Pos Malaysia started the installation of post boxes in unique locations back in 2015. There were official postcards and cachets released in conjunction with the launch of the post boxes.
Mount Kinabalu Post Box
The Mount Kinabalu Post Box was installed on 08 February 2015 at the Pendant Hut, Laban Rata, Mount Kinabalu. This makes it the highest post box in Malaysia and South East Asia at 3,289 metres above sea level.
The post box was launched on 14 February 2015. All mails posted from the post box was taken to Ranau Post Office which processed it with a special cachet. The post box is managed by Mountain Torq.
This event was covered widely by the main newspapers:
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/02/15/post-your-mail-near-summit-of-mt-kinabalu/
Here are videos on how the post box was installed and the mail carried down:
Here is a cachet through the Ranau Post Office. It was the first day of mail processing after the launch event on 14 February 2015.
During the launch event, a special postmark and a cachet was also made available only at the Pendant Hut. This was subsequently applied on all mail coming down from Pendant Hut. Subsequently the Ranau cachet was no longer used.
Here are the postcards with the Pendant Hut special postmark and cachet. The via ferrata reopened on 19 January 2019 after the earthquake that struck Ranau on 05 June 2015. The Mount Kinabalu via ferrata is the highest in the world!
Layang-Layang Post Box
The second unique post box with a special cachet (*read the trivia at the bottom of this article) was installed at the seabed off Pulau Layang-Layang. It was launched on 07 August 2015.
Pulau Layang-Layang Post Box is the deepest post box in the sea at 40 m below sea level. This is much deeper than the current Guinness World Record of 10 m below sea level held by the underwater Susami Post Box in Wakayama, Japan installed in 1999. I guess Susami has a challenger now!
The post box is managed through Avillion Layang-Layang Resort. Initially the special cachet was applied in Kota Kinabalu. Subsequently the special cachet was applied in Pulau Layang-Layang itself and flown to Kota Kinabalu National Mail Centre for processing.
News reports:
https://myfdc.me/2016/05/28/finding-anchor-worlds-deepest-underwater-postbox/
https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2015/08/13/layanglayang-island-gets-a-post-code
You’ve got mail – it was posted at this underwater postbox in Sabah
Watch the video of the installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DduqNOD6_Dc
Here are the official postcards with the special cachet:
The top postcard is the waterproof version and the bottom postcard is the normal non-waterproof version.
The official postcards have long since been used up and subsequently the resort sells their own non-waterproof postcards.
Tanjung Piai Post Box
The third unique post box was installed at the Southern Most Tip of Continental Asia at the Tanjung Piai National Park, Kukup, District of Pontian, Johor! The post box was launched on 10 April 2016.
This is the official pre-stamped postcard along with the cachet. This is the first edition of the postcard. Subsequently a new design was released sometime in 2018.
Initially mail was collect by the Kukup Post Office and sent to Pontian Post Office for processing. Subsequently the mail was collected and processed in Johor Bahru National Mail Centre.
Pulau Mensirip Sultan Iskandar Marine Park Royal Post Box
The fourth unique post box was installed off Mensirip Island at the Sultan Iskandar Marine Park, District of Mersing, Johor. The post box was launched by HRH Sultan Ibrahim, Sultan of Johor on 22 August 2016 at the depth of about 9 m below sea level. This is the first Royal Post Box in Malaysia.
News reports:
https://www.thesundaily.my/archive/1944989-KSARCH389379
https://www.kkmm.gov.my/index.php/awam/berita-terkini/233-kpkk-news/10907-2016-08-23-00-36-35
Here is the video:
Here is the waterproof postcard:
Mersing Sultan Iskandar Marine Park Royal Post Box
There is something more unique about the Sultan Iskandar Marine Royal Post Box, if you are unable to dive to the post box, there is a land based post box to do “dry land” posting!
This is a non-waterproof postcard from the dry land post box! It carries the same cachet as the underwater post box. It was in operation a day earlier on 21 August 2016.
Deer Cave Gunung Mulu National Park Post Boxes
Two post boxes were installed in the Gunung Mulu National Park.
A post box was installed inside the Deer Cave. This is the first post box inside a UNESCO World Heritage cave.
The second post box was installed at the park headquarters.
Here is a personal postcard processed through Miri Mail Centre (Pusat Mel Miri) Sarawak.
Design copyright of the postcard: Dr Indraneil Das
The Malaysia Book of Records recognised this achievement on 14 March 2019. http://malaysiarecords.com.my/records/16972/FIRST-POST-BOX-IN-UNESCO-WORLD-HERITAGE-CAVE-
The Deer Cave entrance is famous for the profile of Abraham Lincoln which is also the cachet of the park. The cachet is not made by Pos Malaysia.
Trivia:
- Did you know that the Pulau Layang-Layang underwater post box was NOT the first underwater post box of Malaysia? It is the second unique post box with a special cachet. However, Pos Malaysia first made an underwater post box off the island of Redang. There was a special postcard. However there was no special cachet. https://twitter.com/pos4you/status/997329770734960641
2. Back in 2006, a private underwater post box was installed off Pulau Mataking:
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2006/03/30/mailbox-under-the-waves-for-divers
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