Kota Kinabalu: Whichever way one looks at it, the fact is that Singapore did not secede from the Malaysian Federation but was ejected in 1962, two years after its formation.
Former Attorney General Tommy Thomas in his talk on “Formation of Malaysia Revisited” recently pointed to the Cobbold Commission’s report that rejected any secession clause in the formation of Malaysia.
“The politics that developed over the 60 years since 1963 is best understood against the historical background of the Federation. History determined politics. Without a past, how to understand the present or hope for the future?
“Hence, it is critical to consider the genesis of Malaysia’s formation, which takes us back to the British Empire and World War II. As we complete the first quarter of the 21st century, this is as good a time as any to revisit our foundation,” he said. The talk was organised by Sabar.