Najib had offered to recognise UEC before 2013 elections, says Wee

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had proposed to recognise the Unified Examination Certification (UEC) back in 2013, but the offer was not accepted.

 

Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong revealed that the then United Chinese School Committees’ Association (Dong Zong) leadership had declined the PM's offer.

 

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said Dong Zong chairman Datuk Vincent Lau Lee Ming revealed in a recent interview that Najib had met up with Dong Zong representatives three days before Parliament was dissolved for the last general election. 

 

“Najib met them straight without going through the then Education Minister and Deputy Education Minister. 

 

“Five years have now passed, and Pakatan Harapan is including recognising UEC in their election manifesto,” Dr Wee said. 

 

He was speaking to reporters after opening a China education fair at Confucian Private Secondary School here, which saw participation from 38 higher learning institutions from China and one from South Korea.

 

Dr Wee said if Dong Zong had accepted Najib’s offer in 2013, the question of recognising UEC would not exist today. 

 

He reiterated that MCA had put it in the draft version of the Barisan Nasional manifesto, and the final version would be revealed on Apr 7. 

 

He added that the Government always strives to work out the mechanism to realise its promises, unlike the Opposition. 

 

“In an interview with Singapore’s The Straits Times, former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad admitted that Pakatan Harapan might not be able to fulfill its manifesto of abolishing tolls and the Goods and Services Tax. 

 

“He is not in the Government, so no one will scold him. But for us, we will work hard to fulfill our promises,” Dr Wee said. 

 

The one-day education fair was organised by the Association of Graduates from Universities and Colleges in China, Malaysia.  

 

At the event, scholarships for 307 students at 10 Chinese universities were announced for the September intake.