Apply for state govt jobs now, UEC holders urged

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Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau Lee Ming

Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau Lee Ming

KUCHING: United Chinese School Committee’s Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) president Temenggong Dato Vincent Lau is urging Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) holders in Sarawak to apply for the over 100 civil service vacancies now available.

He said UEC holders who have a pass in Bahasa Malaysia were eligible to apply.

“The chief minister (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem) has been mentioning about UEC holders being eligible to apply for civil service jobs. It was just policy then, but today (yesterday), he actually implemented it,” Lau told The Borneo Post yesterday in response to the latest development on Adenan’s policy on UEC.

Yesterday, Adenan announced that UEC holders needed only a pass—not a credit—in Bahasa Malaysia to be eligible to apply for government jobs.

As promised, he also gave RM5 million to 14 Chinese Independent schools in the state.

Another major announcement was that UEC holders could now apply to University Technology Malaysia (UTM) .

Boosted by the latest development, Lau, who is also Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Schools Management Board president, said he would see the Education Minister soon to discuss the possibility of the government recognising UEC nationwide.

He thanked Adenan for the RM5 million and the latter’s openness to Chinese education.

Meanwhile, Sarawak United Association of Private Chinese Schools Management Board vice-president Richard Wee said the latest developments proved to the Chinese community that Adenan was serious about helping Chinese education.

“Adenan even lowered the requirement from a credit in Bahasa Malaysia to a pass, and he laid out all the details of
how to apply, which will be published in newspapers tomorrow (today). This shows Adenan’s sincerity in being fair to the Chinese community,” said Wee.

He, however, would not expect an immediate mindset shift from the Chinese community as civil service jobs had never really being the choice of those who were Chinese educated.

“It will take time for the change to sink in and for Chinese parents to digest. But with full details made public, soon it will become part of the life of the Chinese community here in Sarawak.”

To Lee Chee Beng, principal of Chung Hua Middle No 3 here, Sarawak had become the envy of Chinese educators in other states because of Adenan’s stand on Chinese education.

“UEC has been a long standing issue. Chinese private education offered by Chinese Independent schools has been contributing to human capital building but lacked official recognition.

“After years of fighting for its recognition, now Chinese educators can see light at the end of the tunnel. We are now hopeful it may not just be recognised in Sarawak, but nationwide,” said Lee.

He said Adenan’s recognition of UEC and the new policy of opening up civil service posts to UEC holders did not only come verbally, but in black and white.

“Compared to the RM5 million he gave today (yesterday), his recognition of UEC is even more impactful to the Chinese community,” said Lee.