federation of malaya summary of revised constitutional proposals 1947

7/28/2019 FEDERATION of MALAYA Summary of Revised Constitutional Proposals 1947

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Federation of MalayaSummary ofConstitutional RevisedProposals

9_-OtONIAL OFFICE

Prucrtcl 11 tlc fucrctary of Statc lor ttrc Colonict to Parrtamcntt tt Coniail of Htu MajutlJt$ t94t,/

LONDONMAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICETIXPE}iCE NET

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,616965:fci,lll, rl [..'G]1;.: o Iitrrlt)liilAl'IOl'.1 Oir ,1"\'.,\, Strrnrilli,.)' of rcviscd Constitrrtion:il Prollo.slls' I. Ilistoricll r6srttrt6

. Commancl Paper No. Cnrcl. 6721, issuccl in January, lg 10, ancl entitle d" Ifalay-an U-nion and Singaporc: Statcment of 'Policy on Ijuturc Constitu.- tion ", described the poljcS' s'hich .His llajest),'s Govcrnrncnt hed dccidcil ttpursue in relatiort to JIala-r'a and the. prclirnina,ry' stcps *'hich had btcp takcrito make possible thr' realisatiorr of that policy. Th.e rrrain featurcs of t5e rrr:licrrvere (a) the crcation of a )laleyan Union *'hich rvoulcl comprise the ninc itat"'.. States of the Peninsula ancl the British Scttlcmunts o{ Pcnang and )Ialacci(D)rthe.establishrncnt of a form of comnron citizenship in )lala1'a to inclucle aii!frose.,-irresp-ective of race, rvho regarded the Union as their true honrc ancl ai. i,tl1. obje-c! of their lo1'alt.v, and (c) the administration lor the tirne bcing of t5e1'citY a-nd island of Singaporc, together sith Christrrras Island and Coco,.--liecli,ioIslands, as a separate Colony (though rvithout prejtrdice to the posiible fusioiof Singapore and the )talayin Union in a rvider union at a later clate shouldsqch a course be found desirable). ... -.

2. Command P"p., No. 67{9, issued in }larch, l9{6, and enti[icd " ]lalayanUnion "ld,S.i";*ore : .Summary-of P.rgqoyd Constitutional Arrangernent.s ,',summarised the Orders in Council by u'hich it rr,as proposed to give effect to the.. lew pg.[cl. There rvere to bc three such Orders : the -r\Ialayan Union Order inQqncil, the Singapore Order in Council and the trlalayan Union CitizenshinOrder in Council. -The )Ialay'an Union and Singapore Orders rvere duly ;ia;:in time for the creation of ihe t*'o nerv constitutions on the terminltion oiIYlilitary Administration in -\talaya on lst April ; but the Citizenship Orcler g.asdeferred, His.Ilajesty's Government har;ing anncunced in Parliament, in. re.sgonse to criticisms of Some of the provisionS of the proposed Order, thatwhil-e.$ey adhered to the principle of-common citizensh-ip,-no final a.iition,would be taken on this subject until full local consultations had taken place.-.,13:ffhe creation.of the trIalaya-n Union brought ob-j-ections from }talays::_- 4.parts of the peninsula. At-the basis of the trIalay reaction \r.as a. -relglslcn against -rvhat -s'as-regarded as a deprivation of sovereignty and a' 'Q.Fglttnued fear of non-]Ialay domination as a result of -the propoied nervclti"nshiP. His )lajesty's Government maintained their adherence to trro,,lYld_"p:1j1t prirrciples, rvhich rvere.at the root of their rvhole policy',- nxmel/,1-/ ll.. establishment of a strong cdntral government rlith control over all matteiii.'ol rmportance to the progress and rvelfare of the country as a s'holc, and theirntroduction of a form of common citizenship opr.n to all those, irrespectir-e ofr:'ce, who regarded )lalaya as their real home and as the object of their loi'alty.Attempts rvere therefoie made to bring Their Highnesses the Ruleri inloconsultation and also to consult othcr lcJders of llaliv public opinion, in thehope tha-t the Union Scheme could be moclified in a rvay rvlich, r"hil. iiembodied the trvo principles mentioned above met the i!ata1' objcctions)f\.* apprrrach,:s mct *r'ith a favourable rcsponse, ancl it pror',i.l poisible loDnng togcthr:r for frrnk rliscussions rcprescntatives of thc )[ala5'an Unionbovenrmcnt on the one hand, and Their Iliglrnr.sscs the Rulers arrrl spokesmenof thc Urrited }lalal's \ational Organisetio"n on the otlrtr. . -:

