CM Adenan assurance towards Chinese education in Sarawak

"One  of  the  50  decisions  I  made  in  the  last  two  years  since becoming  Chief  Minister  firstly,  is  not  to  call  the  Chinese  “pendatang” (immigrant).  In  Sarawak  we  do  not  call  the  Chinese  “pendatang” because  they  have  been  here  for  several  generations.  You  are  not people  from  Bangladesh  or  people  from  Myanmar.  You  Chinese  have been  here  for  hundreds  of  years.  You  are  borne,  raised  and  will  die  here. You  have  no  other  place  to  call  home.

I  see  that  Chung  Hua  schools  or  Chinese  schools  are  giving  good education  to  children  including  Bumiputera  children.  There  are  many Chinese  schools  but  there  are  many  non-Chinese  studying  in  these schools.  There  are  many  rural  schools  where  60  %,  70%  and  sometimes 80%  of  the  students  are  Bumiputera  children.  This  is  our  way  in Sarawak.  Why  cannot  we  recognise  these  schools?  Before  this independent  Chinese  schools  did  not  receive  even  a  single  cent  in government  aid.  When  I  became  Chief  Minister,  I  said  we  must  help  the independent  Chinese  schools.  This  is  not  mere  lip-service.  In  2014  I gave  RM3  million,  in  2015  RM4  million  and  this  year  RM5  million.  Next year  if  Adenan  and  BN  win  the  elections,  and  I  am  still  Chief  Minister  I will  give  RM6  million.  But  if  the  majority is big,  much  bigger  than  normally was,  I  will give  RM10  million.

Thirdly, on United  Examination  Certificate;  the  Federal Government  do  not  want  to  recognise  UEC  but  it’s  their  business.  But  in Sarawak  the  State  Government  do  recognise  UEC.

In  the  last  Dewan  Undangan  Negeri  sitting  in  December  I mentioned  that  since  I  came  into  office,  I  have  given  RM  7  million  ringgit to  Chinese  Independent  Schools  in  Sarawak.  In  2014  I  gave  RM3  million and  in  2015  RM4  million.  This  year,  as  I  have  promised,  the  amount  I  am giving  away  today  to  Chinese  Independent  Schools  in  Sarawak  is  RM5 million.  Next  year  if  BN  win  the  election  and  I  am  still  Chief  Minister  I  will give  RM6  million.  But  if  the  majority  in  the  elections  is  big,  much  bigger than  the  usual,  I  will  RM10  million.  But  if  I  am  no  more  Chief  Minister  you get  nothing.  Therefore,  I  need  your  support  so  that  I  can  continue  to  help you.  You  know  this  has  never  been  done  before  and  I  believe  this  is  the right  thing  to  do  to  assist  Chinese  education  in  the  Sarawak  and  in recognition  of  the  contribution  of  the  Chinese  community  to  Sarawak’s overall  development."

The  Federal  Government  do  not  recognise  the  United  Examination Certificate.  That’s  not  our  business  but  in  Sarawak  I  want  UEC  to  be recognised.  In  last  December’s  DUN  sitting,  I  mentioned  that  since  I came  into  office  I  have  given  RM7  million  to  Chinese  independent schools  in  Sarawak;  2014  RM  3  million  and  2015  RM  3  million,  this  year RM5,  next  year  more  than  that.  I  have  promised  the  amount  of  RM5 million  and  today  and  I’m  giving  the  amount  to  Chinese  independent schools.  You  know  this  has  never  been  done  before.  I  believe  this  is  the right  time  to  assist  Chinese  education  in  Sarawak  and  in  recognition  of the  contribution  made  by  the  Chinese  community  to  Sarawak’s  overall development.  Today  I  am  fulfilling  my  promise.  It’s  not  empty  talk.  If  I said  RM5  million,  I  will give  away  today  RM  5  million.

I  know  education  is  of  utmost  importance  to  the  Chinese  people.  In the  pantheon  of  scholars  and  so  on,  the  Chinese  regard  the  scholar,  the educated  person  as  No.  1.  Politician  is  at  No.  10.  Once  they  get  to  settle in  a  place  the  first  few  things  that  the  Chinese  did  was  to  build  a  temple and  a  school.  Today,  Chinese  education  is  not  exclusively  for  the Chinese  as  Bumiputeras  are  also  sending  their  children  to  Chung  Hua Schools.  Non-Chinese  send  their  children  to  Chinese  schools  not  only  to be  able  to  study  and  speak  mandarin  but  to  acquire  knowledge according  to  the  strict  regimen  of  Chinese  education.

