He said an empirical and evidence-based approach to the matter was needed, instead of going ahead with the programme outright, adding that “more of the same” is not the way to go about it.
“Why don’t we first find out what really happened rather than just doing it without looking at what we’ve tried to do before? Was it successful? Did it achieve its goals?.
“We have to approach things like this with a scientific frame of mind. Analyse and look at the data and draw conclusions rather than just going ahead with PLKN,” he told FMT.
Chandra said the goals to foster unity, develop discipline and instil patriotism among teenage Malaysians were laudable, but maintained that the programme should be scrutinised in order to see if these had been achieved.
He said Putrajaya had previously announced multiple times that they would look into the programme, especially when certain issues arose, but nothing about their findings surfaced.
If there were any studies conducted on PLKN, he said, the findings should be made public, especially since the programme involved quite a lot of money.
“For us, the general public, we’re not aware of what really happened. Was there this feeling of oneness among trainees? And it should not be anecdotal, where so and so says this and so and so says something else. We need something empirical,” he said.
Earlier this week, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said his ministry would propose reviving the PLKN to the Cabinet, adding the programme had had “positive effects” in developing patriotism among trainees.
The programme was abolished by Pakatan Harapan when it came to power in 2018.
Former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman questioned the rationale behind the proposal considering the high costs, pointing out that RM8.43 billion was spent on PLKN back in 2004.
Jufitri Joha from the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) said he would support the proposal only if the programme was revived according to the framework employed when it was first introduced.
He said the first series of PLKN was successful in promoting patriotism and unity among trainees, but changes to the programme through the years made it lose its focus.
He told FMT that MBM had submitted a memorandum last month to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Redzuan Yusof outlining several recommendations to be considered if the programme were to be revived.
These recommendations include more physical and outdoor activities that can foster unity and teamwork, extending the programme to six months and focusing on the fifth component of the Rukun Negara, Good Behaviour and Morality, instead of religion.