YOURSAY | 'Prior to the election, both sides made the same commitment to recognise it.'

Anwar: UEC won't undermine importance of Malay language

Non-Evader: Thank you, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim for speaking up. The Chinese, and in fact all non-Malays, would not even think of challenging the position of Bahasa Malaysia in this country.

Everyone knows this, including the Malays. This is a non-issue created by Umno to incite the Malays to garner votes. It's time to bury it for good.

The Wakandan: That is a majestic stance by Anwar, which will be endeared by those who ask for the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) to be recognised.

I am not particularly interested in this issue, but there are many people who are passionate about it. I remember that the late Sarawak chief minister Adenan Satem did fight for this, and as a result the UEC is recognised in the state of Sarawak.

Adenan was literally idolised for that, much to the chagrin of Umno stalwarts in Semenanjung Malaysia.

What is the problem with the UEC? Why is it becoming a thorn in the government's flesh? That has to be answered honestly.

Logically, it does not make sense not to recognise it when we allow vernacular schools in the Chinese language to exist in Malaysia. What do we expect would be the result?

Anwar is doing thing right on this issue. Syabas.

Ksn: Why are the fanatics instigating innocent people with their race and religious propaganda against the non-Malays? Are our Malays so low in their understanding of other races and religions in Malaysia?

Do take stern action against the fanatics with their religious and racial rhetoric to safeguard Malaysia's future.

Will the new government do something about it? Anwar, can you do something? Or will our leaders have coffee with the fanatics, like the ones wanted in foreign countries?

Gerard Lourdesamy: If we can accept the UK GCSE and GCE A level certificates, the Australian matriculation and Canadian Grade 13 for entry into our universities and in the workplace, what is the problem with accepting the UEC?

All these foreign syllabuses do not teach Malay and Islamic history. Education should not be seen with the lens of race and religion. So long as all students can read, write and speak in Bahasa Malaysia, that is sufficient.

History is very subjective. Why should it only be Malay and Islamic history, rather than the wider world history syllabus?

When I was in secondary school in the 1980s, the syllabus was just right. Now it is just about "glorifying" the Malay civilisation and the Islamic religion and nothing else. And even then, references to the ancient Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms that existed in the Malay peninsula are conveniently ignored.

Malays should be reminded to be honest about their origins, customs and culture. Their history did not start with their conversion to Islam but predates the coming of Islam to the region.

But they have been indoctrinated by the Biro Tatanegara (BTN), the Special Affairs Department (Jasa) and the Islamic religious bodies to believe otherwise.

Anonymous_1529132749: Many Malaysian graduates graduate from universities, be it foreign or local, through different examination systems. These graduates enter the universities with qualifications from different examination systems too.

So why is it such a big issue for secondary schools to have different examination systems in the country?

Ozzie Jo: Indeed, since when has the mastery of Malay been an issue for the Chinese? Maybe the Chinese who grew up in predominantly Chinese communities might face some small challenges, but by and large, most Chinese in Malaysia have little problems with Malay.

And I actually think the more obstacles you throw in their path, the better they become - they just roll with the punches and make the best of everything they are given.

Amateur: The harsh fact remains that the Chinese language is one of the official languages of the United Nation. This literally means one could be well qualified academically in Malay, but unfortunately, he/she cannot use it at official meetings in the UN.

Perhaps the government might capitalise the present scenario to educate the narrow-minded folks.

Patathewoonie: Singapore's majority is Chinese, yet the Malay language is protected under their Constitution.

The populace mostly study English, and are free to choose a mother tongue subject, but still 99.9 percent speak English and that didn't make them love their country less.

That's what you call being civilised. Why do Malays in Malaysia feel so lacking in confidence and insecure?

The Chinese study Bahasa Malaysia because it is the national language, the Chinese study English because it is an international language, and the Chinese study Chinese because it is as important as English.

The Chinese study language mainly because of commercial reasons, so don't let nationalism hinder your progress.

Ex-Wfw: You may want to cap many things in life, but you certainly cannot cap somebody's grey matter. And with today's technology, Flintstones would not know what strikes him, be it from outside or inside.

My friend likes to tell me his community's problem of being caught is much like being among crabs in a basket; every one of them is trying to pull the others down.

Such a scenario can hardly continue to happen at the start of the 21st century. However, we still have many Mr and Mrs Flintstones around.

Just A Malaysian: The Ministry of Education should have a programme to bring in more Malay students into Chinese independent schools.

They have excellent curriculum and discipline. Malaysia will benefit if more Malaysians are good in Mandarin. China will be a very important trading partner in the future.

Malay nationalists should open their minds more. The world is different from the kampung.

Skippy: It's very strange. Time and again on the ground level, no Malays seem to have felt threatened by the recognition of the UEC. In fact, more of them seem to want to send their kids to Chinese schools.

It's only the politicians who are making all this noise of gloom and doom.

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