Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has used the example of the Chinese community using chopsticks to highlight the challenges in assimilating the non-Malay population in the country.

Mahathir said Indonesia was able to assimilate its Chinese population because it was relatively small, while non-Malays in Malaysia made up a substantial proportion of the population.

"They (Chinese in Malaysia) preserve their own community, their own customs, their own ways.

"For example...