Philippines 2020 Shells

 

Malaysia 2020 National Definitive Series #8 Iconic Marine Lives

 

	National Definitives	State Definitives	International
1	1965 Birds	1965 Orchids
2	1970 Butterflies	1971 Butterflies
3	1979 Animals & Flowers	1979 Flowers
4	1986 Fruits	1986 Agro Products
5	2010 Garden Flowers	2009 Garden Flowers
6	2017 Orchids	2018 Orchids	2016 Malaysiana
7	2020 Marine Life

Philippines 2013-2019 Deep-Sea Shrimps

 

21 Nov 2019

12 Aug 2013

12 Aug 2013

Singapore 1959-1963 ( Self Government State )

In 1955 at the Legislative Assembly General Election, the Labour Front Party emerged as the most number of candidates elected. Its leader David Marshall became the First Chief Minister of Singapore. He led a delegation to London in 1956 to negotiate for independence of Singapore but failed. The reason was he was too soft with the communists. In 1954, the labour unrests led by the communists were so many that it was dubbed as ‘The Year of the Strikes’. The British government wanted him to deal with the communists first before granting independence for Singapore. He resigned upon returning to Singapore. Lim Yew Hock then the Minister for Labour and Welfare took over as Second Chief Minister. He began a series of suppression against the communists. The British government then had more confidence in granting independence. From 1956 to 1968, there were a series of ‘Merdeka Talks’ for Singapore. The British finally agreed to grant self-government to Singapore in 1959 under the New Constitution. The People’s Action Party had just won the 30 May election and Lee Kuan Yew became the Prime Minister. On 1 June 1959, the General Post Office issued this set of ‘The New Constitution’ stamps. Each stamp has the Golden Lion to represent the state of Singapore with government administrative buildings in the background. Queen Elizabeth II was still the sovereign head as defence and foreign affairs were still under her control. 

The Malayan Federation came into being in 1957 but Singapore remained a separate state. The stamps of the Malayan Federation were interchangeable with the current stamps of Singapore. Singapore became self governing as the State of Singapore on 3 June 1959 and commemorated the event with a special stamp issue. These were the first stamps where the Singapore Lion dominated the design. The Singapore Lion did of course appear as part of the state crest on the $5 value definitive issued in 1955. With this New Constitution issue, the stamps of Singapore no longer bore the word "Malaya".

Stamps were issued to commemorate the new constitution that saw Singapore turning from a British colony to that of a state. Design showing Singapore Lion and Administrative Centre.

1/6/1959

Internal Self-Government : New Constitution

Singapore celebrated its first national day as a self-governing state on 3rd June 1960. The occasion was commemorated aptly with two stamps featuring the new state flag.

The words ‘State of’ were in cursive and SINGAPORE was in bold. June 3 1960 were printed on the left of the landscape format of the stamp. In this issue there were only two stamps – the 4 cent denomination and the 10 cent denomination. At that time 4 cent postage was used for posting an unsealed standard envelope, whereas a 10 cent postage was used for a sealed standard envelope. 

3/6/1960

Singapore National Day 1960

3/6/1961

Singapore National Day 1961

31/3/1962

Definitives Series #1

3/6/1962

Singapore National Day 1962

3/6/1963

Singapore National Day 1963

8/8/1963

South-East Asia Cultural Festival

Malaysia 2018 Ornamental Fishes

Date of Issue 30 January 2018

Stamp Value: 60sen  x 3 designs 

Stamp Size: 40mm x 30mm

Perforation: 14 x 13 1/4

Sheet Content: 20 stamps

Miniature Sheet Value: RM5

Miniature Sheet Size: 90mm x 70mm

Stamp Size In Miniature Sheet: 55.1mm x 36mm

Miniature Sheet Perforation: 14 x 13 1/4

Paper: Tullis Russell High Reading Yellow/Green Phosphor Gummed Stamp Paper

Printing Process: Lithography

Printer: Joh. Enschede Stamps B.V.

Stamp Designer: World Communications Network Resources (M) Sdn Bhd

Malaysia 2015 Pearls

The crystal clear and calm blue seas in Sabah is filled with all kinds of wonderful marine life, and among the most interesting is a type of mollusk known as oysters.  The oysters are animal with a relatively flat and hard shell.  They are considered a great delicacy in many parts of the world.  However, there is a type of oyster that is highly valued because it produces an extraordinary jewel hidden beneath its shell in what we know as pearl.

