Malaysia: Malaysia must be continually shaped as a nation where its people can hold differing views without fracturing, voice their opinions without hostility, and embrace their identities without undermining others, said National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, he emphasised that unity does not require uniformity. On the contrary, the country's diversity in language, culture, religion, and traditions is its greatest asset. "We do not aspire to a nation where every citizen thinks alike. We aspire to a Malaysia that can embrace difference without division, speak freely without rancour, and affirm its identity without diminishing others," he said in a statement titled Malaysia: Berbeza Warna, Satu Jiwa, released in conjunction with Malaysia Day on Sept 16.
He emphasised that being Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan, Dusun, Bidayuh, Orang Asli, or any other ethnicity has never been incompatible with being Malaysian. In the digital era, he observed, threats to national unity have taken on new dimensions, where a seemingly trivial incident can escalate rapidly once captured on camera, circulated online, or presented outside its proper context. "Misunderstandings, false information and provocation can spread far more swiftly than the efforts to foster mutual understanding," he said.
On a positive note, the National Unity Index (IPNas) 2025 registered a score of 0.701, a marked improvement from 0.629 in 2022 and 0.567 in 2018. This suggests that the foundation of unity is steadily strengthening, although there remains considerable room for progress.
To that end, Aaron said the Ministry of National Unity is emphasising prevention, mediation and dialogue as key approaches to detecting and defusing tensions before they develop into full-blown conflict. He added that the ministry has 596 trained Community Mediators and the Unity Issue Management Committee, which comprises 12 government agencies, as part of its mechanisms to manage unity-related issues.
Nevertheless, he said efforts to reinforce national unity must extend beyond the management of sensitive issues about race, religion and the monarchy (3R). A range of social deficits, including disparities in education, language proficiency, generational outlooks, class status, political affiliations, urban-rural development and media access also require urgent attention.
Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, he said, priority will be given to cultivating a cohesive national identity, fostering greater understanding of the Rukun Negara, creating more avenues for cross-community engagement, and nurturing a deeper sense of belonging to the nation. Aaron emphasised that unity should not be defended only in moments of crisis. It must be nurtured daily through understanding, mutual respect and a shared sense of purpose.
"If the previous generation built Malaysia, it falls to our generation to fortify it. Let us move beyond managing diversity to forging unity. Let us move beyond avoiding fragmentation to strengthening belonging. And let us move beyond coexistence to co-creating a common future," he concluded.