Chinese Language Publishing in Malaysia Shows Small Yet Vital Growth

WHILE CHINESE LANGUAGE publishing has been long-standing in Malaysia, its market remains small. According to Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia, the total number of publications in 2021 in Malaysia was 13,655; from a survey, we find that only approximately 130 books published in 2023, including reprints and new books, were in the Chinese language.^[1]

Books have been written and published in Mandarin since the first Chinese immigrants stepped foot in Malaya. In the early colonial period, the educated Chinese began documenting local history and culture, providing valuable insights into local Malay customs and traditions. Many early writers taught in Chinese schools across British Malaya.