“We’ll Lose Out If UEC Not Recognised” – Abang Jo Tells Sarawakians to Master English and Mandarin
Sarawak stood to lose out in terms of human resource capital if the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) had not been recognised.
According to him, the state government had recognised the certificate since the late former chief minister Adenan Satem’s time and UEC holders could apply for jobs in the state civil service with this qualification.
“You don’t find this happening in other parts of the world, not even in Peninsular Malaysia. The federal government has not recognised UEC, not even when the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government said it wanted to.
“If the state government did not recognise it, UEC holders will end up working in and contributing to other countries,” he said.
“Many non-Chinese send their children to Chinese schools because they know the quality of Chinese education is high,” he said.
He highlighted the role of Chinese schools in nurturing multilingualism and intercultural understanding.
“We are very fortunate in Sarawak. In Chinese schools in rural areas, the majority are Bumiputera students, learning while also mastering Mandarin. In the next ten years, many Bumiputera — Malay, Iban, Bidayuh — will be able to speak Mandarin just like the Chinese. An Iban can speak Mandarin, English, and Bahasa Malaysia. A Malay can do the same.
“This is Sarawak. There is no other place,” he said.
Abang Johari also emphasised the importance of UEC in providing pathways to higher education.
“When our economy is strong, we have decided to provide free tertiary education to all Sarawakians in Sarawak’s own universities. If a Chinese student passes UEC, they can continue their studies in our universities,”
“The government supports Chinese education. Last year, we increased the allocation to RM10 million for 14 Chinese independent schools across Sarawak. So far, we have contributed about RM92 million to Chinese education, and it will not stop. We will continue to provide grants to support Chinese education.
The Sarawak government will not politicise education as it is not beneficial to the state and its people, says Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg.
“The moment you politicise education, there will be no end to the reactions and counter-reactions, and the country will decline,”
“We want the country to rise. If we use education to raise our standard of living, then it is the tool by which we move forward.
“It should not be treated as a tool to be politicised.”
“If we want to increase the household income of the people, the state government must provide good quality education,” he said.
“From 2026, UEC graduates will enjoy free tertiary education in our state-owned universities such as UNIMAS, i-CATS, Centexs, Swinburne Sarawak and Curtin Malaysia.
We want every child, regardless of ethnicity, background or financial means, to have equal access to higher education,” he said.
He said that this policy will benefit thousands of families and ensure opportunities remain open to all Sarawakians.
“With the recognition of UEC, with free access to higher education, and with the support of your community and government, the pathway is wide open for you.
I encourage you to pursue excellence, master new knowledge and become leaders in key sectors that will define the future of Sarawak,” he said.
Sarawakians should master English and Mandarin to help the state become a global player in various fields, says Abang Johari Openg.
He added that Mandarin was equally important as it was one of the world’s major languages.
“We need to have more Sarawakians who are proficient in Mandarin. It will be a loss for Sarawak if we don’t realise the importance of that language,” he said.
He described it as a missed opportunity for those who overlook learning Mandarin, considering China’s status as the world’s second-largest economic power.
“If you can speak English and Mandarin, that signifies your market potential. When you talk about business, they (the Chinese) are number one.
“A lot of natives, including the Malays, Iban and Orang Ulu, have started to learn mandarin and are studying in Chung Hua schools, so much so, we have a special allocation to be given to the Chinese school.
“Once you can command languages, then you are able to bring modernity to your country,” he said during the officiation of the 20th World Xu Clannish Gala Night.
Additionally, Abang Johari interwove the cultural and historical tapestry of Islam and China, invoking insights from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
“In our religion, our Prophet urged us to seek knowledge, and he specifically mentioned China. This is a reminder that China has been a cradle of knowledge for centuries.
“China boasts a 5,000-year civilisation, and there’s much we can learn from their way of life – how they work, earn a living, and safeguard their rich culture.
A total of 369 classrooms in Chinese primary schools across Sarawak are expected to be equipped with smart classroom facilities by 2026.
This initiative will allow teachers to prepare lessons more systematically, reduce their workload, enhance teaching quality, and ultimately improve student learning outcomes.
Abang Jo calls on Sarawak to dream big and rise like China through technology.
