Article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia in the context of "Malay people"

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⭐ Core Definition: Article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia

Article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia defines various terms used in the Constitution. It has an important impact on Islam in Malaysia and the Malay people due to its definition of a Malay person under clause 2. It took effect after 31 August 1957 ("Merdeka Day" or "Independence Day") in the Federation of Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia), and took effect in Singapore and East Malaysia when they merged with Malaya in 1963 to jointly form Malaysia. Although the article no longer applies to Singapore since its separation from Malaysia in 1965, it does affect the legal status of Malay Singaporeans when they enter Malaysia.

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Article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia in the context of Independence Day (Malaysia)

Independence Day (Malay: Hari Merdeka), also known as National Day (Malay: Hari Kebangsaan), is the independence day of the Federation of Malaya from the United Kingdom. It commemorates the Malayan Declaration of Independence of 31 August 1957, and is defined in article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The day is marked by official and unofficial ceremonies and observances across the country.

The observation of 31 August as Malaysia's national day is the cause of some controversy, especially among East Malaysians, with calls to prioritise the celebration of Malaysia Day (Hari Malaysia) on 16 September instead. Malaysia Day commemorates the formation of Malaysia in 1963, when the four entities of North Borneo, Sarawak, Singapore and Malaya federated to form Malaysia as part of the Malaysia Agreement.

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