Do Malaysians Read an Average of 24 Books a Year?

 

Many of you may not have enough strength to read more than the title of this article, but most of you, apparently, read an average of 24 books a year, or two books a month. I’m below average in this category. You would think a writer who writes blogs would be reading at least 48 books a year when the national average is 24. But think again. 

In my heart and mind, I’m having as much trouble believing this as I would in believing that there’s a dragon living happily in the waters of Tasik Chini. But what can I do — this is what the National Unity Minister says.

 

Source: https://meta.wikimedia.org

According to National Unity Minister, efforts to instil a reading culture among Malaysians have apparently shown results. The Reading Profile Study recorded a significant jump in reading habits over the years. In 2005, the average citizen read only two books a year. Ten years later, the number jumped to 15 books, and in 2023 it increased again to 24 books per year according to the Minister. 

Malaysians, it seems, are a very contrarian people, who do the exact opposite of our condition. In 2005, when all that most of us had was Astro and dial up internet, we only read 2 books a year. But as our broadband speed picked up and we had a plethora of options - from YouTube to TikTok to Twitter and Facebook - we decided to go against the grain and start picking a good old-fashioned book instead. 

Of that number, 16 were physical books, while the other eight were read online. Aaron added that 88.6% of Malaysians are now active readers. Is it really the success of government initiatives to strengthen the nation’s “knowledge ecosystem.” 

To support this growing reading culture, the government has launched the one-stop digital platform u-Pustaka under the National Library of Malaysia (PNM). The platform offers over a million online reading materials — from e-books and magazines to journals and audiobooks — all free to the public. 

Through u-Pustaka, Malaysians can access 22 digital databases, including Overdrive, Alkem Digital Library, Mason Crest, Emerald eBook, JGate, Lawnet, Odilo and MyGuru — all designed to make Malaysia a “comprehensive, inclusive and easily accessible virtual knowledge store.” 

So, there you have it. We are officially a nation of bookworms — hyper-literate citizens quietly flipping pages in between scrolling TikTok, binge-watching Netflix, and arguing about politics on Facebook and sailing to Gaza with aid! Incredible, don’t you think? 

Reference:

Official records: Malaysians Read an Average of 24 Books a Year, Opinion, TheRealNehruism, https://newswav.com, 12 October 2025

Budget 2026: Boring, No Vision, Almost Status Quo!

Into the third year of administration and presenting the Madani government’s fourth budget since taking power in November 2022, Budget 2026, can be said to be modest and unexciting in terms of fiscal targets and growth expectations. 

It fell short in terms of addressing the need to raise the government’s revenue. The overall revenue for 2026 was forecasted to expand to RM343.1bil, an increase of 2.7% from a lower base of RM334.1bil. The government also forecasted a slower pace of increase in expenditure in 2026, rising by just 1.8% year-on-year. 

More importantly, the government is now projected to reduce its planned Development Expenditure (DE) not only for Budget 2026 but also for 2025. There is a RM6bil reduction in the net DE this year, while at the same time, net DE for next year is now set at RM79.5bil. 

GLICs, GLC, and private-public partnership are now entrusted to carry out some of the Budget 2026 measures amounting to RM30bil, RM10.8bil and RM10bil, respectively, an increase of RM10.7bil from this year’s commitment. This is outside the scope of GLICs and GLCs?

The Madani government is committed and maintaining its fiscal prudence with a 3.5% budget deficit target for 2026. 

However, the same cannot be said for debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratios, as the lower GDP forecast of between 4% and 4.5% for 2026 was lower than our estimate of 4.5%-5.5%.

The projected growth for 2026 was perhaps done intentionally to consider the impact of the 19% tariff imposed on Malaysian exports to the US. A 1% drop in US GDP growth could cause about a one percentage point reduction in Malaysia’s GDP growth. A 1% decline in China’s GDP growth could potentially shave 0.5 percentage point off Malaysia’s economic growth. 

