Hero-series stamps

Hero-series stamps

With regard to the commemoration of Indonesia's golden jubilee I would like to propose that the Post and Telecommunication Service reissue the Indonesian national hero series stamps. I think this is one way of fulfilling the wishes of some ministers who always remind us in their speeches that Bangsa yang besar adalah bangsa yang menghargai pahlawannya (A great nation remembers its heroes).

Actually, Indonesia issued the national hero-series stamps in the 1950s (I can't remember the exact year). Those stamps printed the names, life spans and pictures of Indonesian heroes, including Tengku Tjhik Di Tiro, Sultan Hasanuddin, and Sudirman.

Although just a small thing, stamps provide fun as well as insight. For instance, I would not know the White House architect nor how the Poles write the name of Nikolaus Copernicus unless I had the stamps of James Hoban and Mikolaj Kopernik.

With regard to honoring prominent figures, I can say that the U.S. Postal Service is very responsive on the matter. Prominent figures from different backgrounds, from Thomas Paine to Elvis Presley, can be seen on their stamps.

I believe it is just a matter of commitment on the part of our postal service to honor those who have imprinted their names on the nation's history.

WAHYUNI RIZKIANA KAMAH

East Jakarta