The Agong said the national education system needed to be bolstered as it was key to building the nation, shaping national identity, and securing the country’s future.

He added that any plan for a new education system must be in line with the national education policy, with BM as the “main language”.

“Therefore, any motion to recognise any other education system must accept BM and Malaysia’s history.

“If there are those who do not accept BM, it is better that they do not live in Malaysia,” he said in opening the 2026 session of Parliament in the Dewan Rakyat.

Last month, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said any party seeking to advocate other languages must uphold BM and ensure that the national language is mastered by all Malaysians.

The prime minister was commenting on DAP deputy chairman Nga Kor Ming’s plans to push for recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC).

The school-leaving certificate for students attending Chinese independent schools has been a hot potato issue for decades.

Efforts to recognise the certificate for entry into public universities or the federal civil service have often been countered by the apparently poor command of BM among UEC graduates.

The UEC is however accepted in Sabah and Sarawak for entry into state-run universities and the state civil service.