I refer to M Sahaja's letter Non-Malays clouded by own insecurities .

Sahaja's statements about ethnic minorities in the US are really quite bizarre. Where do some Malaysians get these ideas? From Dr Mahathir Mohamad's former Pravda-like propaganda machine? Sahaja claims, in one example, that Chinese-Americans are marginalised and 'holed up in so-called Chinatowns'.

On the contrary - even the most shallow and rudimentary understanding of US society will reveal that Chinese-Americans are not holed up anywhere. Educationally and professionally they are, in fact, probably the most over-achieving ethnic group in the country. They attend the top universities in droves and have become extremely successful in science, medicine, engineering and even literature (an example of the last being the popular novelist Amy Tan).

There are still Chinatowns, yes, but they are no longer the primary residence of the Chinese community, which has, for the most part, moved up and out into the suburbs to single-family homes (what you call 'bungalows' in Malaysia). The Chinatowns serve principally as a way station for the less well-to-do new immigrants, and as a place where great food and culture converge. In a word, we love our Chinatowns, especially San Francisco's. That city would never be the same without its famous Chinatown. But it doesn't mean Chinese people are segregated there.

Neither are any other ethnic groups 'marginalised' by the federal government. We are all Americans. To be sure, some racist individuals rear their ugly heads now and then, but the state, local and federal governments, as well as employers and landlords, are not allowed to discriminate against any particular group. I don't pretend discrimination never happens. But the victims have redress with the state and federal governments, which do follow up on such complaints.

And certainly, poverty seems to appear in clusters among African-Americans and Latinos, but hard work and an education ethic are available to everyone if he or she chooses to embrace those values. We have now a substantial African-American middle-class as well as stars like Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell.

I'm sure many Chinese will justifiably take issue with Sajaha's letter and perhaps note that his comparisons and contrasts with the US are probably irrelevant. I would add that they are also inaccurate.