I have submitted a motion under Standing Order 26(1) to the Speaker of Parliament to debate on the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) or “Sijil Peperiksaan Bersepadu”. I hope the motion will be approved so that the Federal government will recognise it as a valid national examination certificate.
In principle the UEC is a very important national education asset which has created many successful Malaysians in all aspects irrespective of race and religion.
In Sabah many non-Chinese students have enrolled in the Chinese Independent School and sat for the UEC. Native parents therefore wish that the UEC will be recognised by the Federal Government.
With the lack of schools and teachers in Sabah, the Chinese Independent Schools are considered an alternative especially for students who are staying in far-flung areas in Tenom, Beaufort, Kunak and Tawau More than 25%to 85% of the students in the Chinese Independent Schools are from the native community.
The UEC is very competitive with more than 100 universities from more than 12 foreign countries including Australia, United Kingdom and USA having recognised the said certificate. The UEC has been received well by the international and academic community. Let us not lose such an advantage for our country.
From the practical point of view, the recognition of the UEC would create a generations of citizen who are fluent in the Malay, English, Chinese language. These traits will give the strength to our citizens especially when Malaysia is embracing the international markets. By knowing the Chinese language, our people will be in an advantageous position where China is gaining importance in the political and economic fields.
It is important that the Federal government not only recognise the UEC but also to defend the education rights of all vernacular schools under Article 152 of the Federal Constitution. I hope the Federal government will hold true to the principles and spirit of the Federal Constitution and the United Nation Declaration, the rights of every person to education.
I appeal to all MPs especially MPs from MCA, Gerakan, Sabah and Sarawak to fully support the motion. I like to thank the Speaker for openly supporting the UEC in his address at the Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce CNY function recently. After five decades of waiting the time has come to recognise the UEC.