What? 8% of National Service trainees cannot read or write?

Aren't you shocked to read this- 8% of the NS trainees cannot read or write. What did they learn in schools? How did they spend 11 years of schooling? Were their parents okay with their children not able to read or write? How did the teacher thought these students or can we still call them students since they did not even succeed to read or write. Or were they just a bunch of dumb people from the outside world coming to Malaysia to see how we interact with the people who cannot read or write? There are lots of questions in rational minds as to answer this most serious problem of our nation. Yes, Prophet Muhammad never knew how to learn or write but he was different. He was granted the greatest treasure of knowledge directly from Allah SWT which is the Al-Quran.

And do you know what the first surah passed to Prophet Muhammad SAW is about? Iqra' which means 'READ'. These people are no even close than being close to those who could not read or write in Prophet Muhammad's time. And believe me, these people are no like a prophet. I know these students- thanks to my 11 years of schooling in daily school which none of the boarding school students can experience.

This is much much more important than Anwar Ibrahim being acquitted- frankly speaking both sides of the case are losers. But these NS trainees never know they are losing in this competitive world. And the world is not going to be any kinder to us- in fact, it's going more competitive than ever. Forget the Singaporeans but focus on what China is doing with its citizens. To run away from poverty, education is the answer and yet many are seemed to be lost in this concept. The Shanghai students are among the first in reading and maths based on an international education indicator far leaving us behind.

If they couldn't read or write- what have the parents, schools or teachers done to make them able to do so? Seriously, there are literally thousands of questions running in my mind right now. One thing I am sure of- among the 8% of the NS trainees who cannot read or write, more than 90% are Malays. Why am I not surprised? -The Chukai Insider

*PS: To the students who are sooooo eager to demonstrate with the reason to so-called 'change the world and in the name of freedom' (ugh, what a cliché!), and yes you Adam Adli, I think it's far far better for you to go to the NS Training Camps and teach these students how to read and write now that you have 18months suspension from your university. Later on, 'real change' can happen! And I guess it's good for your training to become a teacher. Unless, why would you enrolled in government university to study education?