The Malayan Emergency was declared in 1948, when Malaya was still a British colony. In 1957 Malaya became independent, although the Emergency was not declared over until 1960. Malaya included only the states of the Malay peninsula. In 1963 it joined with Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo to form the Federation of Malaysia. On joining the federation North Borneo changed its name to Sabah.  Singapore left the federation in 1965 and became an independent nation.