KUALA LUMPUR: The operators of National Service Training Programme (NS) camps nationwide have been forced to change the function of their camps to continue to survive and avoid financial burden.
This was following the abolishment of the programme six years ago, in 2018.
There are 81 NS camps nationwide, with the overall cost of building them projected to be more than RM1 billion.
Each operator had forked out between RM12 million to RM19 million to build and run these camps for the programmes, which ran from 2004 to 2018.
Cancun Park Camp administration manager Nur Zahian Hanani Zakaria, said the camp was built on private land in December 2004 at a cost of millions of ringgit.
"Previously after the abolition of NS in 2018, this camp was abandoned, and then some parts were modified for rental for other projects.
"The situation worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic and we were forced to sell training packages to schools," she said.
Zahian said her camp is now used as a satellite prison by the Home Ministry, accommodating 500 prisoners from the Prisons Department.
Meanwhile, operator of the Wawasan Kampung Ovai Camp in Papar Sabah Datuk Ab Yusop said he intended to modify the facilities within the camp for other use, but the costs were high.
Yusop, who is also the manager of the Sinar Jaya Camp in Kota Belud, said due to financial constraints, both camps were no longer in use, but the operators had to continue repaying bank loans taken earlier to develop the camps.
"If you want to modify and upgrade the facilities within the NS camp for other uses, it will incur high costs because all the facilities involve buildings, infrastructure, and training facilities specifically designed for NS.
"We have to continue paying the bank to avoid the property from being auctioned and incurring summonses," he said.
Yusop said that the cost of upgrading and modifying the Wawasan Kampung Ovai Camp is estimated to cost over RM3 million.
The Padang Kachong Camp in Kampung Padang Limau Nipis, Alor Limbat Terengganu was taken over by the Prisons Department and turned into the Marang Satellite Prison in 2020.
Resident Mohd Rosdi Idris, 41, who lives near the camp, said before the Prisons Department took over, the camp was abandoned and became a hang-out for drug addicts.
It was reported yesterday the operators of the NS programme are now saddled with debts amounting to millions of ringgit.
Some have been declared bankrupt for failing to repay bank loans ranging from RM12 to RM19 million for projects to build, upgrade, and improve the camps.