KUCHING: The habit of reading must be recognised as a strategic investment in Malaysia’s human capital, equipping citizens with the intellectual resilience and critical thinking skills needed to navigate the digital age.
According to Deputy National Unity Minister Senator Saraswathy Kandasami, reading is a key part of the National Reading Decade (Dekad Membaca Kebangsaan) and should be treated as essential as physical infrastructure or economic development.
“In the digital era, information comes without pause. Only citizens who read can evaluate, filter and understand.
“Reading, therefore, is a defence against misinformation and divisive rhetoric,” she said during the opening of the Karnival Baca Perdana and Sarawak Book Fair 2025, held at The Hills, on Tuesday (Sept 30).
Saraswathy stressed that without a reading society, physical development alone would not lead to true progress.
“Knowledge and literacy are strategic elements in building a nation that is intelligent, discerning and resilient.”
The carnival highlights how reading underpins the broader national agenda of producing quality human capital.
Additionally, she said that Malaysia is nurturing generations capable of thinking critically, adapting to challenges, and making wise decisions in a complex world, by instilling reading habits among youth, rural communities and families.
“Reading builds intellectual stamina and sharpens judgment.
“It ensures our people are not easily swayed by empty rhetoric or sensationalism that can divide us.”
She emphasised that embedding reading into the national fabric is vital to preparing Malaysia for future challenges, from global competition to technological disruption.
“By fostering critical readers, the nation strengthens its capacity for innovation and problem-solving.”
The carnival, she concluded, is not only about celebrating books but also about shaping the nation’s future through a culture of reading that empowers citizens and fortifies Malaysia’s human capital for generations to come.
