'The US has progressed from being a divided society to one that could elect a black US president. But where are we and where do we go from here?'

On Obama chalks up historic win

GH Kok: Barack Obama has claimed a historic victory in the US presidential elections. This is a victory for all those who fought against racism and signals a major milestone in the transformation of the minds of the American people.

This victory is a culmination of a long journey that began with the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Many people may not realise that many blacks in the South did not have the right to vote until the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a law passed only after the bloody civil rights campaign in Selma, Alabama, mobilised public opinion.

That's right - black Americans in the South did not have the right to vote even as late as 1965.

Many people, both black and white, got killed in the process of fighting for that right and in fighting to end racial segregation.

In the span of 43 years, the US has progressed from being an extremely racially divided society to one that could mentally and emotionally accept a black US president.

I cannot help but to draw comparisons. In May 13, 1969, Malaysia broke out in racial riots that culminated in the imposition of emergency rule and subsequent birth of the Barisan Nasional.

Malaysian politics and society was very much racially divided. Where are we now, after 40 years?

We are still at the point where a Chinese lady cannot be temporarily appointed as head of PKNS, where a university cannot be opened to people of all races and where road signs should not be written in several languages.

We are still at the point where listed companies have racially-determined quotas of share ownership and where some of our politicians proudly declare what they will do with a certain type of knife they hold in their hand.

This is a stark contrast. This is where we are today. So where do we go from here ?

Peter Yew: This serves as a wake-up call to Malaysia. It is not which race you belong to but who you are that should decide if you deserve to lead a nation.

Do we have to wait 200 years for this to happen here? Or do we dare hope for this to happen in the next 20 to 30 years?

The way the various politicians and NGOs are reacting to issues raised over the past eight months reveal deep cracks that show we may not shatter the myth that the best man for the job must be from the dominant race.

As long as the best man or woman is a Malaysian of whatever background we should be proud to let him or her lead us forward. Obama boleh !

BR: America has progressed from slavery to segregation to liberty to, finally, a minority president, all in just about a 100-odd years.

We're about 50 years old now and we still see it is politically acceptable to protest against the appointment of a non-Malay/ woman to a job deemed supposedly reserved for one particular demography - never mind if that person is the best for the job.

As much as we want to drum up the 'March 8' tsunami sentiment, it is just not enough. We were that close, but it just wasn't enough to tip the scales.

We almost tipped it on Sept 16, but for whatever dark or valid reasons, we still just didn't want it crucially enough.

We ourselves are just are too indoctrinated and, to put it bluntly, not courageous enough to do what is right for the country.

That is why we will never live in a country that can be called 'great'. In case we wonder how fast and how far we have slipped, consider this:

In 1957, we were the most progressive territory in South East Asia. In 1969, we compared ourselves with the likes of Singapore, Korea, Taiwan as peers. In 2008, we count Indonesia, Philipines, Thailand as peers.

Do you really still want to cling on to this struggle for race and religion instead of struggle for the country?

Dian Abdullah: America has a new president who is half-black. No one had predicted this day would come.

But now this is the reality and most Americans are looking forward to a new beginning and with hope.

But back home here in Malaysia, we are going backward. The government of the day with its bunch of dinosaur cabinet members does not want to change or have any interference in their comfort zone.

They like things as they are. This country runs on a one-way track system whereby privileges and benefits go to them only.

You can be held under the ISA or disappear for good if you bring out evidence of their wrongdoing in public.

Unless we discard our tidak apa attitude, change cannot come and our children will suffer greatly.

I have noticed lately that many ustaz are giving wrong advice to the communities in that going against the ISA issue and saying no to Najib as the next PM is going against the religion.

Since when was it written in the Quran that it is okay to be held without a trial and to have a scandal-tainted man run this country?

Giving absolute power to just one party for too long is dangerous. We should change to a maximum two-term premiership and put a stop to all this nonsense once and for all.

I see no change in the near future if the middle class continues to be selfish.

Peter Ooi: Is it for real that a black man has been elected as the president of the USA? Unbelievable but it is true!

It can only be true for a nation which would settle for nothing but the best.

Yes, Obama is the best even though he is black. And the Americans have chosen the best regardless of colour.

It is this attribute that makes the US the greatest nation on earth. It through their exploitation of all available brains and talents of all races that has propelled them to be the first in all fields whether it is the race to the moon or winning the most number of Nobel prizes.

How I wish such a policy is practised at home. And how I dream that our government can exploit the brains and talents of every race so that we could be among the best in the world.

The biggest dream is for Malaysians to emulate the Americans in electing a prime minister regardless of race but I think I am dreaming too much.

Even appointing a non-Malay to a small position to head PKNS had seen so much protest.

But I would still dream on, though a distant one!

Sang Kancil: Change is the essence if life. To refuse change is to refuse to live. This is a fundamental principle that the Americans have understood well.

A community which was regarded as slaves have rose up to lead the most powerful nation in this world. A fantastic transformation!

My dear brother Obama, you have made all the blacks and also me proud. But one point is still bothering me - will the same transformation happen in Malaysia?

Very unlikely. Appointing a Chinese to an acting GM's post in PKNS is already creating chaos, what more an Indian PM for Malaysia. It is really next to impossible.

On Leaders elated over Obama's election

John:

I just want to say that Rais Yatim represents the hypocrisy of the BN government. He wishes, or even expects, the US to ‘represent a more cosmopolitan or universal political attitude' but doesn't ask the same of the BN themselves in relation to the rakyat .

Imagine if we asked the BN to ‘represent a more cosmopolitan or universal political attitude' with all its people, what would they say?

Don't mess with fire, they will say.

Well, I hope the rakyat can be inspired by what transpired in Chicago yesterday and experience what I felt when I was in Grant Park chanting with Obama, ‘ Yes, we can !'