Founded in 1911, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has the following aims:
- To promote understanding and cooperation among those persons engaged in and those formerly associated with Parliaments and Legislatures in the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations:
(i) by the exchange of information and visits; and
(ii) by Conferences of Members of such Parliaments and Legislatures - Similarly, to promote understanding and cooperation with Legislators of countries outside the Commonwealth having close historical and parliamentary association with them
Membership of the Association is of two types and is restricted to persons who are or have been Members of Parliament: Ordinary Members being those currently Members of Parliament; and Associate Members those who have been but are not currently Members of Parliament.
The achievements and the significance of the Association in the Commonwealth may be summed up in its own words:
In all the years of its existence, the Association claims credit for no specific constitutional change, no far-reaching legislative enactment, not even so much as a resounding resolution; yet it has played a genuine and valuable part in the development of ideas about and within the Commonwealth. It is indeed something more than the mere words "An Association of the Parliaments of the Commonwealth" can imply. Through the facilities it offers, the various legislators can obtain the necessary knowledge and understanding of each other and of each other's problems without which no common approach is possible. They can confer frankly as with members of the same family and take back with them to their own lands the fruits of experience they have gathered which, in the course of their normal Parliamentary duties, they can distribute among their colleagues and constituents. By these means throughout the entire Commonwealth, a certain common background of thought and opinion can be created, which at times of international crisis may be reflected in a readiness for common action.The 9th Post-war Parliamentary Conference meets at the newly completed Parliament House which stands in the Lake Gardens of Kuala Lumpur, the Federal Capital of Malaysia.
It is an impressive building on top of a hill and is visible for miles around. Designed and supervised by the Federal Public Works Department, this building has taken nearly 2.5 years to complete at a cost of approximately $17 million inclusive of plant and equipment, furniture and fittings.
The building itself occupies an area of almost two and a quarter acres; there are twenty levels in the tower block and three levels in the main building providing a total of approximately 360,000 square feet of floor space. The two Chambers of the Houses of Parliament are in the main block, in which are also a Banqueting Hall, a Library, Entrance Halls, Office Accommodation for the staff of Parliament and for Government Officers attending Parliament, Office Suites for the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the Prime Minister, Lounges, Coffee Rooms and Dining Rooms for Members, a Press Room, and Committee Rooms. In the tower block, there are Office Suites for the use of Ministers during Meetings of Parliament, the Cabinet Chamber, and offices for ordinary Members of Parliament. The whole Parliament House is air-conditioned by two units having a total output of 2,000 h.p., which are controlled centrally.
Of the two Chambers, the larger one is that of the House of Representatives. It will have a normal capacity of 160 Members of Parliament, and has in addition provision for about 260 members of the public, 36 Press Representatives and 60 Government Officials. For the State Opening of Parliament, for which the Chamber of the House of Representatives will also be used, it will be possible to seat about 220 Members in the pool of the Chamber. The Senate Chamber has seating accommodation for 60 Senators, about 110 members of the public, 30 Official and 24 Pressmen.
Technical Details
Special postage stamps of the 20 cents and 30 cents denominations will be issued on the 4th November, 1963 to commemorate the 9th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference which will be held in Kuala Lumpur.
Size: Diamond shape, measuring 35 mm each side perforation to perforation.
Printing Process: Photogravure
Design: The design features and outline of the new Parliament Building and the emblem of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
Colour:
20 cents - Outline of the building and emblem in white, lettering in gold, on dark green background
30 cents - Outline of the building and emblem in white, lettering in gold, on lake background.
Paper: PTM watermarked white paper
Printed by: Harrison & Sons Ltd., London
The stamps will be placed on sale in all the territories of Malaysia for a period of three months from the date of issue or until stocks are exhausted whichever is earlier.
First Day Cover
