History of Penang 1957, George Town, the capital of Penang, was granted city status by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957, becoming the first city within the Federation of Malaya, and by extension, Malaysia. George Town continued to be the only city within Malaysia (other than Singapore between 1963 and its Separation in 1965) until 1972, when Kuala Lumpur was also conferred city status. Penang, as part of the Federation of Malaya, gained independence from the British Empire on 31 August 1957, and subsequently became a member state of Malaysia in 1963. Penang's political landscape immediately after the independence of Malaya became relatively fractured.
Imperial Federation League of the British Conservative Party, it was also popular among proponents of Liberal or New Imperialism such as W. E. Forster. The movement was also a vehicle for British ethnic nationalism and ideas of a greater Britain encompassing the largely white self-governing colonies and dominions. Its modern descendants are those who favor closer ties between the Old Commonwealth. In 1884 the Imperial Federation League combined politicians, journalists, and intellectuals, like Sir John Robert Seeley, James Bryce, and Froude. The league promoted the closer union of the British Empire and advocated the establishment of an Imperial parliament composed of Britain and