LETTER | I think we have had enough baloney being tossed around on issue pertaining to United Examination Certificate (UEC) recognition as one of the entrance qualifications for admission to public universities in this country.

It took a general election and a change of the federal government to get us some glimmer of hope for UEC to be recognised. But suddenly we are yet again faced with endless loads of baloney on why UEC should not be recognised.

UEC is now a "threat" to national unity, national culture, national language, national sovereignty, patriotism and a challenge to the single examination system of the country.

Never mind that for the last 60 years, while we had no recognition of UEC, we still had no national unity.

Never mind we have dual tracks examination system with matriculation on one hand and STPM on the other. Never mind we have Junior Science Colleges existing side by side with normal schools. Never mind we have English medium in certain schools and Malay medium in other schools.

What matters most is this baloney – UEC is now a threat to our single examination system. With UEC's recognition, it is as if the whole country education and examination system will collapse and die.

You know what; to me, it does not matter anymore whether UEC recognition is forthcoming or not. Malaysian public universities may ignore UEC qualification at their own peril.

UEC is not a threat or a challenge to anyone except to provide an additional avenue for our students to excel and compete globally, knowing that the national school system has been lackadaisical and anaemic. A school system is not just about language and medium of instruction. It is also the work culture, dynamism and worldview being imparted and inculcated.

To those who see threats from behind every shadow, it is time they look beyond the little pond they live in.

Just look at those who excel in Malaysia today, be they Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Dayaks - do they know only Bahasa Malaysia and with a worldview that is no more than a cocoon?

I think we have had enough debates already. The world is not going to wait for us further.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.