KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 — Education Minister Maszlee Malik gave his assurance that the status of Bahasa Malaysia will not be affected whether the government recognises the Unified Examinations Certificate (UEC) for the public sector or not.
He stressed that his ministry is still studying the matter and has not yet made a decision.
“Once again, I want to stress that whatever decision we make on the recognition of the UEC, it will be comprehensive and holistic, without jeopardising the position of Bahasa Melayu as the national language,” he said in a statement.
He said that although Pakatan Harapan had promised to recognise the Chinese school leaving certificate, the equivalent of SPM, in its 14th general election manifesto, as the government now, it has to “consider the standing of Bahasa Melayu as the national language and how the decision to recognise UEC may affect the country’s harmony”.
Maszlee has come under fire after saying last Thursday that he would fulfil the electoral pledge regarding the UEC.
His critics, including Umno Youth Chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, claimed that recognising the UEC would throw the country’s education into disarray and hamper national identity and racial integration efforts.
