Myths & Legends 2014 The Attack of the Swordfish or How Bukit Merah came to be

Once upon a time, the local fisher folk were beset by a school of fierce swordfish and people were killed. The villagers seek the help of their ruler, who was helpless, until a bright boy suggested using the trunks of banana trees to build a barricade upon which the swordfish launched themselves and were trapped. The villagers feted the boy, and the ruler became fearful of such unusual intelligence. The ruler ordered the boy to be executed. The boy was killed atop a hill, he bled profusely and his blood stained the hill. Today this place is called Bukit Merah, or Redhill, and this is a real neighbourhood in Singapore.

The theme of underwater fauna and fish are found in the 1st & 2nd local stamps. The 50-cent stamp is festooned with banana plant and its fruit, with a little golden oriole (bird) near the top edge; if envy is a theme then this stamp fits nicely. The $2 stamp shows a verdure hill (flora) with a house built on stilts (architecture) that seems to be on fire, with a murderer in the foreground!

Myths & Legends 2014 Sang Nila Utama or How Singapore got her name

Prince Sang Nila Utama was hunting on the east coast of Sumatra when he sighted the white sands of the distant island of Tumasek. He decided to cross the sea to explore the island. Midway to the island he met with a heavy storm and his boat was in danger of capsizing, to save his boat he ordered his men to throw everything overboard; finally he had to even throw his heavy crown into the sea, whereby the storm immediately subsided. Upon reaching the shore of Tumasek, he sighted a regal animal he had never seen before; his advisor told him the animal could be a singa (lion in Sanskrit). The prince was sufficiently impressed by his sighting and decided to settle on the island, renaming it Singapura or Lion City.

This set of stamps covers several themes: The theme for the 1st local stamp is clearly sea transportation, the sailboat can still be seen in the design for the 2nd local stamp, and there is a little red crab at the bottom right of it. The lion in the 50-cent stamp will appeal to collectors of big cat and wild animal stamps, while the $2 stamp covers fruity, floral and cartographic themes.

2011 Spices

Tamarind, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, and star anise are the 5 spices featured on the stamps released on 15 July 2011. Each of the 5 stamps featuring spices are also illustrated with a local favourite dish or drink in which the spice is used, tamarind in assam prawn, cinnamon in masala tea, turmeric in fish head curry, coriander in satays and star anise in braised duck. So this set of stamps can be placed under the themes of flora, spices/herbs, and cuisine/food.
Tamarind comes from the elongated velvety pod of the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indicus).The pod contains shiny black seeds enclosed in a sticky pulp. The sweet and sour juice extracted from the pulp is widely used in local cuisine.
Cinnamon sticks are made of dried strips of the inner bark of the cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum verum), an tree that can grow up to 10 metres tall. It is principally used as a condiment in beverages and desserts locally, and also as flavouring for cookies and breads. It also has high antioxidant properties, hence considered to be of medicinal value.
Turmeric is derived from the rhizome of the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa). The rhizome is harvested, dried and ground into a fine yellow powder. In this form, it is a versatile substance, used as a fabric dye, in cosmetics, and to impart colour to mustard condiments; in cooking it is commonly used, together to salt, to lightly coat fish before frying. Much medical research are being conducted to study the property of the various compounds found in this substance, for their medicinal property.
The edible coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum) is a common herb used in local oooking, and in marinating satay.
The star anise is obtained from the star-shaped dried fruit of the tree (Illicium verum) native to southwest China. The star anise is widely used in Chinese cuisine, especially for braising meats.

Kent Ridge Park Trail 2010

This set of stamps released on 22 September 2010 celebrates a heritage trail in Singapore: The Kent Ridge Park Trail. Formerly known as Pasir Panjang Ridge, the area was used as a fortress by the British to defend Singapore against Japanese invasion in 1942. The site for the Battle for Pasir Panjang, one of the last battles bitterly fought by the Malay Regiment against the Japanese army during World War II, was at Bukit Chandu, a hill in the park. Today, a colonial bungalow at 31K Bukit Chandu has been restored and converted into a World War II war museum - Reflections at Bukit Chandu, commemorating the brave defenders who fought beyond their last bullet.

Aside from historical significance, the Kent Ridge Park is now an undisturbed habitat with an abundance of flora and fauna as illustrated in the 4 se-tenant stamps of the issue. Prominent on the 80-cent stamp is the white bellied sea eagle. A series of wooden walkways and bridges have been contructed along the trail to allow the enjoyment of nature by people of all ages.

2010 Local Definitives - Flowers

On 23 June 2010 , two more stamps were added to the current set of definitives, one for 1st local (26 cents) and a second one for 2nd local (32 cents), featuring flowers. The 1st local stamp features the Simpoh Air (Dillenia suffruticosa), a plant with large leaves and large yellow flowers that usually last for only a day. The 2nd local stamp features the Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum), a common plant with flowers that also last only a day; the plant is a host for caterpillars of butterflies like the Common Sailor (Neptis hylas) and the Grey Count (Tanaecia lapidea). The 1st local stamp was also released as self-adhesives in booklets of 10 stamps and sheets of 20 stamps.

Singapore 2010 Trees

To celebrate International Year of Biodiversity, Singapore Post puts 10 local common tress onto 10 stamps, released on 26 May 2010. The 10 trees are Rain Tree (Samanea saman), Angsana (Pterocarpus indicus), Yellow Flame (Peltophorum pterocarpum), Senegal Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis), Broad-leafed Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), Tembusu (Fagraea fragrans), Sea Apple (Syzygium grande), Saga (Adenanthera pavonina), Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia rosea) and Sea Almond (Terminalia catappa).