"The area where the circles overlap is the common area where we live, play and work together and where we feel truly Singaporean with minimal consciousness of our ethnicity," he said Nov 5 at the second National Convention organised by the non-political Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP).

"This framework of multi-racialism allows for diversity and growth for the different races and religions," he said.

Goh's stern warnings came after the AMP called for a system of collective leadership made up of non-political Malay leaders to be selected by Malays only.

Goh slammed the proposal and said it would spark divisions in the country which is "not yet a nation."

He dismissed claims from the AMP that the Malay community, which made up 13.9 percent of the population, was left behind in the country's economic progress.

Twenty-eight percent of Malays completed tertiary and higher level technical education in 1999, up from 12.5 percent in 1990, he said.

Goh also pointed out that the Malay community had made progress in non-material ways.

"It is more articulate and confident. This has come about because of our meritocratic system, not in spite of it," he said.

The Chinese form the majority of population at 76.8 percent.