Taking Barack Obama, the first African-American elected as the president of the United States, as an example, Ong said, "Sadly in Malaysia, we are still bickering over the appointment of a Chinese lady as acting general manager for the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS).
"It is time for us to break free from the orthodox way of doing things. In the US, it took more than 200 years for a black man to be elected president in a predominantly white country.
"Ironically, the very people in Malaysia, who cheer for Obama do not think that a Chinese lady is deemed fit to lead PKNS," Ong said in a statement.
Ong, who is Transport Minister, said the reaction from certain politicians from both sides of the divide on the appointment showed that they were still "stuck in their own racial cocoon."
- Bernama







