As part of the Sarawak government's move to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem said UEC holders will be allowed to work in the state's civil service and state legislative assembly.

This is on condition that the certificate holders have also passed the SPM Bahasa Malaysia subject, according to a Sinchew Daily report in its night edition today.

Adenan said this is in contrast to Penang's policy, which is to allow UEC holders to work in the state's government-linked companies (GLC).

“Instead in Sarawak, the UEC holder can apply to join Sarawak's civil service or the state legislature as long as he has also passed the SPM Bahasa Malaysia subject,” he was quoted as saying in Bintulu today.

He had previously announced on Sept 21 last year that the Sarawak government had agreed in principle to recognise UEC.

In addition, Adenan reportedly said Yayasan Sarawak will also begin accepting applications from UEC holders to obtain study loans and grants for studying in any government-recognised institution of higher learning - effective immediately.

UEC students with a pass in SPM Bahasa Malaysia can also apply to study in University Teknologi Malaysia's Sarawak campus, he said, without going through the usual process of applying through the University Admissions Division (BPKP).

Adenan vowed that regardless of how West Malaysia views the UEC system, Sarawak's policy to recognise UEC would not change.

The UEC is administered by independent Chinese high schools throughout Malaysia, but is not currently recognised by the federal government.

The latter had cited UEC's non-compliance with policies and curriculum of the national education system, as the reason for refusing recognition.

Nevertheless, this lack of official recognition has been a long-standing sore point among Chinese educationists.

Adenan's announcement today comes as the Sarawak state election looms closer.

The current state assembly's term ends on June 30, and elections must be held within 60 days from then.

However, Adenan had previously proposed April 30 as the election date.

Meanwhile at the Bintulu function, Adenan is also reported to have handed over RM5 million in allocation for 14 independent schools in Sarawak.

The Sinchew Daily report noted that this is the third time Adenan has provided allocations for independent schools since he took office in 2014.

The Chinese-language daliy said that in the same year, Adenan provided a RM3 million allocation to schools, and another RM4 million in the subsequent year.

It quoted Adenan as saying that as long as he is chief minister, he would keep increasing the allocation even to the tens of millions.