver K. Anandan, 42, and housewife A. Krishnamary, 41, died at the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital on Wednesday evening. She had been warded for high fever.

Tamilarasi, who was in the hospital for more than a year, had been in semi-comatose state and relied on a ventilator to help her breathe.

Doctors, who failed to diagnose her illness, said her chances of recovery were remote.

Anandan said Tamilarasi was discharged in February after doctors did not see any improvement in her condition.

“We had to bring her home as there was no other option. We cared for her the best we could. She fell ill again on Tuesday and was warded but died the next day,” said Anandan at his home in Taman Desa Cempaka near here.

Anandan said they had only been feeding milk to Tamilarasi since she first fell ill.

Tamilarasi enrolled at the PDS Resort NS camp in Pasir Panjang, Port Dickson, on Jan 2, 2010 but fell ill a fortnight later.

Anandan was shocked to see his daughter's condition when he went to bring her home for the Chinese New Year holidays and admitted her to a hospital on Feb 8, last year. She slipped into a coma.

Anandan even lost his job then as his wife and he had to take turns to look after Tamilarasi.

“My two boys, aged 20 and 16, were already working to help make ends meet. We had no choice as we had taken loans to look after Tamilarasi,” he said, adding that it cost the family RM200 a week to buy a special formula and diapers for their daughter.

“As far as I am concerned, my daughter fell ill while she was undergoing NS training. Someone has to be responsible for her death.”

Tamilarasi was buried at a Christian cemetery in Sg Pelek, Sepang.

Khamis, 26 April 2012

Pelajar Tingkatan 6 Dan Matrikulasi Boleh Mohon Tangguh PLKN

Rabu April 25, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR: Bakal pelatih Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) yang akan meneruskan pengajian di tingkatan enam atau program matrikulasi bermula Mei ini boleh memohon penangguhan bagi mengikuti PLKN Kumpulan 2 Siri 9/2012.

Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Latihan Khidmat Negara (JLKN), Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil hari ini berkata bakal pelatih berkenaan bagaimanapun perlu mengisi borang permohonan yang boleh diperolehi di kaunter khidmat pelanggan JLKN atau dimuat turun dari laman web rasmi JKLN www.khidmatnegara.gov.my

Beliau berkata setelah borang tersebut dilengkapkan, ia hendaklah dikepilkan bersama surat tawaran kemasukan ke tingkatan enam atau program matrikulasi sebelum dihantar ke Cawangan Pengecualian dan Penangguhan, Bahagian Pengurusan Pelatih, JLKN.

"Penangguhan sehingga tamat tempoh pengajian akan diberikan kepada pemohon. Bagi mereka yang akan menyambung pengajian selepas tamat tempoh penangguhan tersebut, mereka perlulah mengisi Borang Permohonan Pembaharuan Penangguhan melalui proses yang sama," katanya dalam kenyataan. - BERNAMA

Rabu, 25 April 2012

Semua Aktiviti Air Di Kem PLKN Dihentikan Serta Merta

Semua Aktiviti Air Di Kem PLKN Dihentikan Serta Merta
April 25, 2012

KUALA LUMPUR: Semua aktiviti air melibatkan kolam semula jadi dalam Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) dihentikan serta merta, kata Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Beliau berkata langkah itu adalah untuk menjaga keselamatan pelatih PLKN berikutan insiden kematian seorang pelatih akibat kencing tikus.

Ketika mengesahkan kematian R.Vinoth dari kem Terkok, Sungai Siput, Perak akibat penyakit kencing tikus, Ahmad Zahid, yang melahirkan rasa simpati terhadap keluarga mendiang, berkata keluarga mangsa akan menerima insurans berjumlah kira-kira RM50,000.

"Pemilik kem Terkok itu telah membuat rayuan untuk membuka semula kem berkenaan namun saya bertegas ia ditutup demi keselamatan pelatih PLKN," katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas melancarkan buku 100 Wira Negara di Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) di sini, Selasa.

Sementara itu, Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Latihan Khidmat Negara (JLKN) Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil ketika dihubungi Bernama berkata ketetapan yang dibuat minggu lepas menyebut bahawa aktiviti air akan diteruskan sekiranya kem PLKN mempunyai kemudahan kolam renang.

