Malaysian stamp history - 01 b How it started

The history of Malaysian stamps is complicated, but therefore very interesting:

Before 1900

Straits Settlements

British Straits Settlements issue their own stamps, some stamps of India are used too, and can be recognised by their cancellations:
Malacca (B109) - Penang (B147) and Singapore (B172).
For Labuan, stamps or North Borneo, with overprint 'Labuan' are used.

Each of the 9 Malaysian states, issue their own stamps.

Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan (including the few stamps issued with Sungei Ujong overprint), later known as the Federated states, 

Federated state stamps L to R:
Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan

... and Kedah, Kelatan, Johor, Perlis andd Tregganu, or the unfederated states. In those unfederated states, before 1900, Thai stamps were used too.

L tot R : Kedah, Kelatan, Johor(e), Perlis and Tregganu

from 1900 till 1935

Perak, Pahang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan still use local stamps with their specific names on, but also issue stamps under the Federated Malay States.

Federated Malay States

from 1935 till 1941

Each state issues its own stamps again

from 1941 till World War II

A Malayan (Postal) union is formed by the formerly Straits Settlements and the 4 federated states.
Only Postage Due stamps were issued mutually.

Malayan Postal Union

During the WWII till 1948

Each of the states has overprints on their stamps, due to the Japanese (and/or Thai) occupation, sometimes
Japanese/Thai stamps are used too.

Japanese Occupation

By the end of the war, stamps overprinted with BMA (British Military Administration) are used.

BMA overprint

From 1948 (1957) till 1963

The country is united (1948) and issues stamps (1957) under the name of (federation of) MALAYA, but occasionally and for local use only, each state issues serveral sets of stamps (joint issues with same design, different state names).

After 1963

Saba (North Borneo), Sarawak, Singapore (for two years only) join in and the country changes its name to Malaysia. Also here, serveral joint issues with different state names are issued now and then.

Joint issue for all Malaysian states

to be continued...