JOHOR BARU: The Johor International Book Bazaar aims to attract some 500,000 visitors this year, says state executive councillor Dr Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali.
Information and education committee chairman Muhammad Naqib said the five-day bazaar, which began on Friday, recorded nearly 100,000 visitors as of noon yesterday.
“We initially targeted 300,000 visitors after drawing 230,000 last year.
“Given the strong turnout, we now expect to reach at least 500,000,” he said after officiating the event at Paradigm Mall yesterday.
Now in its fifth year, the bazaar features 85 exhibitors from Malaysia alongside seven other nations: Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, China and India.
Organised by the Johor Public Library Corporation (PPAJ), the bazaar gained Asean Records recognition as Malaysia’s first government-led international book bazaar.
He noted it is also the 11th such event in South-East Asia and the 44th across Asia.
He said the state government was also keen to continue organising the bazaar following the encouraging response.
“Books remain an important source of reference as the information they contain has been vetted and can provide people with reliable information.
“Efforts such as this must continue to give the public access to credible sources of information while encouraging more writers to produce their own works.
“Writing is also a form of art, and it is something that we need to continue supporting,” he said.
Besides book sales, the bazaar also features talks, meet-the-author sessions, children’s storytelling activities, heritage trails, radio programmes, Johor traditional attire and various family activities.
