National Service Training Department director-general Datuk Abd Hadi Awang said the trainees were those who had applied to defer their NS training from 2004 to 2006.

He said trainees who applied to defer NS training to further their studies were given an exemption period of at least four years, and upon completion of their studies would be called up for the training again.

"Also to be called up for training next year are the 6,800 NS dodgers since 2004," he told reporters at a Hari Raya celebration at the White Resort Camp here today.

Abd Hadi said a total of 140,000 trainees would be called up for the three series of NS training to be held next year at 83 NS training camps nationwide. --Bernama