125 Years Anniversary Keretapi Tanah Melayu (22nd Jul 2010)

Starting with the opening of the first 12.5 km track from Taiping to Port Weld (Kuala Sepetang), Perak on 1st June 1885, the railway service in Malaysia is reaching 125 years of age by 1 June 2010. It evolves from steam locomotive to electric-powered train, and from single track to electrified double track, KTM Berhad is determined to become the heartbeat of the nation which stays relevant and on track in moving 1 Malaysia.

T Class Steam Locomotive (32101)
The T Class steam locomotive was made by the W.G. Bagnall Limited, England in 1927. The first locomotive was acquired in 1929 and it last ran in 1964. The existing engine has been contributed to the Malaysia National Museum in May 1975.

21 Class Locomotives
Class 21 Diesel Hydraulic locomotive engine was manufactured by Kisha Seizo Kaisha Ltd, Japan. The first engine was attained in 1965 and the last engine, train no. 21102 was last used in 1994.

83 Class Electric Multiple Unit (EMU)
The train is among the first electric train introduced in Malaysia. Class 83 EMU is a South Korean made engine, manufactured by the Marubeni/Hyundai Corporation. The first EMU was acquired in 1997 and still operates until present under the KTM Komuter Services.

91 Class Electric Train Set (ETS)
This train is the latest and most modern electric train owned by KTM Berhad. Class 91 ETS is made by Hyundai-Rotem Corporation, South Korea. The train is able to run at its maximum speed of 160km/h, by far the fastest running train on the one meter gauge. The first unit was received in December 2009 and the final one arrived in April 2010. ETS is expected to run commercially by July 2010 for the Seremban – Kuala Lumpur – Ipoh route.



26 Class Locomotive (Blue Tiger)
The Class 26 High Powered locomotive is a German Made engine, manufactured by the General Electric – Bombardier. The first engine was purchased in 2003 and the series is still being used until present. This engine is one of the most resent and modern locomotive owned by KTM Berhad, and is used by the cargo services.

Temerloh – Class 56
Class 56 locomotive is the last steam engine used in Malaysia (1939 – 1946). Manufactured by the North British Locomotive Company Ltd, Glasgow, there were 39 locomotives in operations in Malaysia during the era. The engine named Temerloh with the number 564.36 is the last steam locomotive which ran in 1997 and the only surviving unit.

20 Class Locomotive
Class 20 Diesel locomotive was made by the English Electric, Vulcan Foundry, England. The first locomotive was obtained in 1957 and the service was launched on 31 July 1957. The engine was last used in 1992. A unit of the train is put on display at Shah Alam Museum, Selangor.

Mata Wang Malaysia : Malaysian Currency (18th Jan 2010)

Bank Negara Malaysia was established on January 26, 1959 under the Central Bank of Malaysia Act 1958. On June 12, 1967, the Malaysia dollar, issued by Bank Negara Malaysia, replaced the Malaya and British Borneo dollar at par. The new currency retained all denominations except the $10,000 denomination, and also brought over the colour schemes of the old dollar. Over the course of the following decades, changes were made on the notes and coins issued, from the introduction of the M$1 coin in 1967, the demonetization of M$500 and M$1000 notes during the 1990s.

COINS

First series (1967)

The first series of sen coins were introduced in 1967 in denominations of 1 sen, 5 sen, 10 sen, 20 sen, 50 sen, followed by the introduction of the 1 ringgit coin in 1971. The 50 sen coin is the only coin in the series to undergo the minor design modification on its edge in 1971 to include “Bank Negara Malaysia” letterings.

Second series (1989)

The second series of coins enters circulation in late-1989. Changes include the inclusion of a hibiscus, the national flower on Malaysia, on the upper half of the obverse, and the depiction of items of cultural items on the reverse. On December 7, 2005, the 1 ringgit coin was demonetized and withdrawn from circulation.

CURRENCY NOTES

First series (1967)

Bank Negara Malaysia launched its first local currency notes in 1967, in values of $1, $5, $10, $50 and $100. The $1,000 currency notes were launched in 2 September 1968. The obverse was printed with the portraits of the first DYMM Yang Di-Pertuan Agong. At the reverse was the BNM emblem with decorated geometry as the background.

Second series (1982)

On 1 September 1982, Bank Negara Malaysia launched its second series currency notes. All notes were covered with new design and featured Malaysia’s culture. Two additional new denominations (RM20 and RM500) were launched at the same time. The tiger watermark image on the old notes has been replaced byte portraits of the first DYMM Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.

Third series (1996)

The third series was issued with designs in the spirit of Wawasan 2020 in denominations of RM2, RM5, RM10, RM50 and RM100. In 2000, the RM1 note was reintroduced, replacing the RM2 note and the RM1 coin. In 2004, a new RM5 polymer banknote with a distinctive transparent window was also issued.

