PKR sec-gen says Pasir Gudang MP does not speak for govt in resignation call over UEC varsity decision

JOHOR BAHRU, May 16 — PKR secretary-general Datuk Fuziah Salleh today distanced the government from Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim’s call for two ministers to resign over issues linked to the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).

She said Hassan’s remarks were his personal views and did not represent the government’s position.

“The decision to allow Chinese Private Secondary Schools graduates or UEC holders to follow certain programmes at public higher education institutions was made with clear conditions, including having SPM qualifications and a pass in Bahasa Melayu and history subjects,” she told reporters after attending a PKR programme at a hotel here.

Fuziah said the issue was not new, noting that previous administrations had also imposed similar conditions to allow UEC holders to pursue studies at public higher education institutions.

“This matter should not be made into a tirade because it is clear and has also been implemented before,” she said.

Yesterday, Hassan called on Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir to resign, claiming they had failed to defend the national education policy involving public universities.

The Higher Education Ministry had earlier announced that graduates from tahfiz schools, Chinese independent secondary schools and other institutions outside the national education system would be allowed to pursue selected programmes at public higher education institutions, subject to conditions.

The move followed a Cabinet decision on admission pathways for students outside the national education system into public higher education institutions.