26/02/2026

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National Service positioned as pathway to future leadership

Sekolah Parlimen

gives students front-row view of democracy KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Sekolah Parlimen programme is giving students a front-row seat to democracy, and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul says it could be the first step in addressing a decades-long gap in understanding how Parliament functions. Drawing on 15 years as an MP and his earlier experience as a student leader, Johari told theSun in an exclusive interview that the overall quality of parliamentary engagement has changed little over time. “When you are an MP for 15 years and now serving as Speaker, I do not see much change in terms of understanding the role of an MP,” he said. “You have some who are vibrant and knowledgeable, but overall many behave as ‘normal’ MPs. The transformation we hope for is not that visible.” Johari noted that MPs come from diverse professional backgrounds, including former civil servants, business figures, lawyers and doctors, yet are expected to champion reforms, propose policies and articulate national interests. “They come with a spectrum of backgrounds, but once they are here, they must speak about the people’s interest and national interest. So I asked myself, what is missing? Why do people drift when they are in positions of power?” Rather than blaming the education system or any institution, he said the solution lies in early exposure and structured civic engagement. Under the Sekolah Parlimen initiative, selected head boys and head girls, particularly from rural schools, are brought to Parliament during sitting days, primarily Tuesdays and Thursdays. “On Tuesdays, we have the Prime Minister’s Question Time. On Thursdays, we have Ministers’ Question Time. Students can sit in the chamber and see, in real time, what democracy is all about,” Johari said. Witnessing live debates and ministerial accountability offers students what he described as a “compressed yet powerful civic education”. “You inculcate that feeling among them. Some may say, ‘I want to be like him.’ You ignite that desire to one day become an MP.” Johari added that even a few hours in Parliament could offer deeper insights than years in a classroom. “If they spend three or four hours here, they may gain more insight into democracy than six years in school. That is the impact we are aiming for.” Launched last year in collaboration with the Education Ministry, the Sekolah Parlimen programme is Johari’s brainchild, designed to give secondary school students structured early exposure to Malaysia’s parliamentary processes and how national policies are debated, formulated and decided. – by Ikhwan Zulkaflee expelled amid allegations of party sabotage and attempts to unseat party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. The matter was raised in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday by RSN Rayer (PH–Jelutong), who sought clarification on the status of the opposition leader position. In response, Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Noor said the House has not received any formal notification of a change. As it stands, no official submission has been made to effect a leadership transition in Parliament. – by Ikhwan Zulkaflee

o Initiative links Sekolah Parlimen and Youth Parliament, with focus on unity and discipline

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR: The reintroduced National Service Training Programme (PLKN 3.0) is set to become a crucial stepping stone for Malaysia’s future leaders, linking the Sekolah Parlimen initiative with the Youth Parliament, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul. “After Sekolah Parlimen, the next step is PLKN. It is part of a sequence,” he added. Although PLKN falls under the Defence Ministry, Johari noted that Parliament plays a direct role through its select committee on defence. “We have a select committee on defence here in Parliament. Through this committee, together with a secretariat formed in Parliament, we work closely with the Defence Ministry to plan and implement the programme,” he explained. The programme targets students who have completed their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examinations and are awaiting results. During this interim period, they undergo 45 days of structured training at military camps nationwide. “We are not talking about private camps. We are talking about military camps run by soldiers,” Johari said. Participants will be grouped in batches of about 250, with plans to use up to 18 military camps across the country. Each cohort will reflect Malaysia’s multi ethnic composition. “They will not be grouped by race. It will be a combination, Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, everyone together,” he said. For some students, this may be the first time they interact meaningfully with peers from different ethnic and educational backgrounds. “Some may come from Chinese schools, Tamil schools, sekolah agama , tahfiz institutions or international schools. They may never have mixed before. “Now, for the first time, they congregate in one place, a military camp. They wear the same uniform, eat the same food and make their own beds,” Johari said. The core aim of the programme is leadership formation and national integration. “This is where we instil leadership qualities, how to think like a leader, how to behave like a leader and how to be patriotic as a Malaysian. “The most important element is bonding.

Johari said each National Service Training Programme group would reflect Malaysia’s multi-ethnic composition. – PIC COURTESY OF ARJUNNA PUTRA/PARLIMEN MALAYSIA

the new Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman last Sunday, PAS – widely seen as the coalition’s dominant component party – has signalled that it should also assume the opposition leader post. However, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who also serves as PN assistant secretary-general, said the party needs time to deliberate on its nominee for the position. The development comes in the wake of the Feb 12 sacking of Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, who currently holds the opposition leader post. Hamzah and 16 other Bersatu leaders were before they went in and how are they after they return? Many say the change is significant, more disciplined, more independent,” Johari said. Some participants from affluent backgrounds expressed appreciation for the structured discipline. “They say, ‘At home everything was served to me. Here I must do everything myself.’ That discipline is something they value,” he added. Johari contrasted PLKN 3.0 with earlier iterations, highlighting improved cost efficiency. “Previously, we spent about RM800 million a year. Under the present system, we expect about RM100 million. With that allocation, the outcomes are very encouraging,” he said, noting he was not criticising past programmes but welcoming improvements. “As someone observing this programme closely, I am very happy. The Defence Ministry has done a wonderful job,” Johari said.

Bonding does not happen by chance, someone has to put them together. That someone is the Defence Ministry,” he added. Johari described the 45-day programme as an intensive character-building experience designed to prepare youths for civic participation and eventual leadership roles. When asked about key performance indicators, he said assessment would combine qualitative feedback with data-driven evaluation. “First, we look at before and after. How do they feel after 45 days? The participants themselves must be truthful. Did they benefit?” Surveys indicate strong approval rates. “Eighty-five per cent said the programme was very beneficial. The remaining 15% did not say it was bad, they said it was too short and wanted it extended. If you combine that, it is effectively 100% positive.” Feedback from parents is also incorporated into evaluations. “We ask parents: how were your children

Status quo remains for opposition leader post KUALA LUMPUR: Status quo remains for the opposition Leader post in the Dewan Rakyat for now, says Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul. leadership change. Johari stressed that the Speaker’s office operates strictly based on formal notifications and established parliamentary procedures, not political conjecture or informal discussions.

In an interview with theSun , Johari made it clear that no official communication has been received regarding any move to replace the current opposition leader, despite talks that the opposition bloc is attempting to install a new leader in Parliament. “As long as I receive nothing from the opposition, or from anybody for that matter, then to me, everything remains the same,” he said this when asked to comment on the impending

“Until and unless I get something from them – from one party or various parties – certainly I will come in and investigate, and I’ll make a decision then. But at the moment, nothing has happened. “With nothing formally brought before me, everything stays as it is,” Johari said. Following the appointment of its vice president Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as