Cobbold Commission


The Cobbold Commission, was a Commission of Enquiry set up to determine whether the people of North Borneo and Sarawak supported the proposal to create the Federation of Malaysia consisting of Malaya, Brunei, Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak. It was also responsible for the subsequent drafting of the Constitution of Malaysia prior to the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. The Commission was headed by former Bank of England governor, Lord Cobbold.

Members

Members of the Commission were:
The Commission released its findings, report and recommendations on 1 August 1962. It concluded that the formation of Malaysia should be implemented. However, Lord Cobbold also stressed that all parties enter the federation as equal partners.
However, Lord Cobbold concealed his personal secret letter to Mr Macmilliam on 21 June 1962 : " I have supported Malaysia in the report on the assumption that Singapore also joins in.... if Singapore were to drop out, a federation between Malaya and the Borneo territories without Singapore would have few attractions."
The findings were summarised by Lord Cobbold as follows:

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