MALAYSIAN

STUDIES
MPU2163
Chapter 4
Formation of Malaysia

Formation of Malaysia
The idea of formation of Malaysia put
forward by Tunku Abdul Rahman on 27th
May 1961 (in Singapore)
Forming an economic and political alliance
involving Federation of Malaya with British
colonized regions of Singapore, North
Borneo(Sabah), Sarawak and Brunei

Steps taken towards the Formation of Malaysia

Date/ Action

Objective

Jan 1961 Tunku visited Sabah &

Sarawak

To reduce peoples doubt

July 1961 Tunku visited Brunei

To give further clarification

Aug 1961 Singapore Consultation

To explain to the people

To discuss on Singapore
position/autonomy

Mid1961 Intergration Consultation

To dissolve the suspicion of the leader

and people of Sabah and Sarawak

Aug 1962Cobbold Commission

To survey the opinion of the people of

Sabah and Sarawak

Sept 1962 Singapore referendum

To convince the people of Singapore

Jun 1963 United Nation Mission

To get definite answers from the people

of Sabah and Sarawak

July 1963 The Malaysian agreement

was signed by all 4 member countries

Malaysia, a new nation was born on 16th

Sept 1963

Factors that Affecting the

Formation of Malaysia
1. Threat and Influence of the Communist
-. Federation of Malaya and Singapore have many
similarities in the aspect of history, laws economy and
finance
-. The party that led by Lee Kuan Yew (Peoples Action Party)
is declining- Another Party formed that is the Socialist
Front (Influence by the communist)
-. British and Malaya do not what the administration of
Singapore to be taken over by leaders with communist
ideology
-. Active communist influence also spread to Sarawak

2. Granting Independence to Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei

and Singapore
-. Formation of Malaysia may be taken up to 2 years
time, but for Sabah and Sarawak were to gain
independence separately, it may takes up to 5 years
or more
-. Faster independence in these region will impede the
communist intention to form a reigning government

3. Sharing Economic Benefits

- Territories that were richer in economic will be
able to assist other territories that were
underdevelop and lack of resource
- Malaya- rich in tin; Brunei- oil resources; Safer
Singapore port if Singapore joins

4. Defending Native Communities in Sabah and Sarawak

- Economic activities were held by foreigners
- Joining Malaya will be able to give special treatment to
bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak.
- British does not treat the locals well, foreigners were
given priority
- Low literacy and allocation of government position
- Lack of educated bumiputera therefore limit them to
hold any government position

Preserve the Rights of Bumiputeras in al Region

involved
5.

- Combination of Singapore and Malaya only will

cause the number of population of non Malays
more than Malays
- Whereas When combining, Singapore, Malaya
Sabah and Sarawak, Number of Bumiputeras will
exceed the others
- Therefore to guarantee no threat to the position of
Malays and bumiputeras, entry of Sabah and
Sarawak is crucial

Reaction towards Malaysia

I. Singapore
Peoples Action Party (PAP) under the
leadership of Lee Kuan Yew was most
interested
United Peoples Party (UPP) opposed to join
Federation of Malaysia.
PAP worried about UPP might take over
Singapore therefore Lee Kuan Yew decided to
join Federation of Malaysia

Reaction towards Malaysia

(cont.)
II. Brunei
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin was very interested and
consider Malaysia a good idea
His Highness faced strong opposition from Ahmad M.
Azahari, leader of Brunei Peoples Party
Azahari wanted to Unite Brunei with North Borneo,
Sabah and Sarawak into an organization under the
name North Kalimantan
Ahmad M. Azahari succeed in influencing Brunei
residents to go against formation of Malaysia

Reaction towards Malaysia

(cont.)

III. Sabah and Sarawak

Anxiety among non- Malays- afraid being
discriminate and worried over Malayan
domination
Could not see any immediate economic benefit
that could be obtain from this affiliation
Parti Barisan Rakyat Jati Sarawak (BERJASA)
from Sarawak and United Sabah National
Organization (UNSO) from Sabah was the only
party that supported the formation of Malaysia

Reaction towards Malaysia

(cont.)
IV. Malaya
PAS against the formation of Malaysia. PAS
claimed the Malays would lose out if Malaysia
were established
PAS prefer MAPHILINDO, which combined
Malaya, Philippines and Indonesia
V. British
Accept that the countries merge into new
nation

