S Thayaparan
Published: Dec 15, 2025 7:00 AM
Updated: 10:47 AM
“The UEC issue is often sensationalised by politicians as a big issue, when in reality it only involves a small number of students. This matter needs to be clarified so that UEC does not continue to become a political issue that divides society.”
COMMENT | PKR leader Rafizi Ramli is correct when he asserted that this whole Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) fiasco is political dopamine.
The question is not why DAP is bringing this up now, but rather why the party is not bringing up every other issue of compromised governance that it was supposed to reform.
The UEC issue is the dog ate my homework of excuses for not doing what you are supposed to be doing.
DAP and the Malay uber alles political establishment understand exactly what their roles in this debate are supposed to be. DAP is seen as championing a “Chinese” issue, and the other side is seen as protecting “bangsa and agama” (race and religion).
Let us say that Rafizi has got the figures right when it comes to who exactly is affected by the UEC. The question is, is this the hill DAP wants to die on?
Published: Dec 15, 2025 7:00 AM
Updated: 10:47 AM
“The UEC issue is often sensationalised by politicians as a big issue, when in reality it only involves a small number of students. This matter needs to be clarified so that UEC does not continue to become a political issue that divides society.”
– Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli
COMMENT | PKR leader Rafizi Ramli is correct when he asserted that this whole Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) fiasco is political dopamine.
The question is not why DAP is bringing this up now, but rather why the party is not bringing up every other issue of compromised governance that it was supposed to reform.
The UEC issue is the dog ate my homework of excuses for not doing what you are supposed to be doing.
DAP and the Malay uber alles political establishment understand exactly what their roles in this debate are supposed to be. DAP is seen as championing a “Chinese” issue, and the other side is seen as protecting “bangsa and agama” (race and religion).
Let us say that Rafizi has got the figures right when it comes to who exactly is affected by the UEC. The question is, is this the hill DAP wants to die on?
Ex-economy minister Rafizi Ramli
But here is the thing, DAP knows that this isn’t really about the UEC. This is all performative and also good old-fashioned race-baiting politics. DAP gets to play champion of the Chinese community, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also gets to play champion of the Malay community.
Meanwhile, both communities continue to decline under the weight of a corrupt system.
READ MORE: UEC: Are the criticisms justified?
Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president Larry Sng pointed out that the UEC could be recognised on a state level first, which basically means that if this was such an important issue and something that DAP supremo Anthony Loke was apparently willing to resign for, then Pakatan Harapan-led states could have normalised the UEC by doing so.
Why do you think DAP has not done this? After all, nearly every Malay uber alles party has at one time or another been ready to support the UEC to get Chinese votes.
But here is the thing, DAP knows that this isn’t really about the UEC. This is all performative and also good old-fashioned race-baiting politics. DAP gets to play champion of the Chinese community, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also gets to play champion of the Malay community.
Meanwhile, both communities continue to decline under the weight of a corrupt system.
READ MORE: UEC: Are the criticisms justified?
Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president Larry Sng pointed out that the UEC could be recognised on a state level first, which basically means that if this was such an important issue and something that DAP supremo Anthony Loke was apparently willing to resign for, then Pakatan Harapan-led states could have normalised the UEC by doing so.
Why do you think DAP has not done this? After all, nearly every Malay uber alles party has at one time or another been ready to support the UEC to get Chinese votes.
DAP sec-gen Anthony Loke
The reason is simple, it is because DAP really does not place a high priority on this issue.
Malay rights weaponised
What about Mr Madani? Why does he babble on about the primacy of the Malay language?
Over a decade ago, Anwar said this of politicians who proudly display the religious flag.
“In Malaysia, such posturing by Muslim leaders has much more to do with politics than religion and ideology.
“The ruling government hopes that by taking a hard line, it will curry some favour with an increasingly radical right wing upon which its party is increasingly based,” he said in an interview with CNN.
I do not know if those words were prophetic, but the underlying cause for the religious turmoil was not the hate speech of rabble-rousing politicians but rather the policies of Madani.
Malay rights have been weaponised to the point that the Madani regime would rather not carry out any utilitarian policies that would benefit everyone, especially the Malays, for fear of the opposition claiming that Malay/Muslim rights are being sidelined because of DAP.
Compromised institutions
One of the biggest issues right now is the compromised and frankly inept state security apparatus, including the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the MACC and of course the police.
The recent alleged extrajudicial killings, the numerous deaths in custody and the fact that the men in blue think they are the moral police point to a dysfunction that happens after decades of political neglect and zero accountability and transparency.
