HONG KONG – The Postmaster General, Mr. Allan CHIANG, announced today that a special stamp issue with the theme of "Hong Kong Pop Singers" will be issued on Tuesday, 8 November 2005. This is the first set of stamps to be issued by Hongkong Post that features Hong Kong's popular singers, saluting five pop stars who have left their marks on Cantopop music history. 

Wong Ka Kui is featured on the $1.40 stamp, Danny Chan on the $1.80, Roman Tam on the $2.40, Leslie Cheung on the $3, and Anita Mui on the $5 stamp. 

Commenting on this special stamp issue, Mr. Chiang remarked: "These stamps have been issued to commemorate the great achievements of some of Hong Kong's greatest entertainers. Both individually and collectively, they made a profound impact on Hong Kong people. They were all much loved and respected for their talent and for the joy they brought to the local music scene. Hongkong Post is pleased to recognise them in this very special stamp issue." 

The stamps are designed by Mr. Michael Fung and printed in lithography by Joh. Enschede B.V., the Netherlands. 

The stamps will be displayed at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsuen Wan and Shatin Central post offices from 18 October 2005. Official First Day Covers at $1 each will be put on sale at all post offices on the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided souvenir covers will be accepted at 39 philatelic offices from 18 to 24 October 2005. 

A hand-back datestamping service will be provided at all post offices on 8 November 2005 for official and privately-made covers, bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address. 

A special postmark will be also introduced. This will be available, together with the GPO-1 postmark, the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the philatelic office pictorial postmark, for hand-back datestamping service at all philatelic offices on that day. 

Also on 8 November 2005, the public hall of the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the GPO-1 postmark and the special postmark. 

Further information about this issue and the sale of associated philatelic products can be obtained from Hongkong Post's website at www.hongkongpost.com, at any post office, or by calling the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau hotline 2785 5711. 

This is the first set of stamps issued by Hongkong Post that features Hong Kong's popular singers, saluting five pop stars who have left their marks on Cantopop music history. 

$1.40 - Wong Ka Kui (1962 - 1993)
Wong Ka Kui formed his first rock band, Beyond, in 1983 with friends. Together they made music that was rapturously intense and strongly emotional, which soon won them a huge young following. As the lead singer and major songwriter of the band, he brought across his message for a better world in his music. The tour de force includes "Great Land", "Glory Days", "Boundless Horizons" and of course "Amani", a moving song written after visiting the underprivileged in Africa. The career of this creative singer and songwriter was tragically cut short when he fell off a platform in a fatal accident in 1993 in Japan.  

$1.80 - Danny Chan (1958 - 1993)
One of the first generation of pop idols in Hong Kong, Danny Chan was an amazingly gifted artist. He was already an electronic organ player, a songwriter, an actor and a promising singer at the beginning of his career. He always impressed his fans as a sensitive and gentle young man in both his films and music. He made a name for himself with his debut release, "Tears For You", which established him as a teen idol. "Ripple", " I Just Love You" and "Life Expectation" are just some of the golden hits written and sung by this talented artist. A memorial hall in his honour was erected in his hometown of Taishan, Guangdong. 

$2.40 - Roman Tam (1945 - 2002)
A true superstar in his own right, Roman Tam was electrifying on stage, the undisputed king of stage shows. He sang his way through Mandarin, Cantonese and English pop songs but rendered classical songs and Chinese operatic tunes equally superbly. A refined and seasoned artist, he paid to put two musicals on show and his efforts to excel himself and bring breakthroughs further demonstrated his fervent passion for stage art. In his later years, he took on budding singers to pass on his wealth of experience. His everlasting hits include "Romantic Swordsman", "Under The Lion Rock", "Songs For You" and "How Many Roads". 

$3 - Leslie Cheung (1956 - 2003)
Leslie Cheung was a glamorous star in music, films and television, affectionately loved by his fans because of his irresistible charm. Following his rise to fame with the hit "Restless Breeze", he captured the hearts of many with his expressive and lyrical singing. Whether playing romantic and rebellious or cool and sensuous, he always made himself stand out from others throughout his career. His greatest hits, "Monica", "Sleepless Night" and "Profile", are still fondly remembered by his devotees. In 2000, he directed a short film, "From Ashes to Ashes", for Radio Television Hong Kong to realise his aspiration as a movie director.