UEC recognition: Indefinite delay shows lack of political will, says Chinese education board member

KUCHING (Dec 16): The prolonged indecision by the federal government to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) shows a lack of sincerity and political will, said Sarawak United Association of Chinese Aided Primary School Boards of Management president Datuk Jonathan Chai.

He said the UEC debate had dragged on for decades and remains stuck at the ‘under review’ stage despite repeated discussions and studies by successive administrations.

“During the 22 months of the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led government, a three-member special committee was formed to examine the feasibility of recognising the UEC, but its report was never accepted or adopted.

“This clearly shows the problem is not the absence of solutions, but the absence of political will. The federal government has been neither decisive nor sincere in handling the UEC issue,” he said in a statement.

Chai pointed out that this had undermined public confidence, especially among the younger generation, noting that UEC recognition has frequently appeared in election promises but was postponed once parties came into power.

“Indefinite delay in itself is a decision, and the cost is borne by students, families, and the next generation,” he said.

Chai emphasised that the UEC’s academic standard was well-established, and is even recognised by universities in China, the UK, Australia and Singapore.

“If the UEC were academically weak, it would not be accepted by reputable universities abroad. Institutions of higher learning assess qualifications based on merit, not sentiment, and this has been proven repeatedly,” he said.

He also cautioned that not recognising the UEC could result in the outflow of local talents.

“Many independent Chinese secondary school graduates are forced to pursue tertiary education overseas due to limited local options, and many do not return after graduation.

“As a result, Malaysia continues to lose young talents who are multilingual, strong in mathematics and science, and highly disciplined, without any mechanism to retain them,” he said.

Chai also dismissed claims that UEC would place a financial burden on the government, and pointed out that independent Chinese secondary schools were largely funded by the community with only partial government assistance.

He added that recognising the UEC would not dismantle the national education system nor require significant expenditure.

“It would simply involve integrating the UEC into the higher education admission framework and public sector access with reasonable and limited entry points.

“Other concerns often raised by the government can be addressed through technical measures, such as Bahasa Malaysia proficiency requirements, bridging programmes, or phased recognition.

“These are technical issues, not matters of principle. When technical concerns are repeatedly magnified, they often reflect policy hesitation rather than real systemic risk,” he said.