THE SAYING GOES that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”—that’s how it began for Ng Wee Theng, the president of the Penang Philatelic Society. In his own words: “I started out as a rubbish collector, but now I’m an advanced collector.”

As an 11-year-old, Ng helped a friend of his father cut stamps out from envelopes, soak them in water and meticulously arrange them in an album. Today, five decades on, the schoolteacher has a collection worth over six figures comprising rare stamps, postcards and postal stationery.

The King of Hobbies

Philately comes from the Greek words philo- “loving” and ateleia “exemption from payment”, referring to the recipient not having to pay a franking mark or postage stamp. In Malaysia, it is likely we inherited the hobby from the British, one that was dubbed “the hobby of kings and the king of hobbies” since only the wealthy could pursue stamp collecting in the past.

“Now it’s a sunset hobby,” laughs Ng, who is trying to reverse that by getting the younger generation interested. He keeps the group active by organising bi-annual stamp fairs, quarterly auctions and public talks, while producing publications and encouraging the society’s 150-odd members to participate in exhibitions abroad.

The name Penang Philatelic Society was used during the colonial era. The society eventually became inactive, but over the decades, many stamp-collecting groups spruced up and the current Society was founded in 1982 by a group of eight stamp lovers.

Stamp Value

Ng explains that stamp collecting goes far beyond the four corners of a stamp: it is postal stationery that commands the highest price, complete with the recipient’s name, address and postmarks with the date and location on a pristine, intact envelope.

A stamp is valued by how and when it was used, in the context of time and history. For example, stamps during the Chinese cultural revolution between 1966- 1976 are highly sought-after amongst collectors.

Closer to home, the period of Japanese occupation in Malaya—three years and eight months between 1941 and 1945—makes stamps issued during that timeframe rare and valuable. One example is the Kedah stamp with an image of Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim, overprinted with the DAI NIPPON 2602 Japanese imperial year, the year 1942. Another is an envelope in Ng’s collection, sent from Kangar, Perlis to an address in Ayer Itam Road, Penang in 1944. It commands a five-figure sum due to the Thai stamp and Japanese postmarks. In 1943, the four northern states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis were ceded to Thailand by the Japanese imperial army. The postmarks are censor markings, meaning the letter was opened twice and read by Japanese censorship officers in Alor Setar (blue) and in Ipoh (red).

In the world of philately, it would seem that used stamps are worth more than new ones. First day covers are considered a beginner’s collection. Ng explains that stamp exhibitions are generally categorised into Traditional Philately, Postal History, Thematic, Social, Literature and Postcards, with First Day Covers being recently introduced as a way to get younger collectors interested.

“Stamp collecting is actually a great hobby because people are so used to instant results these days,” says Ng, who teaches English at Chung Ling Butterworth High School, and loves introducing the snail mail hobby to his students. “It trains your patience, endurance and attention to detail, and you also cultivate a love for geography, history and language.”

Penang Icons In Stamps

Over the years, many Penang icons have featured in Pos Malaysia stamps—P. Ramlee, Penang Hill Railway and Penang’s two bridges that connect the island to the mainland; St. George’s Anglican Church, Fort Cornwallis and Pulau Rimau appeared too as part of wider series like “Places of Worship” or “Lighthouses in Malaysia”. Even Penang Free School, Chung Ling High School and Jit Sin High School have been commemorated in philately for their centenaries.

There is no doubt that the favourites are flora and fauna stamps, which Pos Malaysia says is the second fastest-selling theme after Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s commemorative stamps, issued during the King’s installation every five years.

“The popularity of a design is determined by how quickly the collection sells out,” explains Haidan Abdul Rahman, Head of Stamp and Philately at Pos Malaysia. “However, all stamp issuances eventually sell out due to the limited quantities printed.” Haidan says that an average of 12 to 14 new stamps are released each year, with the current cycle of definitive stamps—those used daily at post offices—themed around marine life. This changes every five years, and previous themes have included rubber and paddy.

The Society’s stamp fair in February this year featured a talk about flora philately by Thomas Uhl, a member of Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens, and Ooi Im Hin, a botanist who worked at the Gardens for seven years. Both explained that the first rubber tree in Penang was planted in the Gardens, while endemic species of Penang like the slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum barbatum), witch hazel (Maingaya malayana) and ginger (Geostachys penangensis)—even the Botanic Gardens itself—are yet to be featured on Malaysian stamps.

However, Ooi points out that Penang’s Jelutong tree (dyera costulata) did appear in a Trees of Malaysia First Day Cover in 1981, along with the rain tree (samanea saman) and Borneo camphor (dryobalanops aromatica).

Imprinted In History

“Pos Malaysia welcomes stamp design ideas from the public,” says Haidan. Anyone can propose designs through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which regulates the country’s stamp issuance. He adds that a survey is conducted among collectors for their proposed themes each year, though themes must be significant to Malaysia, and reviewed by a design committee before submission for approval.

For the coming year, Ng himself is preparing to exhibit a Botanic Gardens series, featuring lithographs, photogravures and real photos under the Postcards category. He is currently busy in research, while also planning to publish a journal under the Literature category to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

“With stamps, we can look back at history as a way to remember and learn from world events,” says Ng. “Far from glorifying themes like war, it’s a way to be grateful for what we have today, and to keep the world in peace and harmony.” Through philately, one can imprint history or preserve visuals of endemic flora and fauna for the next generation, lest they forget.