I am a teacher by profession and would like to bring to your attention the poor management of the National Service scheme which came to my attention when I sent my son to the Bukit Jalil Sports Complex in Kuala Lumpur en route to the Miri Training Camp in Sarawak.

First of all, when we arrived at about 12.45pm as we were told to be early, I was most disappointed that there was inadequate signage to guide us as to where we should be gathering. There were only a few make-shift tents without any personnel or signboards to guide us.

Secondly, at that odd hour in the morning, I was required to pay a RM1.50 for parking in the open car park! This is just adding salt to an open wound. Why should the NS authority allow such profiteering?

After waiting for more than an hour, my family members were somewhat thirsty and I thought we would settle for some drinks at the only store that was still in operation at that hour. Can you imagine when I enquired about the price?

A bottle of 500ml drinking water costs RM2.20 and a cup of ‘teh tarik’ was priced at RM2. At this, I decided to endure the thirst rather than give in to some unethical profiteering. I am wondering why can't the NS management authority look into this basic necessity for the participants and their families who had traveled a long distance to fulfill the call of service.

The most disturbing news was that, upon enquiry later with those who are not decision-makers, I was told that we would have to pay for the airfare if my son decides to return for the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Upon checking AirAsia’s website, I was dumbfounded to discover that the airline charges an exorbitant fare of RM349.99, excluding airport duties, for a one-way ticket on Feb 5 and 10, the dates when NS participants in Sarawak can leave the camp and must return by.

Even to visit the camp on its Open Day on Jan 19 is a question as to whether I can make it or not.

We did not ask my son to be posted to Miri which is a long way from home. Why is that we are being slapped with such heavy expenses? As a teacher, this is certainly a heavy burden for me. I really hope that Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye can offer a justifiable explanation.

I am certainly not ready to leave my teenager with any strange and unknown family during this grandest Chinese festival as one NS officer had suggested that there is arrangement for foster parenting.

Can someone in the National Service offer me a viable solution?