Rebuffing accusations levelled by the former head of a task force formed to gather views on recognising the UEC, Teo insisted that she had been consistent on the issue regardless of the audience she was addressing.

The DAP vice-chairman repeated her belief that the UEC was “good for Malaysia” and would not tarnish national identity but in fact bolster the education ecosystem and support talent development.

The Kulai MP added that not achieving UEC recognition under the Pakatan Harapan government from 2018 to 2020 was one of her biggest regrets as then deputy education minister.

“There were constraints beyond my control, but I have never shied away from acknowledging this shortcoming. In fact, during an online lecture in 2020, I apologised to my supporters over a statement about ‘recognising the UEC within one year’. I must emphasise here that I have never avoided or denied these shortcomings.

“What I reject are allegations that I ‘speak differently to different communities’ or that I am an agent provocateur on the UEC issue.

“I have never hidden my advocacy for UEC recognition, nor have I tailored my principles to suit the room. Therefore, any suggestion that I am not interested in finding a solution for UEC is simply baseless,” she said in a statement.

Teo, who is currently deputy communications minister, added that she remained unapologetic about pushing for the UEC’s recognition.

Eddin Khoo, who led the UEC task force formed by the PH government, had claimed in a podcast that the issue of UEC recognition continued to be politicised “because of people like” Teo.

Khoo said his biggest disappointment in leading the task force was politicians who acted as provocateurs, naming Teo as one such figure.

He claimed she would “stoke flames” by making a certain statement to the Chinese press and then another to Malay media, labelling her as “exploitative, manipulative” and not wanting an actual solution to the issue.