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3 '-'{. On 25th Jul5', l9.lG, :r \\',rrL'irrglCiirnrrritio,r; consistlng of r*pr':5g1r[;$ivtsiI",1;';:i'il;*rl,,,r[,J,]'il:,'l;ll.]i,lii,, ll]"-,Iiffi.$sJfld,[tqYii,::1,1,T1:;;both sidcs to txllnrint: arrrl criticise. This Corurnittr)c qu()tcrl in its rcl)ort, ?itht'.ba*sis of its discus.s.ion, tlrt'foll,lrving prirtciplcs (rvhich, it rvill bc obsrrvcd,covcr ihe frrnclenrcntal dt'siclcrata of ttis )tljcstl"s Gorcrnmr.nt as dcscribe.din the prcct'ding prrragraph) :" (n) that thcre. shoulcl be a strong. central govcrnnrerrt to ensure the' economical and efft'ctivc atlntirtistration of all nrattc.rs of irnportanceto the rvelfarc and progrcss of thc countr;,, as a rvholc ;

(D) that the individrralitv of each of the ltalay States ancl of the Settlcmcnts' should bc clearly e.rpressed and ntaintained ;tlrat thc new arrangements should, on a long viel', offr'r the means andprospects of dcvelopment in the direction of ultimate self-governrnent;that, with a vicrv to the establishment of broad-based institutions,'necessary for principle (c) to beconre effective, a common form ofcitizenship should be introduced rvhich rvould enable political rightsto be extended to all those rvho regard l[ala1'a as their real homeand as the object of their loyalty;(c) that, as these States_ rye }Ialay States ruled by Your Highnesses, thesubjects of Your Highnessei havc no alternaiive aUegiaice, or othercountr.y. *'hich theycan regard. as their-homeland, and thel.occuvurrrt-J- !YtlrLtl LlttrJ -Ld'tr r('$dlLr. ds Ll(cll ItOIIl(jlaIl(Ir anO Ine)'OCCtlp)'a special position and possess rights rvhich must be safeguardecl."'-

t{31 H.C. IJeb. rvritten ans*'ers 22S.

5. The committee sat, at intenals, from early August to November, 19{6.It embodied its proposals in a report, containing ihe draft of a proposecl Federa-tion Agreement and of a llodel State Agreement,.c_opies of rvtrich rr.ere placedin the Library of the }Iouse of Commoni on 22nd January', l9{7.vd -frys9 proposais, rvhile subsiituting for the trIalayan Union a nerv constitu-tion in Federal form, appeared to His )lajesty's Government to.be calculated in' general to achieve their orvn fundamental obiectives of essential cohesion and abasis for common lo1'alt1'.. The proposals, thbrefore, received the conclitionalapproval of His llajest-r"s Government, rvhich.\r'as announced in a srar.ement inParliament on llth December, lg{6.* 'rt rvasmade quite clear, hon.er-er, thatthere rvas.no question of a final decision being taken until all the interesre,.l corn- 'munities.in llalal'a had beengircn a full and free opportunity of expressing their 'Irews, since the. proposlls -had been {ormulated -bets'een repreientatii-es ofGovernment and-}[alay leaders alonei t/Ac.cordingly, in December, the Gor-ernorof the Malayan Union appointed a Consuld3tive ebmmittee composr'd maioly ofinfluential representatil'es of the non-]lalay communities, rr.hicti rras instruitedto hold meetings throughout the Peninsula, to receive oral and rvrittel reDre-sentations, to collate the evidence submitted to it, and to report the substinceof this evidence'to him with such comments and recommenclations as it shouldthink'fit.

