Consistent community activities are the key, not just one-off programmes
KOTA KINABALU: Efforts to strengthen national unity must be continuous and not achieved through just one-off programmes, says the National Unity Minister.
Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang said unity is a long-term commitment that must be consistently nurtured and reinforced.
He said the ministry organised 762 programmes last year covering nation-building, volunteerism, community development and interfaith harmony.
The impact of these efforts, he added, is reflected in the National Unity Index 2025 which recorded a score of 0.701 – the highest in seven years.
“The score has shown a consistent upward trend since 2018, when it stood at 0.567, before rising to 0.629 in 2022 and to its highest last year.
“This exceeds the moderately high threshold and achieves the target set under the 12th Malaysia Plan,” he said at the National Unity Week 2026 celebration launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Likas Sports Complex here on Saturday.
Aaron said grassroots unity efforts were supported through 8,615 Rukun Tetangga areas involving 250,000 members and benefiting more than 12 million Malaysians.
More than 100,000 community activities were carried out through the network last year, he added.
The minister also called for a review of the RM6,000 annual grant allocated to each Rukun Tetangga area, saying the amount had remained unchanged for years.
He said a higher allocation would allow more programmes to be carried out effectively at the community level.
Aaron also said 595 community mediators had been appointed to provide pro bono mediation services, with 156 community disputes resolved last year.
The ministry has also expanded the role of 608 rural libraries into lifelong learning and economic activity centres, with over 300,000 historical materials collected under the Arkib@Komuniti initiative.
