Malaysia Day facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Malaysia Day
A picture of the 2011 simultaneous Malaysia Day and Hari Merdeka celebrations that was held at the Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.
Official name	Hari Malaysia
Observed by	Malaysians
Type	National
Significance	Marks the establishment of the Malaysian federation.
Date	16 September
Next time	16 September 2025 (2025-09-16)
Frequency	Annual

Malaysia Day (Malay: Hari Malaysia) is a public holiday celebrated every year on September 16. It marks the day in 1963 when the country of Malaysia was officially formed.

On this important day, several areas came together. These included Malaya, North Borneo (which became Sabah), Sarawak, and Singapore. They all united to create one new nation. However, Singapore later left the federation on August 9, 1965.

How Malaysia Day Started

The plan was to form the new country on June 1, 1963. This date was then moved to August 31, 1963. This new date would have matched the sixth anniversary of Hari Merdeka. Hari Merdeka celebrates Malaya's independence.

Why the Date Changed

The declaration was delayed until September 16 of the same year. This was due to some disagreements from neighboring countries, Indonesia and the Philippines. The delay also gave the United Nations time to check if people in North Borneo and Sarawak wanted to join the new country.

Joining the Federation

There was no public vote in North Borneo or Sarawak about joining. However, Singapore held a vote on September 1, 1962. In this vote, people supported joining Malaysia.

The formation of Malaysia happened because of the Malaysia Agreement. This agreement was signed in 1963. The United Kingdom, Malaya, Sarawak, North Borneo, and Singapore all signed it. This agreement set out the rules for these areas to become part of the new country.

Before Malaysia was formed, Sarawak became self-governing on July 22, 1963. North Borneo (now Sabah) became self-governing on August 31, 1963. This was the same day Malaya became independent from the British Empire.

Becoming a Public Holiday

For many years, Malaysia Day was only a public holiday in Sabah and Sarawak. It was also a day of national observance across Malaysia. This day marked the end of the annual Independence Month celebrations.

In 2009, Prime Minister Najib Razak made an important decision. He announced that Malaysia Day would become a nationwide public holiday. This gave Malaysians two special days to celebrate their country's independence and identity. Starting in 2010, Malaysia Day became a holiday for everyone.

The first big national celebrations for Malaysia Day began in 2011. In that year, both Malaysia Day and Hari Merdeka were celebrated together. This happened because Hari Merdeka (August 31) clashed with the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations that year.

Special Celebrations

In 2013, Malaysia Day celebrated its 50th anniversary. This was a very special "golden jubilee." The celebrations focused on honoring the country's security officers. This was in response to the Lahad Datu stand-off that year. The celebrations paid tribute to those who were hurt or lost their lives.

In 2018, during the 55th anniversary, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad made a promise. He said he would give Sabah and Sarawak more power. He wanted to change their status from just a state to an equal partner with the Malayan states. Two years later, in 2020, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin made a similar promise.

National-level Celebration Locations

Since Malaysia Day became an official holiday in 2011, big national celebrations have been held in different cities across Malaysia. In 2020 and 2021, the celebrations were smaller. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

Other Important Days

September 16 is also a special day for the Malaysian Armed Forces. This is because the armed forces were created on this very same day in 1933. That was 30 years before Malaysia was formed, during the time of British rule.

See also

• Independence Day (Malaysia)
• Sarawak Independence Day
• North Borneo Self-government Day
• 20-point agreement (Sabah)
• 18-point agreement (Sarawak)
• History of Malaysia
• Singapore in Malaysia
• Malaysia Forever