The Cost of Being a Reader in Malaysia

The cost of being a reader in Malaysia — Victoria Navina

Malay Mail – 10 July 2025

Photo from Medium 

JULY 10 — They say reading is free, but is it? In Malaysia, books are expensive, libraries are uneven, and access is shaped by income, infrastructure and class. The cost of being a reader isn’t just measured in ringgit. It’s measured in opportunity, inequality and culture.

How much does a book cost?

You walk into a bookstore in Kuala Lumpur and pick up an imported paperback on statistics — RM60. A historical narrative? RM115. If you’re earning Malaysia’s minimum wage of RM1,700, that’s nearly four to seven per cent of your monthly income. For one book. That’s your internet bill. Or a week’s worth of lunches. Books aren’t taxed in Malaysia, but they’re not cheap. Many are imported. That means you’re paying for printing, freight, import duties, logistics, distributor mark-ups and currency exchange. We don’t have a fixed book pricing law, so prices vary across retailers. Discounts are inconsistent, and bookstores may be operating on thin margins.

If you buy books, how likely are you to read?

Buying books can predict whether someone reads — according to a 2023 study by the National Library (PNM). Among those who bought books, 97.2 per cent are more likely to read. Among those who didn’t, only 17.6 per cent read. Put simply, access fuels reading. Without the ability to buy or borrow, many might simply stop.

Sokongan Ibu Bapa Terhadap Amalan Membaca

 

Source: https://www.projectappleseed.org/ways-parents-help-with-reading

Orang dewasa juga perlu membaca

Orang dewasa juga perlu membaca

"Membaca dapat menjadi terapi yang berkesan bagi mengurangkan tekanan. Ianya dapat merangsang otak, membantu memperkuat daya ingatan dan melambatkan penurunan kognitif yang berkaitan dengan usia"

Sumber: UM 24 Mei 2025, ms. 16

#Membaca #MalaysiaMembaca

Jangan 'Korbankan' Buku Pada Waktu Sukar

 

Sumber: Berita Harian 

Dreamland for Book Lovers

 

Pic: El Ateneo Grand Splendid

Preply’s 10 most popular bookstores (and libraries) worldwide:

1.       Daunt Books in London, England

2.       El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Bueno Aires, Argentina

3.       State Library Victoria in Melbourne, Australia

4.       Bookstore Dominicanen in Maastricht, Netherlands

5.       The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, United States

6.       Starfield Library in Seoul, South Korea

7.       Shakespeare & Company in Paris, France

8.       Tsutaya Books in Tokyo, Japan

9.       Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland

10.   Liberia Acqua Alta in Venice, Italy

Source: The Star (3 May 2025)

Silent Book Club JB

Silent Book Club, JB

BH 1 Mei 2025, ms. 21

https://www.facebook.com/silentbookclubjb

"Slogan 'Baca Jap' sebagai peringatan kepada orang ramai untuk sentiasa mencari waktu untuk membaca buku di mana-mana sahaja'

#MalaysiaMembaca

Plan to Promote Libraries

Plan to promote Libraries

The Sun – 11 April 2025

Plan to promote libraries

 

To boost reading appeal, association advocates inclusion of facilities at housing and mall developments

Ghazali said access to libraries is not an issue, as there are 13,000 in the country. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/ THESUN

PETALING JAYA: When thousands of Malaysians lined up outside BookXcess stores for a recent three-day book giveaway, some observers were left stunned.

Others saw it asconfirmation of what they have always believed: Malaysians do read, but are books here too expensive and inaccessible?

Librarians Association of Malaysia president Dr Ghazali Mohamed Fadzil said the sight of people queueing from 8am for free books was not surprising. Instead, it underscored an ongoing reality.

Bawa Anak ke Pesta Buku Semai Budaya Membaca

Jom bawa anak ke Pesta Buku

BH 8 April 2025, ms. 13

"Buku yang dibaca seharusnya menjadikan kehidupan kita bermakna dan bakal menjadi pemimpin hebat di masa depan"

Book swap boosts reading culture in Johor Baru

The Star - 25 March 2025 

A COMMUNITY library tucked within Kampung Melayu Majidee, Johor Baru, has shown how one person’s old book can be another person’s new adventure.

The Sultan Ismail Library (PSI) Kampung Melayu Majidee branch, run by Johor Baru City Council (MBJB), organises a book exchange programme twice a month, where the public can donate books and pick out pre-loved ones to take home. Sammi Wong, a 44-year-old homemaker from Masai, said she found out about the programme and decided to bring along her daughter, a Year Four pupil.

“We drove about 20km to the community library because my daughter wanted to donate some of her books. She then took home some books on craft and cooking. It was a great way to spend our weekend and I hope there will be more of such programmes to expose children to more books,” she told StarMetro. Another visitor Adam Low, 43, said the programme was good but it needed to be better promoted. 

