Parents urged to instil this practice in children to build human capital

Saturday May 24, 2008
Parents urged to instil this practice in children to build human capital


KUALA LUMPUR: The reading habit must be inculcated in children at the earliest possible stage and parents are the only ones who can do this, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said.

“To instil a reading culture in our country so that we can achieve the aims of building human capital has to start from the family. It requires responsibility and good parenting skills for this to happen,” she said.

Dr Ng, who was speaking at the launch of Bookfest@Malaysia 2008, said that nowadays it was possible to expose children to books as soon as they were three months old.


Book power: Ng (left) with Popular Holdings chairman and managing director Chou Cheng Ngok at the launching of the Bookfest@Malaysia 2008 yesterday. — Bernama

“It just requires showing them what a book looks like. Later on, parents must be able to tell their children to sit down and read,” she added.

Dr Ng said books were of absolute importance because of the power they contained to inform people.

“Emperors and kings have burned books because they feared their power. It proves that the pen is mightier than the sword,” she said.

On Bookfest@Malaysia 2008, Dr Ng said she was proud it was organised and hoped that the organiser’s goal of 450,000 visitors would be realised.

Bookfest@Malaysia 2008 is organised by Popular Book Company Malaysia Sdn Bhd with co-organisers Sin Chew Media Corporation Bhd and the MCA LifeLong Learning secretariat. It was first held in 2006.

The fest, being held at the KLCC Convention Centre until June 1, includes more than 300 publishing houses and book and stationery distributors from all over the Asian region displaying their latest products.

Some of the highlights of the event include an autograph signing session by former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (on May 29) and an appearance by Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor.

The Star is a media partner of Bookfest@Malaysia 2008.