MALAYSIA is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, which plays a large role in politics. The constitution declares Islam thestate religion while protecting freedom of religion. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on common law. The head of state is the king, known as theYang di-Pertuan Agong. He is an elected monarch chosen from the hereditary rulers of the nine Malay states every five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
In the Second World War the Japanese army invaded and occupied Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak,and Singapore for over three years. During this time, ethnic tensions were raised and nationalism grew. Popular support for independence increased after Malaya was reconquered by Allied Forces. Post-war British plans to unite the administration of Malaya under a single crown colony called the Malayan Union met with strong opposition from the Malays, who opposed the weakening of the Malay rulers and the granting of citizenship to the ethnic Chinese. The Malayan Union, established in 1946 and consisting of all the British possessions in the Malay Peninsula with the exception of Singapore, was quickly dissolved and replaced by the Federation of Malaya, which restored the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection. During this time, mostly Chinese rebels under the leadership of the Malayan Communist Party launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out of Malaya. The Malayan Emergency lasted from 1948 to 1960, and involved a long anti-insurgency campaign by Commonwealth troops in Malaya. After this a plan was put in place to federate Malaya with the crown colonies of North Borneo (which joined as Sabah), Sarawak, and Singapore. The proposed date of federation was 31 August 1963, however, the date was delayed until 16 September 1963 due to opposition from Indonesia's Sukarno and the Sarawak United Peoples' Party.
The Federation of Malaysia, comprising the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore was to be officially declared on the date 31 August 1963, on the 6th anniversary of Malayan independence. However, it was postponed to 16 September 1963, mainly due to Indonesian and the Philippines' opposition to the formation of Malaysia. Nevertheless, North Borneo and Singapore declared sovereignty on 31 August 1963. Indonesian opposition later escalated to a military conflict. Indonesia considered Malaysia as a new form of colonisation on the provinces of Sarawak and North Borneo in the island of Borneo (bordering Kalimantan, Indonesia). However, they did not laid claim upon the two territories, unlike Phillippines claim on eastern part of Sabah (rather than the whole North Borneo).To assure Indonesia that Malaysia was not a form of neo-colonialism, a general survey (instead of conducting a referendum) involving interviews of approximately 4,000 people and received 2,200 memorandum from groups and private individuals was organised by the United Nations, and the Cobbold Commission, led by Lord Cobbold, were formed to determine whether the people of North Borneo and Sarawak wished to join Malaysia. Their eventual findings which indicated substantial support for Malaysia among the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak, cleared the way for the final proclamation of Malaysia.
The formation
of the Federation of Malaysia was then announced on 16 September 1963,
as Malaysia Day.
The nationwide Independence Day celebration is still held on 31 August,
the original independence date of Malaya, while Malaysia Day was a
public holiday only in East Malaysia. However, this has caused some
minor discontent among East Malaysians in particular since it has been
argued that celebrating the national day on 31 August is too
Malaya-centric.In 2009, it was decided that starting 2010, Malaysia Day
would be a nationwide public holiday in addition to Hari Merdeka on 31
August.