SELAMAT HARI KEMERDEKAAN YANG KE-50

Malaya Independence

The effort for independence was spearheaded by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, who led a delegation of ministers and political leaders of Malaya in negotiations with the British in London for Merdeka, or independence. Once it became increasingly clear that the Communist threat posed during the Malayan Emergency was petering out, agreement was reached on February 8, 1956, for Malaya to gain independence from the British Empire. However, for a number of logistical and administrative reasons, it was decided that the official proclamation of independence would only be made the next year, on August 31, 1957, at Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), in Kuala Lumpur.

How the independence date was derived

Even before the delegation left for London, the date for independence was already set. It was decided during a discussion in 1956 involving UMNO Youth chief Tun Sardon Jubir and his deputy Haji Ahmad Badawi in Kepala Batas, Penang. Haji Ahmad Badawi is the late father of the current Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Also present at the discussion was Haji Ahmad Badawi's father, Haji Abdullah Fahim, who was also the Penang Mufti and a renowned Muslim scholar. Analysing the independence dates of countries like Indonesia and India, all falling on odd dates in August, Haji Abdullah Fahim after conducting his own calculations decided August 31 as the most appropriate date ^[1].

The formation of Malaysia

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj announced the independence of Malaya from the British on August 31 1957 at Stadium Merdeka.

The Federation of Malaysia, comprising states of Malaya, North Borneo (later renamed Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore was to be officially declared on the date August 31, 1963, on the 6th anniversary of Malayan independence. However, it was postponed to September 16, 1963, mainly due to Indonesian and the Philippines' opposition to the formation of Malaysia. Nevertheless, North Borneo and Singapore declared sovereignty on August 31 1963. Indonesian opposition later escalated to a military conflict.

Indonesia considered Malaysia as a new form of colonization on the provinces of Sarawak and Sabah in the island of Borneo (bordering Kalimantan, Indonesia), which they laid claim on. ^{[citation needed]} To assure Indonesia that Malaysia was not a form of neo-colonialism, a referendum, organized by the United Nations, and the Cobbold Commission, led by Lord Cobbold, were formed to determine whether the people of Sabah and Sarawak wished to join Malaysia. Their eventual findings which indicated substantial support for Malaysia among the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak, cleared the way for the final proclamation of Malaysia.

The formation of the Federation of Malaysia was then announced on September 16, 1963. However, the Independence Day celebration is still held on August 31, the original independence date of Malaya. This has caused some minor discontent among East Malaysians in particular since it has been argued that celebrating the national day on August 31 is too Malaya-centric. ^{[citation needed]}

Guests of Honour

When Malaya celebrated its first Independence Day, new hotels were built everywhere in Kuala Lumpur to accommodate the huge foreign delegation invited by the Government of the Federation of Malaya to witness the historical day.

The first batch of foreign representatives to Malaya were:

• King and Queen of Thailand


• Crown Prince and Princess of Japan


• Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom, Prime Minister of South Africa


• Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India



• Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Prime Minister of Pakistan


• Pham Van Dong, Prime Minister of Vietnam


• Solomon Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Ceylon


• U Nu, Prime Minister of Burma


• Sim Var, Prime Minnister of Cambodia


• Sir Alexander Grantham, Governor of Hong Kong



• John Foster Dulles, US Secretary of State


• Ambassadors of Australia, Canada and New Zealand


• Lim Yew Hock, Chief Minister of Singapore


• Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (represent Queen Elizabeth II), Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester and Prince William of Gloucester



• Sir Gerald Templer (former British High Commissioner in Malaya)


• Lady Gurney and Lady Gent (wives of former British High Commissioners in Malaya).

Upon arriving at the Sungei Besi Airport, the guests of honour were welcomed by the British High Commissioner in Malaya, Sir Donald Charles MacGillivray and Lady MacGillivray, the First Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya, Tuanku Abdul Rahman accompanied by the Raja Pemaisuri Agong and the first Prime Minister of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman.