On 18 November 2018, Malakoff Corporation Berhad launched a Mini Library aimed to cultivate a reading culture within the local community especially among the younger generation, at Kompleks Penghulu Mukim Serkat, Pontian, Johor. This initiative is part of Malakoff’s 2018 CSR Education Programme in Mukim Serkat that started in March this year with “Jom Sarap”, a free breakfast programme for seven primary schools in the area.

The Mini Library is not just a sole effort by the Company as the staff also played a part through a book donation drive that was performed across the Company where staff donated their much-loved books for the cause. Approximately 300 books from all genres were collected and then brought to the Mini Library to be tagged and arranged in racks provided by Malakoff.

Present during the event were Mukim Serkat’s Penghulu, En. Roslan Bokari, local community heads, representatives from Malakoff, 40 kindergarten students from Tabika Sungai Kuali and Tabika Sungai Durian and their parents.

The fun-filled day commenced with a colouring contest before proceeding to the highlight of the event, which was a story book recitation by Ustazah Narimah Suratman, a regular volunteer at the Kompleks Penghulu.

Ustazah Narimah’s animated and unique approach at reciting kept her audience completely immersed and excited, effortlessly making them feel at ease to ask questions and be more engaging throughout the session. This could hopefully inspire the students to regard reading as a fun way to improve their language proficiency and simultaneously expand their knowledge.

“This Mini Library is very useful to us as we would often bring our children here on weekends to search for resources for their school assignments, and this subsequently encouraged them to fill their free time by reading books”, said one of the parents, Puan Suraya binti Md Ali.

Some of the students also expressed their appreciation towards this initiative as they can now have a proper designated place to read their favourite story books and do their revision.

The event ended with a prize-giving ceremony to students with the most creative colouring pieces.