DURING the 1960s and well into the 1990s, most households subscribed to newspapers.
In the 1960s and 1970s, newspapers were delivered by bicycle. Large bundles were stacked at the back of bicycles and delivered to homes as early as 6am.
During the 1980s and 1990s, news vendors could be seen delivering newspapers by motorcycle. Large stacks were placed in front of the vendors, who could hardly be seen behind them.
It was, in short, a reading culture, and a key pillar of a civilised and knowledge-based society.
I began reading newspapers in Standard Four, as my family members were ardent badminton fans. I would always read to find out how our Malaysian shuttlers like Datuk Tan Yee Khan, Datuk Ng Boon Bee, Datuk Tan Aik Huang and Datuk Yew Cheng Hoe were faring on the badminton circuit.
Since I came from a large family and was lower down the pecking order, I had to wait for a while before getting the opportunity to read the newspapers. That was how much newspapers were valued in those days. They were a vital link to the outside world.
Sadly, with the advent of mobile phones, online reading has become the norm. Frankly, Internet reading is more of a browsing mode than an in-depth mode of reading.
This is reflected in the standard of English among today’s so-called netizens compared with that of my generation. English is more often used as a means of communication now, with pronunciation and grammar taking a back seat compared with the proper English spoken during the 1960s and 1970s.
English is a universal language that needs to be mastered to gain a head start in life. The younger generation should at least purchase newspapers twice a week and make an effort to read them to improve their English.
The government’s initiative to continue giving RM100 vouchers to students for book purchases is most welcome. It would be good if this could also cover newspaper purchases to help revive sales.
Newspapers contain valuable material across disciplines, including philosophy, science, technology and artificial intelligence, often presented in short pieces. Making newspapers more accessible to young people would help inculcate a reading culture.
There should also be a National or World Newspaper Day to mark the defining role newspapers have played in shaping the lives of the masses, serving as a point of awareness and awakening for netizens.
THIAGAN MATHIAPARANAM
Retired teacher
Klang