?. After a series of meetings in various centres, the Consultative Conrmitteepresented.its.report to the Governor at the end of llarch. Thr. report \rastabled in Advisory-Council on 3lst ]larch and published the sanre da1-.' .\ copl-was placed in the llouse of Comrnons Librarl"on 23rd April.

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/,,/5. lt s'ls not to bt-'cxpcctcrl tlr:rt tlrc |rr)l,trs:tls pttt foru',trcl b5'tir,: \\',,r!.irr:;Conrntittcc' *'otrlcl cscil.l)c all critici.rttt, Atttl veri,)tls ctiti.:isltis, I.trt.;i'r1 frr.rrttoutright rcjcctiort of tlre rvholc sclr(,nlc to dctlrilc.l c()nrrllr'tits on in,lrrirlrr;tlpoint-s, \r'crc in fact cxprcssccl in ccrt;rin (plartr'rs. The Constrltlrtivc (:,.'nurlitte c,irorv.'rj..r, after carcfuiiy stucl5'ing all oirirrions, evcir*-tltoSc rlof piciirti'cl tothe Conrrnittce itsclf, endorscd thc rctcntion of the main stnrcturc of theFederatign proposels, ancl the grcatcilrioliiirrion of-iti cletaik:d arrangcrtrrnts.This is sufJrcicnt proof that,. in the vierv of the Consultativc Conrnrittcc, the ,main provisions of ttre proposals nret thi needs and rvishcs of tlrr: bulk of ttre ',.l population, non-llalay as rvell as ][alar'. The Cornnrittee, hos'crcr, rccorn-' mendc'd an incrc'asc in the sizc of tlre Federal Legi.rlative Council, a diffcrcntdistribution of seats among the vari,-'us c6mnruriitics, and certain mcdifrca-tions in the provisions for citizensldpa.9..9n 10th April the }lalayan Union Advisor_r' Council unaninrousl)' resolvedthat the Consultativc Committee had fultiiled l{js trIajesty's Government'spledge of full and free consultation r,;ith all interested parties, and thitt itsrepgrt be transmitted to the Secretary of Statc for the Colonies and to thr.irHighnesses the Rulcrs for their consideratiorr.' Further discussions *'ith therepresentatives of Their llighnesses the Rulcrs and of thc United )Iala1's Natic,nalOrganisation -\vere arranged by rc-convenirrg on thu lTth .\pril, the \\'orkingCommittee rvhich had produced the original draft Fcderation and State Agrec-ments. This re-convened \\'orking Committr.e considcred the amendrnentsproposed by Jhe Consultative Committee, and reported in turn to a PlenaryConference of the Government, Their HighneSses the Rulers, and other )Ialayrepresentatives on 2Jth April. Paragraphs l0 to 2{ belorv sumnrarise the schemewhich has finall-r, ernerged from thcse various consultations, and has beenaccepted by His }lajesty's Government. From the ensuing summar-\' it \r'ill beseen thb.t'the scherne varies from the original Federation proposals in goingsome of the rvay, though not the rvhole *'ay]to meet the recorimenclations it ttiConsultative Committee. As *'ith all important constitutional innovations, thepreparatory steps rrill talie a little time to complete, but it is hoped thatthe Federation of llalal'a will come into existence earll'next 1'ear. His )[ajesty'sGovernrnent are convinced that it rvill meet the fresent-needs of the feoplc,anil that it rvill provide that stable bapis for fuither political devel6pmentwhich tbe country so urgently requires. iIn particular, they note rvith'satis-' faction that the proposals in- theft latest form contain a iirm expression ofintention iegarding the early introduction of elections to both the Central andthe State and Settlement Legislatures.

