Letter to the Editor
THROWING good money after bad.
What the adage means is to spend money on an idea that has hardly any chance of success.
This most certainly apply to the latest announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that book vouchers will be distributed to 400,000 teachers to promote reading.
Really?
Let’s just face it, Malaysia is just not a nation of bookworms. We never were and we will never be. Efforts to promote good reading habits failed in previous decades, so what chance does such a scheme have when faced with the incredible distractions posed by smartphones, social media and the internet?
Anwar was speaking at the closing ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair at the World Trade Centre. Even then he acknowledged that despite the healthy crowd at the event, Malaysians lack a reading culture.
“Reading is not yet a culture in our country. This is discouraging, especially when we speak of this nation as one centred on a love for knowledge,” he said.
Furthermore, he also stressed the need for clear guidelines to ensure that the vouchers are not used on “low-quality books”.
Millions of Ringgit will be spent and for what?
A few pertinent points with regards to this scheme:
First, reading books, as in tangible printed material, is pretty much dead. It is a fact that doesn’t need any high profile research to verify.
Secondly, teachers in Malaysia, as we all know, are typically overworked and underpaid. What they need is a raise, better working conditions and relevant pedagogue training, not book vouchers that will go unused.
Thirdly, who determines what are quality reading materials and not trash?
The reality of this scheme, well intentioned as it may seem, will only benefit a handful of publishers and book distributors.
Wouldn’t it be better to build an e-library with the relevant reading materials? Make it world-class and that resource can be shared by NOT just teachers but the public at large as well?
Issues of suitable reading material can then be assuaged not least avoiding more wastage of tax payer monies.
Instead of printed tomes that will gather dust and take up space, why not e-books that are not only sustainable resource but one that is infinitely cheaper to produce and maintain.
At a time when the cost-of-living crisis is biting hard, this is just another tone deaf manoeuvre designed to make headlines and possibly appease certainly crony publishers.
PMX has said that the core of a developed and advanced nation is based on a knowledgeable and informed rakyat. Alas, this book voucher scheme will do little to address that as the age of the print is well and truly behind us.
It is a scheme that is both out of time and very much out of style. – June 2, 2025
Former Bookworm
Georgetown, Penang
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image: Bernama
