Thanks to bookstores like Silverfish Books and Gerakbudaya, Malaysians got the opportunity to read works that were important and relevant to the region, and local writers were given the opportunity to showcase their talent.
Founded by Raman Krishnan in 1999, Silverfish Books is precious to both writers and readers. Besides providing a platform for local authors to showcase their work, readers now have access to local literary, historical and fictional works by local as well as foreign writers.
The bookstore has also hosted numerous book launches and held discussions in its intimate, cosy store in Bangsar Village II.
In July this year, the store moved to a double-storey house on Lorong Maarof in Bangsar.
It is now called Pakka English, a play on the word “pukka”, which means “authentic” in English as well as Indian languages, as well as the word “pakar”, which means “expert” in Malay.
Preferring to keep book retail on the sidelines, Raman currently provides publishing and editing services to writers, although he does sell books wholesale to other stores.
“We used to work from 10.00am-10.00pm, seven days a week, including public holidays. I’m already 74 years old; it’s time for me to take things easy,” he told FMT.
Fans of the popular Silverfish Malaysian Classics series can find them at the store, alongside those by independent writers and publishers. There are also second-hand books on sale.
Of late, Raman has been working with local writer Ninot Aziz on her folklore series, which is beautifully illustrated and is available in both English and Malay.
“We know Jack and Jill by heart, but we don’t know our own stories,” he said, adding that the books can be enjoyed by both children and adults.
Lamenting at the lack of local books in the market, Raman said literary works from the US and the UK were flooding the market instead. He also remarked that remaindered or unsold books with cheap price tags were damaging to bookstores.
“Although it has been 65 years since we achieved independence, we are still controlled by colonial publishers in terms of the types of books that are sold. We tend to ignore our Asian neighbours; we don’t promote their books enough,” he pointed out, adding that besides translating books from the region, Malaysia should organise regional book fairs as well.
He said more people should read local and regional books simply because these works were extremely relatable.
He also said it was best to read these books in their original languages, but if one couldn’t, they should opt for books translated from the original text, instead of English versions written for a Western audience.
“And believe me, some of them are simply amazing and they will knock your socks off,” he said, citing a book he published some time ago titled ‘Bunga Emas’, an anthology of local English, as well as Chinese and Tamil literature from 1930-1963. He said the Chinese and Tamil works were translated into English.
Should you find yourself in Bangsar, pop by Pakka English for a chat with Raman, whose face lights up when he talks about books and writing. Clearly, he is someone who’s passionate about what he’s doing.
“We’re more of a ‘services bookstore’ right now, but it’s also a cosy nook if you’re tired and need a place to sit down,” he said, adding that besides resuming his writing classes, he’s also looking into organising events in the future.
JK Rowling once said: “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”
So, do support your local indie bookstores, and take a chance on a life-changing book that might just change your entire worldview.
Follow Pakka English on Facebook and Instagram.
Order your books on the Pakka English website, or contact them at 017 7546973.
Pakka English Enterprise
63, Jalan Maarof
Bangsar Park
59000 Kuala Lumpur
Business Hours:
10.00am-7.00pm (Monday to Friday)
Saturday: by appointment only