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ments, and give legal force to the provisions of thg

preseDt proposals.

he provisions of the Fe&IAlton ,.{gr99-gergto. bed tLe Rulers. .-\ n6v:$fiff,*.@l:U ?t.o

II. Maiu Ieatrues oI'lo. GeneralIt is proposed. a new Orcler in to substitute for the ltlalalan Union Order in Council, 19{6,Council rvhich u'ill provide-for tbe Government of the Setile-is llai lers, and subsequently each State s'ili ratif5' bothration anrl the State Agreements. Thereafter, I!!g-\&kstf tyi!-haveiu$sdiction fn the l'talay StalBs-o jni Oel;nceand for the purpose of appcals to the PFy Ciffirl- t.-Zit. t'ne State Agreements. Itt: nerv_ Agreements rvhich tvill be macle betw'een l{is }tajestv and theindividual Rulers rvill provide that, subject to the provisions of'the-State and

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'vr.jl..*r.l,Sl.,.t,..hi ;,1:l'11 r' "r"t'lAti[6lf\llvl*SiTi MALAYA'FederationAgreemcnts,theser'eral@931[l,9s,Poweru Uli sdis fio!-$hi cb--tlq-cni oy c d p rior - tn t h e-. Ja n a n e sg-gq 9 upa t i o n.His trIajestl'rvill have complete control of the defence and of all the externalaffairs of the FederationEach ;uler will undertake to govern his State subject to the provisions of awritten 6onstitution, rvhich is t6 be in conformity ivith the State Agreementand the Federation Agreement, and to be promulgated as soon as may be.The State Agreements will also provide .that the Ruler desires, and HisI\Iajesty a.grees, that it shall be a particular charge upon the Government oftbe State lo provide for and encourage the education and training of the }Ialayinhabitants of thc State so as to fit them to take a full share in the economicprogress, social rvelfare and,Government of the State and of. the Federation.

12. the Ferleration AgreementThe. Federation Agreement, rvhich is to be the main document embracingthe nerv arrangements as a whole, rvill establish under the protection of GreatBritain a Federation, to be calle$ the Federation of }Ialava, and in trlalay

Persekutua'n Tanah llelayu, rvhicH-will consi.st of the nine }lalay States_and ofthe $qlliqments.of Penang and llalacca. Porver is reserved to His trlajesty andto Their Highnesses the Rulers by mutual agrecment from time to time toadmit u'ithin the Federation any.other territory.Under the Federation Agreement, the Central Government of the Federationrvill comprise a High Qommissioner appointed by His tr[ajesty, a FederalExecutive Council to aid and advise the High Commissioner, and a FederalLegislative C.ouncil.The Federation Agreement rvill record that it is the desire of His il'Iajesty and \of Their Highnesses the Rulers that progress should be made torvards eventualself-government, and as a 6rst step to that end, that His }lajesty and TheirHighnesses the Rulers htrrc agreed that as soon as circumstances and localconditions rvill permit, legislation s'ill be introduced for the election of membersto the several legislatures which rvill be established under the r\greement.)

_ The !q]t -gf the pror.isions.of the Federation Agreement may be amended byFederal Ordinance, but no Bill for the amendment of any of -the provisions ofthe Agrcement, other than the transitional provisions, may be intioduced intothe Federal Legislative Council without the prior approval of His trIajesty andthe Confcrence of 'Rulers. A special procedure is providea for the amencimentof certain clauses of the Agrcement-9.g., the parts of the Agreement relatingto the High Cornmissiorter and the Conference of Rulers can be amencled onlv bvproclamati_on -issued bV Jh9 High Commissioner in terrns previously agic.iupon by His }tajestl'and the Rulers13. the Bigh CommissionerIn the excrcise of his executive authority t .e High Comrpissioncr will havespecial resqonsibilities. Thesc responsibilities inchide : -: (a) the protcction of the rights of any trIalay State or anv'settlcment andof the rights, powers and digniiy of Their I{ighnesses the Rulers ; -(6) the prcvention of any grave menscc to the pcace or tranquility of tlie, Ircderation or any llalay State or Settlcnrcnt conrprisecl theiein ;, (c) thd safc'guarrling of thc financial stability and crcdit of thc FeclcralGovernment;/ (rt) th9 safcguartling of the special position of the )[alays, and of the


