The certificate has long been a political hot potato, with the opposition and government repeatedly clashing over its status.
FMT takes a closer look at the arguments on both sides and why the issue continues to spark controversy.
What is the UEC?
The UEC is the school-leaving certificate for students attending Chinese independent schools and is academically equivalent to the national Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia or international A-levels.
It was created by the United Chinese School Committees’ Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) to provide a unified examination after these schools opted out of the national curriculum in 1961 to maintain Chinese-medium instruction.
Before the UEC, these schools had no standardised examinations to evaluate graduates’ academic qualifications.
Today, the UEC is internationally accepted by more than 1,000 universities as an entrance qualification; among them are private institutions in Malaysia, as well as universities in Singapore, Taiwan and China. It is also accepted in Sarawak, the only Malaysian state where it is accepted for entrance to state-run universities and the state civil service.
However, it is not accepted for entry into most Malaysian public universities or the federal civil service. This restriction is the core issue fuelling the ongoing controversy.
Moves to recognise the UEC
Pakatan Harapan’s 2018 general election manifesto promised UEC recognition, allowing holders access to public universities without equivalence barriers, on the condition that applicants obtained at least a credit in Bahasa Melayu in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia.
When in government, PH formed a task force to gather views. It was led by sociologist Eddin Khoo and included the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement ‘s then president Raimi Abdul Rahim and then Dong Zong deputy president Tan Yew Sing.
The effort stalled after a change of government in 2020, even though the task force had completed a report. Then education minister Radzi Jidin said no report was submitted, and the task force was dissolved on Feb 29 that year.
In 2023, education minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry had no plans to recognise the UEC for university entrance, citing the National Education Policy and the Education Act 1996.
The certificate was recognised by Sarawak in 2016 as valid for entry to state civil service positions, state-owned colleges and universities, and eligibility for Yayasan Sarawak education loans.
In 2018, Barisan Nasional made similar pledges when Najib Razak, then BN chairman and prime minister, promised UEC recognition if BN secured a strong mandate and support for BN’s Chinese candidates.
Arguments for recognition
Support for UEC recognition mainly comes from Dong Zong, DAP leaders and MCA, who argue that the certificate is already widely accepted internationally.
Delegates at MCA’s annual assembly in 2016 adopted a resolution calling for the government to expedite UEC recognition for entrance into universities and the civil service.
In 2020, Dong Zong said UEC recognition was a shared understanding across political parties and featured in both PH and BN election manifestos, reflecting a professional consensus. However, efforts have often been undermined by disputes over the national status of Bahasa Melayu, fuelling ethnic tensions and eroding trust.
On Dec 11, Bentong MP Young Syefura Othman of DAP said UEC recognition should be granted provided students obtain credits in BM and History at the SPM level.
She noted that the UEC, like the O-levels and IGCSE, is internationally recognised and accepted by universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Australian National University, Kyoto University, Caltech and Peking University.
She said high-performing students should not be barred from education pathways recognised both locally and abroad.
In a recent Facebook post, Parti Bangsa Malaysia president Larry Sng suggested that PH could honour its manifesto, despite Umno opposition, by first recognising the UEC in PH-led states (Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor) as a pragmatic first step.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that while other languages can be promoted, Bahasa Melayu must come first. As it is the national language, Bahasa Melayu must be mastered by all Malaysians and remain the primary language of knowledge, while he acknowledged the importance of English and schools using other mediums of instruction, including Chinese, Tamil and international schools.
“Once its position is clear, then we can discuss other matters, including the UEC,” he added.
Arguments against recognition
In 2018, Umno Youth objected to the PH government’s proposal to recognise the UEC for entry into public universities. Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, the youth wing leader then, said the move would render Malaysia’s education system “disorderly”, as other qualifications at the same level were already recognised by the government.
He also warned that it could undermine efforts to forge a national identity and promote racial integration.
BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan said the government would have no issue with recognising the UEC provided it is conducted in the national language and formulated in line with national aspirations. Unless these criteria are met, the UEC cannot be equated with national qualifications.
PAS deputy youth chief Hafez Sabri urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government to firmly reject the UEC, saying Malaysia’s long-standing national education system underpins unity and development.