The government should take the views of young people seriously if it truly wants to uphold unity in the country.

Assistant secretary general of the Young Malaysians Movement, Daryl Leong Tuck Weng said that today's is looking for a special identity for all Malaysians.

Daryl views that it is time for Malaysia to use one nationality and one language as this will unite all the races in the country.

“We should use the one Malaysia identity. Based on my experience when I was abroad, we are referred to as Malaysians, not as Chinese Malaysians or others.

“We should also use one language and every Malaysian must also try to understand each other’s cultures.”

“To what extent can a young Chinese Malaysian appreciate Malay literatures like the Hikayat Awang Sulung Merah Muda, and likewise,” he said at the Unity Dialogue: Voices of Grassroots at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka today.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the National Service Volunteer Brigade Mohd Syafik Mohd Taufik said the national service training duration should be increased as the value of unity is fostered during the programme's training session.

“Former national service trainees are a generation that really appreciates national unity as we truly understand the value of racial unity.

“The training session thought us the meaning of friendship and unity and we truly appreciate it,” he told Astro AWANI.

As for Taman Sri Muda Residents Association representative, T. Mogan he said that in order for the government to achieve racial unity, equality in all sectors must be ensured first.

He said when there is equality, the people will not feel marginalized and there will not be issues of certain races monopolizing a sector.

“If all sectors uphold equality, racial unity can be achieved because everyone feels that there is fairness,” he added.