Living Books

Although Malaysia has a fairly high literacy rate and a good educational system, the reading habit has not developed as it should. A national reading campaign was launched in 1980 to try to improve the situation. The DBP is involved in publishing, book promotion, book distribution and extension activities aimed at increasing the amount of literature available in Bahasa Malaysia and developing the reading habit among Malaysians. It offers incentives to authors and maintains a special library. There is still a need for a more perceptive understanding of the reasons for the lack of the reading habit in Malaysia to turn Malaysians into a reading society.

In our recent critical reading class, my group have discussed several ways to improve this situation. Giving rewards for the children might be a good way to instill reading habit from the early stage of their life. This can be applicable by the library staff, which is whenever they borrow a book and are able to come up with a synopsis, moral values or at least characters in the story at the time they return the book, give them rewards such as lollipops, teddy bear or toys. The prizes must be according to how good a point that the kid had given. For example, a kid who told a synopsis will be qualified to have the bear as the prize while a kid who gives only characters staged in the story will only get a lollipop.

Secondly, the government and the related NGO’s must co-operate to implement this new policy in the near future; free books policy for the middle and the lower class society in Malaysia. Honestly, I don’t quite agree with the suggestion of our Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal that civil servants be given a book allowance. I have a strong reason to stand against that proposal. There is a doubt arise within me that who will be in charge to make sure that every civil servants use the book allowance to really buy books-not just books, but the one which benefits and informative. With the low payment of the civil servants compared to the private workers, there is a high percentage that they will use the allowance to cover their budget or pay for their loans.
So, why don’t the obligated person distribute BOOKS, not MONEY to the targets. This will be much more efficient way and would assure the achievement of the government goal even though there will be a little increment in the government spending to imply this policy. It’s a short term loss and long term gain policy to me. The types and numbers of books given will differ according to the age and number of family members. However, the books must be beneficial, regardless of the types.

For the rural area especially most part of east Malaysia, we suggest that mobile library to be provided there. The mobile library can also be coupled with mobile school and clinic to attract the local villagers besides providing them with multiple services at a same time. This will surely saves their time and boost the literacy and health of the people living there, making several of government will to be achieved in one shot as the proverb says- to kill two birds with one stone. Meanwhile, for the urban area, the e-books should be introduced. The most attractive word for the Malaysian is ‘free’, so it should not be any charge to read this e-books thing.

I think that’s all the point that I have as another points have already been stated by A.Kathirasen in his Past Present column in the paper. Let's turn Malaysian into a living books.

Thank you.

Published by:
Mohd Hazwan Bin Mohd Rosmi
A122818