With a sweeping Nov. 5 victory at the polls, Barack Obama became the first black U.S. president in history. And Singapore is likely to follow suit.

“In America, there was George Bush, then Clinton, followed by Bush’s son, George W. Bush. In Singapore, we have the same thing! Lee Kwan Yew, then Goh Chok Tong, followed by Lee junior. Just a coincidence? Think again,” said Mr. See Peh Chun, a master soothsayer at Wayoff Geomancy.

Bets are already on for who will triumph in the race to become Singapore’s Barack Obama, the first person from the minority race to lead the country.

Frontrunners for the post include Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Mr. Tharman Shanmugan, and even outsider Mr. James Gomez.

Balakrishnan, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, is the bright young hope for the future, but one who faces the greatest challenge — his first name, Vivian, is a common female name shared by thousand of women around the world.

The U.S. Presidential race has shown a persistent gender bias. Balakrishnan is likely to suffer the same fate as Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin, who failed in their bids to enter the White House. Even though he is a man (and a rather good-looking one at that), sexual prejudice might prevail to ensure he never becomes prime minister.

But political analysts are calling Master See’s preditions “absurd” and “greatly improbable”.

“It’s possible (for a non-Chinese PM in Singapore),” current prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, was quoted by local newspapers as saying on Nov. 9, but added: “Will it happen soon? I don’t think so”.

PM Lee, commentators believe, will be unlikely to give up the throne of power, which has seen the Lee family rule Singapore for more than 40 years.

“Nonsense!” countered Master See. “Just mark my words. I said the next prime minister will be Indian, but I never said the Lees will no longer be in charge.”

“How could this be? Simple. The next PM will be Bengali. Benga-Lee!” he said.