The lower GDP forecast also suggests that nominal GDP growth this year will likely be at 4.3% against the previous growth estimate of 6%. The slower growth translates to a higher debt/GDP ratio of about one full percentage point. Even growth in tax collection as a percentage of GDP remains uninspiring, with an expected tax to GDP ratio of 12.7% next year from the expected 12.6% this year, despite the expected surge in sales and service tax (SST) collection to almost RM60bil in 2026, and accounting for 17.4% of total revenue. 

The government is projecting a lesser contribution from PETRONAS next year as the national oil company’s forecast dividend was slashed to RM20bil from RM32bil for this year. However, there is now a renewed concern that the government’s revenue as a percentage of GDP is on a declining trend as it is expected to drop to 16.1% in 2026 from 16.6% this year. 

The federal government’s debt stood at RM1.3 trillion or 64.7% of GDP as of the end of June, compared with RM1.25 trillion or 64.6% of GDP at the end of 2024. It remains above the statutory threshold of 60% of GDP under the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act 2023. With estimated net borrowings of RM77.2bil this year, the government’s total debt is projected to reach RM1.32 trillion or 65.7% of GDP by the end of this year. Under the baseline scenario, the ratio is expected to stand at 65.8% this year, before gradually easing to 60% by 2030, in line with the target set under 13MP. The combined debt and liabilities exposure stood at RM1.69 trillion or 84.1% of GDP as of June, underscoring the importance of proactive fiscal risk and liability management.

Public debt is expected to reach 64.7% of GDP in 2025, with debt-servicing costs remaining elevated

A carbon tax will be introduced next year for certain large carbon-emitting industries, it did not recommend a rate of tax just yet. For the sin sector, the higher taxes on cigarettes and the 10% increase in excise duties for alcoholic beverages can be said to be less impactful than expected. Nevertheless, the government should be more concerned with tackling illicit trades to generate more tax revenue instead of resorting to higher taxes on legal supplies. 

The government also did not renew the current exemption status for completely built-up (CBU) electric vehicles (EV), which is expiring at the end of this year. The floor price of RM100,000 for EV cars sold was not reviewed either. Hence, CBU EVs will be sold in the market at a higher price due to the tax element. This is a protection for two national cars. Shouldn’t it be removed gradually? Why must the taxpayer protect these two favoured companies since the 1980s? 

For the property sector, the increase in the stamp duty rate to 8% from 4% previously for residential property ownership transfer by foreign individuals and foreign-owned companies can be said to be a surprise, especially when foreigners are not significant when it comes to purchasing local properties. This could be a dampener for properties that are in prime locations, both for properties that are sold by developers as well as in the secondary market. 

Although no mega projects were announced, the planned DE is widespread, covering the entire economic spectrum. Some large allocations were also announced, including a RM13bil investment by Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd over the next five years for several water treatment plants. The government also announced a RM3bil allocation to replace 820km of ageing pipes in several states, RM2.3bil for airport upgrades, and RM5.6bil for the Malaysian Road Records Information System. In the energy sector, the government remained committed to its energy transition journey with large-scale solar generation projects under the LSS6 programme, with a total capacity of up to 2GW from the private sector worth RM6bil and GLICs/GLCs are mobilizing investments worth some RM16.5bil in other energy transition rollouts next year. 

There is nothing substantive in the Budget. Boring, lacks excitement and goes with the status quo. Despite Trump, we must chart a course of action that provides hype for 2026 and tailors into the 13MP, but alas that is not so! 

References:

Budget 2026 – Some hits, more misses, Pankaj C. Kumar, The Star, 13 October 2025

A prudent yet supportive Budget 2026, Lee Heng Guie, The Star 13 October 2025 

Budget 2026: Fiscal continuity and the pursuit of domestic resilience, Press Announcement, MARC Ratings Berhad, 13 October 2025

Is Malaysia Going Nuclear?

 

Malaysia has pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050 under its National Energy Transition Roadmap, launched in 2023. But despite growing investment in renewables, coal and gas still dominate the grid. 

