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 responsible for immigration is acceptable in view of the excellent control and fortunately similar laws that exist today in the Borneo territories, Singapore and Malaya. It is a matter of great apprehension to the delegations from the Borneo territories that there might be free movements from Singapore and the peninsula into the Borneo territories. At the moment these territories are very sparsely populated and therefore may attract settlers from the over-crowded and densely populated areas of Singapore and the peninsula States. The Borneo territories are anxious to protect their lands, trade and employment from being taken up by people from the other parts of Malaysia. They are also anxious to see that no undesirable elements from other parts of Malaysia are allowed entry into the Borneo territories, and noted that there are now adequate security arrangements for this purpose.

Safeguards Desirable

25. The Committee is not oblivious of the fact that if the future States of Borneo desire quick progress and development they will need to attract labour and technical men and these should be obtained at reasonable rates. However, in fairness to the Borneo territories the Committee feels that the territory concerned should be given an opportunity to determine the rate and scope of development it may wish to adopt, having taken into account the population problem such development may create and at the same time keeping in step with the general tenor and trend of the general development of the whole Federation of Malaysia in accordance with the national plan. There are of course certain safeguards which are available to the States in view of their autonomy in matters of land, agriculture and the machinery of State government and control over local governments. The adoption of certain policies in regard to these matters can have the effect of discouraging or even preventing the migration of people into these States. But the Bomeo territories will not be completely happy unless they are provided with constitutional safeguards.

Control to be Devised

26. The Committee therefore welcomes the statement from the Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya that he is extremely sympathetic with the view of the Borneo delegations in this matter. The Committee is therefore satisfied with the assurance that there would be no unimpeded migration into the Borneo States from the other States of Malaysia and the constitutional provisions whereby such control will be affected can be devised by constitutional experts.

Citizenship

27. The Committee dealt with the question of citizenship at some length since this subject is of paramount importance to the peoples concerned. The position is further complicated in that the people of the Borneo territories, Singapore and the Federation of Malaya are governed by distinct and different citizenship and nationality laws. The Committee has noted that with regard to Singapore there is already an understanding reached with the Government of the Federation of Malaya whereby on merger all Singapore citizens and Federation of Malaysia citizens would automatically acquire Federation of Malaysia nationality and will, as nationals, have equal rights, carry the same passport, enjoy the same protection and be subject to equal duties and responsibilities under the Constitution of the Federation of Malaysia. The Committee agrees with the view that there should be a single Malaysian nationality.

Brunei Subjects as Citizens of Malaysia

28. With regard to Brunei the Committee is satisfied with the proposal that a subject of His Highness the Sultan should automatically become a citizen of the Federation of Malaysia.

Position of British Subjects Permanently Resident in Sarawak and North Borneo

29. In the case of North Borneo and Sarawak the Committee has accepted the formula that on the date on which the Federation of Malaysia comes into existence, every British subject born in either Sarawak or North Borneo or naturalised before that date will become a citizen of the Federation of Malaysia, provided he is permanently resident on that date in the territory in which he was born or naturalised or in one of the other territories of Malaysia.