On the ground: Protesters leading a demonstration against the URA and UEC outside the Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur.
A GROUP of protesters gathered outside Parliament to demand the scrapping of the proposed Urban Renewal Bill (URA) entirely along with any possible recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) to enter public universities.
The protesters, led by Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia president Syed Hasan Syed Ali, said the URA and allowing UEC to be recognised would go against the public’s interest.
“We do not need the URA as there are already many existing laws that are sufficient for the redevelopment of dilapidated buildings.
“The URA in its current form will only benefit and give profits to the developers, not the people.
“As for the UEC, 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 outside the Parliament building.
Numbering around 20 participants, the protesters 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 passing a memorandum to Zarmizan, the protesters were met by a group of Perikatan Nasional MPs, led by Datuk Idris Ahmad (PN-Bagan Serai).
The Opposition MPs promised to present the memorandum and issues related to the UEC recognition to the Education Ministry and the Higher Education Ministry.
The group then dispersed shortly after.
