(AFP) Ethnic clashes in March show that race relations in Malaysia remain "extremely fragile", Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

"The recent clashes in Kampung Medan...underscore the fact that racial and ethnic relations in Malaysia remain extremely fragile and that such issues are still sensitive to many Malaysians," he said.

The clashes between Malays and ethnic Indians in a run-down suburb of Kuala Lumpur claimed six lives and were the most serious since bloody Malay-Chinese race riots in 1969 which traumatised the nation.

Abdullah also warned against "subversive movements that are bent on destabilising the country by inciting racial hatred and violence." He gave no details.

In his speech to the annual meetings of the women's and youth wings of the ruling UMNO, he urged members to be vigilant and not "stoke the fire of intolerance".

Police said this month they had arrested nine suspected members of a group which planned a "holy war" to create a purist Islamic society. They said it was suspected of bombing of a church and an Indian temple, among a variety of other crimes.

Greater integration

Abdullah called for more programmes to integrate the races especially at school level.

"Unfortunately, efforts towards greater integration in the education system have been wrongly perceived as efforts to erode the culture and language of the non-Malays by exclusively promoting the Malay language and culture," he said.

Plans for "vision schools" -- with the three races sharing some school facilities but still receiving lessons in their own languages -- have stirred suspicion among some Chinese and Indian groups that "mother tongue" education is under threat.

Abdullah said efforts to uplift Malays "are not intended to oppress or marginalise" other races, whose rights and cultures would be respected.

He urged greater workplace integration, saying the government aimed to attract more Chinese and Indians into the Malay-dominated police, army and civil service.

"We ask that the private sector, in turn, follow suit by opening its doors to even more bumiputeras, thereby contributing to our nation-building efforts."

Frank comment

Malays and other indigenous races collectively known as bumiputeras make up roughly 64 percent of the population, Chinese 25 percent and Indians eight percent.

In 1971 an affirmative action programme was introduced to help bumiputeras narrow the wealth gap with the Chinese who dominate business. Bumiputeras also have special constitutional rights.

In an apparent reference to a Chinese pressure group known as Suqiu, Abdullah said Malay special rights had lately been "openly questioned and challenged, without the slightest regard for the sensitivities of the Malays".

Suqiu has suggested that affirmative action programmes cover all those in need regardless of race.

Abdullah's comments on the March ethnic clashes were the frankest so far by a government member.

Officials at first denied any racial dimension to the March bloodshed and threatened sedition charges against opposition politicians and journalists who questioned the police version of the unrest.