----
Tuesday April 21, 2009
CULTIVATE READING HABIT BY CUTTING DOWN ON PRICES OF BOOKS
REFERRING to the article “Malaysians still not reading enough, says Muhyiddin” (Sunday Star, April 19), I would like to stress that books are too costly in Malaysia, something book lovers in the country would agree with me wholeheartedly.
A hardbound bestseller would set one back almost a hundred ringgit. Paperbacks are not cheap either. Depending on prints, those of higher quality papers are almost double the price of conventional paperbacks.
If one checks out the recommended retail price of these books in their country of origin, they cost much less. For an average earner here, buying books is something of a burden.
Public libraries here are not that accessible either. Taking a leaf from our neighouring country down south, there public libraries are good enough and easily accessible via public transportations.
Books can be loaned from one branch and returned to another while reservations can also be made online. Their collection is also up-to-date.
I am sure parents would love to buy as many books for their children as possible. But RM1,000 tax exemption for reading materials annually isn’t enough.
So, instead of making a sweeping statement like “Malaysians do not read enough”, perhaps the authority should look into why this is so. Why are the prices of books rising and where are the libraries?
Books provide knowledge and information and we cannot do without them if we want to cultivate a well-read generation.
SAY-PIAU,
Seremban.
This was lifted from TheStar Online newspaper from the Opinion pages.
See! Malaysians do want to read, it's just that we have to pay through our noses just to be able to do so. And then be made to take the blame, when we succumb to financial constraints.
No comments:
Post a Comment