KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 30 -- As Malaysia turns 69, the country has witnessed its fair share of history - from the struggle for independence and the formation of the federation to almost seven decades of nation-building, political change and rapid development.

Yet much of that history lives on not only in records and textbooks, but also in the places where key decisions were made and in the stories of those who helped shape the country through its formative years.

One such place is the Statesman Memorial (also known as Memorial Negarawan), housed in the former Prime Minister's Office (PMO) along Jalan Dato Onn, which bears witness to the country's post-independence administrative history.

Built in 1957 along what was then known as Brockman ...