Federation of Malaya 1957 Revenue Stamps

 

Federation of Malaya

From 1946 to 1948, the eleven Malay states formed a single British crown colony known as the Malayan Union.  Due to opposition from Malay nationalists, the Union was disbanded and replaced by the Federation of Malaya, which restored the symbolic positions of the rulers of the Malay states.

Within the Federation, while the Malay states were protectorates of the United Kingdom, Penang and Malacca remained British colonial territories. Like the Malayan Union before it, the Federation did not include Singapore. 

The Federation of Malaya Agreement was signed on 21 January 1948 at King House by the Malay rulers, and by Sir Edward Gent as the representative of the British government. The Agreement superseded the Agreement creating the Malayan Union, and prepared for the establishment of the Federation of Malaya on 1 February 1948. 

The Federation became independent from British colonial rule and became an independent member of the Commonwealth of Nations on 31 August 1957.    

In 1963, the Federation was reconstituted as "Malaysia" when it federated with the British territories of Singapore, Sarawak, and North Borneo.  Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent republic on 9 August 1965.