COMMENT | Generally speaking, Malaysians have a low affinity for reading.

As far back as 1991, a survey by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka found that Malaysians read only one page of a book in a year.

There was little or no public discussion and debate on this rather depressing finding, just as there was no public angst over former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s warning that Malaysians have become dangerously overweight.

If something is not palpably threatening, Malaysians don’t take heed.

Look around when you are in a coach of the MRT, LRT or KTM Komuter lines and see how many riders have their noses in a book or a magazine or a...