10 key social deficits hindering national unity, says minister
National unity minister Aaron Ago Dagang said investing in social cohesion is an investment in Malaysia's future resilience and prosperity.
PETALING JAYA : National unity minister Aaron Ago Dagang has identified 10 key social deficits undermining social cohesion in Malaysia, warning that a failure to address them could fuel distrust, alienation, and conflict.
The 10 include persistent ethnic divisions, religious tensions, social class disparities, fragmented education systems, insufficient emphasis on the national language, generational gaps, gender inequalities, as well as the politicisation of identity and federalism.
The remaining key social deficits are urban-rural divides, and the influence of traditional and digital media in spreading misinformation.
'By naming these deficits clearly, we commit ourselves to confronting them head-on together, so that Malaysia's diversity becomes our greatest source of strength, not division,' he said.
The minister was speaking at the launch of youth-led NGO Architects of Diversity's report, 'Building a United Malaysia: Investing in Social Cohesion', which he described as insightful, 'bold, rigorous, and necessary'.
Aaron said the 10 social deficits did not exist in isolation but intertwined and compounded one another, creating barriers to trust, mutual understanding, and a shared sense of belonging.
'Recognising these social deficits is essential because only through honest appraisal can we develop focussed, inclusive policies that heal these divides and strengthen the very foundation of our unity.'
He said the question the government must seriously consider is whether its policies are 'truly inclusive'.
'Are we empowering the next generation to build bridges, or to inherit walls? Are we investing in social cohesion with the same urgency and intensity as we invest in infrastructure, economy, and defence?'
Aaron added that investing in social cohesion was an investment in Malaysia's future resilience and prosperity.
'Unity is not the job of one ministry. It is the responsibility of an entire government, and the duty of every Malaysian. If we treat it as a slogan, we will fail. But if we treat it as a shared mission anchored in policy, supported by evidence, and powered by civic partnership, then we can succeed.'
The minister also said he would ensure that the report's key recommendations are tabled before the review committee of the National Unity Policy in the coming weeks.
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