New industries, foreign investment, and the boom in data centres are rapidly driving up consumption. Malaysia has received data centre power applications exceeding 11 gigawatts – almost 40% of Peninsular Malaysia’s current capacity. Sabah alone has faced frequent power reliability issues. In September, a blackout hit more than 230,000 consumers across six east coast districts after a high-voltage transmission tower collapsed during heavy rain and landslides. 

Nuclear power is often compared to aviation – feared by some, yet statistically among the safest when measured by fatalities per unit of energy or passenger mile. Plants have operated for decades under strict regulations, supplying around 10% of the world’s electricity. For example, the Russian nuclear industry has operated for 80 years. Nuclear plants worldwide have run safely, providing 10% of global electricity. Nuclear fuel is also deemed one of the most efficient energy sources. According to the US department of energy, one uranium pellet – about an inch tall – generates as much energy as 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas, 120 gallons of oil, or one tonne of coal. 

Globally, 32 countries operate nuclear plants, and around 50 more are preparing programmes. In Asean, several neighbours are already taking steps. The Philippines is targeting up to 4,800MW of nuclear power by 2050, Vietnam has reintroduced nuclear power into its power plan, and Indonesia is exploring small modular and floating reactors with a 2030s timeline. Thailand meanwhile has signed cooperation agreements to study SMRs. 

In 2024 nuclear plants supplied 2667 TWh of electricity, up from 2601 TWh in 2023.

Figure 1: Nuclear electricity production 1970-2024 (source: World Nuclear Association, IAEA PRIS)

 

Figure 2: World electricity production by source 2023 (source: International Energy Agency)

 

Fourteen countries in 2024 produced at least one-quarter of their electricity from nuclear. France gets up to around 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy, while Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary get about half from nuclear. Japan was used to relying on nuclear power for more than one-quarter of its electricity and is expected to return to somewhere near that level.

Figure 3: Nuclear generation by country 2024 (source: World Nuclear Association, IAEA PRIS)

In July, energy transition and water transformation minister Fadillah Yusof announced that MyPower Corporation had been appointed as the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation, tasked with preparing feasibility studies on technology, regulation, financing and public engagement. Malaysia is weighing three main pathways:

 

·                 A full-scale 2,000MW plant, enough to power roughly two million homes – roughly the whole of Penang.

·                 Small modular reactors (100-300MW), suitable for hubs such as Pengerang in Johor or Samalaju in Sarawak; and

·                  Floating units, ideal for islands such as Labuan or Langkawi. 

As the clock ticks toward 2050, Malaysia’s decision on nuclear energy could determine whether the country succeeds in meeting its net-zero pledge. 

References:

Malaysia going nuclear explained, Danish Raja Reza, FMT, 29 September 2025

Nuclear Power in the World Today, World Nuclear Association, 3 October 2025

Happy Deepavali!

 

Ministry of Education (“MOE”): Leadership Change?

Recent events in our schools — two rape cases, a murder case and bullying of vulnerable kids show a clear sign that discipline, respect, and moral values have collapsed in our education system. The situation has become intolerable. 

Our schools, are supposed to be places of learning and safety, have now become breeding grounds for violence, disrespect, and chaos. It is time for strong and decisive action to restore order, discipline, and integrity in our education system. We need a new Minister at MOE not the present one. So, we require the following to be effected: 

1.⁠         ⁠Immediate Resignation of the current Education Minister.

Failure to take firm, moral, and responsible leadership in the face of such serious incidents have destroyed public trust in national schools.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org

 2.⁠         ⁠Restore Full Disciplinary Authority to Teachers.

Teachers should be empowered to maintain order without fear of backlash.  

3.⁠ ⁠        Reinstate Caning as a Disciplinary Measure.

For male students: caning on the buttocks. For female students: caning on the palm Proper discipline builds respect, responsibility, and accountability. 

4.         ⁠Prohibit Parental Interference in Disciplinary Matters.

Parents must not question or challenge the methods teachers use to maintain discipline in schools. They may take their kids to other private schools or home school them. 

5.⁠ ⁠        Immediate Expulsion of Problematic Students.

