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It was a bit shocked to me for selected for the second series of Malaysian National Service (Program Latihan Khidmat Negara / PLKN) first batch. The PLKN is a new program which proposed by the government and started in 2003. Teenage whom aged 17 will be selected to undergo the program which isolated to 4 different modules: nationalism, character building, physical and community service. The news that I've got through the Official NS website in the middle of 2004. I never thought the news was really, really bad but I took it as a motivation for myself to do it. So, I made it as a challenge. In apart of that, I've discuss with my friends, who also got a same luck, about what if we didn't selected. I told them, I'll work for my nephew's company. He had been setup a fine self-company in the transportation field, so, maybe I could work as computer-around person. Or, in the other hand, I'll be sure to obtain my car licence. They also got their own plans too. Eventually, we admit that we have a commitment for our nation and just wait for PLKN got started.

About 3 days after the interview in UTP, I had been attended for the admission for PLKN on 13th December 2004. The camp, located at Hulu Semenyih, Selangor, is named as Kem Setia Ikhlas (honest & loyal camp). My first impression of the camp was everything seemed okay. I saw Malays, Chinese, Indian and even Bajau or Iban. We're being at one place to give service for or nation, Malaysia. After the admission process was done, I took a ride in 4WD to my block, coded as BL4. As I've been experienced living in hostel, I learn to be careful in living with same aged group. I don't want to underestimate or look down to the others. At the same time, I should respect the others opinion and their lifestyles.



At the first week there, there was no activity held. Just make us adapted to the new atmosphere in the deforested jungle. I believe that I'll learn something big that can change a lot in my life, I whispered to myself. Let me talk about how they organize the camp, as you know this is a new camp for this series. Firstly, of course, all selected teenage, I've better call them as trainees, were assembled in the dining hall. Most of trainees looked bored because they don't yet make a friend, maybe, but except some who just know each other wherever or whenever before. For me there's nobody from the same school with mine. Um, but I do recognize a classmate in primary school, SMK Ampang. His name is Shahidan, I often call him Idan. And we're fated stay in the same block. Let's back to the organization process. All the trainees was broke into 4 companies; Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta (the names was taken from tv series Mission Combat). The companies were according to the block which the trainees lived. For me, for instance, who lived in the 4th block was a part of Bravo Company. What's going on was one person of each company are being appointed to be a squad leader. The trainers, looked for different races for each company, as they willing to unite the nation races. The squad leaders are chosen according their appearance, ha-ha I don't whether it's true or not, by all the member of one company stand and just pointing their hands to the person, it seemed not fair right? I also wannabe a leader. After that, the company A, B, C and D got their own leader from different race which are Malay, Chinese, Indian and Malay back respectively. Next, the position for the vice leader which considered occupies by girls. The processes are same like above. After all, we're dismissed back to our own block.

The routine for the physical module began. Most of the trainees had to break their habits of waking up late, but hopefully it isn't me. They're forced to wake up about 5.30am for preparing for morning physical assembly on 6.30am at Marching Square. It's called PT training. We're assemble by 3 lines according to our own company, as well, it leads by a squad leader. And I forgotten to mention that male and female trainees have their, what does it call, nicknames which are 'Wira' and 'Wirawati' respectively. Like every morning school assembly, we've to sing National and PLKN Anthem songs, then, recite a pray and pledge. Furthermore, physical trainers are taking part to conduct each company to do physical activities. And the activities are: cross-country, 2.4km running, aerobic exercise and basic exercise. All of four activities are different by company and they change on the next morning in a cycle order. The activities end on 7.30am and we must to take bath. Prepare for next module - nationalism.

As the nation always want their younger citizen have nationalism spirit in their mind, nationalism module in PLKN was created. One of the nationalism module's objectives is to instill patriotism in trainees spirit. So, it's running in classes and trainees sit on a circle order for each class. Every company separated into 4 classes and I've the 3rd Class of this nationalism module of the Bravo Company. First impression? It seemed humble and bored at first because for the same reason - don't know others. But I tried to be talkative, asked his/her names, where do he/she come from etc. Okay the class-mate was not bad, they gave me good responds. And my class teacher is Mr. Rahim who live around Semenyih, and his hometown at Penang. He started the class by introduce himself and ourselves. Moreover, he asked us to memorize all the members in the class. How it works? The first end of the circle introduce himself, then the second person introduce himself and also has to tell the first one's name. The same thing happen to the third and so on. And the last end was unlucky because he/she has to list out all of ours including our teacher's name. Can understand or not, my audience?

In short, the nationalism module teach us about DKRT (Daulat, Kerajaan, Rakyat, Tanah / majesty, government, citizens, ground). They use many interactive activity such as acting, singing, story-telling and etc. Anyway, my teacher was well experienced, in fact he's have Master in counseling. So that he's so confidence when teaching, even some time he looked exhausted or a bit disgusting. For some of us he's deserve to earn respects. But, some of us also found himself was nonnegotiable and some kind of bored. For examples, he, sometimes, looked down at us, he found that we are less in reading and lack in understanding. But the winning point in him is he know how to make the situation feel good. He likes singing and let the class member sing before the study starts. Overall, we're also learnt how to communicate effectively, or in the other words heart2heart.

The pressure's continue, at 2.00pm we've to assemble at Marching Square again. Now, the activity that's available is more interesting than the morning.
Here we've flying-fox, abseiling, kayaking and marching, it's worst for me ok. The activity ends at 4.30pm. For Muslims, includes me, we're going for Asr pray. And for all of trainees, they having their teas and prepare for sports time at 5.30pm.

The time that we always wanted arrive - sports time. In the camp, sports such as basketball, street football, football, volleyball, takrawball and badminton are played. Sometime we have matches between other companies, and also the results are recorded. We play in weekdays until my Tough Solar Casio watch shows the time is about 6.30pm. For them who mostly enjoyed with the game exactly want to finish it until late afternoon. I better move earlier as I want to go to Surau ( a place for muslim's pray), a better place to go.

As you know, muslims have to pray in a large number together on Friday at a mosque. Every Friday, muslim's trainees make lines to enter the bus before going to the nearest mosque.