PLKN 3.0: Apply soft skills to create youth competitiveness

SHAH ALAM - Youths in Malaysia agree with the implementation of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) 3.0 if it applies elements of soft skills that are compatible with the current requirements so that they can compete in various fields.

Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) Secretary General Hasnul Haniff Harun said the need was seen to be in line with the current situation coupled with various social issues of teenagers that necessarily required a different educational approach.

"We very much welcome the re-implementation of PLKN 3.0 because it has the potential to unearth the talents of the youth and shape their identity to become leaders with high personality.

"We don't want smart youth in the academic field alone, but also include soft skills such as leadership and communication to produce competitive human capital in the future," he told Sinar Harian on Tuesday.

On Monday, the government agreed to continue the PLKN 3.0 with a different training method which was to encourage young people to undergo disciplinary and military training in military camps.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said for that purpose, a total of 13 Wataniah soldier training centre camps with a capacity to accommodate 20,000 trainees would be used for training sessions for a period of 45 days.