Teenagers to serve national service

Teenagers to serve national service

MALAYSIA: All able-bodied young Malaysians will have to serve six months of national service starting in 2004 or later, the defense minister said in a news report on Tuesday.

Giving the first details of a national service plan announced last month, Najib Razak told national news agency Bernama that Malaysians would be drafted at age 18 for six months of military and other types of training.

The aim is not to bolster Malaysia's armed forces, but to instill young people with patriotism, national pride and racial harmony, the report quoted Najib as saying.

But basic military training such as shooting and parade drills would be part of the program, he said.

Over 400,000 men and women aged 18 to be involved. --AP