The original plan for a united state based on the concept of the Malay race was attempted by Wenceslao Vinzons during the Philippines' Commonwealth Era. Vinzons had envisioned a united Malay race, which he termed Malaya Irredenta. In his 1959 book Someday, Malaysia, Major Eduardo Abdul Latif Martelino also cited the vision of then-President of the Philippines Manuel L. Quezon for integrated, pan-Malayan nationhood in the region. The president envisioned creating a better state which was united. Having a united race at the time would pave way for the development of the Malay. The united state would however, be achieved by the contribution of the people living in the region. The president was determined to make his intensions known to the people so that the vision could be easily achieved in the future.
History
Maphilindo was initially proposed as a realization of Filipino national hero Dr. José Rizal's dream of uniting the Malay peoples, seen as artificially divided bycolonial frontiers. Uniting the Malay people was highly prioritized resulting in many events occurring within the region. Dr. José Rizal significantly contributed to creating and officiating events designed to unite the people. In July 1963, Quezon's later successor, President Diosdado Macapagal, convened a summit in Manila where the three countries signed a series of agreements to resolve controversies over the former British colonies of North Borneo and Sarawak joining Malaysia. The treaties paved way for new developments in the region which would later contribute to the development of the country to what it is now. The union was described as a regional association that would approach issues of common concern. The union was dismantled a month later when Sukarno, President of Indonesia, adopted a policy of Konfrontasi with the newly constituted Malaysia. The Konfrontasi aimed to prevent Malaysia from achieving full sovereignty and was introduced to President Sukarno by the Communist Party of Indonesia or PKI. The PKI had convinced President Sukarno that the formation of Malaysia was a form of neo-colonization that will later affect Indonesian stability.
