5 things you should know about the formation of Malaysia

What is the Malaysia Agreement 1963 about? We took a historical lesson and what this agreement means for the people of Sabah and Sarawak.

In July this year, Sarawak announced that it was sending a delegation of legal representatives to London to search and study any references to the stateâ€™s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, otherwise known as MA63.

The announcement drew ire from some political parties, questioning the purpose of the trip and how itâ€™d invite foreign intervention. Sarawakians have retaliated saying it goes to show how little Peninsula Malaysia understood them.

We speak to Sarawakians Zainnal Ajamain, a MA63 activist, and Professor James Chin, from the University of Tasmania, to better understand what was in the Agreement and what rights the state is fighting for today.

Here's what you need to know about the history of formation of Malaysia:

1. MA:63 - The ultimate agreement

MA:63 is the cornerstone of all agreements that led directly to the formation of Malaysia. Under the Malaysia Agreement signed between Great Britain and the Federation of Malaya, Britain would enact an Act to relinquish sovereign control over Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo (now Sabah).

This was accomplished through the enactment of the Malaysia Act 1963, clause 1 of which states that on Malaysia Day, "Her Majestyâ€™s sovereignty and jurisdiction in respect of the new states shall be relinquished so as to vest in the manner agreed".

2. During the formation, Southeast Asia was in the midst of cold war

Britain had every intention to setting up a single political entity in this part of the world. It supposed to be pro-Western and pro-UK. They wanted all colonies to come together and they saw Tunku Abdul Rahman as the best person to put things together.

3. Tunku Abdul Rahman as Political Realist

Tunku understood that if Malaya to be merged with Singapore, that idea will not work. It is because the non-Malays will outnumbered the Malays population. So he needed the bumiputras of Sabah and Sarawak to balance up the increasing Chinese population from Singapore.

Tunku was the mind behind the formation of Malaysia

4. The Cobbold Commission - giving people a voice

It was a Commission of Enquiry set up to determine whether the people of Sabah and Sarawak supported the proposal to create the Federation of Malaysia consisting of Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak. It was also responsible for the subsequent drafting of the constitution of Malaysia prior to the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. The Commission was headed by former Bank of England governor, Lord Cobbold.

The Voices-Task Force - Members of the Cobbold Commission, Pix Credit: Wikiwand

5. Where were the problems?

A lot of people of Sabah and Sarawak thought that the process was rushed. They also accused the Cobbold Commission did not really represent the true wishes of the people of Sabah and Sarawak. This created the controversy during the formation of Malaysia.

However, Lord Cobbold also stressed that all parties enter the federation as equal partners. The findings were summarised by Lord Cobbold as follow:

About one-third of the population of each territory strongly favours early realisation of Malaysia without too much concern about terms and conditions. Another third, many of them favourable to the Malaysia project, ask, with varying degrees of emphasis, for conditions and safeguards varying in nature and extent: the warmth of support among this category would be markedly influenced by a firm expression of opinion by Governments that the detailed arrangements eventually agreed upon are in the best interests of the territories. The remaining third is divided between those who insist on independence before Malaysia is considered and those who would strongly prefer to see British rule continue for some years to come. If the conditions and reservations which they have put forward could be substantially met, the second category referred to above would generally support the proposals. Moreover once a firm decision was taken quite a number of the third category would be likely to abandon their opposition and decide to make the best of a doubtful job. There will remain a hard core, vocal and politically active, which will oppose Malaysia on any terms unless it is preceded by independence and self-government: this hard core might amount to near 20 per cent of the population of Sarawak and somewhat less in North Borneo.

- Lord Cobbold, Cobbold Commission

To learn more about MA:63, do listen or download the podcast below:

UNDERSTANDING MA:63 | Zainnal Ajamain, Author and MA63 activist & Professor James Chin, Director of the Asia Institute Tasmania at the University of Tasmania

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