Based on a report from The Star:
On one hand we have arbitrary censorship and restriction of books coming into the country: Arabian Nights, SpongeBob SquarePants, Midnight’s Children, etc, etc, etc. You name it.
Now a report says: 'The Government is targeting to have Malaysians read at least 10 books yearly from 2010.'
'According to a survey, Malaysians only read an average of five books last year, Culture, Arts and Heritage Deputy Minister Datuk Wong Kam Hoong said in Penang ...'
And which survey is that?! In the last survey we read the figure was two books a year. Some consider even that figure to be exaggerated. Now we are hearing a new number – five. Is the real number really that embarrassingly low?
Let’s move on ...
The report further quotes the Deputy Minister: 'He said this should gradually increase to reach the targeted number in four years from now ...' (Oh, he is talking about the end of the year 2010, that should make things easier.)
He adds: 'People in Britain and Japan read an average of 20 books a year.' Dear Mr Deputy Minister, do you have any idea at all about the size of the book industry in those countries?
Full story: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/1/20/north/16628273&sec=North
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Yeah.. yeah...
ReplyDeleteThis is my story... in Ipoh good bookstores are limited in numbers with MPH leads the way. Sadly the library closes on Sunday whereas in KL, the library opens on Sundays.
To make things worse, the books are old and not updated. The children might expect the English Roses on the shelves while we adults might want a copy or two on new stuff written by new authors not the ones from the late 60's or 70's.
If this happens to all Malaysian libraries, I guess the average number of books read by Malaysians will remain TWO and not TWENTY or 200.
I have no idea how they managed to get that kind of statistics.2 books per head? That's tantamount to saying 'there are two stones beside my dictionary'.???. If you are perplexed as to what this means, take it as a testimony that proves you are sane because it's my lingo in addressing a farcical statement. I wonder if 1 is anywhere near the truth. And about the ambition to reach 10 in 2010, it's nothing less ambitious than wanting to obliterate illiteracy. Don't just talk the talk, WALK THE WALK.
ReplyDeleteHow about avid readers like us help the government to achieve this rather courageous target? Come on, do it for our fellow Malaysians. Have you ever really done anything as selfless as this one? I can't recall any. Never to late to start.
ReplyDeleteIf we put our brains together, I'm sure we can come up with something positive, for a change. It can be a good voluntary project :)
Let me start. The reason why I like reading is because I grew up watching my parents read. It's deeply embedded in me. To not read is like to not drink plain water. You'd be dehydrated and you'd feel GUILTY! So I guess one way is to tell parents and parents-to-be to let the children watch them read - books, not just newspapers - everyday!
Maybe we can create a special blog just to let readers share how their develop their reading habit (or rather addiction). Then we can find a way to convey the message to the non-reading public. Send it to the relevant governmental department. Big advertisements and TV are the best avenues. People who don't read normally watches a lot of TV. Let them pay for the billboards and community service messages. Sharizat's ministry may be interested if this project is channeled to her properly.
What say all of you? Mr. Raman, any comment?
Let us just admit that we Malaysians are simply too lazy to read...Most of us would rather spend hours lingering at malls or play PS2 or even watch the TV rather than indulge in the act of reading. Besides, we haven't really develop a reading culture in the country yet. Until today, most school goers do not even bother to read anything else than school textbooks. I honestly think that the aim to increase books read by Malaysians would be, like most policies the government made, in vain.
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