Students who continuously disrupt or endanger others should be expelled immediately, without suspension or repeated warnings. 

6.⁠         ⁠Reinstate UPSR and PMR Examinations.

These assessments provided essential academic structure and accountability for students and schools alike. 

7.         Re-establish Elite Schools

Currently, elite schools are no better than any other rural school. It’s time to do a merit order. Exams are for that! The world outside is also on meritocracy, unless you are a civil servant! 

The trouble with our PM is that he dare not make any decision unless it is on Gaza. Two ministers have left his Cabinet but there are no replacements to-date, just stand-ins. Two mediocre ministers operate in the Cabinet, the MOE and the Home Ministry – the audacity to grant citizenship to footballers from Latin America, amongst other serious blunders. 

Do something PM! 

Reference:

Inspired by a blog post by Concerned Citizens of Malaysia

Ageing Population: 10 more districts in Malaysia

 

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement recently that ten more districts have been classified as ageing, with residents aged 65 and above reaching 7%. The districts are Seremban (Negri Sembilan), Jerantut and Kuantan (Pahang), Kluang and Pontian (Johor), Alor Gajah (Melaka), Bachok (Kelantan), Seberang Perai Selatan (Penang), Subis (Sarawak) and Keningau (Sabah). 

The United Nations defines three stages of ageing: an ageing society when 7% of the ­population is aged 65 and above, an aged society at 14%, and a super-aged society at 20%. However, the National Senior Citizens Policy defines ageing as when those aged 60 and above make up 15% of the ­population.

 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

Petaling district in Selangor had the highest population in 2025 at 2.4 million, followed by Johor Baru (1.8 million) and Ulu Langat in Selangor (1.5 million). Kecil Lojing in Kelantan recorded the highest growth rate at 3.6%, followed by Marang (1.6%) and Kemaman (1.4%) in Terengganu. Bukit Mabong recorded the ­lowest population at 10,700, ­followed by Song (10,400) and Tanjung Manis (7,900). All three districts are in Sarawak. Lubok Antu in Sarawak registered the highest percentage of the population aged 65 and over, at 15.7%. 

On ethnic composition, Mohd Uzir said Setiu (Terengganu) recorded the highest composition of bumiputeras at 99.8%, followed by Nabawan (Sabah) at 99.6% and Hulu Terengganu at 99.4%. The highest composition of Chinese was recorded in the north-east district (Penang) with 63.5%, followed by Sibu (Sarawak) with 48% and Kampar (Perak) with 47.7%. As for Indians, the highest ­composition was recorded in Bagan Datuk (Perak) at 23.1%, followed by Klang (Selangor) at 18.6% and Port Dickson (Negri Sembilan) at 18.2%. 

With ageing comes independence or dependence. In an Asian society, it is usually seen as the duty of the children to care for their parents in old age. But this has become difficult in an urban setting, limited financial resources and/or family dynamics. There is a need for community living with medical and other support level made available. At the high-end of RM8,000 (and above) per month facilities like the Sanctuary at Sunway cater to the well-to-do. And those who prefer a village, may stay at Green Acres in Ipoh for example. But what about the less fortunate. They make do in commercial old folks homes at RM2,500 or below. And some others live in government welfare homes. Hearing their stories, (sometimes) it is sad! 

Reference:

10 more districts in Malaysia with ageing population, The Star, 3 October 2025

 

 

Does Budget 2026 Cushion the Poor and Squeeze the Middle Class?

 

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Budget 2026, worth RM419.2 billion, is smaller than 2025 but is packed with handouts and cost-of-living measures. The usual questions accompanied the unveiling of the budget. “What’s in it for me?”, “Will I get anything out of it?”, “Will the poor get poorer, and the rich richer?”, “How will the middle-class fare?”, “How will subsidies and food poverty levels affect me?”. 

Malaysia’s 1.6 million civil servants are almost always treated differently from the remaining 31 million population. How could Anwar forget? Most Malaysians will be blunt and say that what Anwar fears most is sabotage by the civil servants.

