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Synopsis :

This is a commentary on the departure of the last High Commissioner of the Federation of Malaya Sir Donald MacGillivray after Malaya achieved independence on 31 August 1957. The commentator at the Kuala Lumpur Airport notes that in his farewell speech last night, Sir Donald said that he was sad to leave Malaya and at the same time proud that Malaya had achieved independence. He arrived in Malaya during the emergency in 1952 when Sir Gerald Templer was High Commissioner. Only a few months before, the previous High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney had been brutally murdered in an ambush in Pahang and the morale of the country was very low. Sir Donald's arrival in Malaya was against the wishes of a number of Malayan leaders who felt that if there was to be a Deputy High Commissioner, he should be a Malayan. Within months he was accepted and valued in the country and was appointed High Commissioner when Gerald Templer left in mid-1954. Sir Donald helped steer Malaya to independence. At the farewell ceremony to see him off are the Prime Minister of Malaya Tunku Abdul Rahman, his wife Puan Sharifah Rodziah, His Majesty the Yang di- Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong.  Sir Donald is greeted by the Prime Minister when he arrives. The national anthem Negara Ku is played followed by the inspection of the guard of honour made up men of the 4th battalion of the Malay regiment. He then inspects small units from various parts of the Commonwealth that are in Malaya to fight the communist terrorists and help preserve internal security. Sir Donald and Lady MacGillivray are then escorted by His Majesty and the Prime Minister to the aircraft waiting for them. Spontaneous applause breaks out when they board the plane and a chapter in Malaya's story closes as Sir Donald and Lady MacGillivray fly away.