KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct 29, SPA -- Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has called for more tolerance among Malaysia's racial groups and defended a decades-old policy favoring ethnic Malays, a news report said Sunday. The Sunday Star newspaper quoted Abdullah as saying that race and religion are sensitive issues in the country. «I hope the people will train themselves to become more tolerant so that these issues will no longer be sensitive in years to come,» he said. «We need to uphold the spirit of goodwill among the various communities.» Abdullah said that such policies were aimed at economic development that benefits all Malaysians, the report said. «If there are policies which appear to favor certaingroups, these have only been decided upon after considering all factors, including the balance that has to be achieved,» he was quoted as saying.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/398791