KL International Book Festival returns

Book lovers will have something to look forward to for the next two weeks.

The 33rd edition of the Kuala Lumpur International Book Festival (KLIBF) is back, with the promise of more literary delights.

Held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) from April 24 until May 4, the KLIBF 2014 is one of the biggest book fairs in South East Asia and is expected to draw two million visitors this year.

“Last year we had 1.8 million visitors. This year we expect to get more than two million visitors," according to the director of the National Book Council of Malaysia, Abdul Wahab Ibrahim.

The KLIBF is organised by the council, together with the Ministry of Education.

"The book and publishing industry in Malaysia can contribute to the development of our economy. Nevertheless, the main objective of this festival is to cultivate a reading habit among Malaysians.

"One of the indicators of a developed country is by looking at the literary level of its people. In the European countries, the United States and Japan, each citizen reads an average of 16 (book) titles per year. We aim to get Malaysians to read 20 titles per year by 2020," Abdul Wahab said.

"When people read, there will be more writers and demand for books will increase. Ultimately, the industry will develop," he added.

The premier book event will see participation of 241 companies from the local front as well as international publishers based in United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, among others.

With over one million titles to be offered, book enthusiasts can expect to find something that caters to every interest and level, starting from pre-school up to university, and more.

Apart from books, an array of interesting activities have been lined up for the eleven day affair.

Visitors can look forward to the book launches of ‘Jatuh ke Laut Menjadi Pulau’ by national laureate Muhammad Haji Salleh (April 26) and an anthology of poetry on MH370 (May 2) as well as a special appearance by celebrity chef, Chef Wan (May 3).

With the roaring success it had last year, KLIBF 2014 has expanded its exhibition space to include another level. A Rest and Read area is also provided whereby visitors can kick back, relax and indulge in a good book.

Comic lovers, meanwhile, can get their hands on classics from some of the biggest names in the world of graphic novels at the Novel and Comic World, another new addition this year.

Also, visitors should not miss the opportunity to meet famous local cartoonists from GEMPAK STARZ at their booth on Level Four.

KLIBF 2014 is open to the public for free from 9am until 6pm.