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Malaysia scraps Civics Bureau, national service programme

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KUALA LUMPUR: The national service (NS) programme and the National Civics Bureau (BTN) have been abolished with immediate effect, said Malaysia's Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman yesterday.

Mr Syed Saddiq said the matter was decided in two previous Cabinet meetings, the New Straits Times (NST) reported.

He said all the manpower and resources will be absorbed into the relevant ministries.

"The NS and BTN will be replaced with new programmes that can build the future youth that have vision and strong personal character.

"The new programme, which would be managed by Youth and Sports Ministry, will involve a restructuring of functions, positions, allocations of finance and assets," he said at the Parliament lobby.

The Pakatan Harapan government has been under pressure to terminate the BTN due to prevailing suspicions that the agency was effectively a propaganda arm set up by the previous Barisan Nasional administration, the Malay Mail reported.

Mr Syed Saddiq said the new programme would be structured holistically by combining high impact indoor and outdoor activities, NST reported.

He said it aims to bring out the potential of the youth as strategic partners in developing the country in line with the Federal Constitution.

"Elements to be inculcated (via the new programme) are to build spirit, character and national integration, spirit to the nation, identity and political socialisation. These improvements are in line with the ministry's aims to uphold the voice of (the) youth in the new Malaysia landscape," he said.

He said the new programme will involve collaboration with ministries and agencies such as the Prime Minister's Department, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the Education Ministry.

"Also involved are non-governmental organisations such as youth organisations to fine-tune an effective implementation mechanism."

Mr Syed Saddiq said these efforts reflect the government's aspirations to ensure the new programme is inclusive, transparent and free from political and racial elements.

The NS programme was introduced by Barisan Nasional in Feb 2004 to strengthen the personal character and national spirit of the youth in Malaysia, according to NST.

The BTN was established as a unit of the Prime Minister's Department in 1981, with an aim to inculcate patriotism and noble values.

WORLD