‘We place so much hope in you’: Anwar urges NS trainees to shape Malaysia’s future

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (right in yellow kurta) at a dialogue session with National Service trainees at Camp 515, Kuala Lumpur, on November 14, 2026. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

By Ida Lim

First Published: Saturday, 14 Nov 2026 4:14 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today told National Service Training Programme 3.0 trainees that the country is placing great hope in them to secure Malaysia’s future.

As he ended his hour-long speech and dialogue session with the trainees, Anwar lowered his voice to deliver his closing message.

“This is my last word. We place so much hope – you cannot imagine – as an old man myself, struggle to make this country succeed and excel. You cannot imagine how much hope we have for you.

“You can ensure and give us that confidence that the future of this country, this great country, will be in good hands. When I see you, I believe, Insya Allah, Malaysia will be in good hands,” he said, drawing applause from the 200-odd trainees present.

Anwar was speaking during a meet-up at the National Service Training Branch, Camp 515 here where 236 female trainees were present in-person, while another 1,663 trainees at seven other training camps joined the session online via video conference.

He received a warm welcome from the trainees upon arrival, with four of them given the opportunity to ask him questions.

Earlier, National Service Training Department director-general Major-General Datuk Marzuki Mokhtar said in his welcoming speech that the programme is now in a new phase that is dynamic, progressive and relevant.

Beyond instilling discipline and promoting nation-building, Marzuki said the programme focused on three main areas: strengthening values, integrity and character; fostering unity across different races, religions and regions; and improving civic awareness and preparedness for modern challenges, including digital threats and public emergencies.

He said the aim was to develop a disciplined and patriotic younger generation with a strong sense of unity, critical thinking skills and readiness to contribute to the country and society.

He added that trainers were committed to conducting the programme with integrity, dedication and professionalism, while improving training quality and ensuring its safety and effectiveness.

“To us, the success of NS is not just measured by the number of trainees who completed training, but also the creation of a young generation that is patriotic, united and ready to serve the country,” he said.

Also present were Defence Ministry secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali, the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (policy) Datuk Mohd Yani Daud, deputy secretary-general (management) Datin Roszanina Wahab, National Service Training Council chairman General (Rtd) Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal, and Akademi Kenegaraan Malaysia director-general Datuk Roslan Hussin.