By M.Krishnamoorthy
A former Associate Professor, author, media coach, and journalist
TV Sarawak reported that unity cannot be treated like a campaign, a celebration, or a once-a-year ceremony.
“It must be treated as a daily civic discipline. We cannot remember unity only during Merdeka and Malaysia Day. The real test of unity is not how we behave when we agree; it is how we behave when we disagree,” said National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.
He said while officiating the Chevening Seri Negara 2026 Dialogue yesterday (8th October 2025) at Muzium Negara.
He noted that Malaysia needs to develop a national identity strong enough to ensure that ethnic and cultural diversity remains a source of strength in nation-building, rather than a factor that divides the people.
National unity should be viewed as a form of ‘social infrastructure’ built through relationships, trust, and meaningful interactions among the people.
He explained that this includes initiatives such as community programs, cultural activities, dialogues, and platforms that create opportunities for people to understand one another.
“Unity does not mean eliminating differences in political views, religion, culture, language, or social background; instead, it ensures that these differences do not turn into division.
He noted that Malaysia needs to develop a national identity strong enough to ensure that ethnic and cultural diversity remains a source of strength in nation-building, rather than a factor that divides the people.
Aaron Ago remarked that the challenges regarding unity have become increasingly complex due to the evolution of digital technology—particularly as polarisation, misinformation, and the exploitation of ethnic and religious identities can spread rapidly via social media.
He added that another major challenge is the prevalence of algorithms that tend to show content aligned with an individual's existing beliefs, potentially creating information bubbles that reinforce one's views without exposure to differing perspectives.
The Seri Negara 2026 Dialogue, themed ‘Different Histories, Shared Future’, was organised by the Chevening Alumni Association of Malaysia with the Ministry of National Unity as the founding patron, and received support from the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.
Freelance Writer M. Krishnamoorthy (https://helloimkrishna.com/) is a media coach, former Associate Professor, and undercover journalist. He has freelanced with Bernama, NST, The Star, and Malaysiakini. He also freelances as a fixer/coordinator for CNN, BBC, German and Australian Television networks, and The New York Times. As an undercover journalist, he has highlighted society's concerns.
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