Postal company launches tiger stamps

BANDUNG: Postal company PT Pos Indonesia launched a tiger stamp series and souvenir sheet to welcome Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 14.

Philatelic manager Dadan Rusdiana said the tiger had been selected in line with the 60-year cycle on the Chinese calendar that designated 2010 the year of the metal tiger.

"In traditional Chinese belief, the metal tiger is depicted as a dignified tiger, not scary," he said Tuesday.

He said the tiger's picture was designed by artist-cum-writer Pidi Baiq who made three stamps with the tiger's face resembling that of a Sumatran tiger. The souvenir sheet was designed by artist Teguh Wiyatno, portraying a tiger walking on the clouds with Prambanan Temple in the background. - JP