PUTRAJAYA, Aug 6 — The National Unity Ministry said today it is hoping to get a RM290 million touchpoint budget for next year from the federal government for national unity programmes to be listed in the Budget 2025 speech, up from the RM60 million this year.

In the National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang's speech read out by his deputy K. Saraswathy, the ministry said it had outlined its priorities through five initiatives for the proposed sum for the Finance Ministry's consideration:

• The ministry's flagship programme for unity, national integration and harmony
• Community wellbeing — to strengthen the role of Rukun Tetangga areas (KRT), volunteer patrol scheme, community mediator, unity pre-schools and kindergartens as a bridge builder in communities
• Technology and digitalisation of national heritage materials which would involve the National Archives of Malaysia, museums and libraries
• Preservation and conservation of national heritage
• Repairing and maintaining the buildings of agencies under the ministry

The minister urged the Finance Ministry to consider this application for funding, as the 12th Malaysia Plan had targeted for the National Unity Index (IPNas) to hit a score of 0.7 per cent by 2025.

Previously, Malaysia's first IPNas score in 2018 was at 0.567, which then improved to 0.629 in 2022. The IPNas scale is from 0.0 to 1.00, and has four categories, namely weak, low, moderate (0.50 to 0.74) and high (0.75 to 1.00).

He said the carrying out of various programmes are important to establish a base for integration that can increase interaction among Malaysians of various races and religions.

Saraswathy read out the speech at the Everly Hotel here when officiating the ministry's engagement session with stakeholders to collect proposals for Budget 2025 for unity efforts.

The RM290 million touchpoint budget that the National Unity Ministry is seeking to get would be funding or allocation from the Finance Ministry for programmes specifically touched on or listed in the finance minister's Budget speech.

Previously in Budget 2024, the National Unity Ministry was allocated a RM60 million touchpoint budget.

According to the national unity minister's speech today, the ministry's touchpoint budget in Budget 2024 included RM40 million for the flagship programme of Kembara Perpaduan Malaysia Madani for the unity week celebration, exploration of Rukun Negara, Ini Warisan Kita, Citra Nusa Muzium, Harmoni Madani and unity promotion.

As for the remaining RM20 million allocation in the touchpoint budget this year, it was to enhance KRT's role as a social reference to provide services and share information and cultivate unity within the community.

Other agencies placed under the ministry are the National Archives of Malaysia, the Department of Museums Malaysia, the National Library of Malaysia, Yayasan Tun Razak, Yayasan Tunku Abdul Rahman and Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to table Budget 2025 in Parliament on October 18.