Malaysia’s National Unity Index climbs to 0.701, exceeding national targets, with Sarawak and Pahang leading regional and state scores respectively.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s national unity has strengthened, with the 2025 National Unity Index (IPNas) reaching 0.701.
This score exceeds the target set under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, according to Minister of National Unity Aaron Ago Dagang.
The index has risen steadily from 0.567 in 2018 to 0.629 in 2022 before climbing to its current level.
“Although unity remains at a moderately high level, the 2025 score signals clear and sustained strengthening,” Aaron said in a statement.
He stated the improvement confirms the government’s efforts to strengthen national cohesion are on the right track.
Governance and Development was the largest contributor to the score, accounting for 69.7%.
This component reflects public perceptions of government efficiency, fairness, and transparency in six core areas.
Beyond that, National Ethos contributed 46.7%, followed by Ethnicity Level at 34.7% and Cross-Ethnic Social Relations at 31.4%.
Regionally, Sarawak recorded the highest score at 0.791, with the Eastern Region ranking second at 0.741.
Sabah and Labuan registered 0.726, while the Southern Region posted 0.719.
The Central and Northern regions scored 0.670 and 0.650 respectively, facing urbanisation challenges but showing clear potential for improvement.
At the state level, Pahang led with a score of 0.817, narrowly ahead of Melaka at 0.816 and Sarawak.
Aaron stressed that national unity remains at a moderate level and will stay fragile without sustained effort.
“The trend is upward and encouraging, but unity is an ongoing process,” he said.
He added the IPNas findings will serve as a key reference in refining the ministry’s policies and programmes.
