Federal Legislative Council (Malaya) facts for kids

The Federal Legislative Council was an important group of people who helped make laws for the Federation of Malaya. Think of it as an early version of today's Malaysian Parliament. It was set up in 1948. This happened after the Malayan Union was ended and the Federation of Malaya was formed. It was part of a promise from the United Kingdom to let the people of Malaya start ruling themselves. The council met in Kuala Lumpur.

What Was the Federal Legislative Council?

The Federal Legislative Council was the main law-making body for Malaya. It was created to help Malaya move towards becoming an independent country. This council was a big step in Malaya's journey to self-rule.

How It Started

Before the council, Malaya was under British rule. The British wanted to give Malayans more say in how their country was run. So, they created this council in 1948. It was a new start for law-making in Malaya.

Who Was in the Council?

The council had members from different communities in Malaya. There were people from the Malay, Chinese, and Indian groups. At first, the British High Commissioner for Malaya chose all the members. This meant the British decided who would be in the council.

The First Election

Things changed in 1955. For the first time, people in Malaya got to vote for some of the council members. This was a very exciting time!

What Happened in 1955?

In the 1955 election, 52 seats in the council were open for voting. The party that won the most seats could then choose seven more members. The Alliance Party was very popular. They ran for all 52 seats and won 51 of them! The Pan-Malayan Islamic Party won the last seat. After this election, Raja Uda Raja Muhammad was chosen as the Speaker of the Council. This role is similar to the Speaker in today's Malaysian Parliament.

Helping Malaya Become Independent

The Federal Legislative Council played a huge role in Malaya's independence. On August 15, 1957, the council approved the Malayan Constitution. This important document set out the rules for the new country. Just a few weeks later, on August 31, 1957, Malaya became an independent nation!

The Council's End

Even after independence, the Federal Legislative Council continued to make laws for Malaya. It kept working until 1959. Then, it was dissolved to make way for a new election. This election chose the first members of the new Malaysian Parliament.

See also

• Parliament of Malaysia
• Members of the Federal Legislative Council (1955–59)