Malay Malaysians, are not "stupid or weak" and should stop being fearful and learn to live without government handouts, the prime minister said on Sunday.

"The feeling of being scared and apprehensive has dominated the thinking of the Malays for far too long... we are still scared even after 50 years of independence," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

Abdullah said in an interview reported by the official Bernama news agency that Malays must not continue to rely on a four-decade-old system of positive discrimination which entitles them to a range of benefits.

"They must learn to stand on their own feet and learn to be competitive. We will help the Malays who are serious in wanting to do business and want to work hard," he said.

"I've said many times Malays are not stupid or weak," he added.

Abdullah said it would take a long process to change the mindset of Malays, who make up 60 percent of the population but lag far behind the ethnic Chinese community which dominates the business sector.

Take advantage of gov't opportunities

"I want the Malays to capitalise on the opportunities given to them," he said. "There are no easy ways to succeed in life. Only the educated, knowledgeable and the hard-working will succeed eventually."

The prime minister's salvo comes ahead of the ruling Umno party congress this week which is expected to tackle the issue of the positive discrimination policies that are criticised as ineffective.

Government data released in 2004 showed that 8.3 percent of Malays were still living in poverty - earning less than RM650 a month - compared to just 0.6 percent of Chinese and 2.9 percent of Indians.

After racially charged speeches at last year's assembly caused dismay among minority Chinese and Indian Malaysians, Abdullah said the party must show this time that it was intent on benefiting all Malaysians.