KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor has called on all parties to intensify efforts in exploring, researching and publishing books across various genres to strengthen the local book industry and cultivate a reading culture among the people of Sabah.
He said greater attention should be given to publishing books on language, literature, culture, arts, customs, and natural heritage to ensure the state’s wealth of knowledge, history, and heritage is documented for future generations.
He said all parties must support efforts to strengthen the local book industry so that books would not merely fill the shelves of libraries and bookstores or digital platforms, but also serve as a catalyst for cultivating a knowledge-based society.
“The book industry must also be seen as a catalyst for fostering a reading culture among the people,” he said at the launching ceremony of the Sabah Authors New Book Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) 2025/2026 Publication and the Sabah Chief Minister’s Best Book Awards 2024/2025 at Dewan Amil Jaya, DBP Sabah Branch, here on Wednesday.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Isnin Aliasnih delivered his speech.
Hajiji also urged academics, researchers, lecturers and professionals in Sabah to be more prolific in producing quality works that could serve as references at the international level.
He said producing high-quality publications would not only document local intellectual thought and knowledge but also help establish Sabah’s legacy of progressive thinking.
“Produce works that can serve as global references, capture our great ideas and contribute directly to building Sabah’s legacy of progressive thinking.
“Continue to be prolific in your writing, in line with the efforts of Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) to elevate Kota Kinabalu as a City of Literature,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hajiji said Sabah’s geographical challenges required stronger commitment and closer strategic cooperation between Federal and State agencies, including DBP Sabah Branch, Sabah State Library, Sabah State Education Department, higher learning institutions and the private sector.
He said such cooperation was crucial to ensure that communities, particularly children in remote areas and islands, including those in Semporna, were not deprived of access to quality reading materials.
He said expanding mobile library services and strengthening digital connectivity were among the measures that needed attention to bridge the literacy gap among communities.
Hajiji also said the State Government was committed to strengthening the national language and local literary works through the use of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (Al) technologies.
He said Sabah’s book industry must expand beyond physical publications by leveraging digital platforms to reach a wider readership.
“The State Government will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and relevant agencies to expand grants, platforms and research opportunities for local writers,” he said.
According to him, efforts to strengthen the book industry were also in line with the Human Capital Empowerment agenda under Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 2.0 for the 2026-2030 period, which emphasises the development of knowledgeable individuals with a strong sense of identity and character.
He said Sabah’s rich ethnic and cultural diversity, history and natural heritage provided valuable resources for producing academic and general publications.
Therefore, he said, this potential must be explored and documented to ensure that the state’s heritage and unique characteristics are preserved.
Hajiji also congratulated the recipients of the Sabah Chief Minister’s Best Book Awards and local authors whose works were launched at the event.
He said writers played an important role in cultivating a knowledge-based society and catalysing the growth of the national book industry.-pr/BNN
