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Universiti Malaya was established on 8 October 1949 as a national institution to serve the higher educational
needs of the Federation of Malaya and of Singapore. In 1960, the Government of the Federation of Malaya
indicated that the Kuala Lumpur Division of the Universiti Malaya should become the national University in
the Federation with effect from the beginning session 1962/63. Likewise, the Singapore Division should
become the national University of Singapore. Steps to achieve the establishment of these two separate
st
universities were finalized during the year 1961 and Universiti Malaya was established on 1 January 1962.
The student population at that time was about 330. Since then, the University has grown and developed
rapidly. Today, the student population has grown to almost 30,000.

Establishment of the Faculty of Medicine at Universiti Malaya

Up to the 1950’s, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Singapore, known previously as King Edward VII College
of Medicine, had been the only medical school in Malaya and Singapore. The output of doctors at that time was
small: 60 per year. Many Malaysians had to go overseas to seek undergraduate medical education. It was not
until 1960 that a determined effort was made to double the intake of students to 120 per year in Singapore. In
1960, a board of scholars at Universiti Malaya was appointed to study the feasibility of establishing a medical
school with its own teaching hospital. The board recommended the establishment of both.
To this end, the Ministries of Education and of Health provided the necessary capital funds. In 1962, the first
Dean for the Faculty of Medicine was appointed.

FIRST BATCH - 1969

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