Johari Abdul (PH-Sungai Petani) said he believed many civil servants want to retire early so they can venture into a professional career, open up a business or join politics.

“This will give them the opportunity not to stay longer in civil service.

“Another perk of the early retirement option is that it would help unemployed young Malaysians to join the civil service to fill their places,” he said during the debate on the 2022 Supply Bill.

Johari also suggested that the government reintroduce a two-year national service programme to train Malaysians to defend the country as soldiers.

“This national service is not new as other countries like Singapore, Taiwan and Japan have them.

“This will help foster multiracial unity among our youths separated by the different schooling streams in their earlier years,” he said.

He said such a programme would also help youths to turn away from social ills like drug abuse.

Malaysia had introduced the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) for SPM-leavers from 2002 to 2018. It was terminated when the Pakatan Harapan government came to power and started tightening spending.

The government had said the programme had failed in its objective to create more patriotic and civic-minded youths.

The Perikatan Nasional government led by Muhyiddin Yassin proposed a revival of the programme last year, but it was met with criticism from various stakeholders, who cited the high cost, which would only benefit a few parties.

They also questioned the timing as Malaysia was still going through the Covid-19 pandemic.