 

Source: https://www.dagangnews.com

Many economists call Budget 2026 a “maintenance budget”, which plays it safe and focuses on sustaining existing programmes and services. There are no bold reforms or new initiatives. The “maintenance culture” approach is seen in the Operating Expenditure, with RM338.2 billion allocated for operating expenses, a 1.8 percent increase from the previous year. Significant portions are directed towards public service salaries (emoluments), debt servicing, and pension payouts. This budget is “locked in” to existing obligations. 

To further illustrate the budget’s “maintenance culture”, a RM2.5 billion allocation is to maintain federal roads, install streetlights, and road furniture. RM5.6 billion has also been allocated for the maintenance of state roads nationwide, and another RM30 million will be used to expedite minor repairs at the district level. 

Vulnerable groups like the poorest households (B40) will receive more targeted help, in the form of the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) and Sara Food Aid, with free education thrown in. Allocations for education, healthcare, and technical and vocational education and training in Malaysia have also been increased. Civil servants and retirees will receive small one-off payments - RM500 and RM250 respectively. 

Top priorities are in healthcare and education, with allocations of RM46.5 billion and RM66.2 billion, respectively. The “maintenance budget” promises to upgrade public health infrastructure for medical facilities, including access to affordable healthcare. An allocation of RM1.2 billion will be for maintenance and repair of hospitals and clinics across the country, alongside a further RM755 million for upgrading or replacing outdated medical equipment. Continuing with this “maintenance budget” 2026, a RM2 billion allocation is to upgrade over 520 dilapidated schools, primarily in Sabah and Sarawak, and at the same time, repair and maintain various types of schools, including student facilities and teachers’ rooms.

Malaysians in the private sector are unhappy. The B40 are given handouts, and with fuel, electricity, and certain food products projected to cost more, once universal subsidies are removed, the middle class will be squeezed further with inflation and stagnant wages. Civil servants, retirees, and veterans are well provided for, as is another group of people who will never lose out - the MPs with their guaranteed pensions. 

Protection for Proton and Perodua continues. EVs of other car makers will be impacted in 2026. Why can’t he propose a gradual removal of “subsidies” to the national cars? If he wanted higher revenue, he could do 2 or 3 new or revised taxes on:

 

·             Impose a forex transaction tax at 0.1% of daily transaction volume – that will generate RM20m a day!

·             Increase “sugar” tax on those drinks that will impact diabetes; and

·             Have a “Fast foods” tax – to reduce consumption of unhealthy foods. 

But alas he played safe! In short, Budget 2026 protects the poor, squeezes the middle class, while the rich remain relatively untouched. 

Reference:

Budget 2026 cushions the poor, squeezes the middle, Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysiakini, 12 October 2025

What is CEO Blind Spots?

 

From overconfidence early in a tenure to a lack of strategic clarity later, blind spots can emerge throughout a CEO’s journey (this what McKinsey determined in their research). Like the seasons of the year, the CEO journey progresses through four stages. Each stage brings a unique set of opportunities and challenges, just as spring, summer, fall, and winter do:

 

·        Spring: Stepping up to the role. In the two to three years before the board decides on the next CEO, you should be gaining the experience, developing the skills, and demonstrating the qualities of an exceptional leader. Doing so will position you as a natural choice when the time comes and will prepare you to take the reins should you get the job.

 

·        Summer: Stepping into the role. During your first two years in the CEO role, you should get the organization to work at full potential productivity in the direction you’ve chosen. During this time, you should take bold actions that set the tone for your entire tenure.

 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

 

·        Fall: Staying ahead while in the role. After starting strong, your next challenge will be to shape the company’s long-term journey and combat complacency—both your own and that of your employees. This means creating successive “S-curves” (periods of intense activity and radical improvement) that will boost performance at every level: you as a leader, your team, and the organization.

 

·        Winter: Sending it forward to the next CEO. In this final stage, you’re preparing to hand over the reins to your successor. That process involves recognizing when to leave, navigating the transition gracefully, and discovering your next journey.

