KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — Countries with societies torn apart by ethnic divisions and religious differences are “almost never successful”, often finding themselves embroiled in conflict and violence, United States president Barack Obama said today.

Obama said the US faced this problem over two centuries ago and still struggles today with issues concerning race and religion.

“Every country has racial, religious, ethnic differences.

“Violence, discrimination (that) happens in societies that are divided ethnically, racially are almost never successful,” he said during a town hall session with the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) here.

Obama said racial and religious conflict was a real issue in Southeast Asia as well, and recounted his younger days growing up in Indonesia where the ethnic Chinese community faced persecution because of their race.

“I remember when I was growing up in Indonesia, there were riots against Chinese... stores were burned down, people killed.

“And right now in Myanmar...(this is) how ethnic groups are treated, the Rohingya are treated differently,” Obama added.

US President Barack Obama participates in a town hall meeting with Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) attendees at Taylor’s University in Kuala Lumpur, November 20, 2015. — Reuters pic

The US president also later responded to a question on the Trans-Pacific Trade (TPP) agreement, denying claims it was “elitist” and would alienate the rights of citizens from countries who are signatories to the deal.

“If you’re negotiating with 12 countries and there is no space to agree on the deal, then it will never get done. If every chapter was subject to what various interest groups want....we could never get it done.

“Each country has to give up something in order to get a trade deal done,” Obama said.