Kuala lumpur: The Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) 2027 is expected to strengthen its position as an international literary platform through broader collaboration with the British Council, in conjunction with Malaysia's 70th Independence Day celebrations.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, KLIBF 2026 Organising Committee advisor Mohd Khair Ngadiron stated that discussions on the proposed collaboration were ongoing. The initiative is expected to enhance cultural, educational, and literary ties between Malaysia and the United Kingdom. Several countries, including Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and China, have also shown interest in increasing their participation in KLIBF 2027, reflecting the growing confidence among the international publishing community in the book fair.
Mohd Khair mentioned that they have received applications from several countries and will refine the selection process before deciding on the guest country for KLIBF 2027. This could be a main attraction as it promotes the book industry and strengthens international relations through cultural and knowledge diplomacy.
Regarding exhibitor participation, Mohd Khair noted that the number of exhibitors at KLIBF 2027 is expected to remain at about 250 companies, with around 1,200 booths due to space constraints at the venue. Efforts will focus on enhancing the quality of participation, particularly by creating more space for new publishers through better utilisation of the exhibition area.
He expressed the desire to attract more quality publishers to participate in KLIBF. If necessary, the exhibition space used by larger publishers will be optimised to allow more exhibitors to take part.
Mohd Khair also mentioned that the findings of the KLIBF 2026 Visitor Satisfaction and Perception Study and the KLIBF 2026 Exhibitor Satisfaction Assessment Study conducted by the National Book Council of Malaysia (MBKM) would serve as a reference for publishers in understanding current reader interests. Reading trends are evolving, with demand for philosophical books on the rise, while novels and fiction have started to see a slight decline in demand.
He expressed hope that this data can help publishers produce more titles that meet readers' needs and improve the quality of the country's book industry.
Earlier, a study conducted by the Darul Ehsan Institute (IDE) involving 1,685 visitors and 246 exhibitors found that 97.2 per cent of respondents wanted KLIBF to continue as an annual national event, while 98.2 per cent believed the government should continue supporting its organisation. The study also found that 96.8 per cent of respondents believed KLIBF had succeeded in promoting a stronger reading culture among Malaysians, while 93.8 per cent viewed the book fair as contributing positively to the country's book industry.