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6. For- thc,purpose of ilitics the e.xccutiye authorityof thc Iligh Conrrnissirlncr.rrill inclutlc tlrc porvc-r to gir.c appropriate tlircction'sto the Go'crnnrent of anl' I[.l.y stltc or t,f any Sctilcmt'nl.

1tr9.H]S-\ Comnrissioncr rvitl cxr'rcisc po\v(rrs in relation to the appointment, lnd.discipline of oflicers rvho are tiable- to sen'e in'trorc tha; oili Stot" o,5ettlcnlentJh" High Commissioner is emporiered !o -ma!e-general orders for givingefiect to certain of the financial pr-ovisions of the Fede"ration fgi..-""t. -^ His lfajesty-s.prerogative-of pardon in respect of cases occurring in theScttlements rvill be exercised by the High Commissioner.l{. Federal Executive AuthorityThe Exeiutive authoritl'of the Federation rvill e.xtend to matters rvith respectto rvhich the Federalrlesislative.Council rvill have po\r'er to pass larvs, as defi.redin a schedule to tbe Federation .\grccment (rvhich'is reprbdiced "r ipp.ndi* ,fte.lof)1 e.xcept that,-jn certain_cises set out in the sdcorrd "ofu-n ii the list .scheduled as Appendix A, the Executive Authority may be exercisable Ui Stii. .and Set dlement-Goverrr ments.It'^iThe Federal Executive authoritv rvill -be exercised by' the High Commissioner-' either directly.or.through_officers iubordinate to him.' The Hiltr Commissioneris.emPorvered to.delegaie Fe-deral Executive functions to Goverim.nt.-ot St;te;, ,nith the consent of the Ruler concerned, or to Settlement Governments)- --'-'i5. Federal Executive Council :The High Commissioner rvill preside over ihe Executive Council, rvhich rvill'.cbnsist of three er-offcio membeis, not less than four official-membirs, and not- less than five or more than seven unofficial members, of rvhom not teis itran trvo/ in the former case and three in the latter case rill be Jlalavs. (The $torkinsCommittee had. originally recommended an unofficial membership of nr., o?whom not less than trvo rvould be llalal's. .The Consultative eomniittee rcorl-mended an increase from five to seven.)16. Federat Legistative Council' The Working Committee had originally recomrnended that the Councilshould consist of the.High Commissioner-as President rvith three ex-oficiomembers, eleven official mcntbers, and thirty-four unofficial members t6 benominhted partly on a direct racial basis and partly as representin! various'' interests, but in such a manner as to ensure that, excluding ex-oflicio "id offici"lntembers, llalays .rvo-ul{ outnumber non-tr[alays by 18 ti f O.- The unofficialmembers rvere to include the 9 llalay Presidents of the Councils of State (saaParagraph 2l belorr') and one representative of each of the Settlem.ni Counl,iG. . lsee paragraph 22 bclorv).,lr"^'-The Consultative Committee recommended the increase of the'unofhbial.l',"jm-embership t.?.s2, including-one represe'tative from each Settiemenic;;";ii:r'-. :rvhile in acldition-the nine-)lalay Presiclcnts of the Councils oi $i;i. in the.i).t4"y Stat_gs rvere to be added is oficial members. Of the t.*tti,ii-el seatsi; (1.e., ex.clud.ing^the three ex-ofiiio and ! l ofhcial rnernbr'rs as originaily reconr- ,ii |e-lq*), the Consrrltativc Conrnrittee's proposals gave 39 lr,ats-to thl )tala1'sil*9 29 to the othcr- communitieS, tlrrce rcnraini-ng unallocatccl. (The tri'oif Chinesc nrt'ml)ers of thc Consrrltative Conrnrittec rt,i'Jld hlr.e rrished to intlurleU the nine Prcsirlcnts of thc Councils of State "t "r,ri,r"ri'ii;i";:'*il,.,,t.,rr, tt,,,rcducing the total )[alay.rnenrbcrslrip to 20.) ' JThe schcnre. es frnalll'-agrcc'il do,:s full jtrsticc to the Consrrltltivc Cornrnittee'srcc.onlmendati'>rr rcglrtlirig.thc incrc.asicl size of th,-- un,rtli.li.rl-r.tril,rrity-*[

