In 'New Malaysia', race continues to cast a long shadow

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Just months after a stunning election victory, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has had to step in to mollify the country's majority Malay Muslims in recent weeks, underlining a weighty challenge confronting his multi-ethnic, reformist coalition: race.

When riots erupted at a Hindu temple outside the capital, Kuala Lumpur, last week, 93-year-old Dr Mahathir spared no effort to scotch speculation that tensions with Malays were to blame.