Reading is an action that people do to obtain knowledge and this process may lead them on a journey of self-discovery. - File pic
Reading is an action that people do to obtain knowledge and this process may lead them on a journey of self-discovery. - File pic

IT'S time for Malaysia's decision-makers to craft a strategy that includes reading as a pillar to creativity. A creative manpower will create a progressive and dynamic nation.

There's no point in promoting Industrial Revolution 4.0 if we have a nation that can't think and create.

The ability to think can be boosted through reading.

There will be dark horizons for Malaysia's reading culture if our leaders do not address this issue with awareness and a serious budget to cultivate a reading habit.

Not everything can be cured with vaccines, antidotes and medicines.

Reading is an action that people do to obtain knowledge and this process may lead them on a journey of self-discovery.

After 65 years of independence, Malaysians' reading habit is low. Studies show that a Malaysian on an average reads only two books per year.

Making the problem worse is that about 80 per cent of university students are reluctant readers. They can read but choose not to read long form, usually limiting themselves to reading social media postings.

Many in Malaysia, including leaders, do not understand why reading is important.

Reading strengthens brain activity. It gets your mind working across different areas.

Reading helps in your analytical abilities, stimulates memories and broadens your imagination.

Reading gives your brain muscles a workout. Doing so can help to slow down cognitive decline and even decrease the rate at which memory fades.

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, the United States, have found that reading reduces the level of beta-amyloid, a protein in the brain that is connected to Alzheimer's.

Reading boosts communication skills. Reading and writing improve people's communication skills. That's why if you're looking to become a better writer, you'll need to read more.

Books can be an escape and an adventure. You can think about things in new ways and learn about cultures, events and people you may have never heard of.

Through reading, your can adopt methods of thinking that reshape or enhance your identity.

For example, you might read a mystery novel and learn that you have a knack and interest in solving cases and paying attention to clues.

Reading will also make one intellectually smart. When you read a lot, you learn a lot.

Some people may argue that "ignorance is bliss," but the truth is that "knowledge is power." And the more you read, the more you know.

The Malaysian problem is not literacy. But do we read long-form material like books?

The government, especially after Covid-19, has slashed spending on education and libraries.

E-book borrowings from digital libraries reached a new high during the pandemic, and have remained high.

However, procurement from libraries to keep this reading habit going has gone down the drain.

The National Library skipped procurement for local e-books this year due to a lack of budget.

My fear is that Malaysia will have a future generation that cannot read and write well. This will result in incompetent thinking, weak thought processes, and poor writing and speaking skills.

This might be good for political parties as citizens won't be smart enough to think.

But we will have low productivity.

I urge leaders to formulate a blueprint to salvage Malaysia's reading habits.


The writer is co-founder and CEO of e-Sentral, the biggest e-bookstore in Southeast Asia. E-Sentral is Malaysia's pioneer e-book marketplace