Darjah Kebesaran Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa : Grand Knight of Valour (31st Jul 2010)

The Grand Knight of Valour award, locally referred to as Darjah Kebesaran Seri Pahlawan Gagah Perkasa (S.P) is in the form of a silver medal in the shape of a crescent moon with three layers. In the middle layer is the inscription “Gagah Perkasa”, with the moon is the fourteen-pointed star. Both end of the crescent moon is linked by a carving design where it is attached to a 38.1mm yellow ribbon with 3.2mm red strips on both sides. The Grand Knight of Valour award was created on 29 July 1960 and was gazette on 11 August 1969.

It is the highest bravery award which can be presented in Malaysia and also the highest award in the federal ranking of awards. This award can also be awarded to a person who has passed away (posthumous). Up till today, 26 heroes have been awarded the Grand Knight of Valour. Out of the 26, 11 of the recipients are still alive. The late Mr Veloo a/l Rajavelu was the first recipient of the Grand Knight of Valour in 1963 for his bravery and spirit to foil the robbery in Klang in August 1962.

Makanan Traditional Musim Perayaan : Traditional Festive Food (10th Aug 2010)

Malaysia is a unique country with various races and a myriad of ethnic groups from Sabah and Sarawak, that is rich with various religions as well as different cultures and customs. This can be seen on the wide variety of food dishes that are served during festive celebrations by the different race and ethnic groups that vary in cooking styles, taste and decoration.

The stamps include:

• Malay traditional food
• Chinese traditional food
• Indian traditional food
• Traditional food for ethnic groups in Sabah
• Traditional food for ethnic groups in Sarawak

Gaya Hidup Orang Asli : Lifestyles of the Aboriginal People (27th Sept 2010)

Malaysia’s indigenous communities represent a small but important part of the nation’s multi racial milieu. These communities are disproportionately spread out between the small and frequently isolated communities found in the peninsular and the Malaysian Borneo states of Sarawak and Sabah where they make up 50 to 60 percent of the respective states’ populations.

The ‘Orang Asli’ are made up of nearly a hundred different ethnic sub-groups. These include around twenty in Peninsular Malaysia although administratively they are categorized as Negrito, Senoi, and Aboriginal Malay. Sabah and Sarawak, on the other hand, has between thirty to forty distinct sub-group each with an even more amazing number of languages and dialects.

The Department of Orang Asli Affairs or JHEOA is entrusted with the care and administration of the indigenous communities. Its mandate includes the eradication of poverty, improvement of health, promoting education and improving their general livelihoods and where possible and desired, their integration with mainstream Malaysian society.

Pejabat Pos Lama : Old Post Offices (9th Oct 2010)

The Post Office was officially established in England in 1660. Similar Post Offices were established across the British Empire and other countries including Malaysia. In the early 1800s, the postal services started in the Straits Settlements (Penang, Malacca and Singapore) and gradually covered the whole of Malaysia by early 20th century.

A post office is the facility for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling transmission and delivery of mail. All post is transferred from the post office of origination to distribution points called sorting stations, and from there the post was then sent on for delivery to the receiver of post. The Post Master heads each post office.

However, what started as a medium for the transmission of letters and business documents, the postal service has evolved into a one stop services provider. It began to venture into parcel delivery, registrations, insurance service, transaction of money (postal order and money order) and banking services.

From Jabatan Perkhidmatan Pos, Jabatan Pos, in early 1992, Pos Malaysia Berhad began the biggest changes in the history with the grant of business freedom. With freedom comes a greater challenge. Faced with growing competitions, Pos Malaysia Berhad begins its journey of streamlining its operations by segregation of the business into three main Strategic Business Units called PosMel, PosLaju, and PosNiaga.

Today, there are over 703 post offices in Malaysia. This issue highlights some of the existing post office buildings in Malaysia; that is two post offices from each state are presented by stamps valued at 60sen each. Most of the post offices buildings are historical buildings; some were built before Pre-World War II period. The post offices nationwide have different characteristics and architectural styles that are each interesting and unique.

Warisan : Heritage of Negeri Pahang Darul Makmur (24th Oct 2010)

BIOGRAPHY OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS SULTAN PAHANG

His Royal Highness Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah, the third prince of His Royal Highness Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'adzam Shah and Her Royal Highness Tengku Ampuan Pahang, Raja Hajjah Fatimah binti Almarhum Sultan Alang Iskandar Shah was born in the Istana Mangga Tunggal Pekan on 24 October 1930.

His Royal Highness received his education at Sekolah Melayu Kuala Kangsar, Sekolah Clifford Kuala Lipis and Malay College Kuala Kangsar. His Royal Highness also studied the Japanese langguage during the Japanese occupation in Malaya.

On 25 May 1944, His Royal Highness was proclaimed as His Royal Highness Tengku Mahkota Pahang and in 1948, persued his studies in the General Admission in Worchester College, Oxford. His Royal Highness also persued a Local Government course in University College, Exeter, Devon followed by practical training in Urban District Council in Devon for three years.

