they were ready, on conditions, to accept the Malaysia proposals, despite their uncertainties, was because they were confident that the British Government would not recommend the scheme if it was not going to be beneficial to them.
46. Some of the younger men in predominantly Iban areas were less ready than their chiefs to accept the proposals, even on conditions, and a number were definitely opposed to it. We were reminded that the second of Brunei rule in Borneo in past centuries was far from encouraging and fears were expressed that the relative backwardness and inexperience of the Ibans might be used to their disadvantage by the more advanced and sophisticated Malays. They wanted to be treated by the Malays as brothers, but not as younger brothers. They were opposed to the idea that Sarawak should be treated as only one of 15 States in a Federation of Malaysia; they maintained that this would give her too small a voice in the new Federation's affairs. There was fear too that a large proportion of Sarawak's revenue would be handed over to the Federal Government without a corresponding return in the shape of services to the people of Sarawak.
47. The question of the right to withdraw from the new Federation was raised with us at Kapit and elsewhere. It was suggested to us that in certain circumstances there should be such a right at least for a period of five years, and that this should be specifically stated in the Federal Constitution. Some felt that this was a desirable provision in a new venture about which they felt some doubts. Others suggested that it should apply only in certain circumstances such as:
48. One group from the Baram River hotly opposed the creation of a Federation of Malaysia but recognised that the decision might go against them. They insisted that, if this was so, certain conditions should be met. These were much the same as those set out in the Kapit Resolutions, but went further in some respects and the group was not prepared to discuss any modification of them.
49. The Second Division Ibans were nof represented at the Kapit "Aum " but most of the many groups whom we saw supported the idea of Malaysia, though they asked for safeguards. These differed little from those which had been suggested by Ibans in the Third Division but in some respects were rather more specific. The following points were raised, many of them repeatedly:
