Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said producing reading materials with good quality was paramount in fulfilling the needs of the nation.“Purchasing power among the people should also be put into consideration in our efforts to create a competitive book market, thus making purchasing affordable for Malaysians.
Dr Mahathir, who is also the acting education minister, also urged Malaysians to adopt the reading culture. “However, this does not mean that people have stopped reading. Almost all newspapers and many books have digitalised versions.” Dr Mahathir pointed out that a systematic programme to encourage the reading culture must be implemented and expanded to the people of all levels.“This will be the catalyst and pillar fo the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030.”