Education

Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) would have been recognised if Pakatan Harapan government had governed for five years as was its mandate instead of being toppled in 22 months by the Sheraton Move conspiracy

By Kit

July 20, 2022

(Versi BM)

The United Examination Certificate (UEC) would have been recognised if the Pakatan Harapan government had governed for five years as was its mandate instead of being toppled in 22 months by the Sheraton Move conspiracy.

At the DAP national retreat held in early 2019 attended by DAP leaders and Members of Parliament, the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was asked this question and his answer gave confidence that the UEC would be recognised before the conclusion of the five-year government of Pakatan Harapan.

This thought came up when I received a copy of a FreeMalaysiaToday (FMT) report in 2017 relaying auditor Farar Halijah Halim’s testimony that Chinese primary schools were not seedbeds of racialism promoting anti-Malay sentiments but patriotic crucibles promoting national unity which should be a must reading for all Malaysians who want to go against the Constitution and close down Chinese primary schools.

The FMC report with the headline “Chinese schools promote unity, says Malay UEC grad” by Nawar Firdaws datelined Feb. 4, 2017, reported:

“PETALING JAYA: Farah Halijah Halim, 29, says that contrary to what some Malaysians say, Chinese schools in her opinion, promote unity among the various races in Malaysia.

“Farah told FMT of her first-hand experience, relating how her primary and secondary school education in Chinese schools had taught her how to interact better with those of other races.

“’In a way, it (Chinese school education) taught me the value of acceptance. Instead of demanding people respect and understand my needs, I learnt how to tolerate other people’s points of view as well.’

“She said her non-Malay peers were also sensitive about the halal and haram aspect of Islam and were genuinely curious about how Malays lived.

“’Some asked about the religious aspects (of Muslims), like the need to wear a tudung (headscarf) and why we need to fast.’

“She said she was also mindful of the fact that her Chinese education meant she would have to learn Mandarin, a language she can speak fluently today as well as Cantonese, which she picked up from her Chinese friends in school.

“Farah said everyone at school mingled freely with those of other races, proving wrong opponents of vernacular schools, who claimed that anything other than national schools failed to promote unity among multiracial Malaysians.

“’It’s the same as going to expensive international schools, right? Does that mean that international schools do not promote unity by segregating the rich from the poor?

“’And what proof do we have that national schools really promote unity among the races?

“’At Foon Yew (Chinese school), they preach the ‘Foon Yew people’ principle, where students are taught not to discriminate against those of other races. Everyone is equal.’

“So enriching was her education at SJKC Foon Yew, one of the largest independent Chinese schools in Malaysia, that Farah emerged as one of the top students of the class of 2005.

“’I was the valedictorian as well as the class representative. To get such a recognition was an honour.

“1It was a big school and over 1,000 students graduated that year. I was selected as the student speaker for the graduation ceremony,’ she told FMT, reminiscing with great pride her student days.”

Farar graduated from Cardiff University, one of the top universities worldwide. Farah was a qualified auditor in one of the largest auditing firms in the world, Ernst & Young, otherwise known as EY.

Despite the difficulty she faced with her UEC qualification, Farah said she did not regret her experience, especially as it equipped her with all the skills she needed to be a success in life.

(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday 20th July 2022)

Sijil Peperiksaan Dipersatukan (UEC) akan diiktiraf kerajaan sekiranya kerajaan Pakatan Harapan dapat mentadbir sepanjang mandat lima tahunnya dan bukannya ditumbangkan selepas 22 bulan mentadbir melalui konspirasi Langkah Sheraton

Sijil Peperiksaan Dipersatukan (UEC) akan diiktiraf kerajaan sekiranya kerajaan Pakatan Harapan dapat mentadbir sepanjang mandat lima tahunnya dan bukannya ditumbangkan selepas 22 bulan mentadbir melalui konspirasi Langkah Sheraton.

Dalam majlis pemukiman kebangsaan DAP yang diadakan pada awal tahun 2019 yang dihadiri oleh pemimpin dan ahli-ahli parlimen DAP, Perdana Menteri ketika itu, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad ditanya mengenai perkara ini dan jawapannya memberikan keyakinan yang UEC akan diiktiraf sebelum tamatnya mandat lima tahun Pakatan Harapan.

