DPM: Dong Zong must meet govt requirements for UEC

Azril Annuar, fz.com 

The United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) must "meet the demands and requirements" of the Education Ministry in order for the United Examination Certificate (UEC) to be recognised.

Education Minister I Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government's stance on the matter is clear and it will maintain this stance, adding that any changes will have to come from Dong Zong itself.

 

"We have discussed the issue and the government's stance on this matter is clear. If there are any changes it must come from the other party and it must synchronise with our education policies," he told a news conference.

 

Muhyiddin, who is also the deputy prime minister, earlier attended a briefing with the top officers of the former Higher Education Ministry which has been merged with the Education Ministry in the new cabinet announced last week.

 

The Higher Education Ministry and the Education Ministry was split into two ministries during former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi's tenure in 2004.

 

Assisting Muhyiddin in the newly merged ministry are Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh as Education Minister II, and P Kamalanathan and Datuk Mary Yap as deputy education ministers.

 

When asked whether the two ministries will have separate secretary-generals, director generals and others, Muhyiddin said he has discussed the issue with the Chief Secretary Datuk Seri Ali Hamsa and the Public Service Department (PSD) director-general  Datuk Mohamad Zabidi Zainal.

 

"We might just call the two ministries the Education Ministry from now on. As for the secretary-generals and the director-generals, the PSD will get back to me by next week. Once they have informed me I will talk to the prime minister about this for his approval.

 

"What we will do on the merger of the two ministries is that we will streamline it as needed. The same goes with the National Education Blueprint and the Higher Education Plan, if it needs streamlining or upgrade works, we will cross the bridge once we get there," said Muhyiddin.

 

When asked whether the merger might cause problems, he said it was not an issue as both ministries already have their own plans in motion, and he will continue on track with what was planned and only streamline the plans when needed.