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Dong Zong must be held accountable for the continued non-recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) - said former MCA leader Ti Lian Ker arguing that a concrete opportunity to resolve the issue was rejected more than a decade ago.
In a statement, Ti said a critical window opened in 2013, just three days before Parliament was dissolved, when then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak personally reached out to Dong Zong through Vincent Lau Lee Min.
He stressed that the engagement was conducted without the presence of the education minister or deputy minister to avoid internal resistance and bureaucratic obstruction.
“Najib took personal political responsibility,” Ti said, describing the move as “an uncommon and courageous step in Malaysian politics,”.
According to Ti, the proposal involved recognising the UEC through a credit mechanism conducted in Bahasa Malaysia. While he acknowledged that the offer was not ideal, he said it was “real, actionable, and achievable within the system of government at that time.”
“Dong Zong rejected it,” Ti added, questioning the basis on which the decision was made.
Ti noted that Barisan Nasional later included UEC recognition in its 2018 general election manifesto, while then BN information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa had publicly expressed support for UEC recognition after being briefed by Dong Zong.
He also cited a May 2018 statement by Chinese education activist and former DAP Member of Parliament Dr Kua Kia Soong, who wrote that failure to retract the requirement for an SPM History pass would perpetuate the politicisation of UEC recognition.
Dr Kua had also pointed out that Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto did not impose conditions on recognising the UEC.
“Had Dong Zong accepted that offer in 2013 by the prime minister then, UEC recognition would no longer be an issue today.”
“Thousands of students would not still be paying the price of political purism and misplaced expectations,” he said.
Ti said Dong Zong must explain why a concrete offer personally backed by the prime minister was rejected, and who advised the organisation to believe that a future government, then in opposition, could deliver a better outcome.
“Was Dong Zong misled into believing that DAP could provide unconditional and full recognition of the UEC?” he asked.
Twelve years later, Ti said, the consequences of the decision were clear. “Power was available in 2013. The window was open. The decision was made to wait,” he noted.
Ti said that if Dong Zong continues to demand accountability from politicians, it must also account to the community for its own historic decision.
“If the organisation believes it was misled by promises of unconditional recognition, it should state so openly and pressure the current government to fulfil those commitments.”
“Silence is no longer acceptable,” Ti said. – December 15, 2025