Recently I attended the malaysiakini's 5th anniversary dinner . The entertainment, food and atmosphere were wonderful but there was one incident which I found unpleasant.

Before the start of the dinner, Amnesty International screened a Powerpoint presentation on world issues. In one scene, Amnesty showed a picture of the Ku Klax Klan and below that picture was written the word 'America'.

I found this picture deeply disturbing. It seems to reaffirm the most common prejudice that many Malaysians have against Americans, namely, that Americans are intolerant and racist. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Having lived in the US for almost a decade, I have found America and its people to be exemplary when it comes to pluralism, racial unity and civic-mindedness. I have traveled to over 40 countries worldwide and the US is the only country where I, as an Indian Malaysian, can feel at home and blend in perfectly with the general populace.

Why do Malaysian's tend to have such a mistaken view of America? When I came home to Malaysia and read our local press, the answer is glaringly obvious. Because our press, primarily the government-controlled media, and our local politicians are perpetuating this myth.

This is not just true in Malaysia, but it in a large number of neighbouring countries.

As in a Indian Malaysian living in the US, I found Americans to be largely colour blind when it comes to race. In fact, Americans have a healthy respect for Asians. Asian Americans are one of the wealthiest and most successful ethnic groups in the US.

Grab a cab from New York's John F Kennedy airport to Manhattan and odds are, your taxi driver will be a first-generation South Asian immigrant. Now visit some of the more expensive bars and clubs in America and you'll find them filled with second and third-generation Indian Americans.

Asians that arrive in America rapidly move up the income stream within a few generations.

I love talking to New York taxi drivers and one of the most surprising things I've found is that many of them, although having lived in the US for 20 something years, cannot think of a single time they had faced discrimination.

As for me, at the age of 27, I was running an office for my company with 10 Americans working under me. None of them considered my race or nationality important.

Finally, as for the Ku Klux Klan, let me say that I have witnessed two Ku Klax Klan rallies in the USA. If anything, they showed me how much America has changed and how united the country has become against racism.

Each KKK rally only consisted of five to seven members, all aging white men. They stood huddled in a circle surrounded by over 1,000 demonstrators of every race and colour. Police officers had to be present to keep the crowd under control and prevent them from getting to close to the Klan members.

What was meant to be an anti-colour rally turned into a show of unity as white, black, Hispanic and Indian Americans celebrated, kissed and held hands. Then someone tossed a rock that hit one of the Klan members causing him to fall to the ground.

A black woman calmly rush to his side to help him get up. It was a scene I never forgot.

I encourage Malaysian to visit the US, even study and start businesses there. You will not find a friendlier people and more welcoming country. There as much we can learn from the US when it comes to fostering equality, diversity and pluralism.