KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) –Socioeconomic disparities and social inequality are among the challenges that must be addressed to strengthen national unity, alongside issues involving religion, race and the royal institution (3R), said Deputy Minister of National Unity R. Yuneswaran.
He said socioeconomic gaps could trigger misunderstandings not only between ethnic groups but also within the same community, particularly due to differences in living standards between the rich and the poor.
He added that efforts to strengthen national unity were being pursued comprehensively, focusing on social cohesion and nation-building rather than being confined to 3R issues.
Yuneswaran said the Ministry of National Unity (KPN) would continue to strengthen the Tadika Perpaduan (Unity Kindergartens) as a platform to instil patriotism and a sense of national identity from an early age.
“Our focus is to inject a new spirit into nation-building by fostering patriotism through the Unity Kindergartens.
“Moving forward, we aim to further strengthen these kindergartens so that the children who attend them internalise the sentiment, ‘I am a child of Malaysia’. This is the spirit we want to cultivate,” he said on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme, titled “Realising Budget 2027”, tonight.
He said the ministry’s broader agenda included nation-building initiatives such as Minggu Perpaduan (Unity Week), which is organised at various levels, from the zones to the national level.
Under Budget 2027, the ministry has been allocated RM858.79 million for the operating and development expenditure of four departments and three foundations under its purview, including the Department of National Unity and Integration (JPNIN), the National Archives, the National Library and the Department of Museums.
Yuneswaran gave an assurance that the allocation would be distributed equitably among the departments to enable them to provide the best possible services to the public.
He said the National Archives required substantial funding to digitise its records, an important step in preserving the nation’s history and heritage for future generations, particularly amid advances in artificial intelligence (AI).
“In nation-building, we must not leave history behind, as documentation represents a nation’s true identity. We must carry it forward and cannot allow it to be neglected. That is why we need sufficient funding to digitise these records,” he said.
Yuneswaran also highlighted the role of the country’s 8,670 Rukun Tetangga (Neighbourhood Watch) Clubs (KRT) as grassroots agents of unity.
He said preserving social harmony required collective efforts from various stakeholders to address the spread of slander, data manipulation and false information, which could fuel hatred and undermine national unity.
He added that the spread of misinformation, including content disseminated for political gain, remained a challenge that required continuous attention.
Yuneswaran stressed that the ministry could not work in isolation and must collaborate with other ministries and agencies to safeguard unity in Malaysia’s multiracial society.
— BERNAMA