Debate reignites over exam that could break up Anwar's coalition

After Sabah drubbing, DAP renews calls to recognise certificate offered at independent Chinese-medium schools

- Shannon Teoh Malaysia Bureau Chief

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing pressure over whether to fulfil an election campaign pledge to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) for entrance to Malaysian public universities and service, in yet another racially charged challenge to his administration.

Debate over the exam, equivalent to the A levels and offered at independent Chinese-medium high schools in Malaysia, has been reignited after the Democratic Action Party (DAP) recently renewed calls for it to be recognised, in a bid to shore up support from the ethnic Chinese minority.

This comes after the DAP, which supplies the most MPs to Datuk Seri Anwar's multi-coalition ruling alliance, was trounced at the Sabah state elections in November, losing all the seats it had contested.

On Dec 7, DAP deputy chairman Nga Kor Ming said the party would meet Mr Anwar to seek recognition for the exam, just days after the party had said it "would work closely with the Prime Minister to accelerate the reform agenda over the next six months".

Top party sources had told The Straits Times that some leaders during an emergency leadership meeting on Dec 1 called for the DAP to consider leaving the unity government if no progress was made after the six-month period, or at least resign from Cabinet.

Recognition of the exam has long been an issue for the ethnic Chinese community in Malaysia, but many among the Malay-Muslim majority believe this to be unnecessary, unpatriotic and unconstitutional.

For Mr Anwar, there is a need to strike a balance between Chinese voters who have overwhelmingly backed the Premier's Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition for decades and Malays, who have largely voted for the opposition Perikatan Nasional.

The UEC was created by the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) to provide a streamlined assessment after Chinese independent schools opted out of the national curriculum in 1961.