Perkara ini terlintas dalam fikiran saya apabila saya menerima senaskhah laporan FreeMalaysiaToday (FMT) – dari tahun 2017 yang menyampaikan pengalaman seorang auditor, Farah Halijah Halim, yang mengatakan sekolah rendah Cina bukanlah tempat yang menyebarkan sentimen perkauman, sebaliknya menjadi tempat patriotik yang menggalakkan semangat perpaduan negara – yang perlu dibaca oleh semua pihak yang cuba melanggar Perlembagaan dan menuntut supaya sekolah rendah Cina ditutup.

Laporan FMT yang bertajuk “Sekolah Cina mengalakkan perpaduan, kata lepasan UEC Melayu” dari Nawar Firdaws diterbitkan pada 4 Februari 2017:

“PETALING JAYA: Farah Halijah Halim, 29, berkata, bertentangan dengan apa yang dikatakan oleh sesetengah rakyat Malaysia, sekolah Cina pada pendapatnya, menggalakkan perpaduan dalam kalangan pelbagai kaum di Malaysia.

“Farah memberitahu FMT tentang pengalaman pertamanya, menceritakan bagaimana pendidikan sekolah rendah dan menengahnya di sekolah Cina telah mengajarnya cara berinteraksi dengan lebih baik dengan kaum lain.

“’Dalam satu cara, ia (pendidikan sekolah Cina) mengajar saya nilai penerimaan. Daripada menuntut orang lain menghormati dan memahami keperluan saya, saya belajar bagaimana untuk bertolak ansur dengan pandangan orang lain juga.’

“Dia berkata rakan sebayanya yang bukan Melayu juga sensitif tentang aspek halal dan haram Islam dan benar-benar ingin tahu tentang cara hidup orang Melayu.

“‘Ada yang bertanya tentang aspek agama (orang Islam), seperti keperluan memakai tudung (tudung) dan mengapa kita perlu berpuasa.’

“Dia berkata dia juga menyedari hakikat bahawa pendidikan Cinanya bermakna dia perlu belajar bahasa Mandarin, bahasa yang dia boleh bercakap dengan fasih hari ini serta bahasa Kantonis, yang dia ambil daripada rakan Cina di sekolah.

“Farah berkata semua orang di sekolah bergaul bebas dengan kaum lain, membuktikan penentang salah sekolah vernakular, yang mendakwa bahawa apa-apa selain sekolah kebangsaan gagal menggalakkan perpaduan dalam kalangan rakyat Malaysia yang berbilang kaum.

“‘Ia sama seperti pergi ke sekolah antarabangsa yang mahal, bukan? Adakah itu bermakna sekolah antarabangsa tidak menggalakkan perpaduan dengan mengasingkan yang kaya dengan yang miskin?

“‘Dan apakah bukti yang kita ada bahawa sekolah kebangsaan benar-benar menggalakkan perpaduan antara kaum?

“‘Di Foon Yew (sekolah Cina), mereka mengajar prinsip ‘orang Foon Yew’, di mana pelajar diajar untuk tidak mendiskriminasi kaum lain. Semua orang adalah sama.’

“Begitu memperkayakan pendidikannya di SJKC Foon Yew, salah sebuah sekolah Cina persendirian terbesar di Malaysia, sehingga Farah muncul sebagai salah seorang pelajar terbaik kelas 2005.

“‘Saya adalah ahli valedictorian dan juga wakil kelas. Mendapat pengiktirafan sedemikian adalah satu penghormatan.

“Ia adalah sekolah yang besar dan lebih 1,000 pelajar menamatkan pengajian pada tahun itu. Saya telah dipilih sebagai penceramah pelajar untuk majlis graduasi,’ katanya kepada FMT, sambil mengenang dengan penuh bangga zaman pelajarnya.”

Farah menamatkan pengajiannya di Universiti Cardiff, salah satu universiti yang terkemuka dunia dan Farah merupakan seorang auditor bertauliah di salah satu firma audit terulung di dunia, Ernst & Young, yang lebih dikenali sebagai EY.

Walaupun dengan halangan yang dihadapi dengan sijil UECnya, Farah mengatakan yang dia tidak menyesali pengalamannya ini, terutamanya apabila pengalaman ini memberikannya semua kemahiran yang diperlukannya untuk berjaya dalam kehidupan.

(Kenyataan Media Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Rabu, 20 Julai 2022)