Kuala lumpur: Kelab Perempuan Membaca, an initiative under the auspices of the Perbadanan Kota Buku (Kota Buku), was officially recognised today as Malaysia's largest reading club. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the recognition was not merely a symbolic achievement, but also reflected women's commitment to promoting the culture of knowledge as a key national development agenda.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fadhlina emphasized that a reading culture among women should be nurtured from an early age and sustained across generations to create a strong reading and knowledge ecosystem for the country's future. She highlighted that reading is not just about the act itself but is integral to the national development agenda.
The programme, held at the Kelab Perempuan Membaca, not only brought together book lovers but also served as a platform to strengthen the culture of knowledge by encouraging members to share reading materials based on a different theme each month. The current theme, 'Women and the Nation,' provides an opportunity to highlight works exploring the role of women in shaping society and civilisation.
Fadhlina also called for more works documenting the experiences and contributions of Malaysian women leaders to serve as references and sources of inspiration for future generations. She affirmed that Kelab Perempuan Membaca would continue to hold monthly meetings as part of the National Reading Movement, encouraging members to share their reading materials to further promote a reading culture in society.
Meanwhile, Kota Buku chief executive officer Adibah Omar stated that the club, launched at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair in June, would be expanded nationwide through collaboration with various parties. This move follows positive feedback from women across the country who wish to join the initiative but face difficulties due to their location outside the Klang Valley.
Adibah invited interested parties to collaborate with Kota Buku to organise the programme in their respective states, aiming to build a nationwide community of women readers. The club currently boasts about 5,000 registered members, who are encouraged to read a variety of books based on the monthly themes set.