TUMPAT, Sept 22 (Bernama) — Only 85.4 percent of respondents in Kelantan reported having a reading habit, ranking the state among the lowest in Malaysia, according to Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) Eastern Region director Ariza Ismail.
The data, from the Malaysia Reading Habits Survey 2022/2023 by the National Library of Malaysia (PNM), covered 100,848 respondents across 14 states.
“Kelantan is among the bottom three states for reading habits, alongside Negeri Sembilan (85.3 percent) and Sarawak (80.1 per cent). Selangor topped the survey with 92.7 percent,” Ariza said at the launch of the Kembara Majalah Dalam Kelas (MDK) programme at MRSM Tumpat today.
The survey showed Malaysians read an average of 24 books per year in 2024, 16 print and eight digital titles, up from 15 books in 2014. This progress aligns with the National Reading Decade (DMK) target of 40 books per year by 2030.
Various initiatives, including the MDK school outreach programme and collaborations with the Education Ministry to integrate DBP materials into classrooms, are underway to boost reading rates.
Despite the rise of digital reading, Ariza noted that DBP’s printed materials, especially magazines, remain popular, particularly among adults.
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