But I can already see the “foreigners-shouldn’t-meddle-in-Singapore-politics” arguments coming in. And I know at least a handful of Singaporeans who dislike Chee because he seems determined to “paint a bad picture of Singapore to foreigners”.

Perhaps it is not our culture to wash dirty linen in public. Or really? Explain Stomp, that disgusting governement-controlled web portal, the pinnacle of public linen-washing. Then again, who else will listen? Definitely not our own government, who last week revealed that they will only engage citizens on existing government platforms i.e. REACH (who is doing such a hopeless job in engaging citizens, you wonder if they really want you to be involved, or merely put up a show that they want you to be involved).

A government’s role is to serve the people. Well, apparently not this government. How else do you explain the power inequality between the government and us “mere mortals“? I am sick of having to bow down and beg for what should be a given in the first place. If for nothing else, that is a good reason to celebrate Chee’s success — again — in reaching the international media.

SINGAPORE (AFP) — The leader of a Singapore opposition party, jailed numerous times for defying local protest laws and for other offences, has posted a video message asking for US President Barack Obama’s support.

Chee Soon Juan, secretary general of the Singapore Democratic Party, posted his “message to President Obama” on the video sharing website YouTube, where he called Obama’s Tuesday inauguration “an occasion of great moment.”

Chee expressed hope that the United States “will pay more attention to the human rights abuses of the Singapore government and take positive steps to help Singapore join the community of democracies.”

Chee, dressed in a dark suit and a tie, sat at a desk to deliver the message lasting more than five minutes.

He said his party was especially encouraged by what Obama, the first black president of the United States, has said about human rights.

“Under your leadership I look forward to a world that is freer, more democratic and more just,” said Chee.

He is one of the few Singaporeans who have publicly spoken against Singapore’s People’s Action Party, which has ruled since 1959.

Since independence in 1965, Singapore has grown from a Third World country to an Asian economic powerhouse. But critics say this has come at a price, in the form of restrictions on freedom of speech and political activity.

The ruling party has all but two of the 84 elected seats in parliament, and the opposition’s complaints include a lack of access to mainstream media in the country.

Except for a park that serves as a designated area for limited free speech, it is illegal to hold a public gathering of five or more people in Singapore without a police permit.

Singapore’s leaders say tough laws against dissent and other political activity are necessary to ensure the stability which has helped the city-state achieve economic success.

The government has said allegations that Singapore fails to meet international standards for political and human rights are without substance.

For those who missed the news (WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN???), here is Obama’s victory speech.

“Change has come!” says Mr Obama. But has it really?

We can only hope.

Compare Barack Obama to Singapore’s president S. R. Nathan.

Both are from a minority race in their respective countries, both numerically and politically. Both are now presidents. And as we know all too clearly, the latter has done nothing for this country except make a public appearance to wave at the public a few times a year.

We congratulate Mr Obama on his victory, and applaud the Americans for being bigger than racism.

Hopefully, the 44th U.S. President will bring about the “change” he has been promising, and do more than just sit around and collect a multi-million dollar salary. Oh wait, Obama isn’t going to get a multi-million dollar salary! Sorry, I forgot, the U.S. President earns five times less than his Singaporean counterpart.

Sen. Barack Obama has been elected the 44th president of the United States. It is worth pausing a moment just to digest that reality.

A very liberal, 47-year-old rookie senator with no military background – who is not only black but has a last name eerily similar to the man who masterminded the 9/11 attacks and a middle name identical to that of the man whose country we foolishly invaded in response to those attacks – is about to assume the nation’s highest elected office. Three years ago, an aspiring screenwriter peddling a script with this story line would have been laughed out of every studio in Hollywood.

But rub your eyes and cue “Hail to the Chief,” for here he comes: President Barack Hussein Obama.

What does Mr. Obama’s victory mean?

It means that America has shown the world yet again it is capable of the improbable, the transformational: A majority-white country has elected a nonwhite president. Having traveled this year to speak about our elections in a diverse quartet of countries – Brazil, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and South Africa – I can assure you that people in all four were both rooting overwhelmingly for Mr. Obama and fully convinced the American people were incapable of electing him because of his race.

The Baltimore Sun

Elated supporters took to the streets of Chicago, Washington, Atlanta and other cities across the globe, dancing and cheering for their candidate.

“This is the most wonderful night of my life,” said an emotional David White, who grew up during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

White said he remembers when African-Americans couldn’t go to amusement parks and didn’t think a day like this was achievable.

“I’ve seen this country vindicate itself,” he said. “I welled up with tears just looking at the turnout … I just thank God that I was alive to see it.”

CNN

Truly, I am happy Obama won. Now, perhaps it is time for change to come to Singapore too!