Tuber Plants Stamps

The term tuber plants or root crops is applied to plants which produce subterranean structures that are used as human or animal foods. These perennial plants have organs which store plant nutrients. In many cases the storage organs may be a root or a modified stem, for example a swollen rhizome or corm, or a tuber such as a potato or a swollen root as in carrot or sweet potato. All these swollen underground organs are commonly spoken of as tubers

Root crops are the second most important source of carbohydrates in the worlds food, the most important being cereals. However, in the tropical world, root crops are proportionally much more important. In fact, in many tropical countries where rice is not grown, they are the staple diet. In general the protein content is low, but some, like potato and yam provide significant amounts of certain vitamins.



Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas)

Sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Amongst the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of this family, on Ipomoea batatas is a crop plant whose large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens.

This plant is an herbaceous perennial vine, bearing alternate heart-shaped or palmate lobed leaves as well as medium-sized trumpet-shaped flowers and thus are also grown as ornamental plants. The edible tuberous root is long and tapered, with a smooth skin whose colour ranges between red, purple, brown, yellow, orange and white. Its flesh ranges from white to yellow, orange and purple.



Cassava (Manihot esculenta)

Cassava or tapioca (Manihot esculenta) is a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceaae that is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root. Tapioca is the third largest source of carbohydrates and contains significant amounts of potassium, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C.

Tapioca is long and tapered with a firm homogenous flesh encased in a detachable rind about 1mm thick. The skin is light brown to dark reddish brown in colour and has a smooth or rough texture. Commercial varieties can be 5 to 10 cm in diameter at the top and 50 to 80 cm long. The colour of the flesh ranges from chalk white to yellowish.

However, they are poor in protein and other nutrients. In contrast tapioca leaves are a good source of protein but should be supplemented with the amino acid methionine to counter the high cyanide content.



Sengkuang (Pachyrrhizus erosus)

Sengkuang is one species in the genus Pachyrrhizus that is commonly called yam bean.

The sengkuang vine can reach a height f 4-5 metres, given suitable support. Its roots can attain length of up to 2 metres and weigh up to 20 kilograms. The roots exterioris yellowishbrown while its inside is creamy white with a crisp textile that resembles water chestnut or pear.

In contrast to the roots, the remainder of the sengkuang plant is very poisonous; the seeds contain the toxin rotenone, which is used to kill insects and stun fish.

Sengkuang is high in carbohydrates and dietary fiber. It is composed of 86-90% water, containing only trace amounts of protein and lipids. Its sweet flavour makes it a favourite ingredient in rojak and popiah.



Yam

Dioscorea alata L. is a genus of over 600 species of flower plants in the family Dioscoreaceae, native throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. Known as yams, they are important agricultural crops in the tropical regions, grown for their large tubers.

They are tuberous herbaceous perennial climbers, ranging from 2 to 12 metres in height. The leaves are spirally arranged, mostly broad and heart-shaped. The flowers are individually inconspicuous greenish yellow with six petals; they are mostly dioecious, with separate male and female plants, though a few species are monocious, with male and female flowers on the same plant. The fruit is shaped like a capsule in most species.

Many of these are toxic when fresh but they can be detoxified and consumed and are particularly important in parts of Aftrica, Asia and Oceania.



Taro (Colocasia esculenta)

Colocasia esculenta is a tropical plant grown primarily for its edible corm, a root vegetable known as taro or cocoyam. It is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants and is described by historians as an important crop.

Its primary use, however, is the consumption of its edible corm and leaves. In its raw state, the plant is toxic due to the presence of calcium oxalate and the presence of needle-shaped raphides in the plant cells which can cause irritation to the mouth and tongue/ However, the toxin can be destroyed and the tuber rendered palatable by cooking or by steeping in cold water overnight.

Corms of the small round variety are peeled and boiled and used in local favourites such as bubur caca. The leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals.



Serdang Endau ( Livistona endauensis)

This small to medium palmis only found in the forest of Endau-Rompin, Malaysia. the trunk is erect and slender about 20 cm in diameter, carries a crown of palmate with rather stiff segments of green leaves.

The endemic palm of Endau-Rompin is now planted in many public parks and gardens as a rare collection of palm.





Technical Details

Date of Issue : 23rd July 2009

Stamp Value : 30 sen (2 Designs), 50 sen (2 Designs)

Sheet Content : 20 Values

Miniature Sheet : RM3

First Day Cover Value : 30 Sen

Perforation : 14

Paper : Watermarked SPM, Phosphor Coated

Printing Process : Lithography

Printer : Percetakan Keselamatan Nasional Sdn. Bhd.

Designer : World Communications Network Resources Sdn. Bhd.

Traditional Houses Stamps

Traditional houses are a part of the valuable architectural heritage in Malaysia. There are a variety of traditional houses that can be seen throughout the different states in Malaysia. Traditional houses in Malaysia are reflected by the architectural designs that focus mainly on the styles, culture, skill, creativity, purpose and craftsmanship in building a place for shelter using the raw and organic materials that are available during the particular era.

This collection of 16 stamps depicts the different houses of the states of Malaysia. Each traditional house differs in the architectural designs and style and has their own unique features.



Malay Traditional House

This house bears many similarities to the long roofed houses in Malacca partly due to the historical ties between these two states. The original traditional Selangor is built on 12 main pillars with 6 tall pillars at the verandah area. The skeletal structure is a combination of Cengal, Giam, Damar Laut, Kapur and Kempas wood. The roof is made from Rumbia and Nipah palm.



Dusun Lotud Traditional House

This house is the traditional house for the Dusun and Kadazan tribe, the largest ethnic group in Sabah and can be found in the Tuaran district. The structure that makes up the Lotud house comes from the by-product of the forest, mainly mangrove trees, bamboo, nipah palm and rattan.



Kutai House

This house can only be found along the river banks located in Perak Tengah, Hilir Perak and Kuala Kangsar. The walls are made from bamboo and the roof is made from palm leaves.



Twelve Pillar House

This house display architectural heritage that can only be found in Kota Bahru, Kelantan where it has existed over 1,000 years ago. Its close proximity to the Thailand has great influences in its architectural design mainly in the construction of roof and wooden carving decorations. The skeletal structure is mainly made of Cengal, Meranti and Kapur wood while the roof is made of senggaoa tiles.



Iban Long House

The long house is culturally unique. Within one longhouse, there are several units that houses different Iban families. The roof is made from sago palm such as blue-leave Pantau and Mulong trees. The walls and flooring are made from the bark tree namely Terentang Bark or from bamboo. Till today, the architectural heritage is still preserved, unaffected by the current rapid growth of modern development.



Semai House

This house displays the handicraft from usage of plants and nature. Young hardwood trees such as cengal and Petaling are used for the poles and bertam leaves are used for making the roofs. With regular fumigation from kitchen fires, a well-made thatched roof can last more than five years. Mengkuang leaves are used for weaving decorative wall panels. Bamboo is cut into mat-like strips for flooring and rattan is stripped to make strings to tie the bamboo strips.



Limas House

This house is mainly found in Pontian, Johor. It is characterized by its primary long ridge roof interconnected to four other secondary ridges which protract towards the edges of the roof. The fascia is decorated with wooden carvings to reflect traditional Malay architecture. Material used is mainly Cengal, Keranji and Meranti wood.



Long House

The unique feature of this house is the gable end at both the front and back of the house. The main building stands on stilts or wooden pillars. The exterior walls and the interior partitions are made of bamboo strips interwoven into crisscrossed pattern with senggora tiles.



Limas Bungkus House

This house displays architectural heritage that can only be found in Besut, Terengganu. The roof construction comprises of one long ridge interconnected with four shorter ridges which protract downwards towards 4 respective edges to form the roof.



Adat Minangkabau House

This house resembles those found in Minangkabau, Sumatera, Indonesia. Its distinctive difference from any other house in the other states is its unique roof architecture design where the two ends of the roof arches upwards. The area under the roof is usually a bedroom for the daughters or for storage.



Elephant Milking Verandah House

This house know as the house with the Nursing Elephant verandah which reflects the combination of the main roof at a higher level adjoining the lower roof, thus giving the appearance of an elephant feeding her young. The skeletal structure of the house is made from Cengal and Meranti wood while the roof is made of palm leaves, Rumbia or Nipah palm.



Bajau Laut House

A cluster of houses built on stilts in the sea off the southeast coast of Sabah is typical of a Bajau Laut house. Know to outsiders as Bajau Laut, these nomads distinguished themselves as people of the sea. Boats are their main mode of transportation and they live exclusively by fishing and inshore gathering, collecting among other things, shellfish and sea cucumbers for trade.



Verandah House

This house displays 1,000 years old architectural heritage currently found in villages in Pahang. It comprises of two main structures namely the main unit and a walled covered verandah unit along the front of the main structure. The main unit is further divided into two main areas by a passage called Selang. The unit is characterized by its long roof and a covered verandah.



The Bidayuh Longhouse

The most outstanding features of the Bidayuh Longhouse is the circular head-house, with it conical roof, known as baruk or rumah pangah (the community centre). This is where the village chief and elders discuss local politics and communal issues with the people. It is also where the shamans conduct ceremonies and festivals are celebrated. A raised platform around the inside perimeter of the head-house act as seating and sleeping area for Bidayuh bachelors. Their head-house is supported by a timber frame tied together with rattan.



Technical Details

Date of Issue : 9th July 2009

Stamp Value : 50 sen (16 Designs)

Sheet Content : 16 Values

First Day Cover Value : 30 Sen x 2

Perforation : 14

Paper : Watermarked SPM, Phosphor Coated

Printing Process : Lithography

Printer : Percetakan Keselamatan Nasional Sdn. Bhd.

Designer : Hazel Design Sdn. Bhd.

Conservation of Nature Stamps

The conservation of nature is no longer an option, it is necessary to ensure that earth’s vital natural resources are preserved and protected for the future generations. Through the centuries, mankind has destroyed forests, ravaged mountain slopes, polluted water and air, and even today is ongoing. The ecology has become a victim of human activities.

Today natural resources, which provide the basic necessities of life, have become scare. They have been sacrificed in the name of development and economic well-being. The delicate ecological balance has been altered due to the indiscriminate damages inflicted upon nature. Global warming, receding water tables, depleting ozone layers, are only among some of the consequences of these damages.

Worldwide, organizations involved in the preservation of nature have taken initiatives to preserve the environment and are recommending holistic conservation strategies to ensure that natural resources are utilized in a sustainable fashion.

In Malaysia, steps have been taken by the relevant conservation organizations and authorities to ensure that our environment is well preserved. Out vast tropical rainforests, our unique marine life as well as our clean air is dependent on how we preserve and protect them. Today the conservation of nature has become a necessity of life.

Fresh Air –Conserving Air

Malaysia’s rapid emergence as an industrialized country has reaped many benefits economically. With increased development, environmental concerns have also arised and our country has to monitor the increasing air pollution. Thus, air quality monitoring is an important part of the country’s strategy in the pollution prevention program to ensure clean and fresh air for healthy living.


Go Green – Conserving Rainforests

The Malaysian rainforest is home to most of the plant and animal species in the world. However, due to deforestation, many of these species are becoming extinct. Our tropical rainforest play an important role in helping to sustain life. They act as a natural air purifier for our environment. With all the benefits that are derived from the rainforests, we must ensure they are protected.



Clean Water – Conserving Marine Life

Malaysia’s warm climate coupled with heavy rainfall makes our oceans an ideal home for a myriad of underwater marine life. However intense development has caused irreversible damages to our fragile water world. Conservation efforts are being initiated in order to protect and preserve our marine eco-system.





Technical Details

Date of Issue : 18th June 2009

Stamp Value : 30 sen, 50 sen (2 Designs)

Sheet Content : 20 Values

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.

Palm Trees Stamps

Palm are one of the most well-know and extensively cultivated plant families. Most palms are distinguished by their large evergreen leaves arranged at the top of an unbranched stem. However, many palms are exceptions to this statement, and palms in fact exhibit an enormous diversity in physical characteristics. Palms also inhibit nearly every type of habitat from rainforest to deserts. However the majority of the species are tropical or subtropical as few palms can tolerate cold weather.

Palms have been important to humans throughout much of history. Many common products and foods are derived from palms. Today palms are a common feature in botanical gardens or as indoor plants and they are widely used in landscaping for their exotic appearance and also due to palms being easy to manage plants.



Fish Tail Palm (Caryota mitis)

This palm is commonly known as Fish Tail Palm due to its fish-tail like leaves. A clump consists of a few stems of up to 3.5 metre high. Its inflorescence is a dense mass hanging downwards, The fruits are globose about 5mm in diameter and green turning red when ripe.



Fan Palm (Licuala grandis)

This solitary fan palm is named after its fan like leaves which are 50 to 60 cm in diameter with coarsely toothed edges. The petiole are 70 to 90 cm long and thorny. Its inflorescence arches 1 to 2 metre long. Flowers are yellowish whereas the fruits are globose 6 to 8 mm in diameter, green turning crimson when ripe.



Serdang Palm (Livistona saribus)

This solitary palm can still be found growing wild in the swampy forest. The trunk is straight up to between 10 and 20 metres. The fan shaped leaves about 1 metre in diameter with leaflets deeply divided. Its inflorescence is large, up to 1.5 metre with numerous branches. Flowers are yellowish, whereas the fruits are globose about 2 cm in diameter, purplish turning black when ripe.



Sal Palm ( Johannesteijsmannia altifrons)

This medium sized stemless palm is a hermaphrodite plant of up to 5 or 7 metres in height. The leaves are large, entire diamond shaped, 3 metre long and 1 metre wide. The petiole is almost the same length as the leaf and has sharp thorns. Its inflorescence is axillary, and the leaves are white in colour whereas the fruits are globose 3 to 3.5 cm in diameter, corky, very knobbly and are almost black in colour.



Serdang Endau ( Livistona endauensis)

This small to medium palmis only found in the forest of Endau-Rompin, Malaysia. the trunk is erect and slender about 20 cm in diameter, carries a crown of palmate with rather stiff segments of green leaves.

The endemic palm of Endau-Rompin is now planted in many public parks and gardens as a rare collection of palm.





Technical Details

Date of Issue : 19th May 2009

Stamp Value : 50 sen (3 Designs)

Sheet Content : 20 Values

Miniature Sheet : RM3

First Day Cover Value : 30 Sen

Perforation 14

Paper Watermarked SPM, Phosphor Coated

[This issue marks the introduction of a new watermark incorporating the flying bird logo of Pos Malaysia and SPM. This watermark is easily viewed under UV light]

Printing Process Lithography

Printer : Percetakan Keselamatan Nasional Sdn. Bhd.

Designer : Hazel Design Sdn. Bhd.

Engineering Excellence in Nation Building Stamp

Engineering has been an integral part in the development of many nations. Great strides have been made in the development of Malaysia ever since we gained our independence in 1957.

Closely associated with the nation's progress is The Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) which was established in 1959 with the intention to reflect the independence of Malaysian engineers professionally.

In the last 50 years since its inception, IEM as the prime mover of nation building, have strived to promote sound professional engineering practice amongst its members and enhance sound professional engineering practices amongst its members and enhance society's consciousness of science and technology. The Strategic Plan drafted in 1997 was to steer the Institution towards becoming the premier professional organization that is pivotal to Malaysia achieving Vision 2020.



Transportation and Ports

Ports: Penang Port is the transshipment hub of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand growth triangle. Port Klang has world-class facilities while the nearby Westport is reputed as the "Fastport, Flexiport and Gardenport of south-East Asia.

Air Transportation: Malaysia has 37 airports, five of which are international airports, 15 domestic airports and 17 Short Takeoff and Landing airstrips. The biggest airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) can handle 25 million passengers per annum and 1.2 million tons of cargo.

Railway: Peninsular Malaysia is served by railway lines which link the country with Thailand and Singapore as well as another line to the east coast state of Kelantan. The modern city of Kuala Lumpur boasts of an electric commuter train, the KTM Komuter, Light Rail Transport (LRT) and Monorail. Meanwhile, the Express Rail links the city to KLIA.



Road Bridge & Dam

Roads: With an estimated 95% of the goods transported by road, Malaysia’s modern road infrastructure has won praises from foreign investors. The modern North-South Highway and the East-West Highway make it easy to travel by road to any destination in the country.

Bridge: Bridges are an important element in establishing communication links between towns and cities that are separated by difficult terrain or rivers. The role of bridges has been important in the economic and social development of Malaysia’s enabling transportation links in moving people and goods.

Dams: The country enjoys high rainfall as well as an extensive network of more than 150 rivers that are sources of water supply. Most Malaysian buildings are served by piped water.



Telecommunication and Power

Electricity: To promote renewable energy the Government initiated the Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MPIPV) project in July 2005 to encourage renewable energy among the public and speed up development of a sustainable local market.

Telecommunication: The National Telecommunication Policy boosted the growth of telecommunication technology and services to support the nation’s development. A multi0million ringgit high speed broadband infrastructure project focusing on the Klang Valley and the Iskandar Development Region would be implemented over the next 10 years.

Information Technology: Both the rapid development of the telecommunication infrastructure and the expansion of the electronics industry have ushered in the Information Technology era in Malaysia. The ambitious Multimedia Super Corridor has further the growth of the Information Computer Technology (ICT).



Technical Details

Date of Issue : 20th April 2009

Stamp Value : 30 sen (setenent x 2), 50 sen (setenent)

Sheet Content : 10 Setenant Pairs

First Day Cover Value : 30 Sen

Perforation : 14

Paper : Watermarked SPM, Phosphor Coated

Printing Process : Lithography

Printer : Percetakan Keselamatan Nasional Sdn. Bhd.

Designer : Reign Associates Sdn. Bhd.


>>> Read more about "Engineering Excellence in Nation Building Stamp" <<<

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.