One reads with dismay the largest Malaysian flag that was inspected by our prime minister in Ipoh recently. Has the measure of patriotism now been reduced to the size of one's flag? One would have thought that size only matters to Godzilla.

Imagine what the RM65,000 spent on creating the flag would have done for the have-nots of our country! Easily, two low-cost houses, 20 computers for the rural schools to narrow the digital divide, food for the next 12 months for five old folk homes, etc. Imagine the number of person-hours spent on the flag; could not those valuable hours be spent more profitably?

One hopes when everything is over and done with, that huge piece of cloth can be used in a meaningful manner and not just go to waste.

Why, oh why must we be so fascinated with the biggest this, the largest that, the longest this and the tallest that? Does size really matter?