Research from UNESCO shows that Malaysians fall under the category of “under-reading” people, where only about 46% of Malaysians that are made up of students and professionals are serious about reading. To improve the reading culture and increase the publication of high-quality Malaysian-made books for the international market, NGO – Yayasan Pembangunan Buku Negara (YPBN) is called together with government agencies, IPTA, IPTS, and Private Publishers to advance the country’s book industry and creative industries through the implementation of various programs.
Therefore, YPBN is hosting the National Book Award (NBA) and Telenovela Award 2020-2021 which is aimed at finding a formula to help creative industry players get better opportunities. Through these awards, they aim to motivate authors in Malaysia to produce quality publications and books that are comparable to imported books. It also serves as a platform for the public to recognize authors, painters, graphic designers, editors, photographers, and many more who work behind the veil and generate interest in choosing a career in the book publishing industry. The Telenovela Award is targeted towards writers and publishers of novels and adapted works that were elevated into local and international drama and film scripts.
