When was the Federation of Malaya officially established?
The Federation of Malaya was officially established on the 1st of February 1948. This agreement replaced the Malayan Union and was signed by Sir Edward Gent at King House.
The Federation of Malaya was officially established on the 1st of February 1948. This agreement replaced the Malayan Union and was signed by Sir Edward Gent at King House.
Sir Edward Gent opened the first session of the Federal Legislative Council while Lord Listowel attended as the British minister of state for colonial affairs. Dato Onn Jaafar spoke at the inaugural meeting about rejecting external interference in local affairs.
Automatic citizenship applied to citizens of any Sultanate or British subjects born in Penang who lived there continuously for fifteen years. Anyone born in the federation could qualify if they mastered Malay language and followed daily traditions.
Mokhtaruddin Lasso became the first president of the Malay Nationalist Party which later merged with Young Malays Union to create Pusat Tenaga Rakyat conglomeration. This group joined All-Malaya Council of Joint Action to oppose the 1948 Federation Agreement thoroughly.
The UK Statute Law Database records that Malaya became fully sovereign on the 31st of August 1957. This independence act allowed the nation to join the Commonwealth of Nations immediately after gaining freedom.
On the 16th of September 1963, the Federation reconstituted itself as Malaysia by uniting with Singapore, Sarawak, and North Borneo. Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent republic on the 9th of August 1965.