Minister of Youth and Sports Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman youth programme that will replace the National Civics Bureau (BTN) and National Service programmes will cost around RM70 million, cheaper than the latter programmes. — Picture by Azneal Ishak

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — The youth programme that will replace the National Civics Bureau (BTN) and National Service programmes will cost around RM70 million, cheaper than the latter programmes, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said today.

The youth and sports minister said the ministry was collaborating with sovereign national wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Berhad, accounting firm Ernst & Young, and Outward Bound School to create the youth leadership programme modules, but did not elaborate further on the programme.

“It costs RM82,000 to train one PLKN (National Service) trainee but under the youth leadership programme, it will cost substantially lower,” said Syed Saddiq in a media conference after launching a United Nations Population Fund report here today.

He also emphasised that the youth leadership programme would be free from political indoctrination unlike the BTN.

The BTN programme was viewed as a tool for political indoctrination of the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

Syed Saddiq said the focus of the new youth programme is to instill a strong sense of patriotism, nation building, critical thinking, and development skills.