KUALA LUMPUR: Protesters gathered outside Parliament on Wednesday (Jan 28) to demand the scrapping of the proposed Urban Renewal Bill along with any possible recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for entry to public universities.
The protesters, led by Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) president Syed Hasan Syed Ali, said that both the Bill and UEC recognition would be against public interest.
"We do not need the Urban Renewal Bill as there are many existing laws that work fine at allowing for redevelopment of dilapidated buildings.
"The (Bill in its current form) will only benefit and profit developers, not the people.
"For UEC, they must clarify that merely passing Bahasa Melayu and History is not enough.
"Only by getting an excellent grade in both subjects should UEC students be considered for public varsities," he said in a speech during the gathering.
The approximately 20 participants stood outside the main gate for hours until they were met by PLANMalaysia’s legal and regulatory division director Zarmizan Puji, representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry.
After handing over a memorandum to Zarmizan, the protesters were then met by a group of Perikatan Nasional MPs led by Datuk Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai).
The MPs promised to present the protestors’ memorandum and issues related to UEC recognition to the Education Ministry and Higher Education Ministry and the group then dispersed after a while.
