About the Malaysian flag ...

Why does it look so much like the U.S. flag? It's tempting (and chauvinistic, let's be real) to believe that the Malaysians copied the Stars and Stripes, but I think that would be wrongheaded. It is more reasonable to consider what America and Malaysia have in common ― that both were British colonies, and that both based their ensigns on the British East India flag. Don't @ me.

The elements common to both designs stretch back to the 17th century, well before the Continental Congress convened.