a day ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Digital platform 'Rakan' to tackle unity-related complaints
SHAH ALAM: The National Unity Ministry has introduced a new initiative, the National Public Community Complaints Network (Rakan), as a dedicated digital platform to facilitate public complaints related to unity issues.
Its minister Datuk Aaron Aro Dagang said the platform will strengthen the management of information and responses to community complaints while enhancing the efficiency of monitoring systems for safety and harmony at the grassroots level.
"Rakan is an initiative to bring the public closer to the government in empowering communities to maintain national harmony.
"We are confident this initiative can foster a sense of social responsibility among the public in addressing sensitive issues that could threaten unity," he told reporters after launching the platform here today.
Developed by the National Unity and Integration Department, Rakan is accessible starting today via the website
Aaron assured that all complaint information will be kept confidential, where district unity officers will review the reports and share them with the right agencies at local, state, or national levels.
Authorities like the police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will also be involved when needed.
Earlier in his speech, Aaron said the ministry aims to raise the National Unity Index (IPNas) score to at least 0.70 this year, up from 0.629 in 2022.
He said IPNas is the country's only official tool for measuring national unity and harmony, which recorded its first score in 2018 at 0.567.
"To achieve the target IPNas score of 0.70 this year, the ministry has implemented various efforts, including community dialogues, multi-ethnic integration programmes and continuous empowerment of grassroots roles.
"Importantly, improving the IPNas score is not just about statistics but about strengthening the nation's social foundation, from perception to action," he said.
Aaron said the ministry is actively exploring new digital avenues to strengthen unity, including online applications for Rukun Tetangga (neighbourhood watch) formations, enhancing systematic reporting and monitoring mechanisms and developing a centralised community data analytics system for targeted interventions.
He said these efforts are being driven through the creation of a community analytics database under the department, which is expected to form the backbone of the ministry's digital strategy in advancing a more holistic and inclusive national unity agenda.