His Royal Highness Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah  wed Her Royal Highness Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tengku Hajjah Afzan binti Almarhum Tengku Panglina Perang Tengku Muhammad on 22nd April 1954 and is blessed with 2 princes and 5 princesses. After the passing of Her Royal Highness Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tengku Hajjah Afzan on 29th Jun 1988, His Royal Highness wed Her Royal Highness Sultanah Pahang, Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom on 14 March 1991 and blessed with one prince.

His Royal Highness was proclaimed His Royal Highness Sultan and Royal Ruler for State of Pahang Darul Makmur on 7 May 1974. The Royal installation of His Royal Highness as the fifth Sultan Pahang was held on 8 May 1975.

His Royal Highness has ruled the Government of the State of Pahang Darul Makmur for 36 years and under his reign and leadership, every layer of soceity can today enjoy the prosperity, peace and harmony. His Royal Highness takes great interest in the development and improvement in the living standard of his subjects.

This is clearly seen vis the seven stragegies of strenghtening the economy  of the state that is strenghtening the communication and greater reach, increase the utility capacity, strenghtening the human model, increase and added valuein the productive sector, widening the social network, increase in quality of life, and strenghten foreign investment.

Majlis Raja-Raja Melayu elected His Royal Highness as the seventh His Royal Majesty on 25 April 1979, where His Royal Highness ruled until 25 April 1985.

His Royal Highness also played an active role in the national education that had made him the Head of Board, International Islamic University Malaysia in February 1983 up till today.

His Royal Highness likes outdoor activities and excell as a great national and international polo player. His Royal Highness also had interest in other sports activities such as football, tennis, hockey and golf.

In 1982, His Royal Highness was awarded the International Olympic Football Award. He was the only Malaysian to the said prestigious award. His Royal Highness is also a sports enhusiast and has been the President of the Football Association of Malaysia since 1984 up till today and President of the Asian Federation of Football till 2002.

Under the leadership of His Royal Highness, Malaysia succeeded to wing the Merdeka Throphy after 9 years with a victory against South Korea 3-1 during extra time on 17th Feb 1993.

His Royal Highness has proven himself a well-rounded Ruler and is known to take great interests in the welfare of his people including victims of disaster.

Long Live His Royal Highness.

Permainan Tradisional Masa Lapang bersama Upin & Ipin : Traditional Past Time Games with Upin & Ipin (13th Dec 2010)

In Malaysia, traditional games can be found in abundance. They include congkak, batu seremban or five stones, konda-kondi and galah panjang among many others. These traditional games are not only enjoyable, they also instill the spirit of teamwork and cooperation and enhance creativity, hence strengthening the bonds of relationships. But sadly in today's time of rising technology, traditional games are almost forgotten. Now, Upin & Ipin along with their friends are featured in postage stamps themed with these traditional games in hopes of introducing them to the current generation as well as bringging back nostalgic memoried for adults all over.

Batu Seremban
Batu seremban or five stones is a traditional game usually played by girls at the verandah, inside the house or any surface area that is flat and clean for the players to sit and play. The game requires five stones or any five small objects known as 'buah' to play with. Besides the common five 'buah', players can also choose to play with seven or nine 'buah', depending on what type of game they are playing.

The player will be sitting on the floor and 'buah' will be scattered on the floor. Then, one player will is to throw the 'buah' into the air one at a time and sweeping other 'buah' from the floor, catching the one that has been thrown before it reaches the ground using only one hand. This game starts with sweeping only one stone at a time, gradually adding the number of stones to sweep until completing the five / seven / nine 'buah' as the game gets more complicated. The first person to complete every level of the game wins.

Congkak
Another game usually played by young girls is called congkak. Most of the love to play this game because of its fun and easy game-play. Marbles / saga seeds / small stones are used as tokens to be filled in every hole (also known as 'kampung') of the congkak board. The main goal is to collect as many tokens as they can to be filled into the 'houses' (also known as the 'ibu') located at each end of the board. Players will be seated directly opposite each other facing the board. Players will start playing simultaneously by taking the tokens out of one of the holes and putting one into each consecutive holes starting from right to left until they reach the kampung of their opponent. They will continue to do so until they run out of tokens that are collected at their respective ibu. The player who has collected the most tokens in their house wins the game.

Galah Panjang
Galah panjang is not an individual traditional game. It requires two separate teams of attackers and defenders. Each teams usually consists of no less than four players, thus the game is played by about ten players. Every player is required to run past all defending lines, from the first line to the last and run back towards the first line without any physical contact with the opposing team. If any member of the opposing team manages to touch any player, the player is considered 'dead' and out of the game. This game is played not only by children, but also by adults as this game often brings back cheerful nostalgic memories for them.