Federation of Malaya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Federation of Malaya Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malay)
1948–1963
Flag (1950–1963) Coat of arms (1950–1963)
Anthem: God Save the King / Queen (1948–1957) Negaraku (1957–1963)
Location of the Federation of Malaya (dark blue)
Status	British protectorate (1948–1957) Independent monarchy as member state of the Commonwealth of Nations (1957–1963)
Capital and largest city	Kuala Lumpur 3°8′N 101°41′E / 3.133°N 101.683°E / 3.133; 101.683
Common languages	Malay (official), English
Government	Federation as British protectorate (1948–1957) Federal parliamentary elective constitutional monarchy (1957–1963)
Monarch
• 1948–1952	George VI
• 1952–1957	Elizabeth II
• 1957–1960	Abdul Rahman
High Commissioner
• 1948	Edward Gent
• 1948–1951	Henry Gurney
• 1952–1954	Gerald Templer
• 1954–1957	Donald MacGillivray
Head of government
• 1955–1957	Tunku Abdul Rahman (as Chief Minister)
• 1957–1963	Tunku Abdul Rahman (as Prime Minister)
Legislature	Federal Legislative Council (1948–1959) Parliament (since 1959)
• Upper house	Dewan Negara (Senate) (since 1959)
• Lower house	Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) (since 1959)
History
• Established	1 February 1948
• Independence	31 August 1957
• Malaysia Agreement	16 September 1963
Currency	Malayan dollar (1948–1953) Malaya and British Borneo dollar (1953–1967)
Time zone	UTC+7:30 (Malaya Standard Time)
Preceded by Succeeded by Malayan Union Crown Colony of Malacca Crown Colony of Penang Malaysia
Today part of	Malaysia

The Federation of Malaya (in Malay: Persekutuan Tanah Melayu) was a group of eleven states that came together. It existed from February 1, 1948, until September 16, 1963. These states were previously known as British Malaya.

The Federation included nine Malay states and two British areas called Straits Settlements (Penang and Malacca). On August 31, 1957, the Federation became an independent country. Later, in 1963, it joined with Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak to form Malaysia.

History of Malaya

From 1946 to 1948, the eleven states were part of a British colony called the Malayan Union. Many Malay people did not like this arrangement. Because of their strong opposition, the Union was ended.

In its place, the Federation of Malaya was created. This new setup brought back the important roles of the Malay rulers. Within the Federation, the Malay states were under British protection, but Penang and Malacca remained British colonies. Singapore, even though it was connected to Malaya, was not part of the Federation.

Forming the Federation

The plan for the Federation of Malaya was created between June and December 1946. British and Malay leaders worked together on this plan. The final agreement was signed on January 21, 1948. It was signed by the Malay rulers and Sir Edward Gent, who represented the British government.

This agreement officially replaced the Malayan Union. It led to the creation of the Federation of Malaya on February 1, 1948. The power and position of the Malay rulers were also restored.

Independence and Malaysia

The Federation gained full independence from British rule on August 31, 1957. It then became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. In 1963, the Federation changed its name to "Malaysia." This happened when it joined with the British territories of Singapore, Sarawak, and North Borneo.

Later, Singapore left Malaysia and became its own independent country on August 9, 1965.

States of the Federation

The Federation of Malaya was made up of these states:

•  Johor
•  Kedah
•  Kelantan
•  Malacca
•  Negeri Sembilan
•  Pahang
•  Penang
•  Perak
•  Perlis
•  Selangor
•  Terengganu

How the Government Worked

The government of the Federation of Malaya was led by a British High Commissioner. This person had executive powers, meaning they could make decisions and carry them out. They were helped by two councils: the Federation of Malaya Executive Council and the Federation of Malaya Legislative Council.

• The Executive Council had 7 official members and 7 unofficial members.
• The Legislative Council had the High Commissioner as its head. It also had 14 official members and 50 unofficial members. These unofficial members represented different groups, including people from the Straits Settlements, business groups, and all races.
• The Malay Conference of Rulers gave advice to the High Commissioner on matters like immigration.
• In each state, a Chief Minister replaced the British Resident.

Becoming a Citizen

The rules for becoming a citizen of the Federation of Malaya were made stricter. People could become citizens automatically or by applying.

You were automatically a citizen if you were:

• A citizen of the Sultan of any state.
• A British subject born in Penang or Malacca who had lived in the Federation for 15 years straight.
• A British subject born in the Federation whose father was born there or had lived there for 15 years straight.
• Anyone born in the Federation who spoke Malay and followed Malay traditions.
• Anyone born in the Federation whose parents were born there and had lived there for 15 years straight.

You could also apply for citizenship if you:

• Were born and had lived for at least 8 out of 12 years in the Federation before applying.
• Had lived in the Federation for at least 15 out of 20 years before applying.

For those applying, they also had to be well-behaved, promise loyalty, explain why they wanted to live in the Federation, and be fluent in Malay or English.

The Federation's constitution protected the rights and special position of the Malay people. It also protected the rights and power of the Malay rulers in their states.

Sharing Power

The agreement that created the Federation (Perjanjian Persekutuan) explained how power was shared. It divided responsibilities between the federal government and the state governments. For example, each state handled its own money matters. The Sultan in each state had full power over religious matters and Malay customs. However, the British government still managed foreign policy and defense.

This agreement became the Constitution of the Federation of Malaya. It was officially announced on February 1, 1948.

Legislative Council Meetings

Dato' Onn bin Jaafar, the Chief Minister of Johor, and President of the United Malays National Organisation, preparing the State and Federation of Malaya Agreements for signing in 1948.

The Federation of Malaya Legislative Council held its first meeting in 1948 in Tuanku Abdul Rahman Hall in Kuala Lumpur. Sir Edward Gent, the British High Commissioner, opened the meeting.

The Council included:

• The British High Commissioner (as the leader).
• Three special members (the Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary, and Attorney General).
• Eleven members from the states and settlements.
• Eleven official members.
• Thirty-four appointed unofficial members.

These unofficial members had to be citizens of the Federation or British subjects.

In 1948, the Council had members from different ethnic groups:

• 28 Malay representatives.
• 14 Chinese representatives.
• 6 Indian representatives.
• 14 European representatives.

At this first meeting, Dato' Onn Jaafar said that the people of the Federation did not want outside powers to interfere. The Chinese representative, Ong Chong Keng, stated that the Chinese people would be loyal to the Federation. During this meeting, several smaller committees were also formed. These included a finance committee and an election committee. The Council also passed important laws, such as the Kuala Lumpur City Bill.

Judicial System

The Federation had a court system with different levels. There were lower courts, a High Court, and a Court of Appeal. Important judges during this time included Sir Stafford Foster-Sutton, Sir Charles Mathew, and Sir James Beveridge Thomson.

Population of Malaya

This table shows the population of the Federation of Malaya by ethnic group in 1948 and 1951.

How Malaysia Grew

See also

• Federation of Malaya Independence Act 1957
• Federal Legislative Council
• Peninsular Malaysia
• Malayan Emergency
• Reid Commission