Hu is The One?

6 Dec 2010 - I read an interesting column in The Star by Malaysian columnist Ben Ibrahim. He asked his co-host in TV show if he knew who Forbes' most influential man on the planet was? He was not quite sure and answered "Who?". Exactly! It is Mr. Hu Jin-tao, China's President. Mr. Hu has dethroned US President Barack Obama, who slipped to second spot. What I find interesting is that Mr. Ibrahim takes inspiration from the fact that an Asian leader is now the cream of the crop on the top of the world. He does not take his inspiration from Barack Obama, who is the first African American President of the most influential country in the world. The bottom-line is that Mr. Ibrahim identifies with Mr. Hu because Hu is an Asian, and he believes that Hu Jin-tao has given Asians something good to feel about. Ibrahim is confident that an Asian leader can achieve great things. That is no doubt true (I just mention Gandhi), but Ibrahim does not mention the human rights situation in China. That's a bit painful, in a time when the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to China's most prominent dissident soon. So, I go for Mr. Obama, who inspired many African Americans and people of all origins all over the world. Go Barack Go!