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