By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, April 20: Dato Chai Voon Tok, a lawyer called as the 14th witness in the defamation suit by Sarawak Federation of Chinese Associations president Dato Richard Wee over a Facebook post by DAP’s Michael Kong, said Wee was instrumental in getting the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) recognised by the Sarawak government.
During the examination-in-chief conducted by the the plaintiff’s counsel Shankar Ram, Chai agreed and regarded the plaintiff as an influential Chinese leader in Sarawak by the fact that he is the president of the Federation of Chinese Association of Sarawak (FCAS) and has over the years has helped in getting the allocation of funds for Chinese schools in Sarawak from the government.
He said, notedly in 2014, the plaintiff has helped to secure RM3 million for the independent middle schools in Sarawak from the state government under the leadership of the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem and thereafter the funds was increased by RM1 million annually and a total of RM10 million was given last year.
He added that the plaintiff was instrumental in getting UEC recognised, where the graduates of UEC can apply for jobs in the State civil service.
“As the President of the Federation of the Chinese Associations in Sarawak he has helped to secure the approval for alienation of a prime land situated behind the Spring Shopping Mall from the state government for the Federation of Chinese Associations to build its office.
“He also helped to secure the alienation of state land of about 40 acres in Samarahan for the board of management of the independent middle school in Sarawak. In addition to the numerous donations made to the NGOs and the schools over the past many years.”
During the cross-examination by the defendant’s counsel, Chong Chieng Jen, Chai agreed that to get the UEC recognised by the government was one of the struggle’s of Chinese educationists since the 1980s.
Chai also agreed that from the 1980s until May 2018, the UEC was not recognised by the Federal government.
However, Chai disagreed that the setting up of the Special Review Committee by the Pakatan Harapan government was an attempt by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to address this issue but rather felt that it was a delay tactic.
When asked if there was any committee set up by the then Barisan Nasional (BN) government to address the issue, he answered “not that I know of”.
Chai added that as a Chinese educationist, he had on numerous occasions criticiced BN for not recognising the UEC.
“I think that was the reason we voted in PH as the government.”
Wee was represented by Counsel Shakar Ram, Yu Ying Ying and Russel Lim whereas Kong was represented by Counsel Chong Chieng Jen, Sim Kiat Leng and Brenda Chong. — DayakDaily
