Maszlee: UEC study to be based on rational discussion
Bahasa Malaysia and ensuring unity and harmony between the races are the focus of a study on the proposed recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) by the government.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the two thrusts of the study would ensure that any decision to recognise UEC would be made based on rational discussion, free from politicisation.
“The study into UEC involves two components — an internal study by the ministry, and the gathering of information and input from various sources through a special team. The team is headed by Professor Dr Khoo Kay Kim’s son, Dr Eddin Khoo, and assisted by Abim (Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia) president Mohamad Raimi Abdul Rahim, as well as Dong Zhong deputy president Tan Yew Sing.
“They will gather information and views; and engage with those who are pro-UEC and critical of it,” he said at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
He was responding to Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (Barisan Nasional -Padang Terap), who asked for a progress update on the UEC study.
Maszlee said study would be conducted in a rational and nondiscriminatory manner.
“A decision to recognise UEC must not only be based on a comprehensive study, but a healthy discussion in the public domain on facts gathered in an objective, rational, free and complete (manner).
“This will deter any irresponsible quarters from politicising education and our children’s future (based on) information that is incorrect and fabricated.”
Meanwhile, the issue of black school shoes and stockings plunged the Dewan Rakyat into chaos, with Maszlee being la- beled as “Yang Berhormat Kasut” (shoe minister).
Disgruntled murmurs among BN members of parliament were in the air when Maszlee said the previous administration failed to engage stakeholders to resolve the long-standing issue of recognition of UEC.
The situation became volatile when he claimed that BN lawmakers were capable of only raising the issue of the black school shoes and stockings.
“The UEC issue arose as there was no engagement with all stakeholders to discuss the matter rationally. The present government focuses on consultation to arrive at a decision that is bottom up (approach), not top-down as what was done by BN previously.
“BN knows only how to raise the issue of (school) shoes and stockings. That is the level of BN MPs,” he said to loud jeers from multiple BN lawmakers.
In retaliation, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) loudly proclaimed Maszlee a “shoe minister”. Maszlee shot back by saying that the opposition was preoccupied only with shoes rather than issues like UEC.
“This is a democratic country. They (BN MPs) are interested only in shoes. Their minds are only filled with shoes,” he said.
The situation got so heated that Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming had to mute the sound system to prevent escalation of the verbal altercation.