The first time there was a Prime Minister was in 1959 and it was chosen by the Governor of Singapore and later the Yang di-Pertuan Negara (head of state), when Singapore could have the power to govern as the State of Singapore inside the British Empire. The title of Prime Minister did not change after Singapore merged with the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and British North Borneo, while Singapore was a state in the Federation of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965, and after independence in 1965.