General knowledge about PLKN

Hello, everyone! When I received a sms stated that I have been selected for Program Latihan Khidmat Negara(PLKN), I was stun to look at the sms. It is a waste of time where the time I should be using for futher studys. Anyways, I decided to make it useful in someways. I decided to create a blog about my journal which I written during the programme. This blog will have some unofficial guide and idea about surviving PLKN. The guide is based on what I experience only. If you have a different experience, do not blame me.


Later on, I received a letter stated I should report in at 27 december 2009 at 9am at stadium Kelana Jaya. The letter contain all kinds of form and information on which camp you suppose to go. I was selected for 1st batch of series 6/2009. My Camp is located at Kem Indra Pahlawan, Maran, Pahang. At the day of report in, there will be a few staff that will tell you which bus that you should take which will take you to your destinated camp.


I decided to go for 1st batch because 1st batch is mostly selected for trainee who just finish SPM. 2nd and 3rd batch are mostly for those who is working or those who does not complete SPM. No Offense but this is what I heard from the trainer themselves. For those who selected for 1st batch, you are the lucky ones. Firstly, you will be living with educated people. Secondly, there are chinese new year holiday which you can go home and celebrate. All races are allowed to go home. But, only the chinese can ask for extension of the hoilday for at most 3 to 4 days. Thirdly, there are more people in the camp compared to 2nd and 3rd batch. More people means more people to meet and you have more friends that are educated. To ask for extension all you have to do is fill a form(like a letter of appeal) and sent JLKN, not the kem administrator.





Things to get for surviving PLKN:

1. Touchlights- They will off all the light at 11pm, if you wanna find anything after that time, you might need a touchlight.



2. A Old cloth- Used to polish the shoe given by PLKN. Using a cloth to polish a shoe is more better that using a brush that PLKN give you.



3. Hangers and clips(a lot of them)- You used hangers to hang uniforms inside the locker.



4. A bucket and detergent- to wash your underwear because PLKN dobi only wash what they issue.



5. Sunblock- To prevent sunburnt during activity during afternoon or under a hot sun.



6. Camera(optional)- To capture your moment in PLKN



7. MP3(optional)- to kill boredom or shut your ears from the boring speech by trainers



8. Alarm clock(the ones that is loud enough to wake you up)- to be late for any activity will get punishment. Time management is very important in PLKN including sleep and nap time.



9. Some snacks or packet drinks- Provide you some energy after you wake up. Activity starts at 6.30am until breakfast which is 7.30am. Some midnight snack in case you can't sleep.



10. Handphone- To call anyone only on saturday and sunday.



11. Soap for body, hair and face and toothpaste-PLKN do not provide soap nor toothpaste except for washing food tray.



12. Health Supplement(optional)- Food in PLKN hardly tasty, hardly nutritious and hardly disgestable(constipation). To improve health in the harsh environment of PLKN.



13. Water- A few bottle of water to drink in case emergancy(shortage of water, dirty water and so on).


14. Underwear- Bring only underwear. Too many clothes bring from home such as shirts and pants are not necessary because you just have to wear PLKN issue uniform even while you sleeping so that you don't have to wash much clothes.


15. Extra Blanket and Pillow(optional)- My camp site usually get very cold during the night even a thin blanket issue by PLKN is not enough. A extra pillow for those who hug teddy bear to sleep or having problem with hard pillow issue by PLKN. But, you have to put these into the locker every morning. The trainer will check for tidinest of the bed. They want to see every bed look the same.


16. Pen, pencil and a marker- to write stuff. A marker is used to mark your uniform to send to dobi and to reclaim your uniform after dobi wash them and return it to you.

When you arrive at the camp site, the jurulatih will ask you to line up and give a form with a room number. For example, W A1-08. 'w' for boys. 'A1' for Alpha room 1. '08' for bed number. These numbers are ramdomly given out so that a balance amount of people and races in each company and dorm. After you get the form and room number, you proceed to a hall. They will ask you to fill the form about personal details. You handle the form(the ones that you receive from the letter and personal details) to the jurulatih. Next, you handle in your handphone. Make sure you finish using the phone before you handle the phone. The jurulatih will handle the handphone to you on saturday 9pm and you have to handle it back to the jurulatih on sunday 5pm. Next, the jurulatih will check you belongings for illegal items such as fork, spoon, wristband, cigarette, drugs and so on. The medicine(health supplement not included) that you bring are not allow to have it with you. The jurulatih will keep it. To retrieve it, you simply go to medic and ask for the medicine that you bring. After checking, you can find your room and beds number. Later, they will give out the uniforms, towers, shoes, cap and so on. You have to collect these item for a building called bahagian logistik. If you not sure about your size, they will help you measure. But, it is good to know your size before you enter PLKN. After that, you collect a bed sheet, a pillow case and a blanket for your bed. You then collect metal tray(for food) and metal cup. You keep the tray and cup to yourself. You have to wash your own tray and cup after every meal. But this only last for the first few days, later the jurulatih will ask you to put your metal tray and cup into your company basket in the canteen. Therefore, you share tray and cups with other people. The problem is some people doesn't know how to wash a tray clean. Sometimes, you can see remains from the previous meals.

These are some example of expecting event in PLKN and a small guide before coming to PLKN. I will post more guide and events that I taken part in my blog in form of journal. I write this post during my chinese new year holiday. Therefore, I only manage to post some of these. I will continue my blog on 13 march once I officially complete NS.