“We have to embrace new technology. If China can do it, Sarawak can do it also,” he said.
“The lesson we can learn from China is that they keep on changing and adopting new technology.
“That is what happened to China, and today they are the second largest economy in the world,” he said.
To support such developments, he announced that free tertiary education will be offered to all Sarawakians in local universities starting next year, including Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) holders.
“This is to prepare our human capital in order to embrace new technology,” he said.
“I will continue to allocate funds for these schools annually as long as I am the chief minister and GPS continues to lead the state.”
Abang Johari said education is about acquiring knowledge, regardless of the medium of instruction.
“The Chinese schools are not only for the Chinese as we have many Bumiputera children who prefer to learn in Mandarin,” he said.
The number of Bumiputera students enrolling into Chinese primary schools in Sarawak is on the rise, signalling their faith in the quality of education in these schools that are aided by the Government.
"SJKC Chung Hua has some 60,000 primary pupils throughout Sarawak.
"Out of this number, 38 per cent are children from Bumiputra communities.
"This is a sign that the confidence placed by the people at large in the quality of Chinese education in Sarawak is high,"

Sabah Officially Recognises UEC, Allocates RM5mil for Scholarships – Hajiji
“We are not only recognising it, but also taking action. I just chatted with (state Finance Minister) to consider allowing UEC holders to be considered for the Sabah State Government Scholarship, giving them opportunities to pursue studies at institutions such as Kolej Yayasan Sabah and Kolej Teknologi Yayasan Sabah,”
The Sabah State Government announced the allocation of RM5 million for a newly established Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) Scholarship Fund, providing special financial support to students holding the UEC qualification.
Hajiji also announced RM70mil in financial aid for mission and independent schools, temples and non-Muslim religious bodies.
Since Datuk Seri Hajiji became Chief Minister of Sabah, the allocations have increased and reached new highs every year – RM43 million in 2021, RM47 million in 2022, RM54.05 million in 2023, RM56.75 million last year and RM70 million this year.
The allocation would be raised to RM90mil next year, he added.
“This contribution reflects the government’s concern and commitment to support schools and non-Muslim religious bodies across Sabah,” he said.
“As a responsible State Government, we do our best to plan and work hard to address issues, while ensuring that all communities, regardless of skin colour or religious beliefs, receive fair and just treatment.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said Chinese independent secondary schools in Sabah are unique as they adopt a dual-stream education concept.
“Compared to Chinese education in the peninsula, the schools in Sabah adopt a dual-stream education concept, focusing on both the national curriculum for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination as well as the Senior Unified Examination Certificate.
“Such concept allows students to easily adapt to future developments and build a strong foundation for their careers,”
Hajiji said as far as national unity is concerned, Chinese independent secondary schools in Sabah also demonstrate different characteristics and have successfully attracted more non-Chinese students.
“The diverse student demographic encourages cultural exchange and integration, contributing to the unity and harmony of society.
“What is noteworthy is the emphasis of Chinese independent secondary schools in Sabah on trilingual education. In addition to education in the Chinese language, emphasis is also placed on teaching English and Malay.
“This approach not only provides advantages to Chinese students in language communication but also builds a better foundation for them to adapt to society,”
This initiative will not only benefit students but also strengthen Sabah’s education ecosystem, nurturing talents that will contribute to the state’s future development.
We should be proud to have a leader who encourages students to learn Chinese, helping us build a trilingual society fluent in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Chinese.
Under Hajiji’s administration, human capital development has been prioritised with over RM848 million allocated for quality education access across Sabah.
In addition to more than 300 private higher education institutions in Malaysia that recognise the UEC qualification, over 1000 universities around the world including those in Singapore, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Russia, the United States, Canada and others accept the UEC qualification for direct entry into their tertiary programmes.
Sabah welcomes more investments from China – Hajiji
Sabah is committed to strengthening cooperation with China in various sectors to attract more investors from that country.
“The presence of investors in Sabah not only enhance the state’s economy but also provide job opportunities for the local population. Therefore, I hope more investors from China will invest in this state, and we warmly welcome their presence.”
“With more investors coming, including from China, it will bring positive indicators for our economy,”
Hajiji said Sabah, with its rich cultural diversity and social harmony, values its enduring friendship with the Chinese people.