KUCHING: The Karnival Baca Perdana (National Reading Carnival) and Sarawak Book Fair 2025 was launched by Head of State, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, and his wife, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, at The Hills Shopping Mall, Kuching today (Sept 30).
The nine-day fair, jointly organised by the Ministry of National Unity, the National Library of Malaysia (PNM) and Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, will run until October 5, 2025.
The organisers convened the book fair to cultivate a lifelong reading culture, broaden access to knowledge across both urban and rural communities, and strengthen unity in accordance with Malaysia’s MADANI values.
This year’s edition marks a milestone, as it is the first time the festival is being held in Sarawak, a state renowned for its rich cultural heritage and oral traditions.
The programme content has been expanded to include digital literacy, E-Sports and VR zones, cross-cultural art showcases, and “Reading Without Borders” campaign.
The organisers expect the event to boost literacy levels, bridge the rural knowledge gap, strengthen the local book industry and nurture new writers.
The book fair also supports UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by encouraging lifelong learning through workshops, forums, author sessions and technology-driven activities.
Wan Junaidi expressed his hope that the initiative would not only inspire Malaysians to embrace reading as a way of life but also provide opportunities for the nation’s publishing industry to thrive and innovate.
