KUALA LUMPUR, February 11 — The government has significantly reduced the cost of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0, bringing it down to RM2,000 per trainee compared to previous versions. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin revealed that while PLKN 1.0 and 2.0 cost RM7,900 and RM18,000 per trainee, respectively, the revamped programme operates at RM200 million annually, benefiting over 100,000 participants through training at Territorial Army Regiment camps, universities, and polytechnics.
Addressing concerns raised in Parliament by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (MUDA-Muar), Mohamed Khaled assured that the programme’s effectiveness would be closely monitored through continuous assessments and follow-ups. The first batch of PLKN 3.0, involving 120 trainees, commenced on January 12 at the 515th Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Kuala Lumpur, marking the return of the programme seven years after its discontinuation.