Beliau berkata sebelum ini pihak JLKN telah menggantung sementara semua aktiviti air yang melibatkan penggunaan kolam semula jadi.

Berikutan itu, katanya, aktiviti air setakat ini hanya boleh dijalankan di kem PLKN di Sibu kerana ia merupakan satu-satunya kem yang dilengkapi kolam renang.-BERNAMA

Jumaat, 20 April 2012

Act to prevent death at NS camps: MP

Act to prevent death at NS camps: MP
19 April 2012
Alyaa Alhadjri
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19, 2012): Medical officers stationed at National Service camps and district hospitals in its surrounding areas should be well trained to detect symptoms of illnesses which have led to the deaths several trainees since the programme’s inception.

In making the call, Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj highlighted the latest case involving National Service trainee R. Vinoth on March 12.

“It is very important for the Health Ministry to certify the causes of deaths, in order to not risk the same thing happening again,” said Jeyakumar during a press conference at Parliament lobby. Present were Vinoth’s parents S. Raman and V. Vasantha.

Vinoth, 18, was undergoing his three-month training at the Terkok camp, which has since been closed, when he came down with high fever.

He was given outpatient treatment at a hospital on March 9, but admitted into the Sungai Siput hospital on March 11 when the fever did not subside.

He died at 10.10pm the next day and the cause of death has since been confirmed as leptospirosis, after a mortality review by the Perak Health Department on March 15.

Vasantha however said the family was only called for a meeting with the hospital on March 30, to inform them about Vinoth’s cause of death.

“When we visited him (Vinoth) at the hospital on March 11, the nurses on duty told me that he only had a normal fever, and we should not worry.

“During the meeting, when we were told the death was due to leptospirosis, I asked the doctor when they found out … they said since March 11,” she claimed, adding that the family could not afford to pay RM1,000 to obtain a post-mortem report on her son from the hospital.

Jeyakumar urged the relevant ministries to help Vinoth’s family get “closure” on the unfortunate incident by taking action to prevent such cases from occurring again in the future.

Following Vinoth’s death, the government ordered all water activities at National Service camps nationwide to be stopped. Leptospirosis is spread when water contaminated with the leptospira bacteria (commonly carried in rat urine) comes in contact with broken skin or the eyes.

According to the ministry’s 2011 Guideline for the Diagnosis, Management, Prevention and Control of Leptospirosis, those taking part in outdoor pursuits like water recreational activities and jungle trekking may be at high risk of infection.

Since the National Service began in 2004, 13 trainees, including Vinod, have died whilst in training while five others reportedly died soon after completing the programme.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/355050

Rabu, 18 April 2012

Batalkan ambilan PLKN 1 Mei 2012, demi masa depan pelajar



Pada 1 Mei 2012 ialah tarikh pengambilan pelatih PLKN Siri 9/2012. 27 Mei 2012 ialah tarikh pendaftaran pelajar lepasan SPM ke IPTA.

Ketika ini hingga bulan Mei - Julai 2012, lepasan SPM pastinya sibuk untuk menghadiri temuduga ke IPT. Mereka harus diberi masa yang secukupnya untuk membuat pilihan kursus apa yang harus diambil, membuat permohonan biasiswa atau pinjaman, membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan dan sebagainya.

Sekiranya PLKN tidak dapat memastikan setiap kem PLKN ada kemudahan internet yang secukupnya untuk para pelatih menyemak permohonan mereka ke IPT dari masa ke semasa, membuat permohonan biasiswa atau pinjaman, mendapatkan khidmat nasihat guru kaunseling di setiap kem PLKN, membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan dan X-ray, maka adalah perlu pengambilan pelatih PLKN pada 1 Mei 2012 ini perlu dibatalkan dan dibuka hanya kepada mereka yang berminat untuk menyertai PLKN dan tidak berminat untuk meneruskan pengajian ke IPT.

Bukankah ini satu pembaziran jika ada yang mendapat panggilan ke IPT jika menyertai PLKN akan hadir hanya selama 1-2 minggu untuk latihan PLKN atau mungkin kurang kerana persiapan untuk pemeriksaan kesihatan, urusan kumpul wang untuk mendaftar dan sebagainya?

