Rogue Economist hopes there will be “changes” as well in Brunei:

“It's official. The most powerful man on earth is now Barack Obama. This proves that nothing is impossible in this world, as long as you work (hard) for it. (Oh please God, Brunei needs someone like this to make changes!)”

Cambodia Calling reminds Obama about the challenges he will face:

“Why am I interested? Because it is everyone's business who becomes the leader of the most powerful nation in the world. The pressure on Obama will be immense. If Obama fails to deliver, it'll be a long time coming for another black president in the US.”

Return to Rai Ketak compares Obama’s victory to East Timor’s independence celebration:

“Today, phone calls and emails, online chats…All with one profoundly positive message. History does not make us. We make history. I have not felt like this since May 20, 2002. And one Timorese friend made the comparison over email as well:

“After Timorese independence, the election of Barack Obama is one of the great events of the 21st century. It does not matter what may come to pass afterwards. The great step has already been taken.”

Indonesia Anonymus wonders whether Indonesians will vote an Obama-like candidate:

“Indonesians, of course, just like many people in any other countries, are mostly for Obama. So we love Obama, no doubt about it. Now the question is: if there is an ‘obama' in our country, will we be able to spot him? Or better yet, will we vote for him?

“In Indonesia, that would make our ‘obama' half native Indonesian and half Chinese. Let's just say, our ‘obama' has a javanese mother from Solo, central Java, and an Indonesian-Chinese father with ancestors from Fujian province, China.”

GJ Jakarta notes that the world has high expectations for Obama:

“This is a huge amount of pressure for this guy, he has not only the weight of Americans’ expectations, but that of the entire world.

“The reality is there will still be a financial crisis, the USA will be in recession, there will still be soldiers dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, thousands of people will be out of work, many more will lose their homes. I know this guy didn't do that, he's not responsible, and people are just looking for a happy story, something for the future, some shining light from the dark tunnel.”

Mahaguru58 from Malaysia believes America has redeemed itself by electing Obama:

“America has redeemed itself today by electing a man whom we can all respect and honor. Just listening to him speak, gives us a sense of hope. Each word that he utters, each sentence that he proclaims, returns a sense of goodwill to America. Today, the whole world celebrates the coming of a new era.”

Obnoxious 5xmom advises Malaysian bloggers who are overjoyed by Obama’s victory to do something about Malaysia’s local problems:

“It doesn’t make sense. So many Malaysian bloggers are ooooing and ahhhaing over how Obama has won the USA election. They write so passionately about him and how he is going to bring changes to the United States and the world.

“Yet, in our very own backyard, here in beautiful Malaysia, they never even bother to do something about it. Why so over the moon with what is happening in the USA when we cannot even try to make the changes over here in our country?

“Why I don’t see them ever question our own country’s policies? Why I don’t see them ever get agitated with the things that happen over here that affects us? Why gushing over something over at the USA when we cannot even lift a finger to do something here?”

Noting that America has achieved a breakthrough after electing Obama, Lim Kit Siang bemoans the quality of race relations and nation-building in Malaysia:

“Obama’s historic breakthrough make many Malaysians ask whether it is possible for a Chinese, Indian, Kadazan to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia although the Constitution is very clear that any Malaysian citizen, regardless of race or religion can become Prime Minister.

“If such a question is asked 50 years ago, the nation’s founders would unhesitatingly answered in the positive as there is no constitutional bar - separate from the question of whether it was likely to happen.

“But if the same question is asked now, there will be strong voices (as heard in Parliament today when this question was posed) who would rise up to say no.

“Why is Malaysian race relations and nation-building going backwards in the past 50 years as compared to the historic breakthrough in race relations in the United States with Obama’s historic victory in the US presidential elections?”

Rocky's bru from Malaysia has some questions for Obama:

“Will he be able to turn around the US economy? Will he close down Guantanamo Bay? Will he stop America's holy War against Terror? I have my doubts. But who cares, uh? They say anyone after Bush would/should make a better US President, at least to the rest of the miserable world.”

