FIND WAYS TO MAKE A LIVING OUT OF WRITING, SAYS MINISTER

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Bernama) -- Government agencies should work with the
industry to help writers make a career out of writing, Information Communication
and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim said.

He said that although the Malaysian book industry had reached an annual
value of RM2 billion (US$614.3 million), writers had yet to reach a stage where
they can make a living out of the activity.

"Our intention is to see that one day in Malaysia, people will be able to
venture full time into writing just like their counterparts abroad.

"The book industry itself can help find ways to achieve this," he told
reporters after launching a book titled "Najib Razak: A Sense of Mission"
written by Ismail Noor at the National Library here Wednesday.

The 200-page hardcover, covering the period since Najib Tun Razak
first entered politics until his appointment as the sixth Prime Minister of
Malaysia, is priced at RM70 (nearly US$22).


Rais suggested that the Federation of National Writers' Associations
(Gapena) and the National Library work together to help achieve the vision by
encouraging libraries to buy works by local writers.

"These books should be bought so that writers will be able to make a
living
out of their craft," he said.

Rais said National Library statistics showed that the number of writers in
the country, including journalists and part-time and full-time writers, had
increased from 2,600 in 2007 to 5,150 last year.

"It's very seldom that writers in the country are able to make a living from
writing unless if they are journalists or editors who are employed by their
companies," he said.

-- BERNAMA



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