International Law, History & Policy - Centre for International Law

Singapore in the Early Years 19
of England. 43 The Commission commenced its enquiry on 18
February 1962 and released its findings, report and recommendations
on 1 August 1962. In the course of their enquiry, the
Commission held 50 hearings in 35 different centres, received
some 2,200 memorials and representations and talked to some
4,000 persons and 690 groups and organizations. At the end of
the hearings, Cobbold concluded:
About one-third of the population of each territory strongly
favours early realisation of Malaysia without too much concern
about terms and conditions. Another third, many of them favourable
to the Malaysia project, ask, with varying degrees of
emphasis, for conditions and safeguards varying in nature and
extent: the warmth of support among this category would be
markedly influenced by a firm expression of opinion by Governments
that the detailed arrangements eventually agreed upon
are in the best interests of the territories. The remaining third
is divided between those who insist on independence before
Malaysia is considered and those who would strongly prefer to
see British rule continue for some years to come. If the conditions
and reservations which they have put forward could be
substantially met, the second category referred to above would
generally support the proposals. Moreover once a firm decision
was taken quite a number of the third category would be likely
to abandon their opposition and decide to make the best of a
doubtful job. There will remain a hard core, vocal and politically
active, which will oppose Malaysia on any terms unless
it is preceded by independence and self-government: this hard
43 Cobbold was Governor of the Bank of England from 1949 to 1961.
The other members were Wong Pow Nee, Chief Minister of Penang,
Mohammed Ghazali Shafie, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Anthony Abell, former Governor or Sarawak
and David Watherston, former Chief Secretary of the Federation of
Malaya.