Unity index does not reflect real social cohesion, says Nazir Razak

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Unity Index does not fully reflect real social cohesion on the ground and should not be taken as a definitive measure of unity, said Yayasan Tun Razak chairman Nazir Razak.

Nazir said the rise in the index from 0.567 in 2018 to 0.701 in 2025 should not be interpreted as evidence of stronger unity among Malaysians.

Instead, he said, unity should be assessed through behavioural indicators that reflect real interactions between communities.

“I think the index is not quite the right measurement,” he said at Simposium Harmoni 2026 here today, adding that it risks giving a misleading picture of how Malaysians actually relate to one another.

“We need measurements that focus on behavioural indicators such as intermarriage rates, school integration, housing patterns, voting trends, ethnic income gaps and online discourse.”

Another panellist, Iman Research senior researcher and moderator Aziff Azuddin, said the index does not fully capture the complexity of lived social cohesion.

Aziff said there is a widening gap between official indicators and realities on the ground.

Kapar MP Halimah Ali also said the index is based on public perception and does not reflect the reality of social cohesion.

“Unity is acceptance and understanding of diversity, not merely the absence of conflict,” she said.

Sri Aman MP Doris Sophia Brodi said Sarawak demonstrates how multicultural harmony is lived daily, not merely measured.

“Unity in Sarawak is not an idea, it is a way of life. We live, work and celebrate together without questioning each other’s background,” she said.

Doris said Malaysia should move away from viewing unity only through abstract indicators and recognise how people already practise coexistence in everyday life instead.

The National Unity Index is a composite tool developed to measure social cohesion, national integration, and inter-ethnic harmony.