Navigating Uncertainty Requires Collective Courage, Collaboration - Sultan Nazrin

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz

SINGAPORE, June 25 (Bernama) -- Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah emphasised that navigating uncertainty demands not only resilience and reinvention, but importantly requires collaboration and collective courage. 

His Royal Highness stated that rebuilding trust, prioritising equity, embracing pluralism, and imagining boldly are four guiding principles for navigating uncertainty, fuelled by the digital transformation of society, the dynamics of human migration, and the uneven economic impacts of globalisation.

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He noted that in times of such upheaval, familiar certainties can feel deceptively comforting.

“There is a temptation to retreat into narrower circles of identity, to hoard privileges, and to romanticise a past that, if we are honest and strip away nostalgia, never was.

“But I am confident that the answer to uncertainty is not withdrawal,” said the Perak ruler.

Sultan Nazrin delivered his keynote address, titled “Navigating Uncertainty”, at the 3rd International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS) at the Raffles City Convention Centre here on Wednesday.

His Royal Highness stated that rebuilding trust requires investment in media literacy, digital integrity, and honest communication - not merely control.

“We must reinvest in the social contract. We need transparent institutions, accountable leadership, and civic spaces where people feel seen and heard,” he said.

Sultan Nazrin noted that social, economic, and ecological justice must be central to policymaking in order to prioritise equity.

He also emphasised the importance of embracing pluralism through the respectful accommodation of diverse culture, religion, identity, and origin, as well as social and political perspectives.

“It is about recognising human dignity and opportunity in accepting differences, reframing migration, and rejecting fear-based politics. Trust in our shared humanity is fundamental,” he said, adding that compassion and love for one’s neighbour is a value taught by every major religion and philosophy.

On the principle of imagining boldly, Sultan Nazrin said education must equip individuals to think critically and act ethically, while cities must be designed for inclusion and policy must be guided by moral imagination.

Meanwhile, Sultan Nazrin also called on the global community to work together in response to escalating global crises, which will further increase migration.

“We must work together to find homes for those who have lost theirs, and try to help alleviate the strain on countries that are overwhelmed.

“We must be welcoming to those we can accommodate, and we must strive to tackle the root causes that drive people from their homes in the first place,” he said, adding that migration is one of the oldest human responses to uncertainty as people move in search of safety, opportunity and dignity.

His Royal Highness said that at the national level, governments must work harder to foster inclusion and integration, and to build harmony and understanding between diverse communities, as this is a challenge they cannot afford to ignore.

“The consequences of a fractured society are severe,” he said.

According to the United Nations, as of last year, the global number of international migrants had almost doubled compared with 1990, from 154 million to 304 million and could hit 1 billion by 2050.

The ICCS, mooted by former Singapore President Halimah Yacob, is organised by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and supported by the Culture, Community and Youth Ministry.

It brings together global thought leaders, policymakers, community practitioners and young leaders to exchange ideas, share best practices, and develop innovative solutions for cohesive and resilient multicultural societies worldwide.

-- BERNAMA