What does Barack Obama’s victory mean to us and many around the world? We hope that what happened in the US will be an example for all countries with diverse ethnic populations especially those that profess to practice democracy.

It is a lesson for them on how they should treat the minorities in their own country. The US remains a superpower because of its open policy where all citizens regardless of race, colour and creed are given equal opportunities to contribute to the development of the nation.

All its citizens are equal in the eyes of the law and racial discrimination of any sort is a serious offence that is not compromised whatever the reason.

We too can become a leading nation like the US if we are willing to adopt the right approach and ideals and tap the potentials of all the races with a policy based on multi-racialism. All ethnic groups must be considered equal and this must be stipulated in the laws of the country with the people being educated to adopt such a mindset.

All race-based political parties must be disbanded and reformed into true multiracial ones. Appointments to top posts in government and government-linked companies must be based on purely merit, not ethnicity.

We lost the opportunity to be truly multi-racial by rejecting the visionary views of our own Abraham Lincoln - Dato Onn Jaffar, 60 years ago. If only we had accepted his ideas to make Umno a party for all races at that time, today we may be among the ranks of the top powers in the world.

However, it is never too late as we have now been given a second chance as the people have demanded such a multiracial approach in their verdict for the March 8 general election.

Unfortunately, there are still many quarters who still blatantly disregard the people’s call and are bent on maintaining obsolete race-based policies forever, not realising their actions will only bring disaster in the near future.

It is time for all Malaysians to share a common dream, a dream that one day Malaysia will become a developed nation with the whole-hearted contribution of all its citizens regardless of ethnicity. A day when all communities are accepted as equal and every citizen feels equally proud to be called Malaysian.

We are on the brink of a leadership change at the highest level. Our people, like their counterparts in the US, have transcended race and religion and overwhelmingly voted for change. Can our leaders too rise above the ethnic divide to bring about that change by adopting multi-racialism as the preferred system of governance?

Do they have the wisdom to place the nation above race for the long-term well-being of the country? The recent squabble over the PKNS appointment sadly indicates otherwise.

Obama says he is the president of all Americans including those who did not vote for him. Likewise, we hope our incoming prime minister can pledge to be a leader for all Malaysians; Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans and the others.

Can he acquire the courage and the will to initiate the cascade reactions that will lead to the dawn of a new Malaysia where all races can work together hand-in-hand to realise our Malaysian dream?

We may call our country a democracy but it only be a true democratic nation when we produce our very own Malaysian ‘Barrack Obama’.