The National Service Training Programme is only just over one week old and going by reports in the media, it is already producing results. Initially there were some mishaps like trainees missing their transport, landing in the wrong camps and even an accident while on transit.
Media reports that most if not all trainees are enjoying themselves and more importantly learning about each other and learning how to live with each other. Living in a mixed group of 7 Malays, 2 Chinese and 1 Other to a tent certainly makes the group appreciate that there is more than just oneself in this country of ours.
Communal baths may have come as a surprise to some but they soon got into the spirits of things. Then there were other activities like canoeing, physical training, outwardbound school stuff and other things to do together. And as some of the trainees commented, "All these for free and more."
Even the Singapore Straits Times has this to say :: NS breaking down racial barriers after only a week. Are our kiasu neighbours downsouth saying all this with tongue-in-the-cheek. The report started of by saying :: "If there is one benefit from Malaysia's fledgling national service training, it is the fact that unlike many adults, young Malaysians of different races are actually mixing with each other." It further added that a Chinese trainee had this in his diary :: 'The Malay guys have picked up a couple more Chinese words. One asked me to sek fan (have lunch). I know some Tamil but would like to learn more.' Looks like it takes the programme for one to learn some other dialect. After the full three months, we might end up having Hokkein speaking Malay and Indians, Kadazan speaking Chinese and Tamil speaking Orang Aslis, all for the good of integration. Another achievement for the programme.
PAS and some other opposition parties have fears that the programme would 'brainwash' the trainees and have them end up BN supporters. This blogger thinks that our Gen X and Gen Y are unworthy of such thoughts, contacts with them have shown them to be very capable of thinking for themselves. This 'brainwashing' fears were even picked up by a Taiwan paper, click here to read :: Malaysian group fights brainwashing.
There are some 15 more weeks to go, here's wishing all those trainees involved all the best and take care.
The Funnies, The Spins, The Humourous and The Humourless......
"I do not aim at fusion. Each religion has its own contribution to make to human evolution.
I regard the great faiths of the WORLD as so many branches of a tree, each distinct from the other though having the same source.----Mahatma Ghandhi.
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