SUPP President Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian with his winding-up speech at the Sarawak Assembly. - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star
KUCHING: Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian has called on the Federal Government to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) of Chinese independent secondary schools without imposing conditions.
He said this was what the Sarawak state government had done when it recognised the UEC in 2014.
"The Sarawak government's job recruitment is not only advertised in the local newspapers, but lists UEC as one of the accepted qualifications.
"The Federal Government must recognise it without conditions, or without imposing too many conditions," he told the Sarawak Legislative Assembly in his winding-up speech on Monday (July 16).
Dr Sim said recognition of UEC did not in any way belittle the education system or adversely touch on the feelings of other races.
"Sarawak is the best example where the percentage of bumiputra students in Chinese primary schools is very high.
"These students believe that they have learned the Chinese culture and thus, understand the Chinese and this helps to promote better racial harmony," he said.
The UEC is issued to graduates of Chinese independent high schools and the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia has been pushing for years for it to be recognised by the government.
On Sunday (July 15), Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the ministry was conducting a "holistic" study before making any decision on recognising UEC.
"We need to take into account the importance of Bahasa Melayu as the national language and whether the impact of recognising UEC would affect the unity and harmony among Malaysians,” he said in a statement.
However, Dr Maszlee gave assurance that Pakatan Harapan would stick to its manifesto and recognise UEC as a legitimate entry requirement for tertiary education.
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