It is with deep regret that we read of the tragic death of Mohd Rafi Ameer, a National Service (NS) trainee at the Cheneh Cemerlang camp. This brings the total number of deaths to 14. The untimely death of the 18-year-old lad is really terrible loss to his family and the nation.

Mohd Rafi was first treated at the Cheneh Cemerlang camp's clinic on Monday, Aug 27 for fever, cough and flu. He came back the next day with more symptoms and again was given treatment at the same clinic. Five days after his initial treatment, his condition worsened and he was sent to the Kemaman Hospital. The following day (Sept 1) he was rushed to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan, more than 100km away, but unfortunately, died on the way.

Looking at the circumstances of the death reveal two major contributing factors:

  • Exposure to some deadly pathogen

  • Inadequate medical expertise and facilities to diagnose and treat the patient.

From the chronology of the events as reported above, it is quite obvious that Rafi was not well from the start. He must have been harbouring some serious illness even on the first day he reported at the clinic. Whoever treated him at that time did not recognise the gravity of his ailment thereby leaving him neglected in the camp for five days within which time his conditioned worsened and he died on the sixth day.

We are not sure who really attended to him at the camp's clinic. Was he examined by an experienced doctor? However, it is reasonably clear the boy's illness was not taken seriously and therefore valuable time was lost in administering early treatment for his ailment. Any disease will continue to run its natural course unless we detect it and intervene at an early stage using all the expertise and facilities at our disposal. The onus is on us for timely intervention - not on the disease to wait for us.

The unfortunate death of young Rafi warrants a thorough investigation into the set up of the health environment and medical facilities at NS camps all over the country. It even calls for a complete review of the NS itself.

It is unacceptable to subject our children to the high risks of the present format of the NS. The NS camps are located in remote areas with unsatisfactory arrangements for basic amenities and health and medical care. The trainees are unnecessarily exposed to various pathogens of unknown virulence to which they are not immune.

Imagine the torment and anguish of parents in losing a child after 18 years of upbringing. It is emotionally wrecking for the whole family. No amount of monetary compensation will ever be able to erase this misery for the rest of their lives.

The authorities responsible at the highest level, including the deputy prime minister himself, must place themselves in the position of the parents of Mohd Rafi and those of other NS victims. They must search their consciences to see whether the NS programme is really necessary. Is the NS programme achieving the objectives for which it was instituted for? Egoism and monetary considerations should not cloud their minds in making a decision.

The aim of the NS may be noble - to forge closer unity among the youth of the various races but I cannot understand how this can be achieved in just three months when it could not be done after 11 years of schooling together.