Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki does not think sending his children to national Chinese-type schools (SJKC) is contradictory to his objection to recognising the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).

In a statement today, he said his decision to school his children in SJKC proved he was not racist.

“My intention is to expose my children so they are able to get along well with ethnically Chinese students at an SJKC, which is a school based on the national education system,” he said, adding that the Education Act 1966 also provided for the SJKC.

Comparing the SJKC to the UEC, Asyraf said the latter was not part of the national education system, thus his objection to it.

“On the contrary, the UEC is an examination taken by students at Chinese Independent Secondary Schools (SMPC), which is outside the national education system and the national education policy.

“[...] Recognising the UEC means the country will have two examination systems, eventually causing national integration to fail,” he said.

The UEC is presently not recognised for entry into public tertiary institutions.

Pakatan Harapan’s 14th general election manifesto had promised in pledge 50 that the UEC will be allowed for entry into public tertiary institutions provided students received a credit in the SPM Bahasa Melayu subject.

Education Minister Maszlee Malik has clarified that the Harapan government will not renege on this promise, but said prior “holistic study” was first needed. 

Meanwhile, Maszlee’s deputy Teo Nie Ching previously said she aimed to get certificate recognised by the end of the year.

The Amanah-led Malacca government had recently announced it will begin recognising the UEC as a formal qualification for entry into state civil service.