23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Food delivery worker's son tops Selangor's library charts with 1,378 books borrowed
SHAH ALAM: A 13-year-old student from Klang has been named Selangor's most prolific book borrower, having checked out an extraordinary 1,378 books over the past year.
Alif Zachary Mohd Arif, who studies at SMK Telok Gadong, received the accolade during the Jom Baca Bersama 10 Minit 2025 reading carnival at the Raja Tun Uda Library here today.
The five-day event, which began on April 18 and concluded this week, celebrates and promotes reading culture throughout the state.
The son of a food delivery rider, Alif has been a regular at the Sungai Udang Public Library in Klang — located just 30m from his home — since he was 6, describing it as his "second home".
He said his love of books started early and quickly became a daily habit.
"After school, I usually take a short rest and then read. At night, I continue after finishing my homework," he told reporters at the event.
His dedication earned him RM1,000 in prize money as the top borrower in the children's category.
Alif, who hopes to become a science teacher one day, said he finds comfort and clarity in physical books.
"It's easier to absorb the information and share it with others. Being an only child, I spend more time with books than playing with friends," he added.
In the adult category, retail manager Nik Hasrol Hafiz Hashim, 39, was honoured after borrowing 674 books last year, receiving RM1,500 in prize money.
He said reading was central to family life at home.
"We don't have a television and we limit screen time for our kids, who are aged 5 and 2. Some of the books I borrow are for them," he said.
The carnival, now in its 12th year, is organised annually by the state government and managed by the Selangor Public Library Corporation.
