A Malaysian meets America's most famous lady and finds a story built by immigrants

New York was never on the list of places I'd ever want to visit. As a Malaysian, I'd grown up surrounded by American culture through movies, music, sitcoms, presidents and recognisable landmarks. I'd read about a different America in recent times, with Donald Trump back in the White House, stricter immigration laws, and tariffs on the agenda once more.

When Trump barred certain news outlets from the White House, it only made America seem even more contradictory. Still, there was one American symbol I longed to see: the Statue of Liberty. Naturally, seeing her from afar only made me want to get closer. For a price of US$25.80, my Pedestal Reserve ticket included the ferry, access to the pedestal and Ellis Island.

Stepping aboard the ferry, I gaped in awe as Lady Liberty grew larger against the skyline. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and Gustave Eiffel, she was a gift from France to the United States in 1886. The pedestal was funded by American donations, with Hungarian immigrant Joseph Pulitzer's newspaper promising to publish the name of every donor, regardless of the amount.

This incredible act of unity represents the democratic spirit of America. As I stood before her, broken shackles and chains at her feet symbolised freedom from slavery and oppression. Her raised foot hinted at the stepping forward to come. This statue, built by immigrants, continues to hold aloft an ideal larger than the monument itself, reminding us that ideals matter, even when reality falls short.