The alluring beauty of the natural pearl have been highly sought after and was hunted by humans for centuries to be used as jewellery.  Natural pearl oysters in the waters of Sabah have been threatened to near extinction due to over-hunting and environmental pollution.  During the 1980s, extensive research has led to the discovery of ways to produce cultured pearls via pearl oyster farming.  A dedicated pearl oyster farmer in Semporna has over 2 generations perfected the art of producing cultured pearls. 

The species found naturally in the waters of Sabah and used for pearly culture is the Pinctada maxima.  P. maxima is a marine bivalve mollusk from the family Pteriidae.   These bivalves are the largest pearl oysters in the world and can measure up to 12 inches in diameter.  They have a very strong inner shell layer composed of nacre, also known as ‘mother of pearl’.  They are important in cultured pearl industry as they are used to produce south sea pearls.  P. maxima can also be found in the waters of Australia, Fiji, Tahiti, Indonesia and Phillippines.

South sea pearls ae recognized as the world’s largest and most valuable pearls compared to the other main group of pearl such as the Akoya pearls, Tahiti black pearls and fresh water pearls.   Malaysia’s south sea pearl sizes varies between 10mm to 20mm, and classified into 5 main recognized forms : round, drop, boraque, circle and button.  The colours of the pearls ranges from white, champagne gold and gold. 

60sen •  Circle South Sea Pearls

70sen •  Baroque South Sea Pearls

80sen •  Drop South Sea Pearls

Miniature Sheet RM5•  Round South Sea Pearls

Malaysia-Thailand Joint Issue 2015 Marine Creatures

60sen •  Hypselodoris bullockii

Nudibranchs are basically sea slugs with no external or internal shells.  Often referred to as ‘jewels of the sea’, nudibranchs aramongst the showiest and the most amazing creatures of the sea despite its small size.

While there are more than 3000 species worldwide, some nudibranchs are extremely common, while others, such a Hypselodoris bullockii is considered to be less so.  H. bullockii has a dark blue to purplish blue colour with a mantle of broad, white edge.  Its gills are of the same colour as its body and the rhinophores upper half is purple.  The size of this nudibranch is about 50mm.

H. bullockii can be found around the reefs of the Sipadan Island, Sabah.

60sen • Phyllorhiza punctata

Phyllorhiza punctate is a species of jellyfish that is often found near coastal waters throughout Malaysia.  This jellyfish is easily recognized by its bell-shaped body and brown coloration with white spots.  Its terminal clubs are sometimes blue.

Average size of this jellyfish is around 20-50cm in diameter.  Apart from consuming zooplankton, it also produces its own food with the help of symbiotic algae living within its body.

RM1.20 • Hymenocera picta

Hymenocear picta lives in pairs in cracks and crevices of coral reefs and are permanent residents of its chosen locality.  These shrimps feed on seastars that pass near their hideouts with both partners helping to subdue its prey by turning it upside-down.  They eat the tube feet first in order to prevent escape.  The legs are then eaten one by one from tip to base so that the center of the sea star will remain fresh till the end. It may take up to 1 to 2 weeks to finish eating a single sea star.

H. picta feeds on all species of seastars, but its favourite fenus is Linckia. 

RM1.20 • Trapezia areolata

The coral guard crab can be found living amongst branching corals.  Although very small in size, they are very protective of their corals and tenaciously fight off crown-of-thorns starfishes that try to eat of crabs, the seast corals, hence the name coral guard crabs.

They usually hide inside the corals with their claws raised.  They climb up onto the seastar and nip its legs and flesh.  If there are lots crab, the seastar may have to retreat.

T. areolate lives in pairs but several can be found on a large coral alongside other sea creatures.

Technical Details

Stamp Value: 60sen x 2 designs, RM1.20 x 2 designs

Stamp Size: 30mm x 40mm

Sheet Content: 20 stamps

Paper: Tullis Rusell High Reading Yellow, Green Phosphor Gummed Stamp Paper

Printing Process: Lithography

Printer: Southern Colour Print, New Zealand

Stamp Designer: Reign Associates Sdn Bhd

Date of Issue 08 June 2015