The FTs are KL, Putrajaya (the new administrative city) and Labuan (off the Sabah coast). They are collectively known as ONE state hence governed by a Federal Territory ministry. So every Feb 1 is Federal Territory Day, and anyone working/studying in those three FTs gets a day off.

Typical Malaysian, thinking of it in terms of ‘free’ holidays

Malaya gained Independance from the British and the official date was 31 Aug 1957. That was when the first Prime Minister of Malaysia went ‘Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka’ on black and white tv.

Then somehow Sabah and Sarawak, now known as East Malaysia got coaxed into joining ‘Malaysia’. The official ‘joining’ date was supposed to be earlier but somehow it got pushed to 16 Sept 1963.

Hence that’s the date of the unification of MALAYSIA = became one That was also when the ‘design the country’s flag’ contest revealed a winner. Unfortunately the winner is now dead so we can’t ask him why he modeled our country’s flag after the US flag.

If you are really interested, the Colonel wrote a nice piece here :
http://nsds3.blogspot.com/2005/09/malaysia-day-afternoon-edition.html

“13 states and 1 Federal Territory ”

What is the fereral Territory?

“We gained Independance on 31st August 1957 but became one on 16 September 1963″

What do you mean “became one”? was m’sia every split?

That’s my uneducated guess anyway!
(Explains why so much blue on the Aussie flag too!)