New stamps, new friends...

When I wrote last Sept 16 about a man who got started on collecting first day covers (FDC) after an unexpected visit to the philately section at Kuala Lumpur general post office, it drew a response from the man himself.

Signing his name as ‘Din’, he said he had since collected many stamps and was getting hooked to it. Like most collectors, 'Din' was looking forward to the next issue of FDC, which happened to be today in conjunction with World Post Day.
By coincidence, we bumped into each other again. What's interesting was that ‘Din’ brought along a friend whom he had encouraged to take up the hobby.
As any other day when new stamps are released, the place will be a meeting point for collectors. While you get to see familiar faces, there will be new friends to make like Mr Ho and retired Major Ranjit Singh.

Being a seasoned collector, Ho took the trouble to explain to us the ‘secrets’ of stamp collecting.
To think that we were total strangers who could sit together to talk about stamps and become friends is most satisfying. Surely this kind of interaction should be encouraged especially among the young generation.
Everyone is free to join this friendship circle. All you need to do is go to the philately section of the KL main post office whenever new stamps are issued.
As for the latest stamps offering, Pos Malaysia has showcased some of the country's unique flowers in conjunction with World Post Day 2008. The collection is to increase awareness of such flowers that are attractive and unique because of their shape or fragrance.
The collection features four flowers -- kembang songsang (climbing lily), kenerak (kenerak), akar dani (rangoon creeper) and cempaka pisang (banana shrub) while the miniature sheet depicts the bakawali (gooseneck cactus).

Footnote: World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Berne. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. Since then, countries across the world participate annually in the celebrations. The Posts in many countries use the event to introduce or promote new postal products and services. In most countries philatelic exhibitions are organized during this period and special stamps and date cancellation marks are issued on 9 October.

Despite doom prediction, postal services remain relevant.…

Billions of parcels, letters and express items are sent by post to people all over the world. Goods or important documents, migrants’ remittances to their families, newspapers and books -- the list goes on.
Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Edouard Datan says despite predictions of their demise not so long ago, postal services are alive and well and now more relevant than ever.
"E-mail and the Internet have not replaced them, but have instead created new opportunities," he said in his message to mark World Post Day today.
"We live at a time where the different means of communication complement each other. The postal sector provides a precious service, not only to anyone who buys or sells online, but also to people not yet able to make full use of the new technologies and for whom the mail is a vital link with the outside world. With growing international and inter-regional trade, the development gap between postal services around the world needs to be narrowed so that businesses and individuals can benefit more from them," he said.
It is worth recalling that the UPU this year is celebrating its 60th anniversary as a United Nations specialized agency. Since 1948, the postal sector has contributed in meaningful ways to the noble mission of the United Nations, assisting development, reducing poverty and the digital divide, promoting health, environmental protection and sustainable development, to name just a few.
Owing to their universality, postal services provide a link between people all over the globe. This is especially important at a time when millions of people do not enjoy the right to communication. In a constantly changing world, postal services make it possible to establish and maintain this contact and this link, both of which are vital.