Across the world, and here in Malaysia, we are witnessing a quiet but devastating decline. The simple act of reading, once the gateway to imagination, empathy, and critical thinking is slowly fading from our daily lives.
Market research has shown that children in Malaysia are reading less than ever before. According to international benchmarks, fewer than 60% of Malaysian students achieve reading proficiency by age 10. Studies also reveal that the average young Malaysian spends hours scrolling through social media, but mere minutes engaging with books. Globally, attention spans are shrinking — some research places it at less than eight seconds for those under 20. The result? We are losing not just a generation of readers, but a generation of thinkers, dreamers, and compassionate citizens.
And yet, stories remain our most powerful human inheritance. They ignite imagination, build empathy, and connect us across boundaries. If Malaysia is to thrive in a world of rapid technological change, we must bring back the habit of reading. We must remind our children and ourselves that books are not a luxury. They are a necessity for a thinking, creative nation.
This is the mission of World of Words – Kuala Lumpur (WoW-KL).
More Than a Festival: A Movement
From 17–19 September 2025, at Sasana Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia, WoW-KL will be launched not just as a festival, but as a long-term national movement to revive Malaysia’s reading culture.
Over three days, WoW-KL will gather more than 2,000 participants, schoolchildren, university students, educators, publishers, book clubs, authors, and members of the public, in one shared mission: to bring back the magic of words.
But WoW-KL is not a one-off event. It is the beginning of an ongoing effort to embed reading into our daily lives, through school book clubs, writing competitions, reading challenges, and digital innovations like a “reading coin” rewards system that will allow children to earn points for reading reviews and redeem them at bookstores. The goal is simple but urgent: to rebuild Malaysia as a nation of readers, writers, and thinkers.
Three Days, Three Audiences, One Mission
The WoW-KL launch festival is carefully structured to address the different layers of Malaysia’s reading ecosystem.
Day 1: Schools’ Focus: Nurturing Young Minds
The first day is dedicated to children and schools. There will be short story writing competitions for primary and secondary students, a Writing workshop, and forums with children’s book authors who will share how stories can spark imagination. Parents and teachers will also be engaged in conversations about the role of homes and schools in shaping lifelong readers. For many children, this will be their first taste of seeing literature as something alive, exciting, and theirs to create.
Day 2: Universities & Young Adults: Making Literature Cool Again
The second day shifts focus to university students and young adults. Highlights include a short story competition on contemporary themes, workshops, and a forum titled “How to Make Literature Cool Again.” There will also be panels on careers in writing, publishing, and digital storytelling — to show that literature is not just a pastime but a viable, meaningful career. University book clubs will gather to discuss trending titles and showcase books written by students. Here, literature meets innovation, and the energy of Malaysia’s young adults will take centre stage.
Day 3: General Public & Literary Community: A Celebration of Words
The final day is a celebration for the entire public. There will be author talks, book launches, panel discussions on publishing and innovation, and practical workshops on storytelling and screenwriting. The day culminates in the WoW-KL Awards and closing ceremony, where the unsung heroes of Malaysia’s literary world: illustrators, editors, bookshops, librarians, and more will be honoured. It is a day to remind Malaysians that literature belongs to everyone.
The People Behind the Movement
What makes WoW-KL powerful is not just the program, but the people who have rallied behind it. The festival is being spearheaded by Sajeet Soudagar, an award winning, international best-selling author, founder of publishing company StoryMe books and media, owner of Knight Information Solutions sdn bhd, former academic advisor to UKM, and a former corporate leader. The festival will feature distinguished Malaysian and international authors, academics, and influencers, from celebrated psychologist Dato Dr. Andrew Mohanraj, to education pioneer Datuk Parmjit Singh, to beloved storytellers like Tutu Dutta, to younger voices such as book influencer Diana Yeong and student writer Nurul Qurratu’Aini (Nino).
This mix of voices, elders and youth, educators and influencers, storytellers and academics, reflects the festival’s conviction: that reviving Malaysia’s reading culture must be a community effort.
Why It Matters
The decline in reading is not just a cultural problem. It is an economic, social, and national one. Nations that read are nations that innovate. Children who read grow up to be adults who can think critically, empathise deeply, and create boldly. When fewer Malaysians read, our collective imagination shrinks.
WoW-KL seeks to reverse that trend by making reading visible, exciting, and celebrated once again.
This is why the festival is supported by organisations such as FSL, The financial Services Library of the Bank Negara Malaysia, the National Library of Malaysia, the Writers’ Association of Malaysia, NAPEI, the British Council, and Google Malaysia. They know that investing in reading culture is investing in Malaysia’s future.
The Long-Term Vision
The festival is just the spark. The long-term WoW-KL initiative envisions:
School and university reading clubs sustained year-round.
National writing competitions that uncover young talent.
Gamified reading platforms, where students can earn points (“reading coins”) and redeem them at bookstores like BookXcess.
Partnerships with publishers and authors to create affordable, accessible content.
Annual festivals to cement Kuala Lumpur as Southeast Asia’s hub for literary culture.
In time, we want Malaysia to be known not just as a multicultural nation, but as a reading nation.
Where You Come In
WoW-KL is not just for authors, students, or publishers. It is for everyone who believes Malaysia can be more than what it is today.
If you are a parent, bring your child and show them the magic of books. If you are a student, join the competitions and let your voice be heard. If you are an educator, bring your class and reignite their imagination. If you are simply someone who has not picked up a book in years — come, and let this festival remind you why you once loved stories.
Lets save Malaysia. One story at a time.
📅 World of Words – Kuala Lumpur (WoW-KL)
🗓️ 17–19 September 2025
📍 Sasana Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia
Be part of Malaysia’s literary revival.
This content is provided by Story Me Books & Media
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
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