The recognition accorded to the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for the purposes of eligibility to sit for the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) Examination was not done by the Education Ministry, said Education Minister Maszlee Malik.

"The CLP is not under the ministry, CLP is under law. You cannot ask me to speak on behalf of the AG (Attorney-General),” he told reporters after the closing ceremony of a community leadership event in Johor Bahru today.

He said in the ministry, matters relating to the UEC could be referred to the UEC Task Force which was formed to get information and recommendations on the matter.

Maszlee said the ministry had held a press conference on the UEC recently and the media was asked to refer to the statements made then.

“We have set up a special committee (the UEC Task Force) and recently we held a press conference. The task force is lead by the founder of the Centre for the Study and Documentation of Traditional Malay Performances (Pusaka) Eddin Khoo Bu Eng as well as members of the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) Mohamad Raimi Ab Rahim and president of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce Tan Yew Sing.

The UEC is the unified examination for Independent Chinese Secondary Schools which does not follow the national education system.

The recognition for the UEC was one of the promises made in the Pakatan Harapan manifesto for the 14th general election.

Last Friday, Legal Profession Qualifying Board chairperson Tommy Thomas, who is also the Attorney-General, issued a statement that the UEC qualification at Senior Middle 3 level is acceptable to fulfil the requirement of being equivalent to the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) level for the purposes of eligibility to sit for the CLP examination.

He said that from Jan 1, 2021, the condition for sitting for the CLP for UEC holders is at least two subjects taken at the Senior Middle Three level and at least five credits in SPM/O-Levels or equivalent, which must be obtained in one sitting of the examination.

- Bernama