The Malaysia Agreement of 1963, which laid out terms and conditions for the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, included a clause for the transfer of areas previously under the British War Department, including Pulau Blakang Mati, to Singapore. With the near-complete withdrawal of the Gurkha units in 1967, the island came under the jurisdiction of independent Singapore from 1 September 1967. The Singapore Naval Volunteer Force was relocated to the island after the handover.