SHAH ALAM, July 10 — The habit of reading should be instilled in students at every level if the goal is to nurture a generation of critical thinkers, said academician and the Malaysian Association for Philosophy and Thought Education's president Mohammad Alinor Abdul Kadir.
He opined that the Selangor Enlightenment Programme (PENSEL) should not focus solely on a particular group of students but should instead encompass all levels of schooling and higher education institutions.
"It is a good initiative. The main issue, however, is that most secondary school students no longer read.
"Even if it is implemented at university level, its success will be limited because students are reading less.
"If Selangor wants to promote a reading culture, it needs to reach every segment of society, including primary schools, secondary schools, and universities. The programme will be more successful if it involves all students," he told Media Selangor.
Alinor added that efforts to cultivate an interest in reading among students require the cooperation of all parties, particularly the Selangor Education Department.
"There needs to be a well-planned programme. The Menteri Besar himself is strongly committed to intellectual development.
"Therefore, all departments must work together to realise the aspiration of fostering a reading culture.
"For example, if you want to introduce reading exercises, it is not easy. It requires training, genuine interest, and measures to ensure the habit is maintained consistently," he said.
On Tuesday (July 7), Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari launched PENSEL, which will involve 800 Form Four students in discussions on five renowned books.
The selected titles are The Serviceberry (environment), Cita Sempurna Warisan Sejarah (nationhood), Sejarah Selangor 1766-1939 (history), 1984 (literature), and Edible Economics (economics).
