An Umno strongman has repeated support for the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).

Asked if the government should recognise the UEC Annuar Musa replied: "Yes, (the government) should recognise (it)."

The Umno information chief however, told reporters at the Parliament lobby that this was his own personal view.

Annuar reportedly claimed in an interview that he was suspended as Mara chairperson as he was a victim of a party feud and his support for UEC.

However, Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob refuted his claims that he was suspended for his support for the UEC.

"It is nothing to do with UEC," he had said.

Annuar had previously said that the UEC would be recognised in Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) owned Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), as it was a private institution.

The government has been reluctant to give official recognition to the UEC, saying its curriculum was not in line with national standards, in particular for Bahasa Malaysia and history.

This bars UEC graduates from furthering their studies in public institutions.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat earlier, Annuar said this was no reason to "victimise" thousands of students.

He also rubbished fears that recognising the UEC would have detrimental effects.

"If the UEC is recognised, would the entire national education policy turn upside down? Of course not," he said.

He also said that the UEC was not a racial issue, but an educational one, adding that it was not unconstitutional.

Annuar said both Dong Zong, which runs the UEC examination, as well as the government should be open and reciprocate each other.

"It doesn't benefit the country at all when (UEC graduates) leave the country," he said.