Now  on  UEC,  the  State  Government  recognise  UEC  even  though the  Federal  Government  do  not.  Tomorrow  to  show  that  we  mean business  there  will  be  advertisements  in  the  news  papers  to  advertise vacancies  in  the  state  Government  Service  to  in  invite  people  who  are qualified  to  apply  for  jobs  in  the  State  Government  including  those  who passed  their  United  Examination  Certificate.  Holders  of  UEC  from recognised  universities  can  now  apply  to  Sarawak  Civil  Service  without pension  at  the  point  of  entry  with  just  a  PASS  in  Bahasa  Malaysia  at SPM  level.  There’s  no  need  to  have  a  credit  but  there’s  a  credit  it’s  a bonus,  a  pass  is  enough.  The  holders  are  only  required  to  sit  for  all required  government  examinations  within  1  to  3  years  as  a  prerequisite to  be  confirmed  in  service  like  any  other  graduates.  The  advertisement for  all  the  posts  will  be  published  in  selected  local  Chinese,  Malay  and English  newspapers  for  four  consecutive  days starting  tomorrow.  

For  this,  I  would  like  to  tell  my  good  friend  Lim  Guan  Eng,  the  Chief Minister  of  Pulau  Pinang  that  the  State  Government  of  Sarawak  is sincere  about  giving  due  recognition  to  those  who  deserve  it  and  in doing  so  we  are  being  fair  to  all  citizens.  Sarawak’s  new  recruitment policy  accepts  not  only  UEC  holders  but  all  graduates  who  only  obtain  a pass in  Bahasa  Malaysia  in  their  SPM.

This  new  policy  will  open  up  more  job  opportunities  not  only  to UEC  holders  but  to  others  who  were  just  not  fortunate  enough  during their  SPM  but  who  did  well  in  their  studies  while  at  university.  I  make  it clear  here  that  it  is  the  Civil  Service  and  not  the  Government  Linked Companies  (GLC).  Getting  UEC  holders  into  the  GLCs  is  nothing  new  to Sarawak  as  we  don’t  have  any  restriction  of  entry  into  State  Subsidiary Companies.  We  have  practised  all  these  that  Penang  is  now  practising even  before  Penang  did.  And  on  top  of  that  I  want  to  correct  Lim  Guang said  that  even  before  this  we  have  already  recognise  UEC    in  GLCs  and subsidiary  companies.     Yayasan  Sarawak  Loan

The  government  is  also  opening  up  applications  for  Yayasan Sarawak  Loans  to  UEC  holders  who  had  been  offered  a  place  in University  within  the  country.  For  instance,  UEC  holders  who  are  offered a  place  in  Swinburne  University  or  Curtin  University  and  other  private universities  in  Sarawak  can  now  submit  their  application  to  Yayasan Sarawak  for  consideration,  either  for  grant  or  loan.  Yayasan  Sarawak assistance  is  not  only  offered  to  Malays,  not  only  to  Iban,  not  only  to Orang  Ulu,  not  only  to  Bidayuh  buat  also  to  Chinese  communities.

Another  opportunity  in  the  State  for  UEC  holders  is  to  study  in UTM  Space,  Sarawak  Branch.  UTM  Space,  Sarawak  Branch  is  a subsidiary  of  University  Teknologi  Malaysia  that  accepts  students, including  UEC  holders,  to  pursue  their  studies  at  Diploma  level  with  just a  pass  at  SPM  level.  The  application  can  be  made  directly  to  UTM Space,  Sarawak  Branch  without  the  hassle  of  going  through  Unit  Pusat University  or  UPU.  

These  are  the  three  opportunities  offered  to  UEC  holders.  This  has never  been  done  before;  it  will  be  done  now.  I  want  to  make  that  clear now.

I  am  told  that  this  school  is  a  five-star  school.  Because  it  has achieved  that  I  want  to  be  more  generous.    For  this  particular  school  I give  RM500,000.  But  remember,  I  am  your  friend.  I  am  not  your  enemy.  I am  a  fellow  Sarawakian  like  you  all.  Don’t  treat  me  like  an  enemy.  And how  do  you  treat  a  friend.  In  two  years  I  have  made  50  decisions.  That  is in  two  years.  What  more  can  I  not  do  in  five  more  years.  So  give  me  five more years to finish the job that I have set out to do."

Chief Minister of Sarawak
During the handing over of govt grant to independent chinese school in Bintulu on 9 March 2016.