The US embassy in Thailand held a mock elections in Bangkok. Guess who won in the ballots? HaPPi like a HiPPo describes the mood in Bangkok:

“In the past few days, Thai television and radio channels in Bangkok have been talking a lot about Obama and seem to have forgotten about PAD protesters. Every Thai person I know supports Obama and even the radio jockeys and news presenters love him. Soon we can expect Obama dolls and other goodies being sold on the Thai streets.”

DK from Singapore was first worried over the selection of Obama as the Democrat’s candidate:

“I must admit that I was kinda worried when I learned that Obama is the Democrat candidate instead of Hillary. My main concern was that he is a black and America might not be really for a black president yet. I’m glad I was wrong. I’m glad Obama is elected as the President of United States. And although we don’t know if he is the right person to bring USA and the world out of recession, we know that we have better chance with him in the White House.”

Stars in the making from Singapore is a supporter of McCain:

“Tears came to my eyes when I watched John McCain give his final speech of this election campaign. In my mind, John McCain should be the next President of the USA. His experience in foreign affairs & war will stand America in good stead, and to me, he is the stability that America & the world needs during these turbulent times.

“But America voted for “Change”. Obama is a good man, and will lead the country with integrity. He is a symbol of the American Dream, but how long will this dream last? Will reality bite when Obama steps into his first year in office? Will expectations be too much for him to meet?”

Obama has chosen a Filipino as his consultant on Asia Pacific issues. At midfield reacts:

“For Filipinos, we will now to see whether having a Filipina as his main consultant of Asia Pacific issues will benefit us and lead to Obama revisiting his position against the Filipino USAFFE veterans equity bill and other issues, not least of them how the war on terror is being carried out here.”

A Filipina Mom Blogger is curious about Obama’s foreign policy:

“As a Filipino, I am interested in Senator Barrack Obama’s foreign policy. In Obama, I see a president willing to reach out to world leaders, whether friend and enemy, to open dialogue and resolve differences through diplomacy rather than military engagement. After all, when did it hurt to sit down and talk to our enemies?

“An Obama election will send a signal to minorities across America and to countries around the world that the US is breaking through the racial divide, opening their hearts to people of all colors and religion.”

Tonyo Cruz asks Filipino activists to emulate Obama’s campaign strategies:

“For Filipinos, let us draw inspiration from Obama’s victory. Let us raise the call for change this early (Obama started his campaign two years ago; the next elections here will be in less than two years!), challenge the political parties, and make our issues the central issues in the presidential campaign. Of course, the Philippine political system is a totally different animal compared to the US system. But that should not be an excuse to throw out the whole Obama experience. There are plenty of lessons to learn and perhaps to also apply in our own situations.”

Jennie S. Bev is proud of Obama. She lived in the same district where Obama stayed in Jakarta:

“Both Barack Obama and I once lived and grew up in the Menteng district of Central Jakarta. He went to SD Negeri 1 Menteng, while I went to Saint Theresia. Both schools were within a few minutes drive from each other, but of course unless time was a Mobius strip, we would not have met each other.

“I am proud of him, not just because we shared some commonalities in our upbringing, but because we believe in the promise of the future and that together we have the capacity and the courage to make meaningful changes.”

Asri Wijayanti from Indonesia is now in the U.S., and is wondering why there are few election posters in the streets:

“I was thinking, that the Americans were so fascinated, as much as I was, about this election. I imagined the stacks of posters and banners all the way, as crowded as it is in Indonesia at the campaign phase, but I was wrong.

“It was pretty surprising for me to see NOTHING related to the national election on the way. No photos of the candidates, no posters, no banners, nothing. I walked through the bus stops, campus corridors, downtown area, wondering. Why? Is it because everybody knows Obama and McCain so well? But are the people sure that they are going to vote?”

Then she notes the lack of voters' education in media:

“I then learned that voter education is something rare in national media. I watched news channels, and I hardly see neutral electoral ads, or the ads that merely encourage people to register and cast their vote. Instead, compared to the dynamics in Indonesian election, the voter education activities in United States, in my eyes looks like underground phenomenon, the off-mainstream media programs, as the channels are more interested in the political waves itself then the encouragement to the people to be aware of their political rights.”

