31 disember 2008(Thursday)

I wake up at 6am. I get ready and change to PT outfit. At 6.45am, we gather outside near the bilik rehat and line up into marching position. At 7am, we march to the tapak kawat. We reach the tapak kawat. We then sing negaraku and khidmat negara song while the flag is raised. After we finish singing the song, we move to the dewan to have breakfast. After breakfast, we went back dorm to change to Class attire. We gather outside the dorm at 8.15pm and line up into marching position. We march to the tapak kawat. We line up according to class. We went for CB class at 9am. I didn't to record what I did in Cb class today. At 10.30am, we eat second breakfast at the dewan. We continue the class at 11am. The class ended at 12.30pm. we eat lunch at the dewan. After eating lunch, we went to dorm and rest until 2.30pm. We went to the dewan. The trainer ask every company to select leaders. There are six pangkat. There is the camp leader(boy) and assistant(girl) for the entire camp. There are four pangkat for each company. There are Company Leader, Assistant Company leader, Two Dorm Leader for each Sex and company. Which means the girls have four pangkat for each company and the boys have four pangkat for each company. Total amount of leaders is 32.

The role of company leader and assistant company leader:-

1. Give marching instruction.
2. Lapor(To know and make sure everyone present for the activity. No one is allowed to skip any activity except got doctor approval.)
3. Make sure everyone is on time for every activity.
4. Handle any problem happen or any trainer request in the company.
5. Talk to the company member to improve the company performance and teamwork.

The role of Dorm leader:-

1. Make sure the dorm is clean. Organise the duty rooster. Make sure everyone do it.
2. Decorate the dorm.
3. Anyone from other company is not allowed to enter the dorm. This is to ensure no thieves come and steal thing from the dorm.
4. Make sure off the lights at the time set by the trainer at night when everyone going to bed.

After selecting the leaders, I became the dorm leader. We were introduce to the KKJ(knotrak aku janji). I will explain it later. We started working on the KKJ thing throughout the afternoon until dinner at 6.30pm. We went to dorm to rest. At 9pm, we went to the dewan to work on the KKJ thing. We eat supper at 10.30pm and went back to dorm. We off the light at 11pm. I chat with my Friend in the dark until 12am. We did a countdown for year 2009.

30 disember 2008(wednesday)

I wake up at 5.45am. I change to Half-celoreng attire(PT shirt, celoreng pant and spiked boot). We went to the tapak kawat at 6.30am. We sing negaraku and khidmat negara song while the flag rise. We eat breakfast at 7.30am. We change to Class attire. We went to the tapak kawat at 8.30pm. We line up according to class assign to us on the name list mentioned on last post. We went into the CB class at 9am. There are two instructor in each class. The instructor guide us to know more friends. Both boys and girls at the class. First, we play a lame game called bongo bongo. The instructor gave each trainee a piece of A4 paper with 4x6 boxes. Each boxes is written a person characteristic. You supposed to find the person in the room which have the relative characteristic. At 10.30am, we have 'makan pagi' (second breakfast). At 11pm, we go back to the class. Everyone in the room is group into 7 different group. Each group have each race and both sex. If you are assign to that group, you will cooperate with that group for another 8 days. Each groups is ask to create a group name and a 'cheering' act for the group. Trainee are given time to discuss with their group members. After that, we play some game. At 12.30pm, the class ends and we eat lunch at the dewan. After lunch, we got some rest. At 2.30pm, we change to half-celoreng and went to the tapak kawat. We went on a tour guide around the camp guided by the trainers of each company. My company trainer ask us to march and stomp the ground. When everyone stomp the ground while walking toward the destination, the sound is really nice to hear. After the tour, alpha and bravo boys got shaved to about 1cm of hair left. After getting bald, we go to the dewan and listen to some speech by trainer. Charlie and Delta boys was laughing at the balds. But, nevermind they tomorrow will get bald too. We have 1mm of hair longer than them. We eat dinner at 6.30pm. I went back to dorm to rest until 8.30pm. We change to Class attire and go to the hall at 9.00pm. We arranged the chair and seat by company, the trainer using a projector to show a slide show about discipline, rules and punishment. When the slide show end, we stack the chair at one corner of the dewan. We eat supper at 10.15pm. After eating supper, the trainer ask us to line up by company. The trainer ask us to stand still and do not move because in marching, baris sedia means stand still no moving. We stand still for quite long and listen to the trainer talk rubbish. At 10.45pm, we only allowed to go back dorm.

29 disember 2009(Tue)

It has beeen raining all night until morning at 9am. I have to walk from the dorm to the dewan under the heavy rain because there is no shade or umbrella. Last night very cold. I wake up at 6.55am and get ready. Before breakfast starts, there are already many people waiting for food. The Queue as long as dragon. I eat breakfast(boiled egg, kaya bread, spicy fried rice, teh tarik). After breakfast and everyone finish eating, we(trainee) arranged the chair by company and take a seat. We sit there for a period of time doing nothing. We chatting to each other. Suddenly, the trainer play the Khidmat Negara song repeatly. The trainer play it so many times, it seems like a brain washing procedure. Then, the trainer ask us to sing the song too. We sing and repeat until we got it right. We sing until lunch(rice, curry chicken, green vegetables and syrup) is served at 12.30pm. The trainer told us(alpha and bravo's boys) that we might get bald this afternoon. After lunch, I went to dorm to rest. Those who wish to change the uniform can do it during this free time. ( I was busy at this day that I missed write the events happen today) At night, the trainer show us a video on CB(character building) class on the pass trainee by using a projecter. The trainers of the CB class introduced themselves. The list of names which specify who go to which class.

