Booksellers are renewing their call for the government to prevent the National Book Council of Malaysia (MBKM), an entity under the Education Ministry (MOE), from venturing into the bookselling business.
The Malaysian Book Contractors Association, the Malaysian Booksellers Association and The Federation of Malaysian Stationery and Booksellers Association, in a joint statement, said the business venture deviates from the council's objectives and would also give it an unfair advantage due to its government links.
The groups are concerned that MBKM is partnering with startup Dropee to form a business-to-government digital platform to sell books to the MOE.
"With the education minister, its secretary-general (of the MOE) and many top government officers on their organisation chart, its involvement will surely convince the schools and government agency officers to purchase from this platform.
"This is indirectly an abuse of power to give an unfair advantage and to suppress the existing free and openly competitive market," they said.
They reiterated that MBKM should return to its objectives under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to nurture a reading habit.
"BKM under the patronage of the MOE must not be involved in Dropee (a private entity) digital platform directly.
"Let Dropee compete with others to penetrate the market with no protection from the government via MBKM," they said.
They added that MBKM's business venture is also looking to charge booksellers a commission of 20 percent, higher than platforms such as Shopee which charges 2.5 percent.
"We want transparency and demand how the 20 percent was arrived at?
"MBKM involvement in this platform will kill the ecosystem of the book trade, thus thousands of micro book dealers, distributors, runners etc., will lose their jobs," they said.
They renewed their call for Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to intervene in the matter.
"Free market bookselling must continue to prevail to maintain the book ecosystem of Malaysia. Any direct interference to the book ecosystem will result in a negative impact on Malaysia's economy as a whole," they said. - mKINI
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