I WELCOME the opinion voiced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Sunday's report, 'Non-Chinese PM? Possible, but not soon'', on the possibility of having an ethnic minority prime minister in the not-too-distant future, as well as the limitations he outlined in realising such a possibility.

Anyone who compares the election of Mr Obama with that of a non-Chinese prime minister in Singapore must realise it is unrealistic to compare a large and far older democracy like the US with Singapore, which has had a little more than 40 years of practising democracy.

Singapore has made a good start, thanks to multiracialism and meritocracy. We have had presidents, deputy prime ministers and a senior minister from minority races and we should be proud of this.

Mr Obama's elevation to America's highest office sends a clear message that meritocracy and hard work pay off.I have never regarded our three prime ministers as leaders who emerged from Singapore's majority community. This is testimony to the way they have carried themselves.

Kandasamy Sabesan

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.