Staff’s Name: Magdalena Anak Lampas
Book Title: The Commentaries of Tun Dr Mahathir’s Postage Stamps
Author: Abu Samah Bachik
Publisher: ILHAM Books
Year of Publication: 2024
Official Synopsis:
An old album which is linked to this book has a collection of about 580 beautiful and colourful postage stamps of Malaysia and 29 other countries. The stamps were collected at the Prime Minister’s Office when Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad was the Prime Minister, from July 1981 to October 2003.
The stamps in the album evoke pleasant memories of Tun Dr Mahathir. He is old in age, 98-year-old in July 2023, but he is forever young with his very sound cognitive health, and is still very sharp and eloquent. The pleasant memories include and encompass his commitment towards upholding numerous disciplines in his political life. Besides being disciplined, he is also very observant of numerous principles. Guided by those disciplines and principles, he had managed to provide a tough but effective leadership in transforming Malaysia from an agricultural to an industrial nation. In appreciation of those pleasant memories, there are several commentaries on Tun Dr Mahathir in this book.
The stamps also evoke memories about remarks and comments made by Tun Dr Mahathir on the leadership of several countries. The United States of America, the Federation of Russia and the People’s Republic of China are chosen as his remarks and comments are very pertinent and relevant to the current geopolitical environment of the world. For this, there are a number of commentaries on the three countries in this book.
Of the three countries, Tun Dr Mahathir’s remarks and comments on the United States are more stinging and penetrating.
Comments:
The Commentaries of Tun Dr. Mahathir’s Postage Stamps by Abu Samah Bachik offers a compelling and unconventional tribute to one of Malaysia’s most influential leaders. Rather than a conventional political biography, the book explores Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s long tenure as Prime Minister (1981–2003) through the postage stamps collected during his time in office. These seemingly small artifacts serve as visual symbols of the significant milestones, diplomatic achievements, and national narratives shaped under his leadership.
The book features approximately 583 stamps, most of which were curated from the Prime Minister’s Office archives. The author doesn’t merely catalogue them; instead, he weaves them into a broader narrative of Mahathir’s vision, policies, and diplomatic engagements. Through these stamps, readers gain insights into how Malaysia represented itself to the world and celebrated progress domestically. The stamps serve as both historical documents and cultural expressions, capturing everything from industrial growth to international summits. It also features 21 insightful commentaries focusing on Malaysia’s diplomatic relations with three key nations: the United States of America, the Federation of Russia, and the People’s Republic of China.
In conclusion, this book is more than a collection of stamps—it is a window into a crucial era in Malaysia’s development. It reminds us that even the tiniest things, like postage stamps, can quietly reflect a nation’s history, its leadership, and the progress it has made.
Excerpts:
“The Petronas Twin Towers is the most iconic landmark of Kuala Lumpur. As the most iconic, it is both the most famous and the most recognisable landmark in the city. It stands equal to the Red Square of Moscow, the Eiffel Tower of Paris, the Pyramids at Giza for Cairo, the Opera House of Sydney, and the Statue of Liberty of New York.” – Page 39
“Given the numerous statements by Bush, Tun Dr Mahathir had anticipated that Bush was planning to conduct an invasion on Iraq. In his book, A Doctor in The House, he writes that if that invasion happened, “It is similar to daylight robbery”.” – Page 109
“In December 2005 when Tun Dr Mahathir had retired as the Prime Minister, President Putin visited Malaysia to attend the first Russia-ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur. Besides his official talks with Malaysian leaders, President Putin made time to meet Tun Dr Mahathir, not once but twice on the same day, before leaving for Moscow.” – Page 170
“There are two pieces of postage stamps from the People’s Republic of China as arranged on page 18 of the album. Although only two pieces, the postage stamps evoke the same memories of Tun Dr Mahathir and his comments and opinions on China. There are six commentaries on the country and whenever relevant, his comments and opinions have been inserted.” – Page 194
This book is available at the Perdana Library. If you are interested in reading or borrowing the book, please visit our Library in Putrajaya, or contact us at 03-8885 8961 (Library Counter).