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?rrilngtn)c.nt s'hich s ill sc-curc thc f ullcr rcl)rcscntation of all inrportirnt itttrrrc':ts.On thc othcr lrrrrcl, tlrc slight prr'pon(l(rattcc c'f JIrla-r's ovt'r flon-]lallrvs(txclurling ,'.r-.f:cro ancl oflici:rl nrr:rnbcrs) hls bccn rcstorrd. In acccpting thisproposrl, u'hich it is intcnrtcd sh


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Fr.Itlvtll.- It-lNf"'!N'[",iII'iNIt{NIrlHtiEiNlElxlrlxpiNh

of )talay, at tlrc e\i)rcss dt'nland of IIal:ty opinion, go(rs sonrewhat bt'1'orrtl thcorisinal'proposels of the \\'orkirrg Conrnrit[cc. Siinilarl)', as ir qrr:rliticati,rtrfor"a Ifinrb.'r of Legislativc Cotrncil, profrcicncy in llalJy rvill bc rccogrtiscdas an alternative to proficicrtcy in Englislr.17. Porvers oI Legisletive Council

The pb*'ers of the' I.egislative Council to nrake larvs for the lredcration rvillextend to the matters set out in the first colurnn of the list shorvrt atAppendix A. Bills passcd by'the Council rvill rerlrrirc the asscnt of thc llighCommissioner (or .the King) an4 that of thc Rulcrs'e.rpressed by a StandingCommittee consistirrg of ts'o Rulers.If the High Commissioner considers that it is expedient'in the interests ofpublic order, public faith or good government that any Bill introduced, or anynrotion proposed for discussion in thc Legislative Council, should have effcct,and if the Council fails to pass the Bill or motion rvithin such time and in suchform as the High.Commissioner nray think reasonable and expedicnt, theHigb Commissioner rvill have a " reserved porver " to give effect to the tsill ormo-tion as if it had been passecl by'ThE-ffi-cil. (In ihis connexion, horvever,attention should be drarvn to the special procedure regarding immigration notedin paragraph 18 belorv.) | . rl8l!e-!{grs and the ConJerence ot itulenR;F;deratFnffi the establishment of a Conferenceof Rulers consisting of all the Rulers of the Malay States. The Conference rvillmeet, rvhenever necessary, under the Chairmanship df such one of the Rulersas the Conference may select. The Conference rvill meet the High Commissioner. at least three tirnes a year.J'pxcgpt in case of urgency, the High Commissioner rvill cause to be sent toeach of the Rulers, before publicatioh in the " Gazctte," every Bitl rvhich it isintended to bring before ine Ugistative Council, other than a Bill for theIormal amendment of a Federal -larv. Everv neiv draft salary scheme fi'. JFederal Public Officers, and every draft sch-eme foi.the creation or majre-organisation of a Department of-the Federal Government will also be sent t.,Their Highnesses, and may be discussed in the Conference of Rulers if desired.\'/ It will be the duty of the Hjg\ CaurmisslgneSJo- sxplain-to-.th.e-Rulers thepolicy of the_ &deral- GoyefiGn l_on ma tGrs-;f llnpottail[ lo-lf,Url"toyStates;anilto ascertain the "i;;;'ot1tlA R;l;;; th.r.on ror nrs cons,dirdtion..On--e.ot&e-p.d.ncioal.problems on rvhich the High Commissioner and the Rulep-,' will confer, as occasion arises, rvi!^bahmi.grilion. In the past, immigrantsI trom overseas, mainly Chinese and Indians, have entered llali;-a in incrcasing;',


