ABU DHABI // All eligible Emiratis must perform national service regardless of their social status, the head of the programme’s authority says.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the National and Reserve Service Authority (NRSA), has called on all eligible candidates to register by the November 6 deadline.
In an exclusive interview with Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister newspaper of The National, Sheikh Ahmed said failure to meet the deadline could result in legal problems.
The federal law covering national service sets the penalties for failing to report for national service at between a month and a year in jail, and fines of between Dh10,000 and Dh50,000.
Even those who receive these punishments must complete national service.
Sheikh Ahmed said the NRSA was preparing to bring legal procedures against those who do not complete registration.
He said registration was mandatory for all people in the age categories, regardless of their educational, professional status or personal circumstances.
Requests for postponement or deferment of service are to be decided by employers, not the NRSA, Sheikh Ahmed said. The authority is looking at flexibility for employees in certain professions.
The authority is holding meetings with government and private authorities and agencies, to work out the best way to recruit without damaging their interests.
Sheikh Ahmed said there had been more women applying for national duty in the second batch, which he attributed to positive impressions they received from female recruits in the first batch.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
