TANJONG MALIM, June 16 — The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) is planning to involve private higher education institutions (IPTS) in the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) in the future.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said, however, that the matter is subject to discussions with National Service Training Department (JLKN) director-general Maj Gen Datuk Marzuki Mokhtar.
“He will determine the sequencing of the programme, including whether private institutions will participate alongside public universities. Following the involvement of public universities, private institutions may be included at a later stage.
“We will also look at state-owned private higher education institutions, as every state has its own universities. There are also government-linked company (GLC) universities such as Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Multimedia University (MMU) and others, which will be given due attention,” he told reporters after the launch of the book titled Nahas Gerik: UPSI Berduka at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) here today.
Earlier, he officiated the pilot programme for the PLKN 3.0 at the public university level, which was also attended by Defence Ministry deputy secretary-general (Management) Datin Roszanina Wahab, Higher Education Department director-general Datuk Prof Dr Azlinda Azman, Marzuki and UPSI vice-chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Md Amin Md Taff.
On UPSI becoming the first university to implement PLKN 3.0, Zambry said the programme had received an encouraging response, involving 1,005 newly enrolled diploma students from the June 2026 intake, comprising 567 male and 438 female trainees selected to participate.
“At the MOHE level, we are fully committed to ensuring that PLKN 3.0 is implemented as effectively as possible.
“After that, we will also roll out the programme at polytechnics and community colleges. However, at this stage, our focus is on public higher education institutions (IPTAs) first,” he said.
Previously, Bernama reported that the programme followed a RM250 million allocation under Budget 2026 for a pilot implementation at the higher education level before being expanded to all IPTAs in 2027.
Meanwhile, regarding the launch of the book today, its publication is an initiative by UPSI to document an event that had a profound impact on the university community and society at large, while also serving as a tribute to the victims and families affected by the UPSI student bus tragedy in Gerik on June 9, 2025.
In the early hours of June 9, 2025, 15 UPSI students were killed when a specially chartered bus transporting them from Jertih to the university’s main campus in Tanjong Malim overturned after colliding with a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). — Bernama
Date: 16 June, 2026 4:00 pm
Source: Malay Mail
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