Kerajaan telah membelanjakan sebanyak RM 4.36 bilion untuk melahirkan 629,052 pelatih PLKN. Dengan RM 4.36 bilion juga sepatutnya boleh menampung kos pembiayaan pinjaman PTPTN untuk pelajar ijazah pertama di IPTA selama setahun kepada seramai 670,769 orang mahasiswa serta mahasiswi.

Tarikh Latihan PLKN Siri 9/2012 :
Kumpulan 2 : 1 Mei 2012 - 14 Jul 2012
http://www.khidmatnegara.gov.my/?lang=en

Tarikh kemasukan pelajar ke IPTA
http://upu.mohe.gov.my/portal/epanduan/TARIKH-TARIKH_PENTING_1213.pdf

Khamis, 12 April 2012

Deaths at NS camps taken lightly?



Deaths at NS camps taken lightly?
April 12, 2012

The NS programme needs a 're-evaluation' and cannot continue under the present circumstances which has left both the parents and trainees worried.

The country’s money-spinning and disastrous National Service (NS) programme has once again made news for the wrong reason. A trainee, R Vinoth, 18, last month died of suspected leptospirosis which is caused by rat poisoning.

Since its inception, the NS programme has been plagued with casualties and problems. Trainees had died due to food poisoning, had been raped, sexually assaulted, drowned and suffered fatal injuries during training.

There was even a racial brawl that broke out among the trainees and still the man who masterminded this ill-conceived programme, the then defence minister and current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak finds no reason to re-evaluate or simply terminate the NS programme.

Between 2004 and 2008, a total of 339,186 youths had undergone NS training. Statistics show that as of June 2008, 17 deaths had taken place since the NS inception in 2004. Twelve trainees died in the camps and five others died during breaks or within days of completing their training.

Najib, even the present Defence Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, is least disturbed with the fatalities taking place during NS training. That explains Ahmad Zahid’s remark that the government had no plans to review the NS training programme following Vinoth’s death in the Terkok camp in Sungai Siput Utara in March.

“The call to suspend or to review the programme is a step backward. We know certain matters cannot be avoided,’’ was Ahmad Zahid’s reply to a supplementary question from Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) during question time in Parliament.

Is Ahmad Zahid through his “certain matters cannot be avoided” telling parents and future NS trainess that death at the NS camps is unavoidable? That is very creepy, coming from a minister looking after the nation’s safety.

How has re-evaluating or suspending a life-threatening programme become a step backward? It is Ahmad Zahid’s thinking that has to “progress” from its present state.

The most Ahmad Zahid decided to do was to omit water training modules for trainees slated for NS training next month. The Defence Ministry would now consider using swimming pools instead of man-made lakes for future water-based training activities.

Why no concern, Najib?

What will it take for Najib to acknowledge that the NS programme has done more harm than good? He continues to disregard calls for the programme to be axed as according to Najib, “many parties are involved”.

Just who are these “many parties” referred to by Najib? Who really is “benefiting” from the NS programmes – is it the “frightened” trainees or the suppliers of the various periphernalia related to the programme?

Is the NS free of cronyism and corruption? Have certain quarters been awarded lucrative deals in all things related to the NS?

Between 2004 and 2007, a sum of RM2.37 billion was spent on the NS programme. This despite Najib having said that the programme would not cost more than RM500 million a year.

In 2004 some RM608.6 million was spent, 2005 (RM604.8 million), 2006 (RM588.2 million) and in 2007, some RM565 million was spent.

Deaths at NS camps taken lightly

In trying very hard to safeguard the “interest” of those “many parties”, Najib in 2008 revealed his couldn’t-care-less attitude when he dismissed the deaths of NS trainees. The premier said just because 16 participants had died, there was no reason to terminate the NS programme.

To Najib, the 16 deaths represented a mere 0.004% of the 339,186 trainees who had gone through the programme since 2004.

“Out of the figure, 11 trainees died in the camps while another five died outside the camps. Of the deaths reported in the camps, seven were due to illnesses and four due to accidents,” was all that the prime minister could say.

