MALAYSIA TO BE AMONG TOP 10 IN GLOBAL UNITY INDEX BY 2012

KUCHING (Malaysia), Sept 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia targets to be among the
top 10 countries in the Global Unity Index within the next three years, said
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, T. Murugiah.

Murugiah, who is in charge of the National Unity and Integration Department,
said the Global Unity Index, a yearly publication by a non-governmental
organisation based in the United States, would decide which countries were
successful in nurturing unity and creating harmony and peace among races.

He said Malaysia was at 38th placing in 2007, 32nd last year and 26th this
year.

In Asia, Malaysia finished 3rd after Japan and Singapore.

"I've instructed the department to go down to the grassroots to promote
unity, to tell the people that we are Malaysians irrespective of race and
religious backgrounds," he said.

Murugiah described Sarawak as setting a good example on racial unity.

-- BERNAMA