The Formation Process of

Malaysia
Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee (JPPM)
- Chaired by Donald Stephens
- Joined by representatives from all regions involved
- To explain the concept of formation of Malaysia
especially to residents of Sabah, Sarawak and
Brunei
- To gather ideas and views of the residents about the
plan to form Malaysia

Cobbold Commission
- Led by Lord Cobbold and Anthony Abell, David
Waterson, Dato Wong Pow Nee and Tan Sri Mohd
Ghazali Shafie
- To survey the opinion of Sabah and Sarawak
residents
- The Commissio found that 80% of the residents of
Sabah and Sarawak (Bumiputeras) supported the
formation of Malaysia

Inter-government Committee (JAK)

- Led by Lord Landsdowne.
- To form a constitution based on 1957 federation of
Malaya Constitution, Cobbold Commission Report
and JPPM
- Main issues in this constitution:
- 1. Status of Islam
- 2. the Malay language
- 3. immigration control
- 4. Education
- 5. Parlimentary representatives for Sabah,
Sarawak and Brunei

Singapore Referendum
- To look at the view of Singapore citizen
- 71% resident supported the formation of Malaysia
- History analyst claims that Singapore residents
supported the formation due to
- 1. PAP government convincing the people their
citizenship will not betaken away through the
affiliation
- 2. Singapore international trade might decline if
they had not been affiliated
- 3. could not overcome the threat posed by the
communist

Brunei withdrawal
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin cancelled the plan to join Malaysia due
to several request were not approved by the Federation of Malaya
government. These demands were:
i.

10 Parliamentary seats

ii. Domination of all oil revenues

iii. Autonomy in financial matters at the early stage
iv. Sustaining all its investments
v. Sustaining low tax rates
vi. Continuing education and welfare programmes
vii. Demanding that Bruneis security in Malaysia be guaranteed
viii.Requesting that Sultan of Bruneis domination in the Royal
Council start from the date of his reign as a sultan and not from
the date Brunei entered Malaysia

Singapore
Lee Kuan Yew agreed to join Malaysia and matters contain
in the affiliation must determined together with the people
of Singapore.
On 23rd August 1961, Meeting of Singapore and Federation
of Malaya to discuss a few issues.
Agreement stated of the White Paper that matters of
defence, external relation and security would come under
the jurisdiction of the Federation of Malaya
Education and labour should come under the jurisdiction
of the Singapore Government itself

 After Singapore join Malaysia for 2 years, relationship

between Malaysia and Singapore become strained due to
matters of economy, party and racism
1. Economy
-. When Malaya, Singapore , Sabah and Sarawak united,
their passionate to enhance their industrial sectors and
carry out joint manufacturing. However, when Malaysia
was formed, very little economic progress was
accomplished

2.

Party and Racism

- PAP led by Lee Kuan Yew attempted to compete with Alliance Party
that lead by Tunku Abdul Rahman.
- PAP initiate that MCA could not help the Chinese to progress and
develop
- Campaign carried out by PAP invade the special rights of Malays
- Situation become worst when Singapore fought for equality of rights
and activated the campaign Malaysia for the Malaysians led by
Lee Kuan Yew and formed the United Opposition Front.
- Tunku Abdul Rahman tried to solve these issues but unsuccessful
- Finally in August 1965, Singapore made a decision to leave Malaysia

Reaction of ASEANS country

Philippines opposition
President Macapagal claimed Sabah was originally
part of Philippines territory
Formation of Malaysia will complicated his effort
to claim Sabah
President Macapagal broke off diplomatic relations
with Malaysia

Indonesia confrontation (Jan

1963)
Firstly Indonesia supported the formation of Malaysia, but

then after a few months, President Sukarno opposed and

declared his policy of confrontation towards the formation
of Malaysia with the Slogan Crush Malaysia (Ganyang
Malaysia)

He stated that the formation of Malaysia is to make sure

that the British domination upon rubber, tin and oil in the
region involved continues to last
According to historians, the establishment of Malaysia
aborted Sukarnos scheme to form the greater Indonesian
Empire as a tactic to divert the peoples attention away
from various internal problem in Indonesia

Conclusion
Federation of Malaysia which included Malaya,
Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak finally established
on 16th September 1963
Singapore left Malaysia 2 years after its formation
The formation of Malaysia brought a lot of benefit
to Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak