Kuala Lumpur was never meant to be a capital city - its swampy ground and tin-town origins hardly suggested greatness. Yet from eccentric decisions and symbolic moments, especially that fateful day at Dataran Merdeka, KL emerged as the heart of Malaysia. We speak to cultural commentator Eddin Khoo, co-founder of Pusaka, who explores KL’s unlikely evolution, its complicated history, and the meaning of Merdeka from the vantage point of the city he calls home.