Govt considering to recognise UEC, says Tengku Adnan

LABUAN: The government is currently considering to recognize the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for entry into local public universities, said Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

Tengku Adnan said he believed that the recognition of UEC would further enhance the close ties between all the races in the country.

Speaking after launching the new building of Chi Hwa kindergarten here yesterday, he pledged that all types of school here, including Chinese, mission and government schools would be given due attention accordingly.

The minister also assured that the current Barisan Nasional (BN) government would endeavour to address all the people’s needs here on this island.

“All the students schooling here (Chi Hwa Kindergarten) are our future leaders. Therefore, we need to nurture them to be good citizens,” he said.

Tengku Adnan added that the children should not be misled on the struggle of their forefathers, as their forefathers had agreed to live together based on this country’s constitution.

He also assured that Chinese schools nationwide would not be closed despite rumours by irresponsible quarters that they would be shut down.

“We, in the cabinet know about the constitution that Chinese schools can never be shut down. Malaysia is the only country in Asean that has Chinese schools and not even in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and others.

“We will preserve these schools,” he said.

In response to a request by the president of the Labuan Chinese Chamber of Commerce (LCCC), Datuk Wong Kii Yii, to allocate some funds to further develop the Chinese schools in Labuan, Tengku Adnan told LCCC to write to him on the requirements of the schools for his further action.

The federal government has allocated RM1 million towards the building of the new Chi Hwa kindergarten, while another RM3.5 million was contributed by a group of businessmen here to complete the building.

Over 30 percent of the students at the school are Bumiputeras.

Meanwhile, Tengku Adnan disclosed that the government has spent over RM7 billion for Labuan’s development since this island was declared a federal territory in 1984.

“No parliamentary constituency has been given such a big amount in this country,” he said, adding that Labuan was handed over to the federal government to close the ties between the federal government and the people of Borneo.

Also present were Labuan member of parliament Datuk Rozman Isli, Senator Datuk Yunus Kurus and the secretary general of Federal Territories Ministry, Datuk Seri Adnan Md Ikshan