PENAMPANG: Initiatives such as the 2023 Sabah Book Fest are important to cultivate the reading culture which is still lacking among Malaysians, said State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif.
ADVERTISEMENT “The country’s literacy index is currently at 95 per cent and among the highest in Asean countries, other than Singapore. “However, this high literacy rate is not necessarily directly proportional to the interest in reading among the people, especially reading books,” he said when officiating the 2023 Sabah Book Fest at ITCC Mall, here, Thursday.
SPONSORED CONTENT Daily Express members: Enjoy 1 for 1 signature cocktails and more at Hyatt Centric Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu: DAILY EXPRESS is partnering with Hyatt Centric Kota Kinabalu to offer an exclusive deal for our members. Read more Citing 2013 data from the National Library of Malaysia , Arifin said Malaysians only read four books a year, which is bleak compared to countries such as Japan which registers 10 to 30 books read per year. He added that Unesco’s findings showed people in developed countries such as Japan, the United States, China, India and Thailand read more than seven hours a week on average compared to only four hours among Malaysians. “It is hoped that this dismal statistical gap can be closed through book-related activities such as the Sabah Book Fair organised today,” he said. As such, the State Education Exco said he will endeavour for the Sabah Book Fest to be included in the Sabah tourism calendar. Arifin also stressed that increasing the reading habit requires the State Education Department’s support, especially through nilam programmes in schools, where students are encouraged to read in their school libraries and receive awards for reading. "As the Education Exco, I will ask for reports on the nilam programmes from time to time. Next year, I will focus more on nilam initiatives, how we can further empower the reading culture among students. “We must help through such programmes, and God-willing, the funding will be prepared by the State Government,” he said. In another development, Arifin, who is also Islamic Religious Affairs Exco, said he has arranged for a “Tabung Palestin” to be set up in mosques and raise funds for Palestinians, where it will be collected every Friday.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.* Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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