PUTRAJAYA – Efforts to strengthen unity at the grassroots level took centre stage today as Deputy Minister of National Unity, Yuneswaran Ramaraj recognised two ordinary Malaysians whose simple act of kindness resonated nationwide.
Mohd Yusof Mohd Noor, widely known as ‘Abang Minyak Hitam Jalanan’, and Dicky were conferred the Sahabat Perpaduan Madani recognition following a viral incident where Yusof helped Dicky after his motorcycle broke down.
Yuneswaran said the story reflects the kind of unity the government seeks to nurture, one that is lived through daily actions rather than confined to policies or rhetoric.
“What we are trying to build as a nation is not just structured unity, but a culture of empathy that exists naturally among the people. This is where real unity begins, not in speeches, but in moments like these,” he said.
He noted that Yusof’s spontaneous act of helping without expecting anything in return struck a chord with Malaysians across different backgrounds.
“In that moment, there was no question of race, religion or status. There was only one human being responding to another in need. That is the purest form of unity,” he said.
According to him, both Yusof and Dicky represent the human side of Malaysia’s unity narrative, one that is often unseen but deeply felt.
“Yusof did what many of us would hope to do, but not all of us act on. His sincerity reminds us that kindness is still very much alive in our society.
“At the same time, Dicky’s situation became a window for the nation to witness that goodness still exists, quietly and consistently,” he said.
Yuneswaran stressed that the Sahabat Perpaduan Madani recognition is meant to highlight such real life examples of unity in action.
“We want to celebrate people who do not wait for recognition, who simply do what is right. These are the individuals who strengthen the social fabric of our country in ways policies alone cannot,” he said.
He added that the ministry hopes more Malaysians will take inspiration from the story and continue to foster mutual respect and understanding in their daily lives.
“If each of us carries even a small part of this spirit, then unity will not be something we chase, it will be something we live every day,” he said. -MalayaDailyToday
