Amid chaos in Johor, I am hearing worrying calls for something similar to conscription. I have not heard an outright call for conscription but Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil is suggesting something that comes close to that effect:
PETALING JAYA, Jan 14 (Bernama) — Woman, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil will announce the locations of all flood relief centres in Johor tomorrow so that the National Service Training Department (NSTD) can deploy its trainees to the areas.
She said with the addresses of these centres revealed, the department can move on its own to help the flood victims.
“For the cleaning works, please bring your own equipment,” she told reporters after the launch of an anti-drug campaign at Seri Sentosa flat, here Sunday.
Yesterday, she suggested that the National Service trainees be utilised to assist the Community Services Department (CSD) in helping flood victims in Johor.
A more worrying development is this:
KOTA BAHARU, Jan 14 (Bernama) — The Disaster Brigade is made compulsory at public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) in an effort to nurture caring attitude and exemplary conduct among students, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed.
“The formation of the brigade is made formal today and we hope private institutions of higher learning will follow suit,” he told reporters after delivering his new year address to principals, headmasters and district education officers from Tanah Merah district here today.
More from The Star:
KOTA BARU: Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed wants public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs) to make community work compulsory for undergraduates.
He said all IPTAs must form community brigades to help ease the sufferings of those who become victims of natural disasters such as floods.
The brigades’ role is to extend help to victims of natural disasters namely in clean-up programmes, he told reporters after meeting Jeli district education officers and principals here yesterday.
Instead of mulling over conscription — or whatever one may wish to call it — how about we fully mobilize our professional and volunteer-based military?
In the name of pragmatism, I would prefer a nationwide emergency that is conscious to civil liberties to any kind of conscription.
Even if conscription were acceptable, it would be highly inappropriate for Malaysian leaders to call for conscription while they themselves prefer to spend time vacationing abroad in times of disaster. Such leaders have no moral rights to call for conscription.
p/s – implementation of conscription to increase others’ happiness is another example of conflict of happiness.
