+ Country   : Malaya
+ Sub-Area  : FMS, Straits Settlements, Kedah, Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis
+ Class     : Stamp & Philatey
+ Prefix    : MYMPF
+ Σ Group   : 2
+ Σ Stamp   : 6

The cinderellas were not used for postage payment but were bought to make a voluntary donation towards Malaya Patriotic Fund that supported the effort of defense of Malaya during the World War II.

Knonwn publicity slogan on postal postmark read as follows:
Patriotic Fund Preserves Freedom of Malaya

Issued in 1940. Exact date of issue unknown.

Can be found both perforated and imperforated.

SOURCE - NEWSPAPER 1

The Straits Times, 18 October 1939, Page 11

MALAYA PATRIOTIC FUND MEETING

The first meeting of the general committee of the Malaya Patriotic Fund is to be held at Government House, Singapore, on Friday, Oct. 27.

To enable this committee to deal with the funds at present held throughout Malaya, it is requested that all sections and committees formed for the purpose of raising money on behalf of the Malaya Patriotic Fund should remit their collections to the honorary treasurers, the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, Singapore, to reach them not later than Oct. 25.

SOURCE - NEWSPAPER 2

The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 August 1940

Malaya Patriotic Fund

On the outbreak of war, Lady Thomas, wife of the Governor of the Straits Settlements, called a meeting of representative women with the idea of collecting funds for the purchase of wool and materials for the manufacture of comforts for men at the front. The original committee included Lady Small a Western Australian and the wife of then then Colonial Secretary, and other well-known women, whilst Mrs. H. G. Baxter, also partly Australian, the wife of one of the bankers of the city, was appointed honorary secretary.

There are now nine separate working parties of European, Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arab and Eurasian women, besides many up-country committees. Lady Thomas herself is an expert knitter, and the first sweater was tried on by the Governor. The pyjama patterns were cut from the Governor's pajamas. In all, more than ninety packing-cases of comforts have been despatched and a group of women meet every Thursday at Government House to pack goods.

Way back in the days of the Munich crises a movement was started in Singapore for the enrolment of women for national service. Whether women accustomed to resting several hours of every waking day would be able to stand the strain of eight hours in the confines of a hot office was the question of the moment. A Manpower Bureau was opened and many women with any claim of usefulness offered their services.

With advent of war, some of those who spoke foreign languages and some others were called up for work in the Censor's Bureau for cables and letters. Men and women in these departments work shifts censoring mail in no less than forty-one languages, including twenty-two European languages. Of the balance, the Eastern languages include fifteen Indian such as Tamil, Telegu, Malayalan, Canarses, Urdu, Hindustani, Hindi, Gumerkhji, Punjabi, Persian, Gujerati, Sindhi, Bengali, Orissa and Sylahete. Such in Malaya's polyglot population with Chinese, Japanese, Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese, Malay and Philippine Islands languages.

SOURCE - NEWSPAPER 3

The Central Queensland Herald 25 April 1940

DONATION TO MALAYA PATRIOTIC FUND

SINGAPORE, April 21.

The Singapore office of the Rubber company which owns Malaya's best known Japanese rubber estate has given P1200 to the Malaya Patriotic Fund with the approval of the Tokyo directors. The manager (Mr S. Matsumoto) said: "We are a debt of gratitude to Britain for being permitted to carry on business under her protection and the least we can do is to respond when the need is made known. Our enterprise, far being hindered by war restriction, is progressing well."