Students browsing titles at the Sarawak Book Expo at BCCK yesterday. – Photo by Muhd Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: The National Book Development Foundation (YPBN) is looking at building a Borneo Book Village in the state capital at the end of this year.
According to its chairman Hasan Hamzah, the Borneo Book Village that will be based on international standards will include the World Book Museum and a book centre that will serve as a meeting place for writers and book lovers, and more.
“It will be the first in Malaysia that is of international standard with integrated facilities. It will house both local and international books.
“We are in the process of coming up with a detailed plan. We try to finalise the blueprint in three months. After that, we will submit it to the state government for consideration and approval.
“If the state government approves and allocates a suitable land, we will start its setup this year,” he told reporters after the inaugural Sarawak Book Awards at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) yesterday.
Hasan said it would be ideal if the Borneo Book Village is located within Kuching City so that it is easily accessible and can attract more people.
“We hope to attract book lovers, publishers and authors. We must have an eco-system for them to be together.
“Writing is the way forward for our nation. If we have the knowledge, we must pen them down and share with people. We must also encourage positive writing that will contribute to nation building, by providing incentives to writers such as the book awards.
“It can even be set up side by side with a crocodile sanctuary as crocodile is our Book Expo mascot. We have to implement something different to draw people,” he said.
Earlier in his keynote address during the awards, Hasan mentioned Semariang as a possible location for the Borneo Book Village.
Head of State’s wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Raghad Kurdi Taib, deputy prime minister’s wife Datin Seri Utama Hamidah Khamis and chief minister’s wife Datin Patinggi Dato Jamilah Anu were among those attending the event.