Federation of Malaya

Federation of Malaya
Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malay)
1948–1963
Motto: Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu (Malay)
برسکوتو برتمبه موتو (Jawi)
(English: "Unity is Strength")
Anthem: "God Save the King" (1948–1952);
"God Save the Queen" (1952–1957)

Negaraku (from 1957)
(English: "My Country")
Location of the Federation of Malaya (dark blue)
StatusProtected state of the United Kingdom (1948–1957)
Sovereign state (1957–1963)
CapitalKuala Lumpur
3°8′N 101°41′E / 3.133°N 101.683°E / 3.133; 101.683
Official languagesMalay
Recognised languages
GovernmentFederation as British protectorate (1948–1957)
Federal parliamentary elective constitutional monarchy (1957–1963)
Monarch 
• 1948–1952
George VI
• 1952–1957
Elizabeth II
• 1957–1960
Abdul Rahman
• 1960
Hisamuddin
• 1960–1963
Putra
High Commissioner 
• 1948
Edward Gent
• 1948–1951
Henry Gurney
• 1952–1954
Gerald Templer
• 1954–1957
Donald MacGillivray
Head of government 
• 1955–1957
Tunku Abdul Rahman
(as Chief Minister)
• 1957–1963
Tunku Abdul Rahman
(as Prime Minister)
LegislatureFederal Legislative Council
(1948–1959)
Parliament
(since 1959)
Dewan Negara (Senate)
(since 1959)
Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives)
(since 1959)
History 
• Established
1 February 1948
31 August 1957
16 September 1963
Area
• Total
131,952 km2 (50,947 sq mi)
Population
• 1951 census
5,517,222
CurrencyMalayan dollar (1948–1953)
Malaya and British Borneo dollar (1953–1967)
Time zoneUTC+7:30 (Malaya Standard Time)
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Malayan Union
Crown Colony of Malacca
Crown Colony of Penang
Malaysia
Today part ofMalaysia

Malaya, officially the Federation of Malaya, was a country in Southeast Asia from 1948 to 1963. It succeeded the Malayan Union and, before that, British Malaya. It comprised eleven states – nine Malay states and two of the Straits Settlements, Penang and Malacca. It was established on 1 February 1948.

Initially a self-governing colony of the United Kingdom, Malaya became fully sovereign on 31 August 1957, and on 16 September 1963, Malaya was superseded by Malaysia when it united with Singapore, North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak. Singapore left on 9 August 1965, leaving the original states of Malaya along with Sarawak and Sabah – now collectively known as East Malaysia – to form modern-day Malaysia, while the former Federation of Malaya is now referred to as Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia.