MOST Malaysians are happy with race relations, which has been put on the back burner as an issue in this general election, going by the results of the latest Merdeka Center survey.

More than three quarters of the registered voters polled last week said they were optimistic over ethnic relations.

Just one in 10 said ethnic relations were the country's top issue, compared with more than one in six in a December survey, which reflected the sentiments that followed the Hindu Rights Action Force demonstrations in November.

Still, concern over racial inequality remained highest among Indians, of whom one in five cited it as his/her top concern.

Just one in 10 Chinese and roughly one in 20 Malays put it as their most important issue, according to the survey.
The majority of all races was optimistic over race relations, with optimism highest among Malays at 88 per cent.

Roughly two in three Chinese and almost three quarters of Indians said they were optimistic.

source: The New Straits Times