I welcome any full-blooded Singaporean with honesty and passion to lead Singapore forward into a highly challenging world.

But I am a realist and am inclined to agree with Mr S. Dhanabalan that Chinese Singaporeans are not ready to accept a non-Chinese prime minister.

With a population close to four millions and Chinese making up 77 per cent of the population, the wish of the majority for the time being will still be a Chinese PM given that both (meaning a Chinese and a non-Chinese) have proven records and tenacity to become PM.

This is the reality and fact of life that we cannot pretend that such mindset does not exist.

Mr Dhanabalan is a highly intelligent and experienced man. He would not make the statement if he was not sure of the facts.

Raymond Lo Wan Mou