Policies to strengthen the economic well-being of the Malays, as well as to bridge the gap between the community and other ethnic groups will continue, says Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In an interview with Channel News Asia, he said there are certain areas where the Malays need help, citing overseas education as an example.

"When I was in the United Kingdom, I met a number of Chinese students. They were there because their parents were able to pay for their studies.

"But I find that Malay parents, by and large, cannot afford to have university education for their children," he said.

Mahathir added that the Chinese in this country "are largely in business," while the Malays are mostly civil servants and wage earners who find it costly to send their children to study abroad.

To bridge this gap, he said, more scholarships need to be given to the Malays.

The prime minister reiterated that continuing policies to help Malays does not mean that "it (the government) thinks only of the Malays", saying that the potential for conflict is much greater when there is income disparity along ethnic lines.

"You have the rich, very rich, and the poor, very poor... you are inviting conflicts.

"But when the rich belong to one race, and the poor, another race, the potential for conflict is much greater."

Mahathir added that the economic well-being of the Malays can be improved with affirmative action.