The National service programme is a failure any way you see it and a waste of public funds. The last straw that broke the camel's back is the alleged rape of a young and innocent female trainee by an instructor who has misused his power to satisfy his lust.

This is the problem with our government. They only think big when big money is involved. To spend close to RM500 million to train our youths on the finer points of being good citizens is a colossal waste of public funds.

With that kind of funds, I am sure our top officials can think of better ways to make NS training interesting without leaving a bad taste in the mouths of parents who are very upset at reports that their children are being bullied by their peers and instructors.

Much has been written in the press on the grouses of these youngsters in NS camps and the highhandedness of the trainers in handling discipline. A can of worms has been opened in that youngsters who come from different religious backgrounds and creeds cannot get along with their peers of the same age group.

When news of fistfighting and other malaises occurred in the camps, the authorities downplayed the mishaps and even worse, suppressed the bad news from leaking out in order to protect the image of the NS programme.

Now a young student has been dealt a cruel blow. She and her parents are scarred for life just because an NS instructor couldn't control his libido.

Somebody higher up should take full responsibility for these NS mishaps and heads must roll. Promises had been made earlier that NS trainees would be safe and sound and that no harm would come to them.

They would be under the care of 'experienced and qualified' instructors who would mould them into better persons, we were told. But it seems to me more of a case of 'harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi'.

What is the point of reacting after the horse has bolted from the stable? Hopefully, the government will make a study of other countries that have similar programmes in order to make our NS work well.

As a parent of a young girl who is eligible to go for NS training next year, I can only hope and pray that she will not be selected. I also pray that if she does get selected, there won't be any sex- starved instructors who will prey on the young and innocent.

The government should drop its nonchalant and couldn't-care-less attitude over the NS debacle as young lives are involved here. Care and safety should be given top priority.