KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — Any discussion on the recognition of education certificates, including the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), must be based on the constitution and national education philosophy, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said the UEC issue concerns the future of Bahasa Melayu as a language of knowledge and the unifying language of the nation.
“Language determines who controls universities, the public sector and the economy. When Bahasa Melayu is weakened, Malay children who go through the national stream will be the most affected.
“…any recognition must be anchored in the constitution and the national education philosophy.. and the use of Bahasa Melayu and History must be mandatory if they want the government to recognise the UEC,” he said.
Zahid was speaking at the Convention on Empowering Malay Education at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Also present were Umno secretary-general Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and Umno Supreme Council member and chairman of the convention’s secretariat Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi.
Zahid said that to defend Bahasa Melayu as the language of knowledge of the future, Umno would continue championing efforts to ensure the language develops as a language of science, technology and higher-order thinking.
“Although it requires substantial investment, this step is important to ensure the sustainability of Bahasa Melayu as a competitive language of knowledge,” Zahid said.
