REPORT BY THE FEDERATION OF MALAYA CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE
Held in London in January and February, 1956
I. INTRODUCTION
Federation of Malaya Agreement, 1948, made between His late Majesty King George VI and Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Malay States. The preamble to the Agreement recorded their desire that progress should be made towards eventual self-government, and envisaged that, as a first step to that end, legislation should be introduced as soon as circumstances and local conditions permitted for the election of members to the several legislatures (i.e. the Federal Legislative Council and the State and Settlement Councils). Unfortunately, within a few months from the signing of that Agreement, the communists started their armed attack on the civil population and the fabric of government in the Federation. This delayed the introduction of the elections contemplated in the Agreement, although it was possible in 1951 to introduce, under the "Membership system", some devolution of authority by giving unofficial members of the Executive Council responsibility for certain Departments and subjects. It was not until 1953 that the improvement in the security situation made it possible to introduce the measures necessary to put in hand elections to the Federal Legislative Council and to the State and Settlement Legislatures. While these measures were under consideration the Alliance[1] pressed for an effective majority of elected members in the Legislative Council; and in 1954 a number of their representatives, led by Tunku Abdul Rahman visited London and urged their views upon the then Secretary of State for the Colonies.
2. In the Federal elections, which took place in July, 1955, the Alliance secured 51 out of the 52 seats for elected members in the Legislative Council. Both before and after the elections the Alliance made clear its desire for further constitutional advance at an early stage, and when the Secretary of State for the Colonies visited the Federation in August, 1955, he held discussions with Their Highnesses the Rulers and with the new Alliance Ministers on the next steps to be taken in the direction of self-government for the Federation. As a result of these discussions it was agreed that a Conference should be held in London early in 1956 to discuss the future relations which should exist between Her Majesty's Government, Their Highnesses the Rulers and the Government of the Federation, and certain fundamental issues such as defence and internal security, finance and economic development and the future of the public services. It was also agreed in principle between Her Majesty's Government, Their Highnesses the Rulers and the Government of the Federation that a Commission should be appointed to review the constitution of the Federation, and that the terms of reference, composition and timing of this Commission should be discussed at the Conference and recommendations made thereon to Her Majesty the Queen and the Conference of Rulers.
II. THE CONFERENCE
3. The Conference accordingly met in London from 18th January to 6th February, 1956. It was attended by a Delegation from the Federation of Malaya consisting of four representatives of Their Highnesses the Rulers and the Chief Minister and three other Alliance Ministers. In addition, the High Commissioner for the Federation of Malaya, accompanied by some of his senior advisers, was in attendance. A list of those taking part is contained at Appendix A.
4. In opening the Conference the Secretary of State for the Colonies, The Rt. Hon. Alan Lennox-Boyd, said that it was almost exactly eight years since the Federation Agreement was signed. The Conference was agreed on the direction of the progress which it wanted to make; this was to secure the early establishment of a fully self-governing and independent Federation of Malaya within the Commonwealth on the basis of parliamentary institutions. This was not only a political problem, but also an administrative task of some magnitude and complexity,
- ↑ The Alliance is composed of the United Malays' National Organisation (UMNO), the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA), and the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC).