On Feb 15, 2010, NS trainee, Mohd Zulhaili Noraihan, 18, died at the Kem Wawasan Ovai in Papar, Kota Kinabalu. The camp personnel were held responsible over the participant’s death, for their lackaidaisical attitude in providing medical aid.

In January last year, a Sikh NS trainee Basant Singh woke up horrified to see his long hair snipped while he was asleep at the training camp in Penang. No apology was tendered by the National Service and Training Department nor by Najib to the trainee, his family and the Sikh community over the incident which violated the Sikh religious rights.

Making matters worse was Najib’s domineering wife Rosmah Mansor who defended the NS programme. Why did she do that? Is the Najib family a “stakeholder” in the NS programme, that is, the “many parties involved”?

NS needs “re-evaluation”

The NS programme needs a “re-evaluation” and cannot continue under the present circumstances which has left both the parents and trainees worried.

The government’s arm-twisting manner in forcing youngsters to attend the NS training is clearly in the “best interest” of the “many parties involved”. Those who dodge training are liable to a fine of up to RM3,000 and or six months imprisonment. Exceptions are made strictly for those who have physical disabilities or serious medical ailments.

From the original two years to a year and finally reduced to six months, the NS programme was meant to forge camaraderie between the traineees and arrest racial polarisation that has pervaded schools, colleges and universities in Malaysia. Honestly, has the NS succeded in its objectives?

Instead, the lack of counsellors, imbalanced diet for the trainees, poor communication between the various secretariats and the absence of a code of conduct for camp commandants, directors, trainers, facilitators and supervisors have all contributed to NS being a flop.

The National Service and Training Department which comes under the Defence Ministry has failed to solve the most basic of concern, that of hygiene at the training camps, resulting in cases of food poisoning being reported every year.

In January 2009, 155 national service trainees at the Teluk Rubish camp near Lumut suffered from food poisoning after a meal of chicken chop at the camp’s canteen.

In 2005, fears were raised in Parliament about trainees being trained to use firearms, namely the M-16 rifles. Najib had claimed then that it was merely a pilot project but a DAP member revealed that the Parliamentary Select Committee on Unity and National Service had not been informed of the project. The firearms module has since become an official module in the programme.

The trainees are also not required to seek qualified medical opinion when submitting a health status declaration. While they are required to undergo training at government hospitals, this however is not effectively reinforced.

However, these “deficiencies” in the programme make no difference to Najib, who, in trying to portray the NS as a success, had then said:

“I would like to inform the House that the programme has been well-received by the rakyat despite the cases of death. The confidence of the rakyat shows through the applications to voluntarily take part in the programme which has increased from 929 applicants (2007) to 1,137 ( 2008 ).”

Would Najib and Ahmad Zahidi, ike the rest of the parents, face sleepless nights if it was their child drafted to do NS, which ever since its formation has been nothing short of a nightmare?

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/04/12/deaths-at-ns-camps-taken-lightly/

Jumaat, 6 April 2012

Pelatih PLKN dapat tawaran IPTA dilepas mulai esok

Pelatih PLKN dapat tawaran IPTA dilepas mulai esok
2010/05/21

KUALA LUMPUR: Semua pelatih Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) kumpulan 2 Siri 7/2010 yang akan mendaftar di institusi pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA) bagi program asasi di UM, UIAM, UNIMAS, UiTM, USIM dan UPNM akan diberikan pelepasan awal mulai esok.

Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Latihan Khidmat Negara, Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil, berkata pelatih berkenaan dianggap telah selesai menjalani latihan dan akan diberi sijil tamat latihan. "Keputusan ini dibuat setelah pihak Jabatan Pengajian Tinggi memohon kepada Jabatan ini untuk pelepasan awal kepada pelajar IPTA berkenaan," katanya dalam satu kenyataan hari ini. Sementara itu, bagi bakal pelatih untuk kumpulan 3 Siri 7/2010 pula, mereka tidak perlu menghadirkan diri dan hanya perlu mengisi borang penangguhan yang akan disertai bersama Notis Panggilan Pelatih yang akan dikeluarkan kepada mereka nanti.

