PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA: National Service Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kecil said the names of 7,000 youths who dodged National Service training since 2004 have been handed over to the police.

A trainees takes a look at her family members before leaving to Puncak Permai Bau camp in Sarawak.

The dodgers failed to attend the compulsory three-month training without a valid reason.

"We have handed over all cases of NS shirkers to the police," he said after witnessing the send-off of about 180 NS trainees by Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop at the park-and-ride area here yesterday.

Some 37,000 trainees from all over the country, who made up the first batch of this year's trainees, were ferried from 106 pick-up points to 81 camps.

Hadi said the department was still waiting for Parliament to pass the amendment to the National Service Act, which would change the jail time penalty for dodgers to community service.

"It will be tabled for the second reading next year."

The amendment was mooted after a public outcry over the jailing of NS dodger Ahmad Harizal Ahmad Fauzi in May 2005.

The new and more lenient penalty is being introduced following criticisms that the earlier punishment was "too harsh".

At present, dodgers face a jail term of up to six months or a fine of up to RM3,000.

Hadi also said the number of NS dodgers was dropping.

Some cases ended up in the dodgers' list when in fact, the youths were studying overseas or had changed their addresses.

He said those selected must reply to the call-up letter.

To date, only three NS dodgers had been charged in court since the programme started in 2004.

Ahmad Harizal, of Kuala Perlis, was jailed a fortnight after failing to pay a RM600 fine.

He failed to report for training at the Kuala Nerang camp in Kedah in July 2004.

He was jailed in May 2005 but released a day after when then Perlis menteri besar, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, sent an officer to settle the fine.

He told the court he did not attend the training because he needed to work to help his poor family.

This resulted in a nationwide wave of sympathy for him.

The other two dodgers escaped with a RM600 fine.

Meanwhile, Abu Seman said the proposal to introduce sex education for NS trainees could not be implemented as discussions were still going on.

He said there was no decision yet from the National Service Training Council and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, which initiated the proposal.

Abu Seman said more than 140,000 youths would undergo NS training this year.

However, some 1,002 youths had applied for a postponement, citing various reasons. --NST