Muhyiddin told to reject calls for the recognition of UEC

Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) has urged Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to reject calls for the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) brought by Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) and other Chinese organisations.

"I am appealing to the prime minister to reject whatever demand on the UEC while closing discussion (with the Chinese NGOs) and just focus on developing the national education system," Isma president Aminuddin Yahaya (above) said in a statement today.

He said this is because the UEC goes against the Federal Constitution and Education Act 1996.

"No matter how UEC is changed to suit the national policy, the original spirit, which rejected the national education policy once, could not be changed," Aminuddin was quoted as saying by Malaysia Gazette.

"Moreover, we don't need another education system because it could widen the gap within the community," he said.

Aminuddin said Malaysia does not need vernacular education at all, not to mention a private examination system not recognised by the government, unlike Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM).

Plenty of research has shown that vernacular education was not good for the country and national unity, he said.

Aminuddin said the government should refer to an expert and a former member of the National Education Advisory Council, Teo Kok Seong (photo), who opposed the recognition of UEC, instead of Huazong, Chinese educationist group Dong Zong, DAP and MCA.

In a statement issued by on July 17, Huazong touched on what transpired between the association and Muhyiddin on the recognition of UEC.

Huazong quoted Muhyiddin as saying that the latter personally wished that the government would one day recognise the UEC.

This prompted the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to clarify that Muhyiddin never told Huazong that the government would recognise the UEC.

"The prime minister also stressed that the UEC should adhere to the national education policy if it wants (the matter) to be considered for a resolution in the future," the PMO added.

It said the prime minister told Huazong that the previous administration had partially recognised the UEC by accepting UEC graduates into the Bachelor of Education teacher training programme (PISMP) Chinese language study in 2012.

Putra: UEC contradicts national education policy

However, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) disagreed that Muhyiddin said the government had 'partially' recognised UEC.

Putra vice-president Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz said this would be a huge mistake for the prime minister to say so.

"His statement is dangerous in the context that (UEC) contradicts the national education policy and poses a threat the Bahasa Malaysia as the national language," Khairul said.

When Muhyiddin mentioned that UEC was partially recognised, he was referring to 20 seats per intake for UEC holders, out of thousands of seats, he said.

"So, how is it that the policy is said to be partially recognised ?" he asked.

Khairul urged Muhyiddin to correct the wording in the PMO's statement.

"If the statement is not amended, then Dong Zong will be happy, thinking that its effort all these while bear fruits," he said.

Putra would follow up with action, together with the people, if the prime minister does nothing to correct PMO's statement, he added.

Sarawak to continue with PPSMI, recognise UEC

UEC recognition must adhere to education policy - Huazong agrees with PM

PM did not say govt will recognise UEC - PMO

Dong Jiao Zong hopes new education minister recognises UEC, resolves vernacular school suit