Most Malaysians say they are reasonably happy, healthy and calm, but ethnic Chinese report more stress than Malays and Indians in this multicultural country, survey results showed today.

A large majority - 70 percent - of all Malaysians surveyed said they led calm lives, according to the poll by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for the New Straits Times .

"Across ethnic lines, Malays appeared calmest, followed by Indians. However, one in five Chinese said they were stressed," the paper said.

Malays make up some 55 percent of Malaysia's population, with 25 percent ethnic Chinese and 7.5 percent ethnic Indians.

Rural Malays

The paper said a probable explanation for the difference in stress levels was that "many Malay respondents were from the rural areas where life in pastoral settings is slower and more gratifying."

Another reason was that "sociologists say Malays and Indians are generally more willing to count their blessings, whereas the Chinese tend to be more driven and determined about goals and ambitions".

The survey showed that poor people were just as likely to say they were happy as those with more money and that happiness tended to increase with age.

Without giving a breakdown of the figures, the report said those over 55 were twice as likely to feel happy as those under 30, while married people were also happier and more at peace with themselves and the world.