Chong (left) and Azmin.
PETALING JAYA: Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon has hit back at Datuk Seri Azmin Ali over claims that the Selangor state government had championed the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).
In an interview with Sin Chew Daily on Thursday (Feb 23), Azmin was quoted as saying that one of his priorities after taking over as Selangor Mentri Besar was to get the state assembly to recognise the UEC.
Chong, however, said that private institutions of higher learning long had the power to recognise the UEC.
“When amendments were made to the Education Act 1996, private institutes of higher education were thus eligible to independently accept higher certificates or diplomas as an entry requirements into their institutes.
“On the other hand, a directive by the Higher Education Ministry on March 19, 2004 stated that the UEC was accepted as an entry qualification for private institutes of higher education,” he said.
Chong added that Universiti Selangor (Unisel) and Kolej Universiti Islam Selangor (KUIS), two universities under the Selangor state government's jurisdiction, could already recognise the UEC.
Chong, who is also MCA Youth Chief, claimed that the MCA is committed towards constructing new Chinese vernacular primary schools in Selangor but that these schools have been subjected to unnecessary red tape, resulting in delays in the issuance of development orders.
He cited as examples SJKC Tun Tan Siew Sin, SJKC Kheng Chee (Puchong), SJKC Bandar Sungai Long, SJKC Bukit Serdang Seri Kembangan, SJKC Kajang Utama, and SJKC Choon Hwa (Pandan).
Chong said DAP's Seputeh MP Teresa Kok had announced that the state government had allocated land for the construction of eight primary schools but that there was still no sign of these schools.
“If Azmin is truly sincere in assisting Chinese education, he should start by resolving these issues engulfing SJKCs in his state first,” he said.
Did you find this article insightful?
