Malaysian don't like book?

Normally, I would avoid post blog contain any hostility with any organization.. especially organization within Malaysia. This is because I deeply love and respect my country. (Now all rise for the National Anthem)

However, this particular organization had overstepped the boundary. So I will do what I need to do.

Last Tuesdays, I saw an article being post all over my campus. Like a crocodile to avoid its prey, so I take a peek at the article. The article entitled “Tiada orang baca buku di Stesen LRT, tren, komuter, bas dan tumpuan umum” translated “ Nobody reading at LRT station, train, commuter, public carrier & public places” written by Rosalinda Md.Said for Utusan newspaper.

Or you can simple read it here (if you can read in Malay Language) http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0222&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Laporan_Khas&pg=lk_01.htm

The whole article consist of their founding regarding why nobody read book at LRT station, train, commuter, public carrier & public places. They say Malaysians simple don’t read book because they don’t like book.

I just can’t tolerate with this statement. Are they drunk when they stated this? Obviously they are also doesn’t like book because their statement is way too outrageous. Many people know that books are equivalent to knowledge or wisdom. It almost like saying Malaysians doesn’t like knowledge.

So hypothetically, based on their theory,

Every day I don’t eat bread because I don’t like bread.

Or, I don’t wear Baju Melayu because I don’t like Baju Melayu.

Or, I don’t go to government agencies because I don’t like government.

I don’t watch television programme because I don’t like television programme.

I don’t go to school because I don’t like school.

I don’t take public carrier because I don’t like public carrier.

The last is true because I don’t like public carrier due to bad experiences, but the rest is a wrong tautology.

Just because I don’t eat bread doesn’t mean I dislike them, this is because I just prefer rice. I’m Asian for god sake. I don’t go to government agencies because I don’t have any business with them, not because I hate them. I don’t go to school simply because I already 22 years old. Not because I don’t like them. The point is, there are many other factor need to be consider to make a correct judgement.

Now, let me answer the article big question.

Why nobody reading at LRT station, train, commuter, public carrier & public places.

Well hello..of course you will find nobody or less people reading book in public carrier.

First of all, they do the survey in high population area. The place is not suitable, have you been in any public carrier in KL areas. The place is way too crowded. How I supposed to read when there like 9 other people squeezing me. How I’m supposed to read a sad novel when people will watch me and wondering why am I crying? If I read a comedy novel, how I supposed to laugh regarding joke in the novel without other people suspecting me for laughing at themselves. How I supposed to focus reading educational book with the buzzing and revving all around me. Not to mention the LRT announcer speaking.

Nevertheless, the main reason why I don’t read in public carrier is because the public carrier is moving. What if I missed my destination? Will the public carrier be kind enough to reverse and drop me? Besides, I easily feel not comfortable when reading something in public carrier. It will be much better to read at my cozy home uninterrupted and without feeling nausea every 5 minutes.

Beside, the gap to reading is too short. Let say I want to go to Masjid Jamek from Setiawangsa. It will be like half an hour gap. Is it really a good idea to bring a book with me? What happen when it start raining? Do I wish my precious book to be soaked in rain because I want to read every minute I can grab of?

How about at the bus stop, why nobody reading in the bus stop? Obvious because they are waiting for the bus to arrived. “Crap, I missed my bus because I too concentrate reading my joyful book. Never mind, I just wait another 30 minutes” or “Let’s go kids, take your favorite book and let’s all headed bus stop to sit there and read. Never mind all the carbon monoxide, smoke or dirt that deteriorates your health or the book. Don’t bother about other people who actually waiting for bus. Don’t be intimidated by their stare because we sit at their place.”

Then the writer goes to higher learning education places. Shockingly, the writer doesn’t find any undergraduate read book between classes or while waiting their friends. ROTF, “Hurm, there are like another one hour before my class start. Let’s read a book while ignoring the lack of glucose in my brain drain from 3 hour lecture this morning”. Let me give you a little head up, when we concentrate on something, our brain glucose will reduce gradually. Our brain can suffer damage if the glucose is way too low. Thus, subconsciously our body will stop us from focusing to avoid more glucose lose. This explains why we easily distracted and felling drowsy during the class. In drowsy mode, unconsciously we will lay down our head to fill up glucose to our brain. In addition, the average time people have before distracted are roughly 15 minutes. How to avoid these low glucose syndrome? The quick answer is sweet thing such as chocolate because sweet thing contain high glucose. But be careful because unutilized glucose will be stored in fat format in case we need quick glucose fixed. This also explained why sweet stuff fatten people. Back on track, that’s why subconsciously, we will do low pressure activities to let our body fill up glucose up in our brain.

Obviously, the writer didn’t take these factors in their research or other facts such as that another half of Malaysia who doesn’t take public carrier. How they can say that Malaysian don’t like book based on people in public transport while ignoring other half Malaysia that have their own transport. Maybe next week they will do another survey at traffic light and look at car owner during red light or rush hour. “Wow, none of these driver neither their passenger read book while waiting for red light nor the rush hour” “You are right, maybe they don’t like book neither” “So it is safe to conclude that Malaysians doesn’t read nor like book” “Yeah, now let’s go survey at KLCC park and write story why Malaysians so lazy these days”.

By the way, if you want to get a better and accurate survey. Make sure you consider other factors or do the appropriate approach. If I want to know whether Malaysian love book or not. I will go to their home and observe how many book in there. Now I know why only academia people can publish thesis and such. Maybe I do a thesis regarding Malaysian reading habits.