“I think it is a good way of extending the lifespan of books. It will help to get people to read more and build a better reading community,” said the hobby store owner who dropped off five books at the library during his first visit. Low then picked up some science fiction books from the library’s vast collection.

“I also enjoy the atmosphere as there are comfortable seats for us to read books,” he added.

Retiree Najwa Mohd Ayub, 61, decided to donate her religious and history books after decluttering her home.

“I hope that my old books will get a second life and be appreciated by others. I will sort through more books in my house and donate those soon,” she said.

MBJB assistant librarian Yuliana Sirkam said the programme was introduced last October as a way to share books among the wider community, instead of just storing books.

“We accept all kinds of books, including fiction, non-fiction, academic and children’s ones as well as multilingual titles. Some donors have even contributed new books,” she said.

The programme is held monthly at the library where visitors have access to a wider book selection. It is also held monthly at selected locations outside the library in conjunction with community events. Yuliana stressed that donors were not obligated to take books in return.

The initiative, she observed, had drawn various visitors, including students, professionals and retirees. Some of them spend hours browsing titles at the branch.

“The largest single donation so far was 300 books, which were quickly snapped up. The branch currently has about 40,000 books in its collection. With this and a growing community of readers, we encourage more people to donate, browse or simply enjoy reading at the library. Who knows, they may just discover their next great read,” she added.

The PSI Kampung Melayu Majidee branch is located at No.11, Jalan Aman, Kampung Melayu Majidee. Those interested can check out PSI’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/psimbjb or call 07-239 1795 for upcoming book exchange sessions.

Source: The Star 

Bringing readers together

Bringing readers together

The Star 18 March 2025, pg. 3 (Lifestyle)

"It requires nothing but just reading in a park, but with this simple act, you're promoting reading and advocating for green public spaces. A space purely for the pleasure of being outdoors in a green environment with a book and each other. What could be better?"

#Reading #MalaysiaMembaca

From Bookworms to Byteworms

From Bookworms to Byteworms

The Sun 11 March 2025, pg. 10

"Reading fosters critical thinking, problem-solving skills and empathy, which are essential for personal development and societal harmony"

Public Libraries Now Modern Knowledge Hubs

Public libraries now modern knowledge hubs

The Sun 10 Feb 2025, pg. 4

"The public believe that libraries are obsolete but they have not seen how far we have come. They need to break the stigma and visit libraries so that we can continue to evolve"

"Public must move past their perception that libraries are "old school" and irrelevant in the digital age as libraries have continously evolved with technology to meet the current needs of users"

Reading A Book

 

Sumber: FB We Are Bookish 

DR Congo strives to reconcile young people with books

 DR Congo strives to reconcile young people with books

The Star - 10 Dec 2024

Photo: AFP

The printer in the corner of Martin Lukongo's print shop in Goma, a city in DR Congo's troubled east, vibrates as it churns out an order for 400 copies of a book. For more than 30 years, this part of the vast central African country has been known for the conflict that now surrounds the city, rather than for any literary output. Some consider reading a luxury, even a futile activity, especially in a nation ranked as one of the world's poorest. But a collective of artists and activists has set out to encourage young people to develop a love of books by overcoming the hurdles to produce them locally.

"Writers prefer to print in Europe, as they think they can't obtain this quality here," Lukongo said. A photographer by trade, he manages to overcome power cuts and a shortage of high-quality paper by obtaining it from neighbouring countries to print around 60 copies - including books, novels and essays - a day.

Membaca Bawa Saya 'Keluar' - Nadhir Nasar

Membaca bawa saya 'keluar' - Nadhir Nasar

Mingguan Malaysia - 18 Ogos 2024, ms. 19

"Buku bukan sahaja memperkaya minda, tetapi juga membuka ruang untuk kita meneroka dunia yang berbeza dan berada di luar kebiasaan"

#MalaysiaMembaca

Libraries as a Crime Fighter

Libraries as a crime fighter

The Star 15/7/2024 pg. 12

"Libraries and museums should be used as community spaces that can help bring down the crime rate by giving youths space for healthy activities"

#Libraries

Membaca Bermanfaat untuk agama, bangsa dan negara

 

Imej belakang: Vector Stock 

How to Help Your Child Fall in Love in Reading

 

Partners in strengthening reading habits

Source: The Star

Partners in strengthening reading habits

The Star 23/4/2024 pg. 16

"The Swedish Embassy in Malaysia, through our exhibition "Jom Kita Bincang", has been working on the potential of children's literature to spark conversation and effect changes on sustainability, health and social rights"

#JomKitaBincang

#JomBaca

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