Mustapa Mohamad, information chief of the United Malays National Organisation, said Singapore's meritocracy policy "clearly sidelined the Malays in Singapore."

Mustapa, who is also a senior finance ministry adviser, said Malaysia's Democratic Action Party (DAP) and its opposition allies also practised a meritocracy policy rather than standing up for Malay rights.

"The Malays must realise this. Don't let the opposition rule this country or else you would suffer the same fate as Malays in Singapore," Bernama news agency quoted him as saying.

The remarks were likely to raise hackles in Singapore, which has a long history of testy relations with neighbouring Malaysia.

In Janaury Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong sparked a diplomatic row when he asserted that ethnic Malays in Singapore did better under a meritocracy than they did in Malaysia.

Malaysia has for 30 years had an affirmative action programme to help Malays catch up with the wealthier Chinese.

Mustapa said the future of the Malays would be jeopardised if an opposition alliance came to power.

The alliance's Malay-majority parties -- like the DAP -- did not respect the special rights of the Malays, he said.

Chinese make up 77 percent of Singapore's population compared to 14 percent Malays.

Malays make up just over half Malaysia's population.