KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 — The cost of implementing the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 has been significantly reduced, with an estimated cost of RM2,000 per trainee, in contrast to previous versions of the programme.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said PLKN 1.0 had an annual cost of RM565 million for 71,300 participants, while PLKN 2.0 cost RM361 million for 20,000 participants.
Meanwhile, he said, the annual cost of PLKN 3.0 is RM200 million for over 100,000 participants, as the programme is now held not only at Territorial Army Regiment camps under the Malaysian Armed Forces, but also in universities and polytechnics.
“The cost per trainee in PLKN 1.0 was RM7,900, in PLKN 2.0 it was RM18,000, while for PLKN 3.0, it is only RM2,000,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda-Muar), who had raised concerns about the high cost of PLKN 3.0 and its military training content.
Khaled said the ministry would implement thorough monitoring to ensure the effectiveness of PLKN 3.0, which will involve various parties.
“This evaluation approach encompasses monitoring throughout the programme, continuous assessments, and follow-up after its completion,” he said.
The first series of PLKN 3.0 for 2025, which includes 120 trainees, began at the 515th Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Kuala Lumpur on January 12.
This marks the programme’s reimplementation seven years after it was discontinued.
— Bernama
