Early Sarawak Stamps, Malaysia

The 100 years of the White Rajahs ruled in Sarawak

The Oldest Stamp of Sarawak
Myla Collection 1869 Sarawak 3c (Mint) SG1	Whenever there was a single issuance of the first stamp either for a country or a region or even a state, hence there must be a reason in the event that we could be discovered the true storey behind their inception, indeed. Through philatelic studies, the Sarawak postal historical from 1858 until 1956 had been explored by J.C.B Fisher. He had discovered the earliest date known for used of a postal hand stamp in Sarawak since 31st May 1858.
On 1st March 1869, the first stamp of Sarawak had been issued depicting portray of Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak from 28 August 1842 until 11 June 1868. The issue of this first single stamp with face value of three-cent was prepared early in 1868 and it was a very rare stamp due to the First Rajah had their tragic sequel as very unfortunately Sir James Brooke did not live to see his stamp in used. The stamp was indicated J-James, B-Brooke, R-Rajah and S-Sarawak.
2nd Edition Stamps of Sarawak
	The 2nd Edition of the new definitive stamps were issued on 1st January 1871, vignette depicting Sir Charles Brooke come with numerous face values being used until 1899.
Myla Collection 1871 Sarawak 3c (Mint)
	The 3rd Edition of the new definitive stamps were printed by De La Rue on 10 November 1888, also depicting Sir Charles Brooke come with numerous face values and bi-coloured until 1899.
Myla Collection 1888 Sarawak 50c (Mint)
	The 4th Edition of the new definitive stamps were printed by Perkins Bacon on February 1895, also depicting Sir Charles Brooke come with numerous face values.
	The 5th Edition of the new definitive stamps were issued on 26th. March 1918, vignette depicting Sir Charles Vyner Brooke come with numerous face values.                 Specimen 5c (Mint)
	The 6th Edition of the new definitive stamps were printed by Waterlow on 1st January 1932, vignette depicting Sir Charles Vyner Brooke come with numerous face values.
	The 7th Edition of the new definitive stamps were printed by Bradbury Wilkinson on 1st May 1934, vignette depicting Sir Charles Vyner Brooke come with numerous face values. However, sometime in October, 1942 Sarawak stamps were overprinted in Japanese issue.
	The 8th Edition of the new definitive stamps were issued overprinted British Military Administration (BMA) on 17th December 1945, vignette depicting Sir Charles Vyner Brooke come with numerous face values.
	The 9th Edition of the definitive stamps reissued overprinted with Royal Cypher and watermark Script CA on 16th April 1947, vignette depicting Sir Charles Vyner Brooke come with various face values and bi-coloured.
Other Editions
Myla Collection: 1946 Sarawak Centenary (Mint) (10th Edition) Myla Collection: 1949 Sarawak UPU (Mint) (11th Edition)
	The 12th Edition of the definitive stamps were issued on 1st. January 1950, vignette depicting King George VI come with numerous face values.
Myla Collection 1950 Sarawak 1c (Mint)
	The 13th Edition of the definitive stamps were issued on 1st. June 1955, vignette depicting Queen Elizabeth come with numerous face values until 1964.
Myla Collection 1955 Sarawak 1c (Used)
Conclusion
The White Rajahs were a legacy ruling Sarawak for a 100 years. Sarawak has joining Malaysia on 16 September 1963, together with The Federation of Malaya, Singapore and British North Borneo (Sabah) merge as equal partners. However,  basing on UPU convention 1964, it's stated that these equal partners were transferred as a state to Malaysia, thus all states new stamps were printed with country naming of Malaysia complete with state naming i.e. Sarawak.  An equal partner and became as a state are absolutely a different aspect in the concepts of the establishment of Malaysia in 1963. Indeed, Malaysia could be a 'superior' to the equal partners. In comparison with other Malayan states, Sarawak itself owned a very unique historical thumbprint even during Japanese Occupation in Tanah Melayu. Indeed, collecting stamps is not just a hobby but it is also tracing a constructive historical thumbprint and an artefact of the nation. A stamp could be recorded the past chronology of the rulers, places and years through out cancellations or postmarks, or else could be told us a storey of the greatest mankind's history. “Greatest Collection, Greatest History”