Imagine this: You or your foreign colleague will be retrenched due to the global recession. If someone promises to secure your position, would you take up that offer?

Nearly 60 million Americans made that choice and said "yes" to Mr Donald Trump and the promise of a "great" future for themselves ("Trump beats the odds in shock win"; Nov 10).

Before we judge them, we have to think rationally. After all, it is human nature to be individualistic and vote for someone people believe will keep them, their families and their jobs safe.

Mr Trump's win in the United States presidential election illustrates how there is a bigger problem at the heart of the issue.

We should not hope that he does a bad job as president. Rather, we should hope that racism, sexism, bigotry and the many other problems America faces are eradicated.

Low Jing Yi (Miss), 19,

first-year university student