‘None of my days passes by without reading. I become restless if I don’t read.”- Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir, Malaysian political analyst and author.
I seldom carry a book with me to read. Many a times in the past, especially after joining the work force, I would carry a book with me whenever I was on vacation. But somehow, I never got to read past the front page because of fatigue and other distractions like the handphone.
The only times I got to read all the books I brought with me were when I was a schoolgirl spending the long year-end holidays with my grandparents in Kanowit, Sibu Division. Then, I was not used to walking in the jungle. I could trip and fall even when the jungle paths were smooth. I would get cuts on my legs from the tall sharp grass along the way. If the wounds were not treated quickly, pus would develop on them.
As a result, my grandparents took pity on me and seldom took me to their padi farms or pepper gardens.
They said what was normally a short trip would become longer if I was with them. This was because they had to keep on rescuing me along the way. It was better, in their opinion, for me to stay at home and become a better scholar by finishing all the story books and homework I brought with me.
As a result, I never got to improve my jungle trekking skills. Today, I still trip and fall even when the jungle paths are smooth and I cannot walk on fallen tree trunks across streams. But I am quite good in English and was a pretty good student, thanks to my grandparents.
My friends, I am inspired by Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts, Datuk Sebastian Ting to write this week’s column.
He observed from his recent visit to South Korea the culture of children carrying books to read. He also noticed a similar trend in European countries.
But alas, in Sarawak, he said, children here tended to carry smartphones for games and entertainment instead of books.
In the news report carried by New Sarawak Tribune recently, Ting urged Sarawakians to develop the habit of reading books and to carry books with them to read. He emphasised that gaining knowledge was a lifelong learning process.
The deputy minister, who spoke during a press conference at Baitulmakmur Building II in Kuching, also encouraged writers and publishers to produce more books.
He said Sarawak needed to publish at least 2,800 more books annually to match the standards of other developed countries.
“Publishing books serves not only commercial purposes but also therapeutic purposes to provide a sense of calm. Additionally, it encourages positive habits among readers,” pointed out Ting.
I welcome the deputy minister’s advice on reading. From now on, I will try to carry a book with me wherever I go.
But frankly speaking, I am blessed to work in New Sarawak Tribune and rub shoulders with a very learned scholar and bookworm, Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir, who’s our chief executive officer.
Dr Jeniri, who can read four books in a day, encourages most of us in the office to read.
He also encourages all the editors and reporters to write at least one book review a year for publication in the Lifestyle section of New Sarawak Tribune.
Do you know that Dr Jeniri, a former Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) lecturer, political analyst and author, has allocated an entire room for his books which number around 11,000?
In a candid interview with New Sarawak Tribune, he revealed he picked up the reading habit a little late. He started reading more when he was in lower secondary school by visiting the local library to read novels.
Dr Jeniri is not only an avid reader but also a prolific author; he has written about 50 books so far.
He also encourages some of my colleagues and I to write books as well.
When talking about books, how can I forget local veteran journalist, New Sarawak Tribune columnist and my former boss, James Alexander Ritchie who began his career as a reporter for New Straits Times and later moved to Sarawak in the 1980s?
Besides winning multiple journalism awards including the Special Jury Award at the annual Malaysia Press Institute (MPI) Petronas Malaysian Journalism Awards 2023 recently, the 73-year-old has written 26 books so far.
James, who has 50 years of experience in journalism, confessed in a special interview with New Sarawak Tribune that it took him 10 years to really learn how to write.
My friends, I guess nothing in life comes easy. To be prolific authors like Dr Jeniri and James, we must start carrying books to read. Let’s start today.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
