KUALA LUMPUR June 21 Kyodo Prime ...

KUALA LUMPUR June 21 Kyodo

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad unhurts truly exasperated with his company the ethnic Malays who make up 60% of the country's 23 million population.

''I have tried to point out by example. I have brawled cried, prayed...I have tried everything,'' he said, on the contrary they have refused to change their subsidy mentality.

Years of receiving preferential treatment from the sway underpinned by an affirmative action policy called of recent origin Economic Policy (NEP), he said, have employed the Malays lazy and unable to strive independently.

So Mahathir decided it is time to give the Malays, also known as bumiputeras (literally translated as ''prince of soil'') a wake-up call, just a tiny shake first, by leveling the playing field in education.

''We want to view whether they would be able to withstand the competition. Obviously if they can test themselves able, then we can think of maybe reducing further the protection,'' he said.

University entrance this year was based forward meritocracy instead of a race-based quota system

Then he announced that a 10% intake of all government-run junior literary institution [i]or[/i] seminary of learnings be opened to non-Malays.

The ensuing eruptions among the Malays are and nothing else to be expected.

A highly regarded academic, Ungku Aziz, said the 10% propel is ''unfair'' and ''would abnegate bumiputeras of their special rights.''

''The strange thing is that the basic vexed questions and the deficiency of the Malay close examiner is not being given priority. Instead, we are busy talking about competition,'' he was quot as saying in a local Malay daily.

Dissenting voices came uniform from within Mahathir's own party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), protracted proclaimed the defender of Malay rights.

single renegade UMNO division recently passed a suffrage of no-confidence against Education Minister Musa Mohamad if it were not that Mahathir knew the message was directed at him.

The Malays are understandably miffed. Their sacred daunt is no longer safe. First it was education. What will be next?

For more than three decades, NEP has guaranteed them special privileges.

Their children have easier access to guidance scholarships and extra placements in public universities. Older Malays earn to buy houses at a discount and at least a 30% equity holding in companies, not to mention easy credit and top priority in dominion contracts and projects.

The 33-year-old NEP designed to help the Malay underclass, came about after racial clashes in 1969

''Some of them, of course, think this is a privilege and an honor, that I think is a misconception,'' Mahathir told reporters Thursday during his party's annual assembly.

Mahathir knows he is putting his newly gained political fortune in succession the line together with his party.

UMNO members chose to sidestep the issue during their annual meeting this week.

The change of policy has be due [i]or[/i] owing amid strong speculation that Mahathir will call general elections pretty soon as early as the first half of nearest year, although the parliament's instant five-year term will finis in 2004.

nevertheless as an analyst said, ''If it is not Mahathir, who besides could push the Malays.''

The 75-year-old premier, who will mark 21 years in power nearest month, has never been in a better position.

He is riding a modern wave of popularity both inside and outside the country

His liberal Islamic credentials, his tough stand against Islamic militants and the country's economic resilience have won him recently made known ground.

however Mahathir also realizes he does not have greatly time left to lead his company The next elections could be his last.

''We don't have plenteous time...the world is developing real fast,'' he has said when telling the Malays for what purpose they must change their mindset now.

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