Patricio Mangubat from the Philippines is curious about Obama's anti-terror platform in the Asia-Pacific region:

“Obama has yet to address the increasing problems of terrorism in the Asia-Pacific region. We presume that Obama will continue the existing US policy against terror in the region, yet, up to what extent? Yes, anti-terror campaigns will definitely continue under either an Obama or a McCain presidency, but who'll be more vigilant and more vigorous in chasing after these Islamic terrorists? Given the record of Obama, will he be implementing a “softer” approach to this global menace?”

Khoo Kay Peng from Malaysia recognizes the need for politicians to show decisive leadership in times of crisis:

“US and Malaysia are facing the serious problem - but of different magnitude - with their domestic economy. It is probably much worse in the US than here. But there is a stark difference in the way politicians from both sides responded to the problem…We need politicians to show leadership during difficult times. Here in Malaysia, politicians busy jostling for positions.”

Asian Americans comprise a significant number in the United States. Who will win the Asian American vote? Jay encourages Cambodian Americans to actively participate in the election process. Brain Bang advises the Democrats on how to win the Filipino-American vote. Lao Voices highlights the poor economic situation of Lao Americans to argue against another Republican presidency:

“The situation for Lao Americans is far worse. According to the 2000 census, Lao Americans obtained a per capita (per person 25+) income of less than $12,000! Ironically, this is almost one tenth of the threshold where they benefit more from Republicans. Most will never make the Rep honey pot in their lifetime. More than one third of the Lao Americans even live below the poverty line. An estimated 98.5% of all Lao Americans will pay more taxes under McCain than under Obama. Go figure.”

Ridz.sg from Singapore is obviously not a fan of Vice President candidate Sarah Palin:

“Watching Sarah Palin is worrying though because the more I listen to what she has to say, the more of a joke she becomes to me. She evades every damn question. Wrong. She doesn’t even evade. She just talks about some other point and completely ignores the original question.”

On the other hand, CK's Musings is supporting Palin:

“Palin has struggled all her life, so I'm sure she'll understand the struggles the common people are going through when she is in the White House. She also speaks better and I don't feel like she's talking down to me. Biden and Obama are just too elitist, they make me feel like I'm a peon and that they hold all the answers.”

Hanqing values the experience advantage of McCain over Obama:

“Bottom line, the US (and the world) is going through a pretty trying period right now. I don’t think people really need to hear words of empowerment or inspirational sound bites that make them feel warm and fuzzy. They need to be reassured that they have a leader who has enough experience and mental toughness to help a country weather a crisis. And though John McCain may not be nearly as polished as Barack Obama is, his experience seems to make up for it.”

Akomismo from the Philippines compares McCain and Obama:

“Obama and McCain are yin and yang. Of all their contrasts, the assessment I agree with most is that they represent an America at the crossroads of two generations. One is from the America that has always been there: strong, triumphant, and takes pride in longevity and experience. The other is from an America that is just being born: cosmopolitan, global, and takes pride in diversity and change. What makes this election so close is that these two paradigms present equally valid ways of dealing with the present economic crisis, the lingering wars on Iraq and Afghanistan, and the standing of America at home and abroad. Thus, this isn’t about partisanship anymore, it’s about leadership. Who has what it takes to live out the vision of America they present?”

If informal surveys are to be believed, it seems Obama is more popular in the region. An Obama victory will be welcomed in Indonesia. Mum's the Word (or Pa) from Singapore believes it is impossible for McCain to win in the elections. Beyond SG discusses the role of social networking sites in today’s politics. A Vietnam non-profit group borrows the soundbytes of US candidates to promote their newsletter.

Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s biggest economy. But it is also facing tremendous economic challenges. Poverty is rising, unemployment is high, and unrest is mounting.

What are the views of Indonesian bloggers and residents on the Wall Street crash?

First, a background on the Indonesian economy. Indonesia Project writes:

“Indonesia’s inflation rate is now well over twice as high as the central bank’s target of about five per cent. There are two convenient scapegoats: big increases in both oil and rice prices. But the real explanation, as always, is unduly loose monetary policy.”

The Polar Bear Diaries is not optimistic about the status of Indonesia’s economy:

“Indonesia survives by exporting produce from its large workforce. Local market purchasing power is limited. A large percentage of the population live from hand to mouth, with little or no savings. But those exports are falling compared to imports, and the general cost of living is rising dramatically. Exports will fall a lot further as consumer confidence in the West is eroded.”

