KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — The National Islamic Youths Association  (Pembina) has urged the government to tighten the requirements for the appointment of contract staff in the civil service by making History a compulsory subject in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination besides Bahasa Melayu.

Its president, Eqwan Roslan said the government should be strict about implementing the Examination Board Circular No. 3 Year 2011 which states that History is a compulsory subject for a pass, beginning 2013.

Besides preserving Bahasa Melayu as the National Language, Malaysian citizens must also understand Malaysian history and the Federal Constitution through the History subject,” he said in a statement here today.

He said Pembina was of the opinion that getting the SPM result should not only be important in terms of competency to serve and ability to speak but also in shaping the identity and fundamentals of unity among the people of various races in Malaysia.

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He also said the government should be wary of the efforts and calls from certain quarters who try to put pressure on the government to change the Malaysian identity for their own interests.

Eqwan also said he appreciated the Cabinet’s decision to reject the efforts to relax the requirement for Bahasa Melayu at the SPM level for contract medical officers at the Health Ministry.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi when announcing the Cabinet’s decision on the appointment of the UD41 contract medical officers, said that Bahasa Melayu was the National and official language of the Federation in line with Article 152 of the Federal Constitution and the National Language Act which should be defended. — Bernama

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