Malaysian Stamp History

Meeting 7: Malaysian Stamp History

Meeting Objectives

✓ Understand the history of Malaysian stamps
✓ Apply requisite knowledge about Malaysian history

✓ Learn about the different issues of Malaysian stamps.

7.1 Map of Malaysia Before Japanese Occupation

Perlis
Kedah

Kelantan

Penang Terengganu Labuan North Borneo
Dindings Brunei (Sabah)

Federated Malay States Sarawak
(Johor, Perak, Selangor, Pahang, N9)
= Straits Settlements
Sg. Ujong
(British territories that are located in Southeast Asia)
Malacca

Johor
Singapore

States first year of stamp issue

Straits Settlements ( Penang, Dindings, Melaka, Singapore) - 1867
Sarawak - 1869
Johor -1876
Perak - 1878
Labuan - 1879
Sungei Ujong - 1880 (-1894)
Selangor - 1881
North Borneo (Sabah) - 1883
Pahang - 1889
Negeri Sembilan - 1891
Brunei - 1895
Terengganu, Kedah, Kelantan (after treaty with Siam) - 1910
Perlis - 1948 ( used to use Kedah)

7.2 Straits Settlement Era

1854
Stamps from India are being used
First known mail : Penang - M[Eaasut Arfirticiau] s
Worth : GBP 40,000 - 50,000

[GBP = British pound sterling / United States currency]

Fun Fact :)
Asia’s first stamp Scinde Dawk was issued
in India

Postal Circle [“the Post Office” in India]
1854 - 1860 : Bengal Circle
1861 onwards : Burma Circle

1 September 1867
East India Overprints
- Various colours for various den[ofamceivnaalutei]ons
- E.g. Overprinted with a crown and a new

value in cents

December 1867
First stamp issued by De La Rue
Values : 2c, 4c, 6c, 8c, 12c, 24c, 32c (oval),
96c (rectangle)
1872 : 30c (hexagon)

*De La Rue manufactures polymer and security printed products including banknotes and tax stamps.

7.3 Japanese Occupation

i. Overprints
a) Post of Military in Malaya
b) Japanese Empire Stamp
c) Dai Nippon 2606 Malaya
d) Big Japanese Empire Government
e) Kita Borneo/ North Borneo
f) Special seal ”Military Government XYZ State”

ii. Malai Definitive Stamp Issues (1943)
19/4 : 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 30 cents
1/6 : 3, 6 sen
1/10 : 25, 50 sen

iii. First Commemorative Stamp
- Fall of Singapore (1942)

iv. Thai Administration (October 1944 - May 1945)
- States: Perlis, Kedah(Syiburi), Kelantan, Terengganu
- Denominations (with recorded usage) : 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 15 cents

7.4 Pre-Independence

i. British Military Administration
Time : 1946 - 1948 (some until 1951)
Design : Overprints “BMA MALAYA” or “BMA” on State Definitive
Free Postage : 17 September - 18 October 1945

[Enabled the BMA to restart the postal service before the arrival of the BMA stamps]

ii. Omnibus Issues
- Stamps that shares the same topic & the same or similar designs
- E.g. Peace and Victory Omnibus Issues

vs vs vs

iii. Malayan Union
- Printed but not being used (very rare)
- Known as ”Victory Stamps” (part of Peace & Victory Omnibus Issue)
- Denominations : 8, 15 cents but only 8c stamps can be found

iv. Federation of Malaya (Pre-Independence)
- 4 issues (1 Definitive + 3 Commemorative Omnibus Issues)
• 1948 - Royal Wedding (Queen Elizabeth II)
• 1949 - UPU 75 Anniversary
• 1949 onwards - State Definitive (perforation changed : 13x14 - 17.5x18)
• 1953 - Queen Elizabeth II Coronation

7.5 Federation of Malaya Total : 15 issues

i. 1st Issue : 5/5/1957
ii. Independence Day issue : 31/8/1957

iii. Definitive stamps Commemorative stamps
vs + special stamps
(issued by states)
(issued by federation)

Federation (Central Government) > State (State Government)

iv. British Stamps (during that period)
- Used by : North Borneo(Sabah), Sarawak, Brunei
- Self-governed states
• Brunei & Singapore : 1959
• Sarawak : 22/7/1963
• North Borneo (Sabah) : 31/8/1963
- Singapore issues its own stamps ; Brunei only starts issuing theirs from 1965

7.6 Malaysia

i. 1st Commemoratives : 16/9/1963 (Inauguration of Malaysia)
ii. 1st Definitive : 9/9/1965 (Orchids & Birds Definitive)

iii. Low Value Definitive stamps vs High Value Definitive stamps
(issued by states) (issued by federation)

iv. Definitive Stamps Theme : Flora & Fauna

B4 the 1st definitive of Malaysia

Malaya, Singapore, Sabah & Sarawak used their own old definitive.
Exchange rate is equal = use stamps interchangeably

v. Last Malaysian stamp with Singapore
- First M’sian Plan (1/12/1966)

vi. 1st Malaysian minisheet
- 25th Anniversary of Independence (31/8/1982)

vii. The Scented Flowers Series 2 (2016) - now : Feature Jawi script on all stamps

b4 after

7.7 Additional Information

Malayan Postal Union
- Postal union of the Federated Malay States & the Straits Settlements.
- Only issues postage stamps
- Used from 1935-1966 ( Malaysia) ; 1935-1968 (Singapore)

British North Borneo’s First Stamps
- used by the Straits Settlement
- Definitive stamps [printed in 1883]

• Lion & Ship (1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8 ,10 cents)
• Coats of arms (50 cents, $1)

First stamp to bear the word “SABAH”
- Overprint on state definitive (1/7/1964)

Sungei Ujong’s Stamps Labuan’s Stamps
(became part of N9 in 1896)

Malaysia’s Postcode System
- Initiator : M. Rajasingam , director of Jabatan Perkhidmatan Pos (1976-1986)
- 1976: Kuala Lumpur addressed have postcodes
- Helped by : French Postal Authorities / PPT (Postes, Télégraphes et Téléphones)

• Sent an officer to craft the postcode system

Main city/district : ends with “000”

E.g. 47000 = Sungai Buloh ; 47100 = Puchong(less developed area)

Local post office : 3rd & 4th digits
Special addresses / Rented mailboxes : 5th

* Some zones in certain states may use the 1st digit
of another state because the mail is transported
through the other state instead of the home state

E.g. Genting Highlands = 69000