Dr Mahathir Mohamad today hit out at Anwar Ibrahim's recent remarks urging the Malays to be more tolerant of minority communities, saying the prime minister's portrayal of them as arrogant is not only historically wrong but amounts to an insult.

He said the nation's economy was in the hands of the non-Malays, noting as well the non-Muslim houses of worship and religious structures in the midst of Malay-majority areas which he said were testament to the tolerance practised by the community.

"The large temples all over the peninsula never felt threatened. Likewise, large religious statues are found all over the country.

"In fact, one of the largest in the world is found in Kelantan where the Malays make up more than 95%," he said in a statement.

On his return from an official visit to Cambodia earlier this month, Anwar praised the tolerance of the Buddhist-majority government for its Muslim minority, giving the example of how Prime Minister Hun Sen had hosted a breaking of fast event for Muslims.

"Sometimes when we become the majority, we feel too comfortable and arrogant to assume that we cannot celebrate with other groups," he said.

"While we protect the interests of the Malay-Muslim majority in Malaysia, we should ensure the principle of mutual respect and give the right of citizenship to all.

"If in Cambodia, we want the Muslims to be celebrated, their mosques not destroyed, their rights protected and even their promotion to ministerial positions, that should be the way for all other countries without sacrificing the interests of the majority group."

Mahathir said the Malays had embraced migrant communities even before independence, with some one million made citizens and given cultural, linguistic and educational freedom.

"Upon independence, they were given the right to vote and their representatives were appointed as ministers and other top government officials.

"Not just one – if you count from the time of independence until today, there have been hundreds, if not thousands, taking into account the ministers, deputy ministers, parliamentary secretaries and other important positions," he said.

Mahathir also recalled how he had been hammered by critics for calling the Malays "lazy", saying this was to remind the community to work hard so that they would not lose everything to the non-Malays.

"But today, Anwar considers the Malays arrogant and unwilling to celebrate other races when the Malays have given so much space to other races, to the extent that their own share has almost disappeared.

"For the Malays to defend what little is left, Anwar considers it arrogant. Perhaps once they no longer have anything, then the Malays will not be arrogant?" added Mahathir, who recently accused Anwar of curbing free speech in the wake of the sudden cancellation of the "Malay Declaration" event organised by several Malay groups.