Chong Keat Aun, a DJ at Malaysia’s Chinese-language station Ai FM, has quit after his employer asked him to submit his SPM certificate before renewing his contract.

SPM, or the Malaysian Certificate of Education, is a national examination taken by all fifth-year secondary school students in Malaysia and is the second last public examination at the secondary school level before education at a university or other higher education institutions. 

Ai FM is a part of the national broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) network.

Chong, who had been working for the station for 12 years, thought it was an unreasonable request and decided not to renew the contract to show his objection to the new policy.

“I have been with the radio station for 12 years already, at that time I had joined the radio station using my university certificate… it's only now that they want me to give SPM certificate. They said the new policy for contract renewal requires SPM certificate,” he told news portal Malaysiakini's Mandarin section.

Chong also explained that he had lost his SPM certificate in a car break-in 20 years ago.

He tried to contact his school in Kedah to reapply, but they did not have relevant records anymore and he would have to go to Putrajaya’s Education Ministry to reapply, so he decided to give up renewing the contract.

However, he thanked the station for providing him with a platform for the last 12 years.

“I feel that it is quite remarkable for Ai FM to have accommodated a non-mainstream person like me. They were willing to keep me for 12 years, I, too was rebellious for 12 years,” he said.