70 G.S.M. September 2013

Malaya Study Group Special

Malaysia has a very interesting way of choosing its Head of State. This unique method provides a fascinating opportunity for philatelists, be they novices wanting to build an interesting but self-contained collection; thematic collectors of ‘Monarchy’ from around the Commonwealth or the World; or Malaysia experts. This article explains that unique system and the philatelic opportunities it offers to all these groups of collectors.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agongs of Malaysia through a philatelist’s eyes

By Dominic Morris CBE

In 1957 the newly-independent Malayan Federation and, in 1963, Malaysia, had to answer the question: ‘how do you pick a single Head of State when you have eight Sultans and one Raja of, more or less, equal standing?’ One option, of course, would have been to go for a republican model. The only people then advocating that were the Communist insurgents. The peoples of Malaysia, over the 12-year ‘Emergency’ since 1948, came increasingly to reject that model. It simply wasn’t for them.

So, the first Prime Minister at Independence had to advise on what should be done. He looked back into Malaya’s history and realised there had been a similar problem faced by one of its States–Negri Sembilan (the ‘Nine States’). In the eighteenth century, Negri had evolved an elective system for the Head of the State with the ruler elected for life, which persists to this day, albeit now with hereditary elements.

Malaysia chose a close analogy of that system: a revolving Head of State, given a five year term, based (loosely) on seniority and election from within the College of Rulers, an electoral college of nine: eight Sultans and one Raja. The College of Rulers had already existed in some form since the Federated Malay States period in the 1890s (after the formation of Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah (ex-North Borneo) were allowed a look-in, via non-voting observers).

He who is made LordThe first question was: ‘whom to elect as the very first and what to call them?’ They looked through the seniority list. The most senior, Sultan Sir Ibrahim of Johor, who had been Sultan since 1895, let it be known he was too old to do justice to the honour. The second, Sultan Sir Abu-Bakar of Pahang,

despite his brave record of support for the forces opposing the Japanese Occupation during the War, also did not press his claim. The choice thus fell on Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Sultan of Negri Sembilan (no relation to the first Prime Minister, but a nice historical parallel, given that the system had first evolved in his State). His title was Yang di-Pertuan Agong (literally ‘He who is made Lord’). Despite the impressive title, the stamp issued to mark his election was, relative to later issues, undistinguished and had to share honours with the Merdeka (Independence) stadium to commemorate the first anniversary of Malaysia’s independence (Fig 1).

Tuanku Abdul Rahman died before the five year term was up. His successor, as Agong II, was Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah of Selangor. Each Agong who was chosen had his own stamp issue at his Installation (Coronation).

The second Agong was Head of State for only 140 days. He died the night before his Installation ceremony which would have produced the issued stamps. He had been seriously unwell for some time and the excitement was probably too much for His Highness.

This provides the great rarity in the collection of the Yang di-Pertuan Agongs. There is one imperforate Proof of the 10c. multi-coloured unissued, approved by the Postmaster General of Malaya. It exists in the British Library collections. It was annotated to indicate that the design was approved directly by the Postmaster General, by-passing the Crown Agents.

Len Stanway, in Volume 1 of his superb trilogy: Malaysia and the Federation of Malaya- Their Stamps and Postal History, records that a stamp-size, multi-coloured, hand-painted essay also existed, in the De La Rue Archives.

Fig 1 The shared FDC for the first anniversary of Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Sultan of Negri Sembilan and Merdeka stadium

Malaya Study Group Special

G.S.M. September 2013 71

A colour photograph can be found in the De La Rue Archive Albums held at the British Postal Museum Archive (page 0001838, dated 10 February 1960).

The image of the proof copy is reproduced courtesy of the British Library and features among the material covered in Malaya in the British Library Philatelic Collections by Susan McEwen (Fig 2).

His successor, as Agong III, was Tuanku Syed Putra, Raja of Perlis. The Raja’s issue set the pattern for what followed: a decent philatelic first day cover (with useful inserts from the Malaya/Malaysia POS describing the issue, its production and some suitable biographical material on the Agong concerned. Mint copies of this issue are plentiful, used examples (Fig 3), particularly used in Perlis, less so.

These and later issues are ideal and inexpensive items for the thematic collectors of Monarchy to seek out. If this article were written by Nimrod, the ‘harder-to-find’ items are the Agong Inauguration issues that are on commercially used covers either of, or incorporating, these issues. That is particularly true of the middle/later Agongs, as the issues have become more philatelic. The following illustrations are of commercial usage of the stamps devised for Agong IV: Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah of Trengganu (Fig 4) and the stamps of Agong VI, Sultan Yahya Petra of Kelantan (Fig 5).

