Kuala Lampur, Aug. 21 -- We lived in a squatter unit. Two rooms, kitchen and living area under zinc roofing.

Four equal quadrant units, two shared outhouses behind. In the 1970s, six occupants inside the quadrant unit, and outside my dad's scooter.

There were no Cuti-Cuti Malaysia options for every Merdeka holiday, except to stay home and watch the parade on the telly.

Dad strung banner flags, which were like 10 feet long streamers. The memory is sketchy but certainly not conventional rectangular flags, or correct in terms of stripes.

The government driver and his Merdeka Day decoration, seated on his rattan chair watching uniformed units marching in black and white.

I wonder what my old man would make of the ruckus over the flag.

H...