KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 — The youth wing of the DAP has thrown its full support behind the push to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), arguing that it is not only a Pakatan Harapan manifesto pledge but is also a right grounded in the Federal Constitution’s protection of multi-stream education.
In a statement, the DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) urged all parties, including its partners in the unity government, to engage in a fact-based debate and stop spreading “inaccurate information” that pits the UEC against the national language.
DAPSY clarified that “recognition” does not mean turning Chinese independent schools into government schools.
Instead, it said it is about acknowledging the UEC as an academic qualification with international credibility, similar to A-Levels, to allow its holders to apply for admission to public universities.
DAPSY argued this is purely a matter of academic standardisation, not an attempt to alter the national education philosophy.
Addressing the most common criticism, DAPSY stressed that the Chinese school community, including the education group Dong Zong, has already taken a “positive view” of the proposal to require a pass in the SPM Malay language paper as a condition for UEC recognition.
This, they said, proves that the community respects the status of Malay as the national language and that any claim to the contrary is “untrue and driven purely by political sensationalism.”
Consequently, the youth wing firmly backed the position of DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, who has stated that recognising the UEC does not contravene the Federal Constitution.
DAPSY called on all parties to assess the UEC based on its undisputed academic standards and its international recognition, arguing that it has produced many outstanding talents for the country.
This would help retain more competitive local talent for national development, DAPSY said.
