(AFP) The government was ready to break from "so-called international norms" to preserve peace, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad told Parliament today.

He also accused the opposition parties and their "foreign sympathisers" of trying to topple his government through street violence.

The prime minister described last month's ethnic clashes, in which six people were killed and thousands of police deployed, as a fight "between a few Indians and a few Malays" but said "certain parties" had tried to inflame racial feelings.

"We know they have been going around visiting people and trying to stir up feelings about their poverty and all that, almost justifying that ... the government is unfair," he told reporters later.

"You play (with) fire, you are going to get a lot of trouble in this country."

Sedition probe

Police have launched a sedition investigation against four opposition leaders after they suggested the death toll may be higher than the official figure.

Mahathir, speaking to Parliament before presenting a 10-year development plan, said inter-racial cooperation had brought stability and economic development.

But some people were unhappy that the country was peaceful and prospering.

"They hanker after turmoil and violence, injury and even death.

"They are forever looking for issues and incidents to exploit. While they propound democracy they are not prepared to accept the decision of the majority.

"They are not prepared to wait for general elections but wish to grab power illegitimately," Mahathir said.

"Recently a fight broke out between a few Malays and a few Indians. Immediately certain people tried to influence feelings among both communities in order to break the peace that Malaysia enjoys."

Street violence

Mahathir said "certain individuals wish to see the Malaysian government fall through street violence. They had intimated this to their foreign sympathisers.

"But this government will not hesitate to enforce Malaysian laws even if it will be condemned by the foreign media and certain foreign quarters."

The prime minister, who has held power since 1981, said the government was ready to break from "so-called international norms" when Malaysian interests were at stake.

"We know that our critics and detractors are no angels and when it suits them they will ignore common decency even.

"And so if the peace and stability of this country is threatened, having foreign friends to back their illegal acts will not save them from the full force of Malaysian laws.

"This government will act and act decisively to protect this country from foreign manipulation and their proxies in this country."

Loss of support

The Barisan Nasional coalition and its predecessor have held power since independence in 1957.

But its main party, Mahathir's United Malays National Organisation, suffered a major loss of support from ethnic Malays in the November 1999 election following the sacking and jailing of the premier's deputy Anwar Ibrahim.

Ezam Mohamad Noor, head of the youth wing of the National Justice Party founded by Anwar's wife, has been charged with sedition over his alleged call for street protests to topple the government.

In 1987 Mahathir used the Internal Security Act to detain without trial 107 people including leading opposition supporters after a period of racial tension.

The premier said the opposition had objected to every project to improve living standards - such as the Penang bridge, the new international airport, the Proton national car project, the North-South highway and the New Economic Policy to boost Malay role in business.

"In fact, bereft of all these Malaysia would be a Third-World basket case begging for aid and being forced to obey foreign powers and international agencies," he said.