By Zareef Muzammil
SHAH ALAM, Dec 8 — The government has been urged to provide a special grant for authors and publishing companies to translate local manuscripts into foreign languages.
Selangor Public Library Corporation director Datin Paduka Mastura Muhamad said the effort would help boost book translating activities, thus making Malaysia more well-known around the globe.
“For instance, we could translate local books into German, Turkish, Korean and Arabic which indirectly promotes more tourist arrival to the country, particularly Selangor.
“Hopefully the book industry in Malaysia could be expanded in line with the ‘Pendidikan Menjana Pendapatan’ (Education Generates Income) slogan,” she said when met at the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) Convention Centre, yesterday.
Mastura also advised parents out there to nurture enthusiasm for reading in their children.
“The parents must ensure that their children read books too and reduce their screen time on gadgets. They also have to read books to their children, god willing they could be great readers.
“Following that, they will explore writing and eventually like it. This is crucial as we need to translate more local books into other languages so that other people can learn about our culture,” she added.
