KUALA LANGAT: Nine out of the 89 National Service (NS) training camps will not be involved in the training of the second batch of NS trainees this year, which begins on Thursday, said NS Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil.

Seven of them are in the peninsula while one each in Sabah and Sarawak.

Among the reasons the camps were closed was because they failed to meet hygiene standards and camp infrastructure was not maintained properly, he told a press conference in conjunction with the intake of a new batch of NS trainees at the Jugra NS camp, here yesterday.

However, Abdul Hadi said their closure would not affect the programme as the remaining camps were capable of accommodating the 43,000 NS trainees in the second batch.

He said under the second batch, 1,546 trainees from Sabah and Sarawak were being posted to camps in Peninsular Malaysia while 1,161 were being sent to camps in Sabah and Sarawak.

This time around, he said, the department was using Malaysia Airlines to transport the trainees between East and West Malaysia and not a private carrier as previously.

Asked about three artistes – Diana Danielle, Aliff Aziz and Suki – being in this batch, Abdul Hadi said he understood that after having been given a postponement, they were included in this training session and that the camps they were being placed would be known after March 20.

He also said there were added incentives this year whereby trainees with excellent Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 2008 examination results would be given monetary rewards and so too those who volunteered to join the programme.

Trainees in the first batch (which started in January) will also get the rewards.

“A consolation of RM120.00 will given for those who obtained 13As (irrespective of whether A1 or A2) and RM100.00 for trainees who obtained from 9As to 12As,” he said.

He added that candidates seeking exemption on medical grounds must get clearance from government doctors and submit the appropriate forms.

— Bernama