Federation of Malaya

Federation of Malaya
Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malay)
1948–1963
Anthem: God Save the King / Queen (1948–1957)
Negaraku (1957–1963)
Location of the Federation of Malaya (dark blue)
Location of the Federation of Malaya (dark blue)
StatusProtectorate of the United Kingdom (1948–1957)
Sovereign state (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 languagesMalay (official)
English
GovernmentFederation 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
• 1960
Hisamuddin
• 1960–1963
Putra
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)
LegislatureFederal Legislative Council
(1948–1959)
Parliament
(since 1959)
Dewan Negara (Senate)
(since 1959)
Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)
(since 1959)
History 
• Established
1 February 1948[1]
31 August 1957
16 September 1963
CurrencyMalayan dollar (1948–1953)
Malaya and British Borneo dollar (1953–1967)
Time zoneUTC+7:30 (Malaya Standard Time)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Malayan Union
Crown Colony of Malacca
Crown Colony of Penang
Malaysia
Today part ofMalaysia

The Federation of Malaya (Malay: Persekutuan Tanah Melayu; Jawi: ڤرسكوتوان تانه ملايو), more commonly known as Malaya, was a country of what previously had been the Malayan Union and, before that, British Malaya. It comprised eleven states – nine Malay states and two of the Straits Settlements, Penang and Malacca. It was established on 1 February 1948.[2]

Initially a self-governing colony, Malaya became sovereign on 31 August 1957,[3] and on 16 September 1963, Malaya was superseded by Malaysia when it united with Singapore, North Borneo (Sabah), and Sarawak.[4] Singapore was expelled on 9 August 1965, leaving the original states of Malaya as well as Sarawak and Sabah – now also known as East Malaysia – making up modern-day Malaysia.

  1. ^ "Federation of Malaya is inaugurated - Singapore History". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  2. ^ See: Cabinet Memorandum by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 21 February 1956 Federation of Malaya Agreement
  3. ^ The UK Statute Law Database: Federation of Malaya Independence Act 1957 (c. 60)[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "No.10760: Agreement relating to Malaysia" (PDF). United Nations Treaty Collection. United Nations. July 1963. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2010.