Government Provides Clarity on PLKN 3.0 Age Limit, Dispelling Confusion Among Malaysians

Earlier this week, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan addressed Parliament, revealing the government's plan for the new National Service Training Programme (PLKN 3.0), which will now encompass Malaysians aged between 16 and 35.

The PLKN program, which was discontinued in 2018, was officially reinstated earlier this month. The minister made this announcement during a press conference on 9 October, stating that the government would reintroduce it with a modified training structure.

Photo via New Straits Times

According to the details shared by Mohamad Hasan, PLKN 3.0 will be executed in two phases. The first phase will be carried out at the school level, involving Form Four students, while the second phase will consist of 45 days of training, to be conducted after students complete their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations. 

Following this training period, participants will be prepared to enter the workforce and are eligible to join government agencies, including the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), among others.

However, it was the subsequent announcement made by the Defence Minister on Monday (30 October) in a parliamentary written response that left many Malaysians bewildered. In this statement, he emphasised that "Under the National Service Training Act (NSA) 2003, only individuals aged 16 to 35 will be included in the program."

This proposal to extend the age limit to 35 has raised questions and uncertainties about how it will impact individuals in this older age group, many of whom are well-established in their careers and family lives. Previous iterations of PLKN primarily targeted SPM graduates, typically aged between 17 and 18, with exceptions made for those in their early 20s who deferred their national service due to educational commitments.

While the minister did not offer further details regarding his proposal to include youths up to the age of 35, his remarks have left many wondering about the implications for those in their 30s...

Amidst this confusion, the Ministry of Defence released a statement on 3 November to provide clarity regarding the proposed age limit. According to the statement, trainees will be called up based on their year of birth, and only teenagers will be summoned when the program commences.

The statement clarified, "Trainees will be selected based on their year of birth. There is a specific starting year of birth for trainees to begin PLKN 3.0. If the selected trainees cannot participate in national service training for valid reasons, they can apply for deferment. The maximum age to be a trainee is up to 35."

This means that if PLKN 3.0 is implemented in 2024, only teenagers born in the year 2007 will be called up to participate in the program.

The Ministry hopes that this explanation will dispel the confusion and address the public's concerns regarding the age requirements for PLKN 3.0 trainees.