North Borneo stamp collection earns Malaysian philatelist international recognition with rare gold awards

William Wang, a 67-year-old North Borneo stamp collector, regards philately as a therapeutic hobby that allows him to explore history and society's evolution.

His extensive collection, primarily composed of North Borneo stamps from 1883 to 1963, has earned him international accolades, including a Large Gold Medal in Thailand and Uruguay.

A member of the Malaysian Philatelic Society, Wang emphasizes the importance of studying the historical context and authenticity of stamps.

He shares his passion through exhibitions and the North Borneo Philately Facebook page, hoping to inspire a new generation to engage with this historically rich pursuit.

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 14 — For North Borneo stamp collector William Wang, 67, the hobby known as the “King of Hobbies” is more than collecting pieces of paper, offering a way to explore history, knowledge and the evolution of society.

His passion began at the age of 10, encouraged by his father, a school principal, as well as through exchanging stamps with school friends.

His main collection comprises North Borneo stamps issued from 1883 to 1963, alongside old envelopes, postcards, postmarks and a pre-stamp entire issued in 1845, before North Borneo produced its first stamps.

“There is something very therapeutic about this hobby in the 21st century because philately offers physical relief from constant digital fatigue.

“Sitting at a table with a stamp tweezer, a magnifying glass and a collection of historical envelopes requires focus, patience and curiosity, allowing us to study and delve into history without the distraction of digital screens,” he told Bernama.

William, who is also a member of the Malaysian Philatelic Society (PSM), said two-cent North Borneo stamps were used for sending letters throughout Sabah, including to Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Hong Kong, from 1883 to 1891.

For letters sent to the United Kingdom (UK), senders had to use Straits Settlements stamps, which could be purchased at post offices in Elopura, Kudat and Gaya.

“A stamp is not merely a receipt for postage; rather, it is a small window into the past, capturing art, history, geography and human stories on a small piece of paper,” he said.

His passion for philately has also taken him to exhibitions in countries including Indonesia, New Zealand, Uruguay, China, Brazil and Thailand, with him funding the trips himself.

In August last year, William received a Large Gold Medal for his exhibit, The Postal History of Labuan & North Borneo Before and Under Chartered Company Rule, at an exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand.

In February that same year, he also received a Large Gold and Special Award in Uruguay, making him the first Malaysian to receive the recognition under the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP).

The achievement drew the attention of Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil, who conveyed his appreciation and congratulations in a 45-second video message.

William, who is a member of the Malaysian Philatelic Society (PSM), began exhibiting his stamps in 2013 and won a Large Gold and Special Prize at the Tri-Nation Stamp Exhibition Malaysia before becoming active on the international circuit.

After retiring from the private sector, he now focuses on writing, organising, studying and preserving his collection, while sharing information through the North Borneo Philately Facebook page, which has about 34,000 followers.

He said one of the basic ways to determine a stamp’s authenticity is by examining its colour and perforations, or “stamp teeth”, which are the protruding edges left after a stamp is separated from a sheet.

William said his North Borneo stamp collection had also been authenticated by The Royal Philatelic Society London, confirming its historical and philatelic provenance.

He obtains items for his collection not only while in the UK but also through auctions, where each piece must be carefully assessed for its condition, history and authenticity.

To preserve the collection and prevent its colours from being affected by weather conditions, he replaces the stamp hinges every 10 years.

William said fewer than 10 Malaysian collectors usually participate in international philatelic exhibitions, and expressed hope that more young people would discover philately as a hobby with historical value.

“This hobby adapts to whatever interests and arouses a person’s curiosity,” he said, expressing hope that more stamp exhibitions would be held in Sabah to revive the world of philately. — Bernama

Dakoh rainforest chalets and crystal rivers anchor Kelantan’s Orang Asli tourism ambitions

Heritage meets Gen Z hustle: Kelantan teen’s ‘wayang kulit’ puppets win fans

A ‘thank you’ for Pokémon fans: Go Nagono reveals the heart and effort behind PokéXciting! 30th Anniversary celebrations

Bintulu Port comes under Sarawak jurisdiction following repeal of federal Acts

Fahmi warns that communalism and corruption can weaken Malaysia’s future

KM263.6 southbound towards Menora Tunnel now safe for motorists after rapid slope‑erosion mitigation, says Perak exco

