Looking back to Election 2008 and drawing lessons from it...

I think the recently concluded elections this year in places like Taiwan, and in countries like the US have shown how much more effective campaigns framed on issues and positivity are.

I'm glad President-elect Obama has won. I'm also glad that with the election of Ma Jing Yeou, the previously high tensions between both sides have lessen. Its all good for the world that two progressive candidates have won, and with good majorities and with the fact that they have made inroads with a larger electorate.

And the lessons here for all of us is this: when it comes to elections and governing, its important that the issues are in play, that we frame the election in terms of the issues that are very important to everyone, the ordinary citizens, and in a strong positive manner.

And we must never shy away from arguing the rationale of our issues- because we know these issues address the fundamentals that the country is dependent on. Because our principles lie in these issues, the argument is rationale and sensible.

But more importantly, even as we disagree and argue, we don't argue for the sake of arguing; neither do we disagree to be disagreeable. Even if the other side refuses to return the gesture, we cannot drown ourselves about it. We cannot dwell on anger.

Finally, policies and issues shouldn't be argued for ideological purposes. Every problem has a common sense solution, and as such solutions must be about solving the current situation in that particular circumstances. To say we must go back and argue for old ideological solutions and phrases that existed in the 19th to the 20th century is just looking too much backwards and not forward. Thus we have to look into the future, and find solutions that are pragmatic, sensible and very much related to common sense.