Rais Yatim warns A-G of political fallout over UEC ruling

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 1 Apr 2019 5:17PM · 7 Comments

Former minister Rais Yatim says those accusing Attorney-General Tommy Thomas of playing 'partisan politics' are 'becoming louder'. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, April 1, 2019.

THE attorney-general should have waited for the Education Ministry’s task force on the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) before unilaterally granting recognition to the Chinese secondary school qualification to sit for the bar exam, former minister Rais Yatim said.

In a Facebook post, Rais, who has quit Umno and is now with Bersatu, said Attorney-General Tommy Thomas should realise the “risk” he has put the national education system in with his latest move.

“I think (Thomas) should have waited a bit longer so that the government can make the proper choice.

“Wait for the relevant ministry to complete its deliberation. Then make the decision after consulting the cabinet,” Rais said.

He was referring to the Education Ministry’s UEC task force, which minister Dr Maszlee Malik has said is studying matters related to recognising the UEC.

Maszlee has said the recognition given to the UEC for the purpose of qualifying to sit the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) Examination was not the ministry’s decision. 

The UEC is for pupils of independent Chinese secondary schools that do not follow the national education system.

Government recognition for the UEC is a sensitive subject, especially with Malay nationalists against vernacular education, who see it as divisive to national integration through public schools and a danger to Bahasa Malaysia’s standing as the national language.

On Friday, Thomas, who is also Legal Profession Qualifying Board chairman, announced that the UEC will be recognised as an equivalent to the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) so that applicants can sit the CLP exam.

He said this would be effective from January 1, 2021, and applies to UEC holders with at least two passes at the Senior Middle Three level and at least five credits in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, O-Levels or equivalent.

Thomas’ move reintroduces recognition for the UEC as a qualifier for the CLP, which was allowed previously but stopped in 2005.

Rais said those accusing Thomas of playing “partisan politics” are “becoming louder”.

“You (have) now (created) two official educational streams. 

“Once it becomes a political issue, you may find the cauldron too hot to stay in,” Rais wrote. – April 1, 2019.
 

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Comments

  • Sudahlah Rais, go back to Umno lah

    Posted 5 years ago by SY L · Reply

  • Rais should go back to his kg, tanam padi to finish off his days. The practice was allowed before, why was it stopped?

    Posted 5 years ago by Anjing kawan Kucing Comel · Reply

  • Celaka rais yatim umno mentality

    Posted 5 years ago by Astann astann · Reply

  • Isn't the conditions e.g. 5 credits in SPM or O levels imposed sufficient to qualify the candidates?? The restrictions have already hinder the development of universally recognized degrees from Malaysia. Wanna your current youth and future generations to remain dumnos for next 60 years??

    Posted 5 years ago by Concerned Citizen · Reply

  • As much as we respect Rais as a Malay purist, we also expect Rais to respect the right of other fellow Malaysians to pursue what they regard as excellence in life. Do not pull others back when you cannot move forward.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Maszlee has said the recognition given to the UEC for the purpose of qualifying to sit the Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) Examination was not the Education ministrys decision. What is Rais' problem?

    Posted 5 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • En Rais nok jadi Perdana Menteri ke?

    Posted 5 years ago by Mat Kilau · Reply