LABUAN — The MADANI Government will continue to support efforts to strengthen the culture of knowledge, improve literacy and expand access to quality education, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), Hannah Yeoh.
She said initiatives such as the Borneo Book Festival (Labuan) 2026 were important not only in promoting the reading culture, but also in stimulating the growth of the country’s book and publishing industry.
“The government always supports efforts that strengthen the culture of knowledge, improve the literacy level of the people and expand access to quality education.
“I hope the organisation of book festivals in Labuan will continue to grow as an excellent knowledge platform, become the pride of the Federal Territory of Labuan and serve as a model of regional cooperation in the development of the book industry and reading culture,” she said.
Her speech was read by Labuan Corporation Deputy Chairman Simsudin Sidek at the opening and closing ceremony of the Borneo Book Festival (Labuan) 2026 at Anggerik Square, Ujana Kewangan Complex, here on Saturday.
Hannah congratulated Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), particularly UMS Press, for successfully organising the festival, which was held from June 24 to 28.
She said she was proud to see the strong public turnout at Anggerik Square, adding that the theme, “Reading Sustains Knowledge, Inspires Generations”, was in line with the national aspiration to develop human capital with strong thinking skills and multidimensional literacy.
She said reading was not merely a process of obtaining information, but a process of building thought, strengthening values, expanding imagination and shaping the future.
“In a world filled with various sources of information, the ability to read critically and make accurate assessments is an important advantage,” she said.
Hannah said the reading culture must continue to be empowered at all levels of society, in line with the aspirations of the National Reading Decade led by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
“When society reads, knowledge will continue to grow. When knowledge grows, a generation that is more competitive, creative and capable of contributing to national progress will emerge,” she said.
Hannah said the Borneo Book Festival (Labuan) 2026, which built on the success of the Labuan Book Festival 2025, had recorded a significant increase in exhibitor participation and grown into a regional-level platform with delegations from Brunei Darussalam and Peninsular Malaysia.
“The presence of various players in the book industry not only enlivened the event, but also proved the great potential of the reading market in Labuan and Borneo in general.
“I would like to congratulate UMS for opening space for the consistent and high-impact organisation of a book festival in the Federal Territory of Labuan,” she said.
Hannah also commended the close cooperation between UMS, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), the Labuan Education Department, Labuan Corporation, Ujana Kewangan Labuan, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Sabah branch and other agencies in making the programme a success.
She said UMS deserved special recognition for taking the lead in organising the event and establishing smart partnerships to ensure that Labuan could continue hosting a large-scale book event.
“If previously we lacked such events, UMS’ initiative has ensured that the bridge of knowledge and transfer of knowledge remains widely open for the sustainability of community education on Labuan island,” she said.
Hannah said the true success of a book festival should not be measured only by the number of visitors or book sales, but also by the extent to which it cultivates reading interest and love for knowledge among the community.
She said programmes such as book talks, reading competitions, literacy activities and book launches had added significant value to the country’s human capital development.
At the ceremony, the book “Sama Bajau: Kepelbagaian Perspektif Pengkajian di Sabah” was launched, which Hannah described as another example of local publishing that enriches Borneo’s body of knowledge.
The event also featured the presentation of prizes for the Family Photography Competition held in conjunction with the Federal Territory of Labuan-level National Reading Decade 2026, a book endowment presentation and a performance by Tarian Akar Seni Tari Pantai (ASTARI).
Five schools — SMK Rancha-Rancha, SMA MAIWP Labuan, SK Patau-Patau, SK Sungai Bedaun and SKK St Anne — received book endowments, while SMK Pantai and SK Lubok Temiang received appreciation for the Jom Baca 10 Minit programme from the Labuan Education Department.
Also present were UMS Press Director Professor Dr Patricia Matanjun, representing UMS Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Kasim Haji Mansor; UNIMAS Publisher Senior Assistant Registrar Dayangku Zyzy Cemylya Awang Rahmat, representing UNIMAS Publisher Director Malia Taibi; Labuan Education Department Director Yahya Ahmad Puteh; Labuan Faculty of International Finance Dean Associate Professor Dr Geoffrey Harvey Tanakinjal, representing UMS Labuan International Campus director Professor Dr Shamsul Bahari Shamsudin; Ujana Kewangan Labuan Chief Executive Officer Haji Johari Mesar; and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Sabah branch director Jennitah Noordin.
