UEC, a manifesto dilemma for Pakatan

Looi Sue-Chern Looi Sue-Chern Updated 5 years ago · Published on 12 Jul 2018 11:00AM · 10 Comments

A number of tertiary educational institutions around the world, including the UK, US, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Australia, Canada and others, recognise the UEC but not the Malaysian government. – EPA pic, July 12, 2018.

PAKATAN Harapan is caught between a rock and a hard place on the issue of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), as it stands to lose ground with either the Chinese or Malays, said analysts.

In its pre-election manifesto, PH pledged to recognise the standardised test for Chinese independent high school students for entry into public universities.

Following its victory on May 9, Chinese educationists are now ready to see that the coalition makes good of its promise while Malay educationists and Malay rights groups are crying foul over what they see as an attempt to erode the importance of Bahasa Melayu.

All non-language subjects are tested in the Chinese language, as opposed to government standardised exams conducted in BM.

Currently, local public universities do not recognise the UEC results for their entry requirements, although local private higher learning institutions do.

Manifesto limbo  

Political analyst Hisomuddin Bakar said the UEC issue shows PH’s dilemma when trying to deliver all 60 if its GE14 manifesto pledges.

“In the past, nobody bothered to check the Barisan Nasional election manifesto to see if they delivered every promise.

“But with PH post-GE14, everyone does. So, PH is strangling itself (jerut leher sendiri),” the Ilham Centre executive director told The Malaysian Insight.

Hisomuddin said one must ask if the PH manifesto had been “too idealist”, as it did not consider aspects touching on certain sensitivities.

“PH is in a dilemma. Do they fulfil the manifesto 100%, or make manoeuvrings or adjustments? Any change will have to be explained and justified.”

Kua Kia Soong, Chinese educationist and adviser to rights group Suaram, said it was regrettable that the issue of education has once again been politicised, adding that the recognition of the UEC should be purely left to the Malaysian Qualifications Agency, not politicians.

“I’m afraid PH should have thought about all these election promises before committing to them,” he said.

Political and social analyst Dr Wong Chin Huat said the UEC issue has turned out to be a zero-sum game between the Malays and Chinese, with both viewing the move as an indicator of the government’s stand on minority languages over Bahasa Melayu.

“One side fears recognition (of UEC) will be the slippery slope towards challenging Bahasa Melayu’s status as the official language.

“The other sees non-recognition as an indicator of PH becoming BN2.0, and DAP becoming MCA2.0,” he said, referring to the Chinese community’s rejection of the previous government for its lack of proper representation.

“Living in a winner-takes-all society, the imagined stake is high… If this cannot be resolved, PH will stand to lose its ground on both sides (Malays and Chinese) in the next round.”

Dr Wong Chin Huat of Penang Institute says the Pakatan Harapan government should treat the UEC issue as part of a larger package related to higher education. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 12, 2018.

Lay out the case

Hisomuddin said PH has to be more “responsive” to issues arising from its election pledges and not allow them to be debated on social media sites for too long before making a decision.

“If they leave it alone, the issue will grow bigger. The government’s stand, whatever it is, has to be justified.

“The minister and deputy minister also cannot make clashing statements. They have to be constructive and PH parties should also not be seen to be fighting among themselves over the issue.”

He warned that certain parties will seize on the opportunity to play up racial sentiments.

“The issue is not really that sensitive. The government just needs to explain it clearly and constructively.”

Wong, who is from Penang Institute, recommends that PH presents a “package deal” to solve the issue of UEC by looking at other types of qualifications for entry into universities.

He said principles and conditions for accreditation of all qualifications not run by the Malaysian government, including those from foreign countries, should be laid out based on merit and national interests in a global context.

“The Education Ministry should consider a thorough study on academic accreditation and public university enrolment, which includes UEC as part of it.

“Solve it as part of a full package, not on its own.”

Wong said, on the surface, the main issue of contention with the UEC was on Bahasa Melayu’s status as the national language, and on national unity.

