1. The Malay states which occupied the Malay Peninsula were independent of each other. They were all weak because they were small and poor.

2. The British found it easy to extract agreements from each state separately. In fact, when the British “gave” four Malay states to Siam, the other Malay states ignored the fate of these states. They did not seem to have a feeling of loss.

3. It was only when the British decided to form the Malayan Union that the “rakyats” of the states realise the need to ignore state loyalties and independence and to unite. Had the states tried to resist individually, the British would not have taken their objections seriously.

4. The right to ascend the throne of each state was somehow dependent on British recognition of the aspirant. By threatening not to recognise the candidate if he did not sign the MacMichael treaty, all the Sultans signed. This meant ceding the states to the British. The Ruler would only be responsible for the religion of Islam and Malay traditions. They retained the Sultan title but the states were no longer under their rule.

5. Fortunately, the rakyat realised that each state was too weak to resist the British Malayan Union plan. The rakyat came together and formed a Malaya wide organisation to deal with the Malayan Union proposal.

6. The Rulers then felt they had the support of the rakyat of all the states. As a result, they agreed to the rakyat’s proposal that they boycott the installation ceremony of the first British High Commissioner of the Malayan Union.

7. The Malayan Union lasted only for two years before it was terminated. In its place the British accepted the proposal by UMNO and the Rulers for the formation of the Federation of Malaya. With that the Rulers regained their sultanates, albeit as constitutional rulers.

8. Had the rakyat of the different states not resisted and spoken with one voice, the Malayan Union would be with us today.

9. We know that when the British bought Singapore, they opened it to so many migrants from India and China that the Malays were numerically outnumbered. Eventually Singapore became an independent country where the Malays make up a poor minority. Singapore no longer has a ruler. It has a President appointed by the elected Government.

10. Had the British succeeded in their plan of a Malayan Union, the likelihood is that large numbers of migrants would flow into the country. As with Singapore, when Malaya gained independence it would not be a Malay country. All that identifies it as a Malay country would disappear as the Malays would become the poor minority in the nation.

11. It is fortunate that the Rulers joined the people in opposing the Malayan Union. Had each state, by itself tried to oppose the British plan, it would not have succeeded.

12. History records that Harold MacMichael met the Rulers of each state one at a time. As a matter of strategy MacMichael met the Johor Ruler first, knowing that if he agreed the other Rulers would also agree. And indeed, after Johor signed the MacMichael agreements the other Rulers ceded their states to the British.

13. It was the rakyat of all the states of Malaya who united and forced the British to terminate the Malayan Union. No state can claim that it defeated the Malayan Union by itself.