Malaysia Bill facts for kids
| Malaysia Bill of Agreement relating to Malaysia between United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore | |
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| Drafted | 15 November 1961 |
| Signed | 9 July 1963 |
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
| Sealed | 31 July 1963 |
| Effective | 16 September 1963 |
| Signatories |
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| Parties |
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| Depositary | British Government dated 21 September 1970 The Secretary-General of the  United Nations acting in his capacity as depositary the following:(English), (French), and (Malay) Registered Nr. I-10760 |
| Languages | English and Malay |
 Agreement relating to Malaysia between United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore/Annex A at Wikisource |
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The Malaysia Bill was a very important document that helped create the country of Malaysia. It was part of a bigger agreement called the Malaysia Agreement. This agreement was signed by the United Kingdom, the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore.
The main goal of the Malaysia Bill was to bring these different areas together. It made the British colonies of North Borneo, Sarawak, and the state of Singapore join with the existing states of the Federation of Malaya. When they all joined, the new country was named Malaysia. The Bill also changed the existing constitution of the Federation of Malaya to fit this new, larger country. This new constitution became known as the Constitution of Malaysia.
Contents
What the Malaysia Bill Covered
The Malaysia Bill was like a detailed instruction manual for setting up the new country. It explained many important things about how Malaysia would work.
Setting Up the Government
The Bill had sections about how the government would be organized. This included rules for the Head of State, the Parliament (where laws are made), and the courts. It also talked about the different parts of government in each state.
Who Are the Citizens?
An important part of the Bill explained who would become citizens of the new Malaysia. It covered how people could become citizens, either automatically or by registering. It also dealt with how citizenship would work for people moving between Singapore and other parts of Malaysia.
Laws and Money
The Bill also set out how laws would be made and how money would be managed. It had special rules for North Borneo and Sarawak, which were called the "Borneo States," and for Singapore, especially about their finances.
Protecting Special Interests
The Malaysia Bill included sections to protect the special interests of the different states joining the federation. This made sure that the unique needs and rights of places like North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore were considered in the new country.
States of the Federation
Part II of the Malaysia Bill clearly listed the areas that would form the new country. It stated that the new federation would be known as Malaysia in both Malay and English.
The states that became part of Malaysia were:
- The States of Malaya: Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, and Terengganu.
- The Borneo States: North Borneo and Sarawak.
- The State of Singapore.
The Heads of State
The Malaysia Bill also explained the role of the Heads of State in the new federation. It said that the Governors (leaders) of North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore would become members of the Conference of Rulers. This group is very important because its main job is to choose the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, who is the supreme head of Malaysia.
