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countries was a striking demonstration of the fact that Malaysia enjoyed the positive goodwill of an impressive cross-section of world opinion. Other countries who could not be represented sent congratulatory messages; Cyprus, Trinidad, Uganda and the Irish Republic were amongst these.
13. It is difficult to gauge how deeply the people at large were stirred by the inauguration of Malaysia. It is certain, at least, that they entered with enthusiasm into the celebrations. The streets and the Lake Gardens were thronged for days on end and the whole of the capital city was brilliant with illuminated arches of every conceivable shape, and deafened by the relentless noise of bursting Chinese crackers. This was the pattern throughout the Malayan States.
14. In the State of Kelantan and in Penang City the Opposition-controlled authorities had refused to take part in the Malaysia celebrations. The Kelantan State Government had issued a writ calling upon the Supreme Court to declare the Malaysia Act unconstitutional and had applied for an injunction to restrain the Federation Government meanwhile from bringing the act into force. Its application was refused by the Chief Justice, who declared that he could see no prospect of the Kelantan case succeeding. In the light of this the Kelantan. Government relented to the extent of declaring 16th and 17th September as public holidays. The celebrations in Kelantan were, however, organised by the Federation authorities over the heads of the State Government, and the Federal Minister of Transport, Dato Sardon, flew to the State capital on 17th September to read the Proclamation of Malaysia at the same time as it was read by the Tunku in Kuala Lumpur. In Penang, correspondingly, the State Government assumed from the Council the necessary powers to ensure that the city was decorated and that the people had the opportunity to celebrate Malaysia.
15. The ceremonies and celebrations in the three new States had a slightly different complexion, because for their peoples it was not only a question of federation with Malaya, but also of independence. The United Kingdom Commissioner in Singapore and the Governors of North Borneo and Sarawak departed on 15th September, the day before the inauguration of Malaysia. Her Majesty The Queen sent messages of goodwill to the peoples of the three territories on the eve of their independence.
16. In Singapore, where the celebrations took place in an atmosphere of considerable excitement, there were few echoes of the ill-will which had recently strained relations between the P.A.P. Government and the Federation Government. The latter were represented by Dato' Dr. Ismail, the Minister for Internal Security. In Sabah also the celebrations took place in a gay but orderly manner and no untoward incidents occurred. There the Federation Government were represented by Tun Razak, the Deputy Prime Minister. In Sarawak the celebrations were more restrained, but passed off without incident except for a rash of anti-Malaysia posters distributed by the political Opposition and by Communists. A substantial section of the Chinese population, however, boycotted the celebrations and a big public event a lantern procession-was_cancelled because of a bomb-throwing incident in Kuching on 14th September. Tuan Haji Khir bin Johari, the Minister of Agriculture and Co-operatives, represented the Federation Government in Kuching. The celebrations in both Kuching and Jesselton were also attended by a *Sq5 CRO number of Commonwealth and other representatives. You Sir, were able to make a short visit to the Borneo States and Singapore at this time and were able to witness ceremonies in both Kuching and Singapore before returning to Kuala Lumpur for the main celebrations on 17th and 18th September.
17. This despatch would not be complete without a brief record of the international atmosphere in which the Malaysia celebrations were held. On 14th September the report of the United Nations Mission was published, confirming that virtually all the people in Sabah and about three-quarters of those in Sarawak. were in favour of Malaysia. On the following day the Governments of Indonesia. and of the Philippines indicated clearly that they were not recognising Malaysia, and on Malaysia Day itself the mobs in Djakarta attacked the British and Malayan Embassies there. On 17th September, the day of the Proclamation of Malaysia, the Malaysian Government, noting that Indonesia and the Philippines had in effect already done this, broke off their own diplomatic relations with the two countries and ordered the recall of their Ambassadors and staffs. There were also on that day demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur against the Indonesian Embassy, in which the Tunku had personally to intervene. On 18th September, the day of the State
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