KUCHING, March 2: The federal government’s denial of Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) recognition and funds to private Chinese secondary schools means Pakatan Harapan (PH) breaking its manifesto promises in the last 15th general election (GE15).
Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Dudong chairman Wong Ching Yong said this when responding to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek’s brief written parliamentary reply yesterday (March 1) that her ministry does not plan to recognise UEC.
Fadhlina also said that the ministry’s stand was based on the National Education Policy and the Education Act 1996.
To this, Wong expressed dissatisfaction in a statement today that Fadhlina and the Education Ministry had repeatedly used existing laws as an excuse to not even consider recognising UEC and helping private Chinese schools.
He said this would only make PH look bad when UEC recognition was among the key pledges in PH’s manifesto in GE15, and especially when UEC is already recognised by the Sarawak government led by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
Meanwhile, Wong also raised doubt the capabilities of Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Lim Guan Eng and the two DAP people representatives in Sibu in delivering their promises.
He questioned whether these DAP representatives had ever discussed this long-standing issue faced by the Chinese community with the Prime Minister or the Education Minister. — Dayakdaily
