The British supported the idea of Malaysia and the Cobbold Commission was formed to review and Sarawakians' opinions on Malaysia. Led by Lord Cobbold, it comprised 5 members, of which 2 were Malayans. Between the 19th of February and 17th April 1962, the members made visits throughout Sabah and Sarawak reviewing opinions of individuals and religious, social and political organizations. On the 1st of August 1961, the commission confirmed that about 70 % of and Sarawakians were keen on joining and forming Malaysia.

However, continued Philippine and Indonesian opposition led to the sending of a United Nations mission to Borneo in 1963, which also reported that public opinion was in favour of joining Malaysia. Consequently, on 16 September 1963, Malaysia was formally promulgated, although without Brunei which by this time had declined to join.

The date 31st of August 1963 was set for the declaration of Malaysia.

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The Dataran Merdeka (formerly the Selangor Club Padang) was once the focal point, and cricket green, of the British colonial presence in Malaysia. Appropriately enough, it was on the Dataran Merdeka that at 12:01 am on August 31, 1957, the Union Jack was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted, signaling Malaysia's independence as a nation. A 100-meter flagpole, one of the tallest in the world, marks the spot. Beneath the Dataran Merdeka is the Plaza Putra, an underground food, leisure, and entertainment complex, which houses the Putra Indoor Golf Centre, the first Par-T-Golf in the city.

The national flower is the bunga raya (hibiscus) (Rosasinensis) which has an interesting history. No one knows when flower was first introduced to Malaysia but undoubtedly it came by trade from its original homeland in China, Japan and the Pacific Islands, probably before the 12th century. From early times the bunga raya has been known to have many uses, mostly medicinal. Its petals were commonly used to darken and enhance women's eyebrows: some people still use the roots of the flowers as a cure for fever and other ailments . Skin eruptions and glandular trouble are said to be relieved by the application of the juice obtained from its leaves and roots, while a poultice prepared from the leaves is often applied to cure headache. The bunga raya is found abundantly in Malaysia today. It grows in several varieties of colour: the red, five- petalled grows in several varieties type was chosen for Malaysia's national flower in 1960. (Does anyone know the exact date? If you do, please let us know)

Masjid Negara is one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia and is the spiritual center for Malaysia's Muslims. Built on 5 landscaped hectares (12 acres) behind the railway station, the mosque consists of a grand prayer hall, mausoleum, library, and offices opening onto a courtyard. It has a 75-meter (245-foot) minaret. The roof is an umbrella-shaped dome with 18 points representing the 13 states of Malaysia and the Five Pillars of Islam. Visitors are welcome but must be respectably dressed. Masjid Negara was officially open in 1965.