This is a far more important issue than the tried and tested UEC issue. If DAP was seriously interested in reform, it would be scrutinising every institution which contributes to the decline of the democratic guardrails in this country, which in turn affects the economic security of the rakyat.
Malay rights weaponised
What about Mr Madani? Why does he babble on about the primacy of the Malay language?
Over a decade ago, Anwar said this of politicians who proudly display the religious flag.
“In Malaysia, such posturing by Muslim leaders has much more to do with politics than religion and ideology.
“The ruling government hopes that by taking a hard line, it will curry some favour with an increasingly radical right wing upon which its party is increasingly based,” he said in an interview with CNN.
I do not know if those words were prophetic, but the underlying cause for the religious turmoil was not the hate speech of rabble-rousing politicians but rather the policies of Madani.
Malay rights have been weaponised to the point that the Madani regime would rather not carry out any utilitarian policies that would benefit everyone, especially the Malays, for fear of the opposition claiming that Malay/Muslim rights are being sidelined because of DAP.
Compromised institutions
One of the biggest issues right now is the compromised and frankly inept state security apparatus, including the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the MACC and of course the police.
The recent alleged extrajudicial killings, the numerous deaths in custody and the fact that the men in blue think they are the moral police point to a dysfunction that happens after decades of political neglect and zero accountability and transparency.
This is a far more important issue than the tried and tested UEC issue. If DAP was seriously interested in reform, it would be scrutinising every institution which contributes to the decline of the democratic guardrails in this country, which in turn affects the economic security of the rakyat.
PM Anwar Ibrahim
Look at what Anwar said in 2010 about the importance of institutions, especially when combating right-wing theocratic impulses.
“The antidote for this behaviour is to restore credibility to the institutions of civil society.
“The media should be free, politicians must be held accountable through free and fair elections, and the judiciary must be able to operate without interference from politicians,” he said in the CNN interview.
Meanwhile, DAP remains silent when all these big-shot political operatives get off scot free under Madani when it comes to their corrupt acts.
You can see Anwar’s hypocrisy when he said this 15 years ago.
"We need to revisit the design of economic policy and how the country allocates welfare and resources. Affirmative action remains essential to ensure that the poor and marginalised are not forgotten.
"But there is no reason to exclude poor Chinese and Indians from the policy, as has been the case for so long. Endemic corruption has enriched a few well-connected businesspersons and politicians, but the vast majority of their wealth never trickles down,” he said in the same CNN interview.
What we get under the Madani regime, as far as political stability is concerned, are institutions that appear to be weaponised, enabling the religious bureaucracy, turning a blind eye to the corruption scandals-laden personalities that form this coalition government, coddling religious and racial agitators within the regime, and, of course, a clampdown on free speech.
Look at what Anwar said in 2010 about the importance of institutions, especially when combating right-wing theocratic impulses.
“The antidote for this behaviour is to restore credibility to the institutions of civil society.
“The media should be free, politicians must be held accountable through free and fair elections, and the judiciary must be able to operate without interference from politicians,” he said in the CNN interview.
Meanwhile, DAP remains silent when all these big-shot political operatives get off scot free under Madani when it comes to their corrupt acts.
You can see Anwar’s hypocrisy when he said this 15 years ago.
"We need to revisit the design of economic policy and how the country allocates welfare and resources. Affirmative action remains essential to ensure that the poor and marginalised are not forgotten.
"But there is no reason to exclude poor Chinese and Indians from the policy, as has been the case for so long. Endemic corruption has enriched a few well-connected businesspersons and politicians, but the vast majority of their wealth never trickles down,” he said in the same CNN interview.
What we get under the Madani regime, as far as political stability is concerned, are institutions that appear to be weaponised, enabling the religious bureaucracy, turning a blind eye to the corruption scandals-laden personalities that form this coalition government, coddling religious and racial agitators within the regime, and, of course, a clampdown on free speech.
Reforms of state institutions that minimise corruption and deregulation, as well as minimise cronyism, are some things we can all agree with and, perhaps, the most economically viable way to sway the Malay public opinion.
Reforming such a system is what DAP should be good at, at least this is what DAP propaganda promotes.
Madani is obviously not interested in draining the swamp. It would seem neither is DAP.
Both just want to distract the rakyat while the political class pick a pocket or two.
S THAYAPARAN is commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
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The root cause of poor Madani governance is PMX does NOT have solid Malay support. So he virtually bents forward (not backwards) to be bonk by them - if anything, just for a few more Malay votes.
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