Statement on UEC: Sensitivities of all races will be considered, clarifies PM

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has clarified his recent comments about the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), stating that the sensitivities of all races, and not just the Malays, need to be considered before the government can go ahead and recognise it.

This after a recent interview he had with Mandarin-language newspaper Sin Chew Daily, entitled “Tun Mahathir: The recognition of UEC needs to consider the feelings of Malays”, sparked an uproar in the Chinese community.

In an attempt to set the record straight, the Prime Minister’s Office has since produced an audio recording of the interview.

Today, the premier explained the matter, while indirectly chiding the daily for misreporting his words.

“I am always asked by newspapers for interviews and I have never turned them down. But sometimes, I find that these reports do not reflect what I say.

“Regarding the recognition of the UEC, I did not say I will tolak (reject it).

“All I said was there are certain sensitivities among the Malays, and we must take into account all sensitivities - including the sensitivities of the Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli and other ethnic groups in Malaysia,” he told a press conference after chairing the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting in Yayasan Albukhary today.

Him talking about the sensitivities of the Malays, Mahathir explained, did not mean he was ignoring the sensitivities of other races.

“If I say the Malays are sensitive about something, this does not mean other people are not sensitive about it and (this does not mean) I am not sensitive to others.

“I hope the press will write reports based on the truth, even though we have tried to abolish the Fake News Act 2018, we have failed because we did not get support from senators from opposition parties,” he said.

Based on the audio recording of the interview, Mahathir had said that the government would recognise the UEC “to the extent that we can” when asked for assurance on the matter.

However, he had stressed that bridging the economic gap between races was more important.

“Ya, I think we recognise it (UEC) to the extent that we can.

“Look, there are differences – one of the worst differences is the disparity in the distribution of wealth in this country that we have tried to correct. I admit many of the faults are with the Malays but this one (economic disparity) you don't correct, and you are always correcting this one only (UEC).

“This one is very simple for you to correct – the language or UEC or whatever. That is very simple. That is a stroke of the pen and it is done. But to bring the three races in Malaysia, plus the bumiputera in Sabah and Sarawak, to the same (level of) economic development, takes time,” he had said.

Mahathir also admitted during the interview that Harapan’s aim to win more Malay support made it more difficult for the government to fulfil its election promise to recognise UEC.

“Ya, but we try to meet (the promises), it is not that we don't,” the premier had said.  - Mkini