Sixteen trainees have died since the Malaysia National Service (NS) programme was launched. This year alone, three young age trainees died of illnesses. For the National Service department who responsible for about 30,000 students each session, these unfortunate incidents are not enough reasons to abolish the programme. Nevertheless, for the parents who have lost their children or are worried about the safety of their children in the camps, the camp's security and medical services need to be strengthened. The attitude of the authorities also needs to be improved.

For the parents who lost their children, it’s too late for anything. They can only hope the relevant authorities would be more responsible. They shouldn't make impractical remarks and commitments only after incidents happened.

Last week, after the death of NS trainees Too Hui Min, the proposal for medical check-up for all trainees before they entered the camps surfaced again. According to the chairman of NS training council Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, the council had proposed three year ago that all trainees must undergo compulsory medical check-up. However, the medical Ministry cannot implement it.

It is unacceptable that the proposal made three years ago I syet to be acted upon. Last week, the government's response to the above proposal remains the same: “We will discuss in detail who does the check-up and who pays for it”. Former medical Minister has resigned and the newly appointed medical Minister needs to reopen the file to study the feasibility of the proposal. Life is precious. Wasted time leads to wasted lives.

As compulsory medical check-ups cannot be implemented, the responsibility to report on the trainees' personal medical background falls on the parents and trainees, and the forms will be submitted to the authorities after doctors' assessment. However, this measure cannot fully ensure that the trainees are in good medical condition. The medical forms prove that the trainees who passed away are all healthy, but they still died due to illness. For example, Too passed away 10 hours after she complained of abdominal pain.

However, it is also a problem if the trainees cheat in their medical forms and the medical staff are unable to attend to them on time. One of the recent examples is a female trainee who gave birth in the camp. The authorities can only continue to remind the trainees and the parents to be honest in their medical forms.

Nevertheless, accusations cannot solve the problem. The government must ensure that once the trainees fall ill, they can provide timely medical care to reduce the risk of death. As to whether the trainees do not know their own medical conditions prior the reporting or do not report honestly, it should be handed over to the investigation panel. Any official should not express their views or make conclusion hastily in the face of the family of the deceased.

After the hard-fought efforts of the training council, the Health Ministry has stationed 340 medical personnel in the camps. However, as the government doesn't have enough medical personnel, they work on shifts. At the same time, some trainees complained against the bad attitude of the medical staff. Therefore, the trainees in the camps are reluctant to go for medical consultation even though they are sick. Otherwise, they delay their medical treatment.

The authorities will set up an investigation panel after each death incident. We do not know in which direction the team makes their investigation, nor do we know if the authorities has taken any disciplinary action against any errant officials. It seems that only the internal staff would be in the know of the whole situation. The family of the deceased and the public often did not receive any explanations from the authorities, or the explanation are always unclear.

The NS programme aims to enhance national unity. However, if the would-be trainees do not receive health and safety protection, how can they feel at ease? How can the parents be assured?

NS training council has repeatedly emphasised that the parents are getting more and more confident about the programme. However, the confidence index will fall if the trainees' safety and health issues cannot be guaranteed. (By CHONG LIP TECK/ Translated by LEE MEI NYEE/ Sin Chew Daily)