UEC Recognition Must Be Anchored In Constitution, National Education Philosophy - Ahmad Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- Any discussion related to the recognition of education certificates, including the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), must be based on the Constitution and the national education philosophy, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said the UEC issue concerned the future of Bahasa Melayu as a language of knowledge and the unifying language of the nation.

“Language determines who controls universities, the public sector and the economy. When Bahasa Melayu is weakened, Malay children who go through the national stream will be the most affected.

“...therefore any recognition must be anchored in the Constitution and the national education philosophy.. and the use of Bahasa Melayu and History must be mandatory if they want the government to recognise the UEC,” he said.

He said this when delivering his speech at the Convention on Empowering Malay Education at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) today.

Also present were UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki as well as UMNO Supreme Council member and chairman of the convention’s Secretariat, Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

Ahmad Zahid said that in order to defend Bahasa Melayu as the language of knowledge of the future, UMNO would continue to champion efforts to ensure the language developed as a language of science, technology and higher-order thinking.

“Although it requires substantial investment, this step is important to ensure the sustainability of Bahasa Melayu as a competitive language of knowledge,” he said.

-- BERNAMA