As with many high achievers in other fields, those in the business world who achieve the most tend to be those who are the best at getting better. CEOs typically have blind spots, and these are the areas where chief executives, on average, tend to be “unconsciously unskilled”—that is, unaware of what they don’t know. 

CEOs, on average, regardless of tenure, score themselves higher than direct reports score them 100 percent of the time, and higher than boards score them 80 percent of the time. That 20 percent of time when the board is more bullish than the CEO tends to be in the leader’s early tenure—which makes sense given that the board is undoubtedly optimistic about its CEO choice; meanwhile, the CEO is still learning the role and therefore not yet feeling totally confident. 

In addition to the finding that most CEOs feel illusory superiority across all seasons, McKinsey’s research pointed to a short list of blind spots unique to each season in the role.

Summer: What gets in the way of starting strong? 

In the early years, new CEOs tend to be most overconfident about their ability to shift the culture. They typically come into the role with a clear point of view on where the organization needs to go, yet they underestimate the difficulty of aligning and mobilizing the employees to get there. The soft stuff—influencing behaviour change at scale—is the hard stuff, especially when getting started. 

New CEOs also feel overconfident in terms of how well they’re managing their personal effectiveness. It often takes more time than they anticipate to balance being who they want to be with who the organization needs them to be in the role. Their time and energy also become fragmented in ways that take away from successfully and sustainably doing what only they can do as the CEO. 

Fall: What gets in the way of staying ahead? 

In the middle years, a blind spot often emerges related to having a clear and compelling vision for the company. Once a leader’s initial set of bold moves has largely played out positively (if the moves haven’t, the CEO is likely on their way out—involuntarily), their intense focus on a clear North Star dissipates. Without the inspiration, boldness, and mandate for change that CEOs feel early in their tenure, they find it hard to press “reset”. 

Winter: What gets in the way of sending it forward? 

During the latter years of a CEO’s tenure, strategic clarity becomes an issue. For some, this can be the result of a desire to protect one’s legacy by preventing any potential late-in-the-game ball drops, especially as it relates to hitting near-term earnings targets. Others may make overly risky moves to avoid a growth slowdown or to relieve boredom. Teamwork can also suffer, often because the CEO has undermanaged the dynamics of the succession process, allowing potential candidates to jockey for position and signalling to lower performers that they won’t likely survive the transition. 

CEOs need some honest, forthright coaches with whom they could “bounce-off” ideas and plans. And it is in these interactions that one can identify blind spots and address them. 

Reference:

Seeing CEO blind spots, McKinsey Quarterly, 3 September 2025

No, Malays Could Not Fly!

 

Historians and academics have poured cold water on recent claims that ancient Malays could fly and even taught the Chinese the art of “flying kung fu”. Such statements are illogical and damaging to historical understanding. History must be grounded on verifiable evidence, not myths or fantastical tales. 

Professor Solehah Yaacob, a lecturer in Arabic language and literature at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), claimed in a Gabungan Nasionalis podcast that ancient Malays possessed supernatural abilities, including flight, and shared these skills with the Chinese.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

Myths or legends exist in many societies as a form of entertainment or inspiration. But history is about real events that truly happened — events that can be proven and whose authenticity can be defended. Unchecked spread of myths could weaken society. 

Pseudohistory is false history built on fabricated stories and imagination, compiled from unreliable materials and conclusions drawn carelessly without the necessary skills to sort and evaluate information. We risk being humiliated by the academic community when such claims are debunked — as happened when a UPM paper on the ‘jong’ (large merchant ships) was criticised by French historian Serge Jardin. 

Malays had ties with ancient China, particularly during the Tang Dynasty from 618 to 907 AD, through trade and shipbuilding. But the so-called ‘ability to fly’ refers to the Malays’ distinctive flying kick in pencak silat, which some fighters demonstrated in imperial courts. It does not mean they were literally able to fly. And if they could, we don’t need fighter jets, we have our own flying airmen from the 7^th century! 

Reference:

No, Malays could not fly: Scholars call out pseudohistory, Sandru Narayanan, Scoop, 1 October 2025