20 November 2017

Press statement by MCA Publicity Spokesman (English/Bahasa Malaysia) cum Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker

DAP should get Mahathir and Pakatan Harapan to support the Government’s study towards recognition of UEC!

Perkasa is an extreme right movement of which PPBM Chairman Tun Dr. Mahathir was a patron. It would be interesting to read Mahathir’s thoughts on Perkasa’s declared “war” against the Government if the Cabinet decides to recognise UEC. Now that Mahathir a partner sharing a common political platform with DAP, Mahathir should come out and openly support the Government and Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi’s proposal to seriously consider the recognition and acceptance of the Unified Examination Certificate. This will facilitate the Government to resolve this long outstanding issue faced by UEC’s recognition since Mahathir’s days as Prime Minister for 22 years.

Now that Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PPBB) from Sarawak has openly supported the recognition of UEC and the Government is seriously considering it’s recognition, DAP and its Supremo Lim Kit Siang should convince their partners in particular both Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim who has absolute control of PPBM and PKR to come out openly to support the Government and remove all political ransoms or obstacles particularly from extreme movements like PERKASA.

The political litmus test of Mahathir’s PPBM and Anwar’s PKR sincerity to DAP and DAP’s political will on this issue is now! Who is PERKASA to politicise this issue if politicians from both political divides can put aside their political rivalry and agree on this fundamental principle that education should not be politicised and a correct decision be made in the interest of education!

The UEC, is recognised by top universities around the world, such as California Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Oxford University, University of Cambridge, University of Toronto and the National University of Singapore (NUS) among others and thus there should not be any further political hurdles for its recognition.

The Deputy Prime Minister had suggested that the Education Ministry should do a serious study and proposal to the cabinet to provide a solution to resolve the issue once and for all. This is indeed a laudable move and timely for all to support.

Now is the time for all political parties especially the opposition parties in Pakatan to band together to provide political support to the Barisan Nasional government and the Prime Minister and cabinet to provide a political solution to this issue once and for all.

It is now the right time for DAP and Lim Kit Siang to walk their talk. DAP and Lim Kit Siang must show their effectiveness in Pakatan by getting Pakatan to support CEC’s approval and recognition. Otherwise it just goes to show that DAP is all talk and no walk. In other words DAP was just merely paying lip services or exploiting political issues all along with no desire for the issue to be resolved politically.

I believe Tun Dr Mahathir being a founder or former patron of Perkasa can still exert his influence over Perkasa. Once he voiced his support for UEC’s recognition, the political hurdles will be cleared and no one’s going to start a “war” or hold the government on ransom . The UEC’s recognition will be progressive step forward for all.

Lim Kit Siang or DAP’s continue silence at this juncture will merely confirm that they have agreed to Muhyiddin Yasmin’s assertion that Pakatan (if elected ) will not even consider the UEC recognition as reported in The Star (http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/01/10/pakatan-wont-recognise-uec-muhyiddin-warns/#duQU2B7ixrhYkClM.99)

Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker
MCA Publicity Spokesman (English/BM)
MCA Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman

-MCA online-