"Ini termasuk juga, pelatih yang perlu mendaftar bagi Program Asasi di UPM dan Program Diploma di UTM, UPSI, UiTM, UTHM, UMT, UTeM, UMP, UNIMAP, UDM dan UPM pada 3 dan 4 Julai nanti," katanya.

Abdul Hadi berkata, kumpulan 3 Siri 7/2010 ini akan bermula pada 19 Jun ini, dan bakal pelatih yang perlu mendaftar ke IPTA boleh mendaftar pada tarikh yang ditetapkan IPTA seperti biasa. - Bernama

http://www.bharian.com.my/articles/PelatihPLKNdapattawaranIPTAdilepasmulaiesok/Article/

Latihan air di semua kem PLKN dihentikan



Latihan air di semua kem PLKN dihentikan
Apr 5, 2012

Kem Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) Terkok di Sungai Siput, Perak telah ditutup operasinya susulan kematian seorang pelatih pada 12 Mac lepas.

Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi berkata semua jenis latihan air di semua kem PLKN di seluruh negara turut dihentikan serta-merta.

"Kita tidak berkrompomi dan sedaya upaya melaksanakan program bersandarkan 'Standard Operating Procedure' (SOP) serta kita akan pastikan jika wujud sebarang permasalahan di mana-mana kem PLKN, tindakan tegas akan ditentukan.

"Justeru saya ambil keputusan bukan sahaja menghentikan latihan-latihan pengairan malah kem PLKN Terkok ditutup dan tidak mengambil peserta untuk pengambilan kali akan datang," katanya menjawab soalan Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah) di Dewan Rakyat hari ini.

Fong ingin tahu tindakan kementerian terhadap kes tersebut dan sama ada akan akan menangguhkan PLKN untuk meneliti dan mengkaji pelaksanaannya.

Ahmad Zahid berkata kematian R.Vinoth, 18, itu bukan disebabkan oleh kencing tikus dan perkara tersebut disahkan selepas pemeriksaan makmal dan juga Jabatan Kesihatan Perak, mendapati air kolam di kem itu bebas bakteria Leptospira.

Namun katanya, tindakan menutup kem Terkok dan menghentikan latihan air adalah bagi menjaga keberkesanan PLKN dan bagi memastikan tidak akan berlaku masalah kesihatan disebabkan oleh kelemahan pentadbiran dan kebersihan.

"Diingatkan, kami tidak akan berkompromi sama ada dengan komandan, jurulatih atau pihak yang menjadi operator mana-mana kem berkenaan sekiranya mereka melanggar SOP," katanya.

Beliau menyifatkan cadangan untuk menangguhkan atau menghentikan terus PLKN hanya kerana berlaku beberapa kematian, adalah sebagai langkah ke belakang.

"Seramai 629,052 pelatih PLKN direkodkan sehingga 29 Februari lepas dan 19 pelatih meninggal dunia atas faktor lain-lain yang bukan kecuaian kem," katanya sambil menambah sebanyak RM4.36 bilion telah dibelanjakan untuk PLKN sejak dilaksanakan.

Terdahulu, ketika menjawab soalan Mohd Nor Othman (BN-Hulu Terengganu), Ahmad Zahid berkata setakat ini seramai 33,591 bekas pelatih telah mendaftar sebagai anggota Briged Sukarelawan Khidmat Negara (BSKN) dan jumlah dijangka terus bertambah dengan adanya kemudahan pendaftaran dalam talian yang disediakan oleh Jabatan Latihan Khidmat Negara (JLKN).

Beliau berkata penubuhan BSKN tidak terbatas kepada remaja yang menjalani latihan PLKN sahaja tetapi juga mencakupi bekas pelatih PLKN yang telah dewasa yang masih mahu menyumbang khidmat bakti secara sukarela.

Katanya anggota BSKN boleh digembleng bagi membantu Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM) dalam pelbagai kejadian malapetaka atau bencana alam seperti banjir, tanah runtuh atau kebakaran.

"Kerajaan akan terus berusaha membina generasi muda bersemangat patriotisme tinggi di negara ini dan dengan adanya sikap kesukarelawan dan saling bantu membantu, ia sudah tentu akan memantapkan persefahaman dan perpaduan antara kaum," katanya.

- Bernama

http://malaysiakini.com/news/194193