Nga Kor Ming defends UEC certification amidst heavy criticism from fellow patriots

 

LANGUAGE has always been an inextricable part of a race, making up the tapestry of its religion, rituals and traditions.

With that in mind, we are unsurprised to find the education system poised at the centre of any racial struggle, more so in Malaysia with the many races living together.

Recently, this perpetual battle reared its ugly head again when Minister of Housing and Local Government of Malaysia Nga Kor Ming defended the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) certification, stating that it was recognised even by the University Of Oxford.

In his own words, Nga Kor Ming said in a post on X, “Even more impressive, 96% of UEC students successfully passed Bahasa Melayu SPM. This is a fact, not a fabrication. Let us not speak with emotion and malicious prejudice.”

Any topic involving education in Malaysia is akin to stirring up the hornet’s nest and we expect some fiery discussions by our fellow netizens. 

“Agung have spoken, if you don’t like the Malaysia rules, go back to your country,” said @trader_mba, parroting a narrative that has been used since time immemorial.

Another netizen sarcastically said, “Congratulations UEC. Anyone interested in studying abroad is welcome to take IGCSE and IB. But in this country, only one exam is required, which is SPM. Full stop.”

Also, @Ijad_Kuala pointed out that this is an old issue. 

However, @LaurenceKuek said it was good that Nga Kor Ming clarified the situation, stating that many people showed their ignorance, thinking there are no Bahasa Melayu requirements.

Netizen @KitKitKit2108 was also in full support for Nga Kor Ming.

To recap, the UEC is a standardised pre-university qualification for students in Malaysia’s Independent Chinese Secondary Schools (MICSS), managed by United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) and held annually for Junior Middle and Senior Middle levels. 

It offers a strong academic foundation, particularly in Mandarin, and serves as a pathway for tertiary education, with significant recognition by many international and some Malaysian universities, despite ongoing political debates over its full recognition in Malaysia. — Focus Malaysia