Booksellers lament bar on sale of books, stationery during lockdown

PETALING JAYA: Parents, teachers and students are frustrated as they cannot buy materials to support home-based teaching and learning due to the closure of bookstores, the Malaysian Booksellers Association said.

Its exco member Mak Chee Kin said many are in need of new materials and stationery.

"Though these can be bought online, some are not as tech-savvy as others.

"They require these materials and stationery immediately but have to wait for a few days (for delivery).

"Worse, books and stationery departments in department stores are closed as they are deemed non-essential," he said in a statement on Monday (June 21).

Mak said feedback from booksellers nationwide indicates that there is demand from parents and teachers to allow shops involved in providing materials for online learning to operate.