Kuala Lumpur: The public confidence in the Royal Military College (RMC) remains high with applications for admission increasing this year, despite various issues being raised regarding the institution, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari stated that for the intake of only 260, a total of 3,990 applications for admission were received this year compared to 2,200 last year. He emphasized the importance of discipline among the students at RMC and the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), noting that these students are future leaders in both the military and civil service systems.

Adly's comments were in response to Dr Halimah Ali (PN-Kapar), who inquired about the selection criteria to assess the character of RMC applicants to prevent bullying incidents. Meanwhile, in response to Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's (MUDA-Muar) original question regarding steps taken to stop systemic bullying incidents at RMC, Adly mentioned that the MAF had implemented several improvements to address the problem.

Adly outlined some of these measures, which include having instructors conduct patrols and checks at RMC hostels after 11.30 pm every day, with a frequency of once every two hours. Additionally, the number of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the hostels has been increased from 12 to 64 units to detect suspicious activities. Meetings among students, administrators, and instructors are also being held to obtain early information on any misconducts.