The Yang Di-Pertuan Agongs of Malaysia Through a Philatelist's Eyes

Malaya Study Group Special The Yang di-Pertuan Agongs of Malaysia through a philatelist’s eyes By Dominic Morris CBE 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. 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 Fig 1 The shared FDC for the first anniversary of eighteenth century, Negri had evolved an Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Sultan of Negri Sembilan and Merdeka stadium elective system for the Head of the State with the ruler elected for life, which persists to this day, albeit now with hereditary elements. despite his brave record of support for the The second Agong was Head of State for Malaysia chose a close analogy of that forces opposing the Japanese Occupation only 140 days. He died the night before his system: a revolving Head of State, given a five during the War, also did not press his claim. Installation ceremony which would have year term, based (loosely) on seniority and The choice thus fell on Tuanku Abdul produced the issued stamps. He had been election from within the College of Rulers, Rahman, Sultan of Negri Sembilan (no seriously unwell for some time and the an electoral college of nine: eight Sultans and relation to the first Prime Minister, but a nice excitement was probably too much for His one Raja. The College of Rulers had already historical parallel, given that the system had Highness. existed in some form since the Federated first evolved in his State). His title wasYang This provides the great rarity in the Malay States period in the 1890s (after the di-Pertuan Agong (literally ‘He who is made collection of the Yang di-Pertuan Agongs. formation of Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah Lord’). Despite the impressive title, the stamp There is one imperforate Proof of the 10c. (ex-North Borneo) were allowed a look-in, via issued to mark his election was, relative to multi-coloured unissued, approved by the non-voting observers). later issues, undistinguished and had to share Postmaster General of Malaya. It exists in the honours with the Merdeka (Independence) British Library collections. It was annotated to He who is made Lord stadium to commemorate the first anniversary indicate that the design was approved directly The first question was: ‘whom to elect as of Malaysia’s independence (Fig 1). by the Postmaster General, by-passing the the very first and what to call them?’ They Tuanku Abdul Rahman died before the Crown Agents. looked through the seniority list. The most five year term was up. His successor, as Len Stanway, in Volume 1 of his superb senior, Sultan Sir Ibrahim of Johor, who had Agong II, was Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah trilogy: Malaysia and the Federation of Malaya- been Sultan since 1895, let it be known he of Selangor. Each Agong who was chosen Their Stamps and Postal History, records that was too old to do justice to the honour. The had his own stamp issue at his Installation a stamp-size, multi-coloured, hand-painted second, Sultan Sir Abu-Bakar of Pahang, (Coronation). essay also existed, in the De La Rue Archives. 70 G.S.M. September 2013 Malaya Study Group Special A colour photograph can be found in the De La Rue Archive Albums held at the British Fig 2 Stamp proof copy of Agong II, Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Postal Museum Archive (page 0001838, dated Shah of Selangor. courtesy of the British Library 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: Fig 3 A used FDC a decent philatelic first for Agong III, day cover (with useful Tuanku Syed Putra, inserts from the Malaya/ Raja of Perlis 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 discover For 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 Above: Fig 4 Agong IV, Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah 6). It is not cheap, but is scarce and worth of Trengganu stamps on cover collecting. 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 G.S.M. September 2013 71 Malaya Study Group Special 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 Fig 7 The Tuanku Abdul Halim Shah of Kedah 15c. stamp with a the word ‘Malaysia’ in the bottom row of shift of the gold and the stamp without the shift stamps on the sheet (Fig 8). These errors range from scarce to very Fig 8 With and without the perforation-shift the Agong X, Tuanku Ja’afar of Negri rare, but turn up from time to time in the big Sembilan 30c. stamp 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 Below: Fig 9 Agong VII, Sultan VIII, Tuanku Iskandar of Johor (listed in Ahmad Shah Al-Mustain Billah of SG’s catalogue as ‘Sultan Mahmood’, his Pahang stamp 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. Left: Fig 10 Elected The last subject of philatelic interest is for the second Tuanku Abdul Halim of Kedah, the only time as Agong XIV, Sultan to be elected (so far) for a second Tuanku Abdul Halim term as Agong. He was Agong V and XIV, Shah of Kedah and assuming his second Agong-ate at the age of his stamps 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. References Len Stanway: Malaysia and the Federation of Malaya—Their Stamps and Postal History (publ.

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