Officials promised Saturday to build new police stations. Some residents said the clashes underscore underlying grievances over poverty and social problems in their villages. Ethnic relations are hugely sensitive in Malaysia, where riots in 1969 between the dominant Malay Muslims and ethnic Chinese, the largest minority, left hundreds dead. Ethnic Indians comprise 8 percent of Malaysia's 22 million people. Most of them are much poorer than the Malays, who enjoy special privileges under affirmative action programs instituted after the 1969 riots, and the ethnic Chinese, who dominated Malaysia's economy for decades.
Racial divisions are a sensitive issue in Malaysia.
Hundreds had died in ethnic fighting between the Muslim Malay majority and ethnic Chinese in 1969. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad insisted that police would quickly bring the situation under control. It will settle down. An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.