A big thank you to the readers of myfdc from across the world. myfdc is slightly over 7 years young. Over the last 7 years, the readers have started to participate by providing information, suggestions, photos and ideas. These have helped kept myfdc to be relevant.
As myfdc is solely focussed on Malaysian Philately (and the associated Joint Issues or Malaysian related themes), the readership is rather restricted. The various thematics (Birds, Trains, Animals, Amphibians, Reptiles, Special Effects, Special Printing, etc.) helped to broaden the appeal of myfdc. The Birds thematic and Special Effects / Special Printing thematic collectors seems to be the more active ones.
Here is a map of where myfdc stands (cumulative 7 years) as at the time of writing:
The main audience (about 50% of the readership) are from Malaysia. Surprisingly the international audience constitute another 50% (excluding spammer which usually register 1 hit!). I have included a “Translate” function with the revamped website. Hopefully this will help international readers who wish to read in your local language be able to get something that might be closer to your own language.
Today myfdc crossed the 785,000 views mark. myfdc should cross the million viewers mark in the end of 2020.
What did I do on the last day of the year? Well, visit the post office. This time I decided to stick all the reprints of 2019 to make souvenir covers.
Here is the Federal Territory Definitive set of 2019 reprints:
Here are the National Definitive 2019 reprints and the first release of 2018/1 90 sen.
If you come across any new reprints in 2020, just drop me a note at sky52200myfdc@gmail.com
I also came across a release of the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker folder set and Special Pack in the Kuala Lumpur General Post Office Philatelic Sales Counter. A recap of what they are: https://myfdc.me/2019/12/19/18-december-2019-pre-order-of-the-star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-setem-ku-personalised-stamps-set/
Conclusion, the actual item is better than the photos! I suppose Star Wars fan will be interested to buy them once you really see the actual item. It should be available in your State post offices soon.
myfdc wrote about The Rise of the Setem Ku, ironically The Rise of Skywalker Setem Ku will come out if you searched for the original article. https://myfdc.me/2018/10/04/the-rise-of-setemku-personalised-stamps-first-day-covers/
I believe Setem Ku (personalised stamps) will continue to play a role as an additional branch of cover collection. It is already a mainstay in many other countries. The Setem Ku tend to be special themes. If privately issued but available to the public, they tend to be commemorative.
If your organisation plans to issue Setem Ku and make them available to the general public, feel free to reach out to me with advance information so that collectors can buy them. No point is having overhang stocks with poor promotion.
That goes for any philatelic events that your philatelic association / club / society plans to hold, if you need a hand in promotion, just message me. This does not apply to commercial fairs.
Meanwhile, a very minimal few still follow the First Flight Covers. It has been quite a year with the closure of the Subang Skypark Post Office (in 2018) and the KLIA Post Office (in 2019). The First Flight Covers could no longer be posted from these locations. incidentally KLIA is also a branch Philatelic Bureau with special pictorial cancellations for FDCs. Thus the special cancellations is reduced by one.
A little after midnight tonight, Malaysia Airlines will take off on the first flight to Beijing Daxing International Airport. Thus a chance to post our the last letter of 2019 that will carry over to 2020!
First Flight Covers remain challenging as the information on first flights are very dependent on the airlines promoting the flight. Many times the information is late. In addition there is also a time and distance constraint to chase after these flights from the nearest post office to the airport. In many cases the covers do not return!
Meanwhile, the 2020 Malaysia Stamp Issue Schedule has yet to be released. I suppose if the Lunar New Year Series continues, there should be a stamp issue in the middle of January 2020. I will post the schedule once it is released.
2019 saw an increasingly delay of the release of philatelic information. Hopefully the situation will improve in 2020 as it is getting very hard to get last minute Annual Leaves. I hope Pos Malaysia understand that not all collectors live next door to the post office or are retirees. Even retiree collectors find it difficult to follow when the stamps are released as they have family events too.
May I wish you happy collecting and all the best wishes in the start of the next decade with the year 2020!
Thank you ladies and gentlemen for the readership! I hope to hear from you.
sky52200
myfdc 