I refer to the letters Why Obama will be bad for us and Au contraire, Obama will be good for us.

As an American married to a Chinese-Malaysian man (both well-educated), there are lots of interesting discussions in my home these days, including about Obama.

I don't ‘do’ partisan politics – I just vote for the best candidate with no care for the party, etc, and I've never given money to support any candidate.

But Obama's gotten me, like many Americans and others, excited and optimistic about leadership, America, how the world is changing, and many other matters.

It's so interesting, for instance, that Malaysians are discussing him, whether negative or positive. He is the first black person to stand for the highest office in a Western country, and I am very proud that this represents an American achievement.

As bad as Malaysians think US racism is, I tell you, America has come very, very far in dealing with racism and the egalitarian society there is such a change from Malaysia's current status.

Obama represents the best of this - a mixed-race boy from a single-parent family, raised by grandparents, who went on to the best universities in the world with successful careers first in law and then as a senator, and possibly the president.

His father wasn't even an American and was from a religious background that most Americans view with great suspicion. Yet Obama is poised to quite possibly become president. What a story!

A lot of Obama's success comes simply from his great intelligence combined with good character and excellent judgment. How many world leaders can write as powerfully and intelligently as he has in his two books, Dreams of my father and The audacity of hope ?

Or write his own speeches that are as insightful as they are moving? A great deal of Obama's appeal comes from the messages his intelligence, character, and judgment have led him to espouse - real unity, justice, competence, good stewardship, hope.

What country doesn't need these? Obama would be very good for Malaysia, indeed.

When candidates of this calibre stand for office in Malaysia or in any other country, and are loved as much as Obama is loved by many Americans, it is a real cause for celebration.

Let's hope those who become leaders in the US, Malaysia, or elsewhere, can do as good a job as Obama promises to do, and win the people's hearts as well as he has thus far.

Meanwhile, if you see an ‘Obama for President!’ placard hanging from a Malaysian condominium window, don't be surprised. It's simply spillover of enthusiasm from a non-partisan white American lady thousands of miles from the campaign ground.