KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced on July 10 that the National Service Training Programme 3.0 (NS) pilot project will commence in June and July 2025. The project will involve two of the 13 military camps nationwide and target 1,000 participants, with camps segregated by gender.
During a session in the Dewan Rakyat, Mr. Khaled detailed that the Defence, Higher Education, and Education ministries have finalized the training module draft. Initially, the programme will be introduced in schools through a pre-National Service Training Programme phase for Form 4 students during curriculum periods.
Following this introductory phase, basic national service training will begin for selected students aged 17 and above. The training will take place at 13 military camps, 20 public universities, and several polytechnics across the country. This phase will comprise nationhood modules (30%) and basic military training (70%).
The basic national service training at military camps is set to start in April 2026, while training at public universities will commence with the 2026/2027 academic intake. The training module, developed by the Higher Education Ministry, emphasizes elements of patriotism and unity. The Defence Ministry is responsible for the basic military training component, focusing on instilling discipline, punctuality, organization, and independence in participants.
“Participants will have the opportunity to further their training according to their fields of interest,” Mr. Khaled stated, adding that discussions are ongoing about potentially including technical and vocational training. Mr. Khaled’s comments were in response to questions from Zahari Kechik (PN-Jeli) and Mohd Isam Mohd Isa (BN-Tampin) regarding the status of the revised national service programme.