READING HABITS AMONG MALAYSIANS

According to the statistics, reading habit among malaysians is very poor compared to other countries. This is a serious problem that has to be given priority to solve it gradually.Here I have some suggestion on how to change this situation.

The best way to solve this problem is, reading habit should start from young itself. Therefore parents should play a main role in convincing and telling their children on how important it is for a person to read no matter what type of reading material it is but it must be beneficial.Nowadays it is understood that parents are busy with their work, but they must make sure their children reads daily.

Parents usually bring along their kids to the shopping mall or to the cinema, so here parents must make it a point to bring their child to the bookstores in the mall and buy their kids some story books suitable for them.For small kids what the parents can do is they must sit together with their child and read togethet with them.In one way it is made possible that the parents can correct their kids mistake in pronounciationo or can explain to their kids about the flow of the story if they don't understand.

Other than that, parents should bring their kids to the national library at least once a week and they have to read together with their kids, so that the kids will be encouraged to read.Parents also can set up a mini library at home with the materials available and suitable for reading.This indirectly will induce the family members to read whenever they look at the books. Parents also should advice their adult children to read newspapers on a daily basis and not only readinig story book or novels. This is to make sure that they are aware about the current issues.

In addition, publishers must come up with more interesting books or novels that will make people rush to buy that particular book no matter how much it costs.For an example the 'Harry Potter' novels. People simply can't wait for the books to be published,for some eventhough they have watched the movie but they still insist to read the novels.

For adults we can only advice them to read more because old habits die hard.
It takes time for the adults to change their habit when they realize reading is very important.Another way is by advertising the latest reading materials in the media. Usually youngsters goes to cinema or shopping whenever they are free, therefore the advertisement regarding new novels or reading materials can be advertised in the cinema as well.

Another way to influence the youngsters and adults to read is when they minggle with people who are knowledgeable, they will be aware that they are left out among all of them. Thus this will make them keep themselves up to date, usually regarding the current issues.

In addition, government must carry out campaign regarding reading habits. During this campaign they can have mascots related to the campaign. This mascots will make the children to be more excited and interested in reading.

Here I would like to pledge all malaysians to start reading because this wiil be very useful for them not only at the present but also in future.

written by : thilages