World Heritage Sites Stamps

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, desert, monument, complex or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the International World Heritage Program administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

The goal of the program is the conservation of sites deemed to be of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humankind. UNESCO funds numerous efforts to preserve and restore sites in developing nations through the World Heritage Fund. Moreover, World Heritage designations often contribute towards the enhancement of the local economies by encouraging tourism. Each World Heritage brings a certain property of the country on whose territory the site is located, but it is considered in the interest of the international community to preserve and protect each site for our future generation.

The designation as a World Heritage Site brings a certain prestige to a location and its home country. Increasing the awareness of a site and its history also increases awareness of the need to preserve and protect.

Malaysian is proud of have four sites that have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The world Heritage Inscription confirms the outstanding universal values of Malacca and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca as the cities with unique cultural assets as well as the exceptional universal conservation values of the natural sites of Kinabalu Park and Mulu National Park.



Malacca & George Town

Malacca and George town are historic cosmopolitan in the Straits of Malacca, which for more than 500 years saw the unique blending of Portuguese, Dutch, Arab, Chinese, Indian and English cultures with the local indigenous Malay culture, manifested in architectural forms and styles as well as intangible culture. the different cultural groups and traditions has helped to enrich the beautiful traditions and customs of these historic cities.

Malacca and George Town were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2008 and are listed under three cultural criteria of the World Heritage Convention: as exceptional criteria examples of multicultural trading towns permeated with many layers of historical; as living testimony to cultural and religious diversity reflected in multicultural living heritage and as townscapes of vernacular architecture - especially shop-houses and townhouses.

Note: The top corners of the stamps depict windows of the buildings featuring unique architecture with different styles and influences.



Mulu National Park

Mulu National Park, named after Mount Mulu, the second highest mountain in Sarawak received inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 for its outstanding universal values of natural environment settings by surpassing four main criteria. Its combination of alluvial clays, impressive canyon, spectacular sandstone and limestone formations, untamed rivers, serene rain forest rich in astonishing numbers of plants and animal species, imposing mountains rank among the world's most outstanding scenery and further add to the variety and specialisation of the park's biology.

Within Mulu National Park is Sarawak Chamber which is the world's largest natural underground chamber, Deer Cave which has the largest known cave passage in the world housing a staggering two million bats, the Pinnacles of Gunung Api which are up to 45 meters tall forms one of the world's most spectacular limestone landscape and Clearwater Cave, which exposes part of a long underground river going through the park.



Kinabalu Park

Kinabalu Park, named after Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South East Asia, received inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, which confirms its exceptional universal values of a natural site and the role as one of the most important biological sites in the world.

This park is blessed with an astonishing variety of flora and fauna that ranges over 4 climate zones. The mountain is famous for its many carnivorous plants, mammals, orchid species and birds including the beautiful Scarlet Minivet featured at the top right corner of the stamp



Technical Details

Date of Issue : 9th April 2009

Stamp Value : 50 sen (4 Designs)

Sheet Content : 10 Setenant Pairs

Miniature Sheet : RM2

First Day Cover Value : 30 Sen

Perforation 14

Paper Watermarked SPM, Phosphor Coated

Printing Process Lithography

Printer : Percetakan Keselamatan Nasional Sdn. Bhd.

Designer : Hazel Design Sdn. Bhd.