Errors to discoverFor collectors of ‘fly-specks’ the early issues provide a happy hunting ground. I have in my collection several sheets which show up the plate—and other flaws—of the Tuanku Syed Putra issue.

The accessible, and Gibbons-catalogued, error occurs in the reign of Agong V, Tuanku Abdul Halim Shah of Kedah. This is catalogued under Malaysia (National Issues) as SG77a and is the ‘Missing Gold’ error (Fig 6). It is not cheap, but is scarce and worth collecting.

Fig 2 Stamp proof copy of Agong II, Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah of Selangor. courtesy of the British Library

Fig 3 A used FDC for Agong III, Tuanku Syed Putra, Raja of Perlis

Above: Fig 4 Agong IV, Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah of Trengganu stamps on cover

Below: Fig 5 Agong VI, Sultan Yahya Petra of Kelantan stamp on cover

Above: Fig 6 Agong V, Tuanku Abdul Halim Shah of Kedah stamp and below that the 'Missing Gold' error

72 G.S.M. September 2013

Malaya Study Group Special

References

Len Stanway: Malaysia and the Federation of Malaya—Their Stamps and Postal History (publ. by the Malaya Study Group 2010–2012), Vol 1Malaya in the British Library Philatelic Collections by Susan McEwen (Publ. Malaya Study Group 2012).Stanley Gibbons, Commonwealth Stamp Catalogue, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore, 2010Wikipedia, The Yang di-Pertuan Agongs of Malaysia

The same issue produces ‘colour-shift’ errors. Fig 7 shows such an error for the 15c. block of Tuanku Abdul Halim.

There is a spectacular perforation shift on the plate block of the 30c. value of the Installation of Tuanku Ja’afar of Negri Sembilan in 1994 (Agong X), which, as a result of the shift, omits the stamp value and the word ‘Malaysia’ in the bottom row of stamps on the sheet (Fig 8).

These errors range from scarce to very rare, but turn up from time to time in the big auction house sales, so if you are a regular for Stanley Gibbons post-bids or room auctions, keep your eyes peeled!

Agong VII was Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Mustain Billah of Pahang. Since his father, Sultan Sir Abu Bakar had decided not to press his claim back in 1957, the College of Rulers wished to honour the State of Pahang as soon as they could. Sultan Ahmad Shah was thus elected Agong in the first vacancy following his father’s death (Fig 9).

Most of the subsequent Agongs adopted the conventional full-face or head-and-shoulder portraits. These included Agong VIII, Tuanku Iskandar of Johor (listed in SG’s catalogue as ‘Sultan Mahmood’, his first name which he had used as Crown Prince, but had adopted his second name, Iskandar, when he ascended to the throne as Sultan of Johor in 1981); Agong IX, Tuanku Azlan Shah, Sultan of Perak; Agong XI, Tuanku Salahuddin Abdul Aziz, Sultan of Selangor; Agong XII, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Raja of Perlis; and Agong XIII, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Sultan of Trengganu.

All of these are attractive stamp issues, showing the respective Sultans in their State military dress, many with full regalia. Each of the sets would grace any Malaysian or monarchist thematic collection.

The last subject of philatelic interest is Tuanku Abdul Halim of Kedah, the only Sultan to be elected (so far) for a second term as Agong. He was Agong V and XIV, assuming his second Agong-ate at the age of 73 (Fig 10).

For those who wish to sample the more conventional sets of Agong VIII-XIII, Malaysia POS has obligingly issued the following miniature sheet (Fig 11). This sheet-let shows all the Agongs, bar the first, Tuanku Abdul Rahman. It is not easy to find, having been issued in small numbers, but adds to anyone’s collection.

I hope that this article has sparked an interest from philatelists from many different specialist interests in this relatively inexpensive, but philatelically rewarding avenue.

Fig 7 The Tuanku Abdul Halim Shah of Kedah 15c. stamp with a shift of the gold and the stamp without the shift

Fig 8 With and without the perforation-shift the Agong X, Tuanku Ja’afar of Negri Sembilan 30c. stamp

Below: Fig 9 Agong VII, Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Mustain Billah of Pahang stamp

Left: Fig 10 Elected for the second time as Agong XIV, Tuanku Abdul Halim Shah of Kedah and his stamps

Right: Fig 11 Agong miniature sheet with all the Agongs, bar the first, which is hard to find (Reduced)