PETALING JAYA: One out of three Malaysians is racist according to a survey carried out by The Centre For A Better Tomorrow (Cenbet).

According to the survey carried out on 1,056 respondents living in urban and rural areas in peninsular Malaysia, 9.1% admitted to being "racist" while 28.1% admitted to "having shades of racism".

However 60% of the respondents said they were not racist while 2.8% said they were unsure.

Using the survey results to form a statistical model known as the Cenbet Racism Index (CRI), Cenbet co-president Gan Ping Sieu said this was the general outlook or attitude of the people.

"Under the CRI score, the vast majority of Malaysians scored 59.1% - which is categorised as 'averagely or selectively racist' in nature," he said.

Gan also pointed out that of the 60% who said they are not racists, 30% of them said they will not vote a candidate of a different race.

"And of this 60%, 34% of them said that race-based policies are still relevant," he added.

Gan also said that based on the survey, most of the respondents who admitted to being racist or having shades of racism are those aged between 18 and 25-years- old, are in the income bracket of RM1, 000 to RM4, 999 and live in rural areas.

Speaking to the media during the presentation of the findings at a press conference in Wisma HCK here today, Gan said that Cenbet is proposing that the government and the relevant authorities incorporate a "National Unity Index" when formulating public policies and administrative measures.

"The public should also reflect on their actions and behaviour in public or even on social media," he said.

Gan said Cenbet would continue to conduct racial behavioural studies and added that the results from the existing survey will be available on Cenbet's website - www.cenbet.org.my.