Rare Malaysian books at Amcorp Mall's 'Book Street' this Merdeka weekend

A selection of vintage books from indie bookshop Balai Buku Raya, one of the vendors at the 'Book Street' corner of the Collector's Pick market at Amcorp Mall in Petaling Jaya on Aug 30 to Sept 1. Photo: The Star/Sam Tham

Travel writer and avid book collector Azhari Mahmood, aka Zari Malaysiana, is a man on a mission. He loves books, especially rare Malaysian books. He aims to grow a nationwide community that appreciates and understands the value of these old books.

"Serious collectors have always been around when it comes to this kind of books. But I think a lot of younger Malaysians are now waking up to the fact that the only way to dig for our lost histories is to look through old books and to discover things. It takes effort, but it's worth it," says Zari.