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KUALA LUMPUR - FORMER prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that racism in Malaysia is the result of Singapore's two-year membership in Malaysia.
Rebutting recent comments made by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Tun Dr Mahathir wrote in his blog: 'With the background of Singapore's activities in Malaysia in the short three (sic) years of its membership, can we really believe that if it had not been 'turfed out', race relations would be better in Malaysia?
'While Kwan Yew (sic) talks about his belief that all ethnic communities should free themselves from the shackles of racial segregation in order to promote fairness and equality among the races, he also said that 'once we are by ourselves (out of Malaysia) the Chinese become the majority'.'
Mr Lee, in an interview with The New York Times, compared how Singapore and Malaysia handled racial relations.
He said Malaysia would have achieved much of what Singapore had accomplished if it had accepted a multiracial base, and described Malaysia as being in a 'most unhappy situation'.
'I think if the Tunku had kept us together, what we did in Singapore - had Malaysia accepted a multiracial base for their society - much of what we've achieved in Singapore would have been achieved in Malaysia. But not as much, because it's a much broader base. We would have improved inter-racial relations and an improved holistic situation,' Mr Lee had said in the interview, referring to Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman.