Return of the birds ..........

After almost two decades, the days of local fruits like rambutan, pineapple, durian and mangosteen appearing on Malaysian stamps have come to an end. So do starfruit, banana, mango and papaya which made up the fruit series of the national definitive stamps, first issued on June 5, 1986.
In their place, Pos Malaysia has opted for the exotic images of the country's feathered flying creatures -- spotted dove, bilbus, long-tailed parakeets, white-rumped shamas and olive-backed sunbirds.
Together with green-winged pigeons, banded pittas and imperial pegions, these birds would be featured on the new Malaysian stamps as the postal agency strives to keep the letters going in the face of the growing threat from the ultra fast e-mails.
The new definitive series -- Birds of Malaysia -- will go on sale throughout the country from tomorrow, May 14. They would come in eight denominations: 20 sen, 30 sen, 40 sen, 50 sen, 75 sen, RM1, RM2 and RM5.
Definitive stamps are the 'common' stamps intended for normal everyday postage use, issued in a large indefinite quantities and available for several years or more.
Birds had been featured in the first national definitive series in 1965.
As for the state series, a Pos Malaysia spokesman said the current agro-based theme which has been in circulation since 1986, would likely be replaced next year.