Malay-Muslim groups turn up pressure on UEC, URA

 

Several Malay-Muslim NGOs have urged the government to permanently drop plans for an Urban Renewal Act (URA) and attempts to formally recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) - which they claim were both “demands” made by DAP.

The coalition of 32 groups made the call in two memorandums received by Perikatan Nasional MPs outside Parliament gate this morning, after some 40 protesters marched from the nearby Taman Tugu.

The groups’ demands were also addressed to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, but neither minister nor any representatives of government lawmakers came out to meet the protesters.

Speaking at the protest, Perkasa president Syed Hassan Syed Ali noted that while civil society and the people are relying on opposition lawmakers to speak up on issues surrounding UEC and URA, their MPs, who are also PN leaders, appear busy with internal matters.

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“We are counting on a strong opposition to go against this government, but they are (now) too busy,” he said, alluding to a flurry of political developments that followed Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation as PN chairperson.

Perkasa president Syed Hassan Syed Ali speaking during the protest outside Parliament gate today

Based on a copy of the memorandum, the group's demands on the UEC are as follows:

• No UEC recognition at all: They oppose recognition in any form or under any justification.

• Stop political bargaining over UEC: They reject any attempt to make UEC recognition a political condition or trade-off for support to the prime minister or federal government.

• Government to uphold national education policy and maintain the existing policy, halt all discussions on recognising the UEC, prioritise national integration over “race-based agendas.”

• For the public to resist political pressure that could divide society and undermine the country’s foundations.

• Engagement with Malay-Muslim NGOs: They want the relevant minister to meet their representatives to hear directly why they strongly oppose UEC recognition.

In receiving the memorandum on UEC, Bagan Serai MP Idris Ahmad stressed that the main issue goes beyond race.

He argued that many Malay-Muslim students were also in a similar predicament as UEC takers because their academic qualifications from religious schools remain unrecognised in Malaysia, but permit them entry to universities in the Middle East.

Reject URA

As for the URA issue, the group’s memorandum stated the following demands:

• Reject the Urban Renewal Bill entirely, instead of amending and retabling at a later date.

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• Respect state authority over land matters: They argue land is constitutionally under state jurisdiction and say the bill intrudes on state powers.

• Maintain 100 percent owner consent for property disposal: They reject the proposed lower consent thresholds and insist no property should be redeveloped or taken without the full agreement of all owners.

• Protect vulnerable communities and heritage areas: They warn against redevelopment that could displace original urban residents, B40/M40 communities, residents of Malay reserve land, customary land, waqaf land, and traditional urban villages.

• Use existing laws instead of URA: They say urban renewal should be done through existing legislations including the Town and Country Planning Act 1976; Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974; and Strata Management Act 2013.

• Set up an independent bipartisan oversight body: They call for a special committee involving state governments, NGOs, and independent professionals to monitor and advise on urban redevelopment. - Mkini