28 Disember 2009 Monday

I woke up several times during the night about 2.30am, 4.30am and 6.00am(the muslims started praying). At 7am, I got up and get ready. I take my food tray and cups and went to the dewan to have breakfast(two slices of bread with kaya, full-boiled egg, spicy mihun and teh tarik). The place where the staff served the food is infested with flys. The staff put a fly sticky trap. I can see fly all over the trap. At least 20 flys got trapped. I went back to dorm. I wash my clothes. Trainee only need to wash non-PLKN issue clothes such as your own T-shirt, underwears, and pants. At 10.30am, I went to the dewan to eat makan pagi(second breakfast)(fried smabal pastries. There is nothing much to do except eat and sleep on the first two days. I eat lunch(curry chicken, rice, prawn, bitter gourd) at 12.30pm. The food was terrible. The food look eatable is only the chicken and rice. I went back to dorm to rest until 4pm where they served tea time. Another batch of trainee arrived during lunch time which came from pahang and tengganu. Now there is about 26 people in my dorm. I ate dinner(rice, green vegetables, curry fish, fried-boiled egg) at 6.30pm. I went back to dorm to rest. The muslims were praying all night until 9pm. I went the bilik rehat for boy to watch TV. The reception of TV channel so terrible that only TV2 can see colour. But it is still very blur until I decide not to see the TV anymore. After that, we go to the dewan at 9pm. The trainer asked the trainee to arrange the seat according to company. It took us about an hour just to arrange the seat. When the seat is arranged, the trainer give some speech about rules in the camp. All boys must tug in their shirt. The shirt must have collar. Girls cannot wear pant or shirt which is too sexy. Trainee is required to wear clothes which cover chest down to the feet. Supper(cream cracker) is served at 10.30pm. I went back dorm and sleep.

27 disember 2009(Sun)

I reach the camp at 2.30pm. I got down the bus take my belongings and move to the padang kawat. The trainer ask us(trainees) to line up two lines. The trainer give a room number to everyone of us with a form. If you want to be in the same conpany with your known friend, just exchange the room number with another person. We move to the dewan to have lunch(curry chicken, cucumber, watermelon rice and sirap). The dewan is a combination of canteen and a place to held seminar. After eating, I register myself and pass up the forms. I handed my handphone to the trainer for safekeeping. The trainer only allowed the used of hanphone on saturday and sunday. The trainer will check our belongings for illegal items to bring in camp such as cigarette, sharp objects like fork and spoon, drugs and so on. Sadly, they do not really check trainee belongings to every detail. There are people manage to smuggle in cigarette. My mosquito-repeller-wristband got confiscated. Any kind of medicine is keep by the trainer in the medic. When you need to use the medicine, you have to go medic see the medical asistant to take the medicine. After that, I went to the logistik to collect PLKN issue items.

The list of PLKN issue items:

1. Two sets of PT shirts(Two track bottoms, two PT shirts, two pairs of white sock, one pair of sport shoe and a baseball cap). Used for doing sport.






2. Two Sets of Class Uniform(Two class pants, two class shirts, two pair of black socks, one belt and one pair of black shining shoe). Used for going in Class CB and so on.






3. Two Sets of Celoreng Uniform(Two celoreng pants, two inner celoreng, two celoreng shirts, one thick belt, one pair of spiked boots, two pair of long grey socks and berret). Used for marching practice, jungle treking, M16 rifle shooting training.






4. Others such as kiwi(shoe polisher), brush(for polishing shoe), two big rubber band(used in wearing full celoreng) and two towers.
   

Please make sure you know your uniform size before you attend PLKN so that you get the correct size. One funny thing when the staff give you the uniform the size is totally off. The staff gave me a size 40 pants instead my size 32. I went to my dorm(room) to unpacked my stuff. I share the dorm about 15 people. After that, I went to the dewan to get bed-sheet, pillow case, blanket, pad-lock(with key), metal-tray(look like the tray serving roti canai) and metal cup from the staff. I have to wash the metal tray and cup myself after eating. The dewan also have a shop selling foods and drinks. I eat dinner(rice, curry fish, tauge, salted egg and watermelon at 6.30pm. We keep the tray and cup ourself. The bathroom was horrible. There are cold water available to bath. The shower doesn't have sprinkler and like host pouring down water. There no place to hang clothes inside the dorm. You can hang the clothes in the locker but it will make the other clothes smelly or wet. Supper(cream cracker) is served at 10.30pm. After that, I went to dorm. I sleep at 11.30pm. It is very difficult to sleep. One reason, I was sleeping in a different environment which I am not used to yet. I woke up several times at night.The toilet is very dirty.This is where we wash our clothes.Some people like to used basin the hard way.

The shower doesn't have sprinkler.The water is very dirty. This is actual tap water!

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.