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ain p:rrticrrlrtr, \r'ltt'tt ant' ttlaior chetrgc in Hrch Pll.l' i; corlt"tnplatcd by thcIrcij,.r.rl Gor.rirulrt.lt. lsl,otrid a prrj&ity of thc Ilulcrs objt:ct to sttt:lt a^cltartgc,' arrd if rgrL.('n'rcnt clnnr)t bc rcach,:rl bctrvcctr tlt.:nr attd the tligh Conttttisstoncr,itr.. proiiurrl of thc Fcclcral Gove'rnrrtt'rrt i.s to bc rt'ferr,.'d^to tlre LegisletivcCouricil, rv[ich s'ill, by rrsolution, cottfirnr or rcjcct it. On ttris rcsoltttiott,'rvhilc cx-oftrcio ancl om.i"l rncnrbers may speak in tlt.: debete, unoflicialntr.gtbcrs nlonc rvill votc. It rr-ilt tl.rtrs bc possiblc, in the last resort, for thcIrlelal' trlcnrbcrs of thc Legislativc Council, if thcy. are uttaninrous. to havc adecisive voicc in acceptirrt or rcjdcting 1ny major change. in immigrationpolicl' rvhich Govcnrm..nt sccks [o intiodtrcc, and to rvhich a. majority oftn.ii HigSnes:ses have objcctcd. (This spccial proccclurc rvill not be applicablewhere a" change in imnrigrbtiori poliCy involrt's the Proic'cting Potrer'sresponsibilitl' for Defence or ENt('rtlal Affaim.). The prerogative of pardon in respect bf cases occurring il "ly of the llalay' States i itt Ui exercise-d by the Ruler of the State concerned in Council. _19. Tbe lllalay Shrtes. A State Executive Council and a Council of State with legislative porverss'ill be established in each State. The State Agreement concluded with theRuler of each State *-ill proride'that the Ruler undertakes to promulgate, as

soon as convenientlS' mali be, a nritten constitution for his State in conformitywith the.relevant parts of the Federation Agreement.20. Executive Autboritv io tlu States. The Execqtive Authority in each State rvill be exercised b1: the Ruler eitherdirectly or through State 6fficers in his name. State Execuiive- auttgritl' rrillextend to. all mat-ters rvhich are not included in thA sphere of Feder.alzauthority.

The State Executive Council n'ill aid dnd advise the Ruler in the exercise ofhis executive functions.. i.

Zl. Legislative Authority in the StatesThe Council of State may pass larvs on ayry subject:-(a) other than those in respeCt of rvhich the Federal. has Ircwer to pass lan's, Legislative Council

(D) in respect of ivhich the Federal Legislative Council has delegated porversof legislation to the Council of State.A BiU passed by a Council of State will require the assent of tbe Ruler oftbe State.

. 'Any law passed ty a,gouncil,of S.tate will be void in so far as it is ,uprgo"nt 'to a liw paised by fhe Federal Legislative Council. /. The Councils of State will be empowered to legislate on matters relating tothe l\tuslim religion and the custom of the ilIalays... In the State sphere of responsibility each Ruler wili possess a reserved Power' similar to that of the High eommissioner referred to in paragraph 17 above.. In the unlikely event of a difierence on an important matter being unable tobe composed by-other means, the Rulers rvi[ undcrtako to ac_cept-the advice of. tbe Briiish Adviser in each State in State afiairs and of the High Commissionerin Federation affairs. In both cases this exdudes matters relating to the'r' Muslim rcligion or the custom of the trlalays.


