Reid Commission - Working Process

Working Process

The Reid Commission met 118 times between June and October 1956, and received 131 memoranda from various individuals and organisations. The commission submitted its working draft on 21 February 1957, which was scrutinised by a Working Committee. The Working Committee consisted of four representatives from the Malay rulers, another four from the Alliance government, the British High Commissioner, the Chief Secretary, and the Attorney General.

On the basis of their recommendations, the new Federal Constitution was passed by the Federal Legislative Council on August 15, 1957, and the Constitution took effect on August 27.

However, formal independence was only achieved on August 31, and thus the Federation of Malaya became an independent sovereign country.

The constitutional machinery devised to bring the new constitution into force consisted of:

• In the United Kingdom, the Federation of Malaya Independence Act 1957, together with the Orders in Council made under it.
• The Federation of Malaya Agreement 1957 between the government of the United Kingdom and the government of the Federation of Malaya.
• In the Federation, the Federal Constitution Ordinance 1957 by the Parliament
• In each of the Malay states, state enactments approving and giving force of law to the federal constitution.

Large-scale amendments to the Constitution were made when Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak joined the Federation to form Malaysia in 1963. It became what is now known as the Constitution of Malaysia.