Review: Largest Outdoor Reading Event In Malaysia (26th June, 2010, Shah Alam, Selangor)
June 27th, 2010 § 12 Comments
I had a great time at yesterday’s Malaysian record setting outdoor reading event at Taman Tasik PKNS, Shah Alam. The event itself was all right but I was really there to meet some fellow bookworms from Goodreads’ Malaysian message board. This was more of a mini Goodreads-MY gathering while participating in a good cause at the same time.
The event was supposed to begin at 9am but I was already there at 6.30am because that’s just how I roll. I’ve never left the mosque after the dawn prayers that fast before!
With the help of my GPS…yeah, that’s right, I used a GPS to get to the place because Shah Alam might as well be on another planet for me. I live in P.J. You know, the New York of Malaysia ahahahahahaha…
*ahem* Anyway, after parking at the as yet empty parking lot next to SIRIM, I made my way to the Registration booth to meet fellow Goodreads-MY member Juliana (a.k.a. Bunnybaby. She has a Malay blog and an English one as well.) who was also one of the people involved in organising this event. She had registered us all under ‘Staff and their families’ instead of under ‘Walk-in attendees’. I realised then I was doing something I had resented all my life: I was using an ‘inside connection’. Granted, it was not at the expense of anyone else and I didn’t receive any special treatment but the fact that we Goodreads people who attended were registered under ‘Staff and families’ when we were neither made me feel just that little bit hypocritical. Irrational? Maybe.
Long story short, I registered, received my souvenir caps, claimed my food coupons (which I didn’t use) and found a nice spot (lot 25) by the lake and made it the Goodreads-MY area. Fellow Goodreads-MY member Ulya arrived soon after and as soon as we took our books out we were shooed away by an usher with a clipboard because Lot 25 was not supposed to be our area! I suppose this was one advantage we were registered under ‘Staff and families’ because walk in attendees were only allowed to sit further up the park, away from the lake which was the spot that I preferred. But since we were pretending to be Juliana’s relatives we were given a not so bad place at Lot 35. Maybe this is why Malaysians like to use people on the ‘inside’; so they can get to enjoy things not necessarily available to others. I assure you I am wracked with guilt. But not a lot of guilt.
Edited to add: Juliana clarifies in the comments. It turns out that being registered under ‘staff and families’ was not on purpose. You could say it was clerical error but the nice kind of error. We got to sit near the lake.
This was where we planted ourselves. At lot 35.
The crowd began to swell up gradually but they were almost all employees of the State Government from the various agencies. That’s one way to ensure success. There was no way they could reach their target of 10,000 readers if it was purely voluntary. Whilst most bookworms would prefer to read in the comfort of their own homes, I believe they would love to attend an outdoor event such as this if, one, Malaysians have a positive and healthy attitude towards reading and two, our mainstream media were more professional in their attitude. I did not know about this event if Juliana had not informed us virtually at the last minute in the Goodreads-Malaysia message board. It was not promoted at all in television and while I don’t listen to the radio nor read the papers, I’ll bet those mediums did not tell the public about the event either (but correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t think I am though). All because the State Government is not in the same ‘gang’ as the Federal Government.
It's starting to fill up.
The kids were reading, the grownups were eating.
Not everyone who were bussed in from the State agencies brought reading material with them and many of those who did only brought newspapers and magazines. Those who did bring books with them were the kids from the State-sponsored Universities and schools, so that was nice to see. The grownups were more into tucking in the fried rice provided.
And then there was Ulya with her e-book. I think she was the only one there with a digitally based reading material. She doesn’t believe in cutting down trees for her reading enjoyment.
Ulya reading from her Sony e-book. Because she's all high tech and stuff.
Another Goodreads-MY member, Najibah arrived late but just in time for the record setting reading event which was from 10am to 11am. Credit to everyone there, as soon as the siren blared to mark the start of the event, the crowd went quiet and most began to read. I also saw Shah Alam MP, Khalid Samad, walking around shaking babies and kissing hands (or was it the other way round?) but he was zipping through the crowd so fast I couldn’t snap a photo.
Najibah with her paperback, reading a book about reading a book. How deep is that?
At 11, the Sultan of Selangor, his Chief Minister and other people within the State Government arrived in motorboat to wave at us plebs.
Chief Minister of Selangor (in white) waving. The Sultan is the one waving while sitting down (can't really see him)
It was around this time that another Goodreads-MY member, Hamizao arrived with her husband and granddaughter. I had a nice chat with him which took me away from listening the endless speeches required in Malaysian official events. It’s like a law or something. Everyone must give a speech according to rank (the lowest ranked goes first). No one listens to these speeches of course.
As soon the Sultan ended his speech, the sun began to come out of the clouds and started roasting us. That was the signal to leave. Many people were already leaving when the speeches were being given which I thought was rude. Everyone was rushing to take photos of Malaysian cartoon characters Upin and Ipin. Najibah and family had left by this time, so had Hamizao and I was soon separated from Ulya who went to see Juliana at the other side of the lake. Forgot to go and see her which is why there is no photo of one of the organisers in this entry. Silly me. What was even sillier that in my haste to leave I forgot to claim my Malaysian Book of Records certificate that proves I took part in the event. I don’t think anyone went to claim their certificates.
All in all, I had a great time because I got to meet 5 Goodreads friends. More people from Goodreads-MY wanted to come but couldn’t due to other more important engagements. If this event was held on a Sunday maybe many more friends would have had no problems to attend. No one does anything on Sundays. Perhaps at next year’s book-related event.
By the way, they exceeded the target of 10,000 attendees. The total number was over 14,000 so yay us!
Scary versions of Upin & Upin waving at the crowd. There was even a UFO in the sky observing us. Cool!
The back of the Sultan's head. This was the closest I could get.
Salam.
Hee hee! The staff-and-families- registration was owing to my ignorance, actually. So don’t feel guilty about it. It was way past the closing date when I posted this program in GRMy. Then when I submitted your form (and others’) to the committee, it was straight away filed under staff and families of PPAS. And I thought, okay. Whatever, as long you all can participate.
So, after being spoiled by choices, which book did you take?
Jasper Fforde’s Shades of Grey which was not featured in the blog entry. Typical, huh?
Yeah…
A critical review – a lot to learn from
Thanks.
Hadoii la cemburu ini!
Lawa la your photos… Just shows what a difference a good camera makes..
oi, sorry tak sempat jumpa .. aku kat betul betul depan sirim tu, by the stage.
Kau duduk dengan budak Yayasan S’gor ke?
dalam restoran, aku tolong crew aku kat mixer console.
wow! what a great event! i wish i had come across your blog sooner.. didnt hear about this event.. kalau dah, i surely drag my husband and kids there!
oo, btw, love reading yur blog! you’re one funny blogger.
Thank you. Visit often.