National Service? Don't Joke

I've been struggling the past couple of weeks, trying to blog about the Malaysian travesty we call National Service.

Then it all crystallised this morning as I inched my way down Jalan Duta. I had thought that they would block the entrance to Parliament House, which would have been terrible enough. Who would have thought that the whole of Jalan Parlimen would be out of bounds, turning my my usual 18-minute school run into a 45-minute crawl? Forty-five minutes of helplessness and resentment was plenty of time to think and my thoughts coalesced into a single question:

WHAT DOES NATIONAL SERVICE MEAN?

As Malaysians, we all owe this land of our birth our loyalty and our service. After all, "tanah tumpahnya darah ku." We are one with the land. Everything that benefits the country, benefits the people. Everything that benefits the people, benefits the country.

It's so simple.

My father, for instance, is an exemplary National Serviceman (for want of a better term). He represented Malaya in the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games, winning the country medals and accolades. He served in the civil service honestly and faithfully, spurning all enticements from the private sector. He brought up his children to be faithful and loyal by example.

People who pay their taxes on time and in full are performing an important National Service.

Good employers who treat their employees fairly are good National Servicemen.

Policemen who are incorruptible and courageous are good National Servicemen.

Sincere stewards of the environment and culture are good National Servicemen,

As are dedicated teachers,

Judges and lawyers who are honest and fearless,

Good neighbours,

Smiling and helpful shop assistants and counter staff,

Bloggers and everyone else who is unafraid to tell the truth :)

Please feel free to add to this list.

As Malaysians, if we all lived our lives with integrity, respect and a modicum of selflessness, we would be performing vital National Service. If we all considered how best to improve the quality of life of another person or at least, how not to screw the next person, we would have performed invaluable National Service.

Now, I ask,

IS IT NATIONAL SERVICE TO DRAFT TEENAGERS INTO A HALF-BAKED PROGRAMME THAT OSTENSIBLY AIMS TO TEACH THEM TO BE MALAYSIANS?

Many NS trainees had a good time at camp – but as many came home sickened in body, mind and spirit. And there are those unfortunate ones who perished at the camps. Malaysians from all walks of life joined the bereaved parents and families to mourn their loss. But have we ever heard the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, the Chairman of the NS programme, the Director-General, the camp superintendents or anyone associated with this dire programme express sincere regret and sorrow?

These are individuals who demand our National Service but have they performed theirs to our satisfaction?

In fact, these are the same people who are so fearful that they would rather children be late for school and workers late for work than face public humiliation as a result of a no confidence motion in Parliament.

Having raised petrol prices, they would make us burn extra petrol idling our engines at road blocks.

Instead of ensuring an open, peaceful society, they persist in fomenting fear and creating bogeymen in the form of irresponsible bloggers, Tamil terrorists, opposition troublemakers, even foreign agents.

As I crawled down the road at 7am, I watched the policemen who were manning the roadblocks, absorbing all the negative vibes radiating from the stuck motorists, and I wondered what they were thinking. Were they asking themselves,

IS THIS THE NATIONAL SERVICE I SIGNED UP FOR?

Ask yourselves this question and attend a forum on National Service, entitled "National Service or Disservice?" which will be held at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, at 4pm, 26 July 2008. Register your interest or direct your queries to nomorens@gmail.com.