Library Provision to Indians in Malaysia

Authors

  • Khoo Siew Mun Ministry of National Unity and Community Development

Abstract

Summarizes the long history of immigration into Malaysia by Indian (primarily Tamil) laborers, noting the remarkable assimilation of the outsiders into Malaysian society. However, upward mobility was unlikely until government reforms in the 1960s, the most potent change being enhanced access to education at all levels. The Malaysian Constitution prohibits discrimination against any citizen. Library provision to Tamil schools and communities is at the same level as provision to Malaysians: it includes primary and secondary school libraries, and public libraries with stocks of Tamil books and specialist staff. The University of Malaya has a Department of Indian Studies and a substantial library collection to support it; the university publishes checklists of new Tamil acquisitions. Educated Indians learn Malay and English, and thus participate in the general library service as well as the specialized services maintained for them.

Author Biography

Khoo Siew Mun, Ministry of National Unity and Community Development

Khoo Siew Mun is Project Coordinator, Women's Affairs Division, Ministry of National Unity and Community Development, Malaysia. Her previous post was Chief Librarian, University of Malaya. She has degrees from the University of Malaya and a Diploma in Library and Information Studies, University of London. Mrs. Mun has published about 50 papers in library science, economics, and development.

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Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (1993)

Section

Articles

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