The story revolves around the central character of Bapak, an ageing, polygamous, British-educated, Malay, Muslim, retired journalist, patriarch, who realises he doesn't have much time left on Earth and so invites his five children to have dinner with him to discuss some unresolved family matters with them, including who will inherit his house, their childhood home, an old decaying mansion, set in an acre of lush garden in the centre of the rapidly developing capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
