Perkasa Threatens To Sue Putrajaya If They Recognise Unified Examination Certificate
The Malay rights group has been categorically against UEC.
By Sadho Ram — 02 Apr 2017, 05:34 PM
Malay rights group Perkasa has reportedly threatened to sue the Government should it recognise the Unified Examination Certificate
According to FMT, Perkasa's Education and Human Capital Development Bureau Chairman, Sirajudin Mohd Salleh, said that the group will take the government to court to get the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) cancelled.
He added that they would do it regardless of the justification given for its approval, and even if the UEC fulfilled the Higher Education Ministry’s requirements.
Perkasa, which has been opposing the Chinese school certificate that is accepted in universities abroad but not in Malaysia, argued that the syllabus would not only have "a negative impact on national unity" but would also "threaten the nation's sovereignty"
Sirajudin was speaking at a roundtable meeting held to discuss the UEC yesterday, when he said, "The government must take into account the Federal Constitution, the laws as well as the nation's interests when deciding on UEC."
Additionally, he further claimed that the Unified Education Certificate went against article 152(1) of the federal constitution - which stipulates that Bahasa Malaysia is the national language – because the UEC curriculum is in Mandarin.
He added that the use of Mandarin was also contrary to the national education policy which requires Bahasa Malaysia to be used as the medium of instruction.
"It would be illogical and senseless to sacrifice our national education policy, which had existed since independence, for the sake of political and racial interests as well as votes," Sirajudin was reported as saying by Malaysiakini.
One of the panellists at the event Prof Teo Kok Seong, who is a fellow at the Institute of Ethnic Studies in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, urged the Chinese community to reject the UEC system
Teo said that recognising the UEC would make entry into public varsities more difficult.
"We know that places in public universities are limited, particularly in critical fields such as medicine, information technology and law. If UEC holders are also admitted (into public universities), they would take away the quota of 'loyal' Chinese. The Chinese community needs to know that if UEC is recognised, they would lose out as the places in public universities are limited. So, they should reject (UEC)," he added.
According to FMT, the Higher Education Ministry last month was reported to be willing to consider recognising the UEC for purposes of entry to public universities if it meets certain conditions
While Perkasa is against UEC, UMNO Information Chief Annuar Musa supports it.
He had urged Putrajaya to recognise UEC or risk losing more local talent to foreign countries, as Malaysian public universities don’t recognise UEC, students who take this test in independent Chinese secondary schools enrol in private universities or colleges that accept UEC, locally or overseas.
