Obama's victory/ 奥巴马的胜利

I am back to work.

One must admire and congratulate Barack Obama being elected the 44th President of USA, and the first Afro-American to be elected.

This is indeed a proud and defining moment for American politics. Race or colour of the skin does not count in US during election! Obama’s victory is a watershed in US and may change the American political landscape. Civil rights activists have finally realized their dreams and the US’s dream of the opportunity.

I cannot say the same about Malaysia. Colour and religion still play an important role in Malaysia daily life. I am not even talking about the position of the PM and Deputy PM, if the CEO of Government Linked Companies and State Development Corporations colour do matter (e.g. PKNS recently). To many people in Malaysia, race matter a lot.

The colour of the skin may work against you, though you may be the best candidate for the job. Martin Luther King once said: “Judge a man by his content of his character but not his colour.” Racial harmony is fragile and very superficial in Malaysia. Some call it mutual tolerance.

John Mc Cain, fought a long and hard battle, like an old warrior that never die. He should be admired and congratulated for his grace in conceding early defeat and accept the American voter verdict. He had no hesitation in congratulating the winner, no bitterness, no excuse and certainly no signature campaign to show that he still have significant support.

Accept the verdict of the voter and life move on. MCA politicians should emulate Mc Cain’s graciousness rather than bad mouth the victor in the party election. To the loser, it is not the end of the world. To the victor, it is only temporary since party election is once every 3 years.

兹通知大家，我回来了。

这一天，人们都在热烈欢呼声中，恭贺及赞赏奥巴马当选美国第44任总统，创造历史成为美国首任非裔黑人总统。

对美国政治而言，这确实是个骄傲和决定性的时刻，因为美国大选已跨越种族和肤色考量！奥巴马的胜利象征着美国政治走到一个分水岭，而且很可能会改变美国的政治景观。这场变革，不实现了美国民权份子的愿望，也给了美国人一个“机会”的梦想。

回到马来西亚，却不能一概而论。在我国，肤色和宗教对我们的日常生活仍然发挥重要的影响。如果官联公司和各州发展局（雪州发展局为例）的首席执行长必须视肤色而定，那我们要如何不分肤色投选正副首相？对许多大马人来说，种族考量仍然很重要。

你或许是有关任务或工作的最佳人选，却因肤色有别而没有入选。已故的美国黑人人权领袖马丁路德·金说过：“要从品格和能力上判断一个人，切勿以肤色定胜败。”事实上，马来西亚的种族和谐是脆弱的，也很表面。有些人认为其实这是互相容忍。

麦凯恩在美国总统一战中，像一位不死的老战士奋力迎战。败选后，他坦然接受选民的决定，毫无怨责、不以借口推搪，更不搞签名运动来展现他的人气和支持率，反而落落大方地向胜利者道贺。这种风度和领袖素质绝对值得我们钦佩和赞赏。

接受选民决定，继续展开生活。

马华政治人物应效仿麦凯恩的泱泱大风，接受代表的意向和决定，而非不断地中伤胜利者。马华党选3年一次，败选并非世界末日，胜利也只是短暂。希望以这两句话与所有马华同志共勉，大家继续诚恳为党、国效力。