The poor command of Bahasa Melayu among many UEC leavers, he said, fed into the Malay discontent with non-Malays’ apparent resistance towards assimilation and, in the past, legitimised its exclusion.

To resolve this, the government could lay down reasonable conditions like having UEC students master the national language, such as obtaining a credit – and not just a pass – for the subject in the SPM exam, he said.

The PH administration should also strive to convince the Malays that they stand to gain from having a more inclusive and diverse society, he said.

“The PH government and the Chinese education movement should join efforts to enhance UEC students’ command of Bahasa Melayu.

“There should also be efforts to deal with the Malay anxiety by strengthening their identity and enhancing their competitiveness, to assure them that a more inclusive society will also benefit them.” – July 12, 2018.

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Comments

  • Bahasa Malaysia is ok. Passing SPM as a condition also ok. Passing the distorted and heavily Islamised Sejarah subject is not ok.

    Posted 5 years ago by Ordinary Person · Reply

  • Good suggestion Chin Huat. We should all see the UEC issue as an opportunity to uplift the current poor education standard in the country instead of seeing it from a racial perspective.

    Posted 5 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Yes. Recognize UEC but also make it compulsory to pass BM both written n oral test. Let this be a win-win situation

    Posted 5 years ago by Peace Maker · Reply

  • This is a long standing issue. Recognizing UEC will definitely spur education in public universities to greater heights. Coupled with meritocracy will definitely see our universities rise up the world ranking ladder attracting more foreign students to the country.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lim Heng Hin · Reply

  • Who cares, as long as u r qualified, credit in BM, u can enter a Public Uni. We hv lost 2 generations of great Malaysians. Do we want to lose more? Really?

    Posted 5 years ago by Sabah One · Reply

  • ofter UEC at secondary school level, then go on to use Chinese at college or university levels. the way to go. UEC is just a first step in a thousand miles ahead. bravo PH for such great manifesto made with full knowledge among DAP, Amanah, PPBM, PKR.

    Posted 5 years ago by J l · Reply

  • STPM students may not even get a place in the local university. Most STPM students are underprivileged. They are not as lucky as some of their peers who are spoilt for choice when it comes to chance of pursuing higher education. With the ruling that other qualifications can apply a place in the local varsities then the STPM students will have even lesser chances of placement.
    My two cents worth - Give the places to those who need it most , those that can already get a place abroad should not compete for the placement of those who only have that one option . So if you favor local varsities do STPM .

    Posted 5 years ago by Sueet Ping Yong · Reply

  • STPM students may not even get a place in the local university. Most STPM students are underprivileged. They are not as lucky as some of their peers who are spoilt for choice when it comes to chance of pursuing higher education. With the ruling that other qualifications can apply a place in the local varsities then the STPM students will have even lesser chances of placement.
    My two cents worth - Give the places to those who need it most , those that can already get a place abroad should not compete for the placement of those who only have that one option . So if you favor local varsities do STPM .

    Posted 5 years ago by Sueet Ping Yong · Reply

  • STPM students may not even get a place in the local university. Most STPM students are underprivileged. They are not as lucky as some of their peers who are spoilt for choice when it comes to chance of pursuing higher education. With the ruling that other qualifications can apply a place in the local varsities then the STPM students will have even lesser chances of placement.
    My two cents worth - Give the places to those who need it most , those that can already get a place abroad should not compete for the placement of those who only have that one option . So if you favor local varsities do STPM .

    Posted 5 years ago by Sueet Ping Yong · Reply

  • STPM students may not even get a place in the local university. Most STPM students are underprivileged. They are not as lucky as some of their peers who are spoilt for choice when it comes to chance of pursuing higher education. With the ruling that other qualifications can apply a place in the local varsities then the STPM students will have even lesser chances of placement.
    My two cents worth - Give the places to those who need it most , those that can already get a place abroad should not compete for the placement of those who only have that one option . So if you favor local varsities do STPM .

    Posted 5 years ago by Sueet Ping Yong · Reply