Fans of the Malaysian version of the smash US reality TV show 'American Idol' rallied this week against a local judge in the competition who suggested that viewers were casting race-based votes.

Judge Roslan Aziz predicted on Sunday that at least two of the three ethnic minority Chinese finalists in the amateur singing contest would survive because they were supported by Chinese viewers.

The implication was that urban-based Chinese viewers sent in most of the votes, which are transmitted by mobile phone text messages.

Three of the final eight contestants are from the Chinese community, which makes up just a quarter of Malaysia's population of 25 million, and three are from the majority Malays, of whom there are more than twice the Chinese. The other two are from other ethnic minorities.

Some fans who post their feelings on the show's website message board have complained about the comment by judge Roslan, who is a Malay. "I think it's inappropriate for Roslan to say that ... it make me (feel) like there was some race issue there," said one.

"My opinion is that Malaysians should vote for the best finalist to represent Malaysia on the world's stage, regardless of the race," said another.

Other fans have complained that some contestants who have been ousted were far better singers than some of those who stayed on.

One favourite, ethnic Malay Sufiah ( photo ), was booted out early on in the show but brought back by the judges in the Wildcard round. She did not survive that round.

Posted messages removed

Some messages had been deleted, however, in accordance with house rules banning racial discussions.

'Malaysian Idol' executive producer Michael Christian Simon played down the row. "That's just Roslan's personal opinion. According to our voting trends, it's been quite even, racially speaking," he told AFP .

Statistics showed Chinese fans voting for Malays and vice versa, he said.

"Many of our viewers live in cities and urban areas, and such viewers know good talent when they see it. They've done well in the voting so far," he said.

"Sufiah had a good voice but she just didn't have mass appeal. She wasn't endearing enough to the viewers."

"Malaysian Idol," which drew some 15,000 hopefuls nationwide to the first round of auditions, is aired on the private 8TV station. It has a viewership of nearly two million, Simon said.

One of the episodes in the US version was also dogged by allegations of raced-based voting when three black women whose powerful voices had been praised by the judges were voted off the show.