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Chapter 1
The formation of Malaysia

Introduction

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To protect the British interests. The British

Cabinet had discussed the issue in 1888.
First move came in 1961, Tunku Abdul
Rahman announced the idea.

Britishs View

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to grant Singapore independence for fear of

the communists growing power on the
island.
Singapore was too small to be entirely on its
own.
willing to allow the Tunku to take overall
responsibility for Singapores security within
Malaysia.

Malayas View

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Tunku was worried that the communists in

Singapore would become too powerful.
A communist government at its doorstep
would be extremely dangerous for Malaya.
If Malaya merged with Singapore, Tunku
Abdul Rahman's government could control
the communist activities.

Malayas View

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In the 1957 Census for Malaya, the racial

balance was fairly equal between the
Malays and the non-Malays.
But in the enlarged federation of Malaysia,
the Malays and natives of Brunei,
Sarawak and North Borneo would slightly
outnumber the Chinese, Indians and other
non-Malays.

Malayas View

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The Tunku dropped his opposition to the

proposed merger with predominantly
Chinese Singapore only after the British
assured him that the three Borneo
territories of Brunei, Sarawak and North
Borneo could join Malaysia.

Singapores View

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The Singapore government felt that the

best way to solve the country's
unemployment problem would be to join or
merge with Malaya.
Singapore did not have any raw materials,
so it had to depend on industries to help
the country grow and prosper.

Singapores View

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seeking a merger with Malaya was so that

Singapore could break completely free
from British control.
Lee Kuan Yew needed the merger
because the communists were creating
problems for his ruling Peoples Action
Party (PAP) in Singapore.

Factors

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1. The Communist Threat.

2. Ethnic Politics and Ethnic Balances.
3. Independence Factor.
4. Decline of British Power.
5. Economic Cooperation and
International Relation in the region.

Response

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Federation of Malaya
Pro - Tunku and the Alliance Party (Parti
Perikatan).
Against - Parti Rakyat & Pan-Malayan
Islamic Party.

Response

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Singapore
Pro - Lee Kuan Yew and Peoples Action
Party.
Against United Peoples Party (Socialist
Party).

Response

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Sabah and Sarawak

Pro free from British, Communist Threat.
Against Malayan Domination, fear the
status of religion and language would be
threatened, Chinese afraid of economic
competition with Chinese Singaporeans.

Response

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Brunei
Pro - Sultan.
Against - Brunei Peoples Party, A.M.
Azahari.
Prefer to unite North Borneo (Sabah) and
Sarawak under the name of North Kalimantan.
Arm Rebellion against the Sultan.

Indonesias Critic

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President Sukarno, called it a neo-colonial

plot, arguing it was part of Britains Grand
Design to decolonize the region and to
exert influence by still having military
bases and influence in these territories.

Indonesias Critic

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President Sukarno argued that Malaysia

was a puppet of the British, and that the
consolidation of Malaysia would increase
British control over the region, threatening
Indonesia's independence.

Indonesias Critic

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As early as 1945, President Sukarno had

visualized that the Malay Peninsula would
form the neck of an Indonesian
archipelago encircling Singapore, all of the
North Borneo states and the Philippines.
"Konfrontasi campaign, troubled the
Malayan people from 1963 to 1966.

The Philippines

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Philippines made a claim for Sabah,

arguing that it had historic links with the
Philippines through the Sulu archipelago.
In a Manila summit, Philippines proposed
the formation of a super-federation known
as Ma-phil-indo, incorporating Malaysia,
the Philippines and Indonesia

Important Events

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1. Visit to Sabah and Sarawak (June 1961).

2. Tunkus visit to Brunei (July 1961).
3. Negotiation with Singapore (August
1961).
4. Malaysia Solidarity Consultative
Committee (mid 1961).

Important Events
5. Cobbold Commission (report was
published on August 1962).
6. Referendum Campaign (September
1962).
7. UN Commission (June 1963).

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Bruneis Withdrawal

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The Sultan of Brunei (Sultan Sir Omar Ali

Saifuddin) lost interest.
The reasons: differences in opinions and
reluctance to compromise on the part of
Brunei and Kuala Lumpur.

Bruneis Withdrawal

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Unresolved Matters
1. The position of the Sultan of Brunei
within the Council of Rulers.
2. The status of Brunei within Malaysia.
3. The matter of finance: royalty of oil.
By July 1963, Brunei indicated that she
would not join the federation.

Malaysia

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The Federation of Malaysia was formally

established on September 16, 1963.
Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak.

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SINGAPORE SPLIT FROM

MALAYSIA
Both Malaya and Singapore had different
reasons for wanting a merger.

Each country saw merger as a convenient way

of solving its own problem.
Merger was therefore looked upon as a union
of convenience.
This resulted in its eventual disintegration.

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SINGAPORE SPLIT FROM

MALAYSIA

Malaysia did not start off well. Right from

the beginning, the P.A.P. and the Alliance
Party did not get along well with each
other.
The split in Singapore-Kuala Lumpur
relations arose initially in the 1964 general
election.

SINGAPORE SPLIT FROM

MALAYSIA

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SINGAPORE SPLIT FROM

MALAYSIA
Eventually, the
disagreement
became so serious
that riots broke out in
Singapore in July
and September
1964. The riots were
put down but the fire
was not put out.

SINGAPORE SPLIT FROM

MALAYSIA
The PAP talk openly of equal
treatment of all ethnics group in
Malaysia, Malaysia for Malaysian.
This made the Malay Alliance
leaders even angrier because they
believed that Malays had certain
special rights.
The relationship between the P.A.P.
and the Malay Alliance leaders turned
from bad to worse.

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SINGAPORE SPLIT FROM

MALAYSIA

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MCA leaders express a feeling of

uneasiness over the Singapores
behaviour.
Efforts were made to find solution (JuneAugust 1965).

SINGAPORE SPLIT FROM

MALAYSIA
On 9 August 1965,
Singapore was
separated from
Malaysia.

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The End
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