67 岁的北婆罗洲集邮爱好者王威廉 (William Wang) 将集邮视为一种疗愈身心的爱好，让他得以探索历史和社会的演变。

他丰富的藏品主要由 1883 年至 1963 年北婆罗洲的邮票组成，为他赢得了国际赞誉，包括泰国和乌拉圭颁发的大型金奖。

作为马来西亚集邮协会的成员，王先生强调了研究邮票的历史背景和真伪的重要性。

他通过展览和北婆罗洲集邮 Facebook 页面分享自己的热情，希望激励新一代人参与到这项历史悠久的活动中来。

哥打基纳巴卢，9 月 14 日讯——对于 67 岁的北婆罗洲集邮家王威廉来说，这项被称为“爱好之王”的爱好不仅仅是收集纸片，它还提供了一种探索历史、知识和社会发展的方式。

他的爱好始于 10 岁，这得益于他身为校长的父亲的鼓励，以及他与同学交换邮票的经历。

他的主要收藏品包括 1883 年至 1963 年发行的北婆罗洲邮票，以及旧信封、明信片、邮戳和 1845 年发行的邮票发行前的所有邮票，当时北婆罗洲还没有发行第一枚邮票。

“在 21 世纪，集邮这项爱好具有很强的疗愈作用，因为它能让人从持续的数码疲劳中获得身体上的缓解。”

“坐在桌前，手边放着邮票镊子、放大镜和一系列历史信封，这需要专注力、耐心和好奇心，让我们能够在不受电子屏幕干扰的情况下研究和深入历史，”他告诉马新社。

威廉同时也是马来西亚集邮协会 (PSM) 的成员，他表示，从 1883 年到 1891 年，面值两分的北婆罗洲邮票被用于在沙巴州各地寄信，包括寄往新加坡、马六甲、槟城和香港的信件。

寄往英国的信件，寄件人必须使用海峡殖民地邮票，这些邮票可以在埃洛普拉、古达和加雅的邮局购买。

他说：“邮票不仅仅是邮资收据；它更像是一扇通往过去的小窗户，在一张小小的纸片上捕捉艺术、历史、地理和人类故事。”

他对集邮的热情也让他前往印度尼西亚、新西兰、乌拉圭、中国、巴西和泰国等国参加展览，这些旅行都是他自己出资的。

去年八月，威廉凭借其名为《特许公司统治前后纳闽和北婆罗洲的邮政史》的展览，在泰国曼谷举办的展览上荣获大金奖。

同年二月，他还在乌拉圭获得了大金奖和特别奖，成为第一个获得国际集邮联合会（FIP）认可的马来西亚人。

这一成就引起了通讯部长拿督斯里法米·法兹尔的关注，他通过一段 45 秒的视频信息表达了他的赞赏和祝贺。

威廉是马来西亚集邮协会 (PSM) 的成员，他于 2013 年开始展出自己的邮票，并在马来西亚三国邮票展览会上获得了大金奖和特别奖，之后活跃于国际舞台。

从私营部门退休后，他现在专注于写作、整理、研究和保存他的收藏，同时通过拥有约 34,000 名粉丝的北婆罗洲集邮 Facebook 页面分享信息。

他说，判断邮票真伪的基本方法之一是检查其颜色和齿孔，也就是“邮票齿”，即邮票从邮票版张上分离后留下的突出边缘。

威廉表示，他的北婆罗洲邮票收藏也已由伦敦皇家集邮协会鉴定，证实了其历史和集邮出处。

他不仅在英国境内收集藏品，还通过拍卖会收集藏品，每件藏品都必须经过仔细评估，以确定其状况、历史和真伪。

为了保护邮票收藏品并防止其颜色受到天气条件的影响，他每 10 年更换一次邮票铰链。

威廉表示，通常只有不到 10 位马来西亚集邮家参加国际集邮展览，并希望更多年轻人能够发现集邮这项具有历史价值的爱好。

“集邮这项爱好能够适应任何兴趣，并激发人们的好奇心，”他说道，并表示希望沙巴州能够举办更多邮票展览，以重振集邮界。——马新社

达科雨林小屋和清澈的河流是吉兰丹原住民旅游业发展雄心的基石。

传统与 Z 世代的喧嚣相遇：吉兰丹青少年的“wayang kulit”木偶赢得粉丝

向宝可梦粉丝致谢：Go Nagono揭秘PokéXciting！30周年庆典背后的心路历程

联邦法令废除后，民都鲁港归砂拉越管辖。

法米警告说，种族主义和腐败会削弱马来西亚的未来。

霹雳州行政议员表示，经过迅速的边坡侵蚀治理，通往梅诺拉隧道方向的263.6公里南行路段现已安全，驾车者可放心通行。