(AFP) Politicians from Barisan Nasional (BN) today hailed the decision by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to appoint an ethnic Chinese special assistant to get closer to the community.

"I think the PM has made a lot of mistakes --- scolding the Chinese and describing them as communist (in his August national day message) has angered the community," said a senior official of Gerakan.

Gerakan, a multiracial but Chinese-dominated party, is BN coalition member.

"Now he is trying to correct it," said the official close to the party leadership, who declined to be identified.

He told AFP the appointment reflects Mahathir's determination to gather independent information in an attempt to stop a slide in Chinese support for BN coalition.

"The PM lacks an understanding of the aspirations of the Chinese community. I hope these appointments will address the issues," the Gerakan official said.

To hear grievances

The appointment, which has not been officially announced, was confirmed yesterday by a senior government official, who said Mahathir also plans to appoint a Chinese press secretary.

"Mahathir wants to make sure the grievances of the Chinese community are heard," the government official said.

He cited the failure by top Chinese students to secure places in state universities because 55 percent of places are reserved for Malays under a quota system.

In the November 1999 election the BN relied on Chinese and Indian support to retain its two-thirds majority after many ethnic Malays turned to the opposition.

But last August the veteran premier angered many Chinese with a strong attack on the Chinese pressure group Suqiu, which had urged that affirmative action programmes to be extended to all those in need and not just Malays.

Mahathir said its approach was akin to that of communist terrorists.

Media monitoring

The leader of MCA, which is the second largest party in the BN, described the appointments as timely.

"In the past he (Mahathir) has had many press secretaries, but I think he would need some people who are well versed in the Chinese language so that he can also monitor the media," Ling Liong Sik, who is also transport minister, told The Sun newspaper.

Teng Chang Yeow, Gerakan youth chief, welcomed the appointment of the two non-politicians.

"Politicans sometimes tend to look at things too politically," The Sun quoted him as saying.

Chinese, the second largest community after Malays, make up about a quarter of the 22 million population.