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3il. Tlrc Settlernents of Pr:nlng arltl I'Iitllccir. The l:cclcr:rti..rrr .\grcc'rrrcpt rvill provitl.'fot.tlrc irtclrtsion of tlrc Scttlcltr, trt:in thc litcl,-.ration, anit f'rr tlrcir atlrriirristr.rtiult itt con[ortttit,r'u itlt tlrc pr,,t'i.i,.,nsof the l;t'denttion..\grecnrcnt in suclt nlitrtncr as His )l:rjcst-r'rrta1'b1'Orrlcr irtCoulcil fronr tirrrt-. to tinrc prescribr'. 'fhcrc is prtrvi-sion for tlrc cottstitttti,rtt, of a Scttlcnrcnt Council in cach of thc Settlcrncnis rvith suclt po*'crs atrdfunctions as m&\'. be sinrilarly prcscribcd.23. Fiaancial !

Schedules attachcd to the Irederation 4\greemcntls'ill define thr: sources ofrevenue for the Fedcration Governnrcnt, on tlte onD'hand, and for thc Stateand Scttlenrent Governments on the other, and the Hcads of E.rpenditure forwhich the various authorities rvilI be rcsponsible. It is likely that thc exlrcndi-ture to rvhich the Stgtes arrd Settlenrents rvill be comntitted undcr this arrangc-ment *ill exceed their ou'n revenucs, and provision is nradc for block grantsfrom Federal revenues n'hich rvill enable the States and Settlemcnts to meet.. their approved expenditure. Further, in addition to the expcnditure budgettccl' for b1' States and Settlements, a certain sum each year rvill be granted to themfor expenditure on unforeseen scrvices. The amount rviU vary according to the 'expcnditure of the State or Scttlement concerned, and rvill be designed, innormal financial conditions, to represent approximately $100,000 in. the caseof the State or Settlement rvith the largest expenditure, and proportionatell'less for the others. r ./V Zl. Federal CitizenshipThe fonn of citizenship proposed.for the nel constitution is designed to drarv- together with a cammon loyalty all those rvho can be said to regard llalaya astheir true home. i I! t"4 not affect or impair the status of British subjects oro[ tbe subjects of the Rulers in the ll;lay States. It is intencled that citizen-ship rvill c4rry rvith it rights and duties ; thus, Federal citizenship will be a.qualification-for unofficial membership of the Fedcral Legislative Council, and'for mer4bership of the Councils of State.

Citizenship may be acquired either aulonaticallv or on applic-ation.. The fol lorvi n g persons vill a ttt o t n al ;ca tly-Ui-f-l dl r al c i t ize ns :. (a) Any subject, rvhenever born, of His Highness the Ruler of anv State./b) Any British subject born at any time in either of the Settlements, rvho! ., is permanently resident, (that is to say has completed a continuous' period of 15 years residence) anynvhere in the territories to becomprised in the Federation,

-_ Qhtt provision varies fronr that originally recommended by theWorking Committee in that residcnce in;nvhere in the Federition,. and not in either of the Settlements alone, will qualify.)V(c) Anl'British subject born at any time in any of the lerritorie.s now.to becomprised in the Federation rvhose father, either(!) ]as himself born in any of these territories or ., -(ii) bas_resided therein foi a continuous period of not less thant, 15 years:- (4 Any. pe-rpn _borl at any time in any of the territories norv to be com.Pnged in the Federation, who haSitually speaks the }talay languageand conforms to lIal4y custonr., t 'J ------ - I1 V.I anY. -other person born in any of these territories at any time, both ofwbose Parents were born in any of such territories and have beenresident in them for a continuoirs perio


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federation of malaya summary of revised constitutional proposals 1947

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