The Wall Street crash had an immediate impact on Indonesia’s economy. Everything Indonesia reports:

“Indonesia's composite index fell around 10% in a single day Monday, the kind of drop that would have American market commentators running for their bottles of Maalox…Contracting economies means less energy consumption which means Indonesian commodity concerns, like coal companies, get hammered.”

Indonesian banks suffered too which pushed some local investors to seek government assistance. Exegesis disapproves this kind of behavior:

“Have you read newspapers lately? I'm talking about those people trying to ask compensation from the government for their investment loss due to the crippling effect from the Wall Street's recent fiasco. They are amazing. When they decided to put their money in private investment bank, they did it out of respectable greed and of course without consulting any government whatsoever (in fact it's really like: hey this is my money, you government stay away!). Now the bank they put their money with is facing serious problem and is likely to share the pain with their individual ‘investors'. And they're asking the government to pay for their loss? I don't get it. I really don't.”

Meanwhile, Id economy shares the government's optimism:

“I fully agree with government about the current condition, we're still good to go but we should anticipate for contagion effect, in this case by fighting liquidity squish both for domestic currency (by limiting credit expansion) and foreign currency (by promoting export).”

The public is advised not to panic:

“If you ask me what next, to be honest I do not know. Since that's all depends on the market now. Depends on the result of maintaining current account we will see up and down in rupiah's exchange rate that's for sure. And depends on the credit growth reform we will see (in my opinion) slowdown in economic growth. But how the swing up and down is completely up to the market to decide. Yes, please play safe these days, there are panic people out there, and it is a bliss and bless for us not to be panic (now).”

treespotter hopes the situation in the US will improve:

“I am not an American but I have financial interests to see the market go back to where it was (if possible, circa 2005). Similar to America, I’m up to my neck in debt and survive only on steeply declining asset and a line of credit. I don’t get to vote for American president and I don’t have a representative to call. I get to watch the whole thing from television and the internet, and I truly wonder if anyone there really knows what they’re doing. I sincerely hope so.”

Cafe Salemba supports the bailout program of the US government:

“You may agree or disagree with the plan, but I think it is imperative to at least understand that this is about how to deal with credit market, the heart of the economy that keeps its lifeblood flowing, that doesn't work. One lesson from the 1930 Great Depression and 1998 Asian Crisis is that the failure to do so will bring a prolonged credit crunch and output contraction. It could become indeed very nasty.”

The threat of economic recession is affecting personal perspectives. Java Jive writes:

“It’s October, so it must be that time of year when I freak out about the future, to stay in Indonesia or not, to seek another career option, or simply maintain what I’ve been doing for so long now. It doesn’t help that the American economy has been thrown in the canal, nor that the Indonesian economy is now heading towards possible turmoil as well.”

Indonesia Matters discusses the prospect of making the sharia finance as alternative to the US economic and banking model. A lively discussion in the comments section ensues:

Andy notes how the West managed to survive economic recessions in the past:

“Whatever happens in the west now I don’t believe will be as bad as 1987 and certainly not as bad as 1929. And from both cases the west returned stronger than ever before. Compare that to now where Indonesia still hasn’t recovered from 1998 even though ten years have passed.”

Marisa points out the need to reform the US financial sector:

“How does USA’s financial crisis affect Indonesia, anyhow? According to Faisal Basri on last night’s news, it has not greatly affected Indonesia, because Indonesia hasn’t reached that certain economic depth with the US that would make it as affected as, for instance, Australia. Oh wow, apparently Indonesia isn’t so westernized after all, we just look westernized.

“While our Asian third world brains are beginning to question the worthiness of our loyalty to the Great White Hope — vice versa, America must endure whatever it is they need to endure…I do absolutely agree that American financial sector must reform itself, especially after Bush administration and the way its doing things.”

Unspun questions the imprecise reporting of Indonesian newspapers about the financial crisis. Via Twitter, vmahmud writes: “…is now seeking tweets from the U.S. Stock Exchange. Everyone have their parachutes ready?”