KLIBF 2026 Sets New Attendance Record with Over 2.4 Million Visitors

KLIBF 2026 attracted a record 2.4 million visitors, highlighting Malaysia’s growing reading culture and the expanding reach of its publishing industry.

on Jun 09, 2026

KLIBF 2026 Sets New Attendance Record with Over 2.4 Million Visitors

Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) 2026 ended on a high note as a record number of more than 2.4 million people turned up at the book fair, setting a new standard for this event and demonstrating the increasing passion for reading among the Malaysian population.

Over the period of ten days, the KLIBF hosted 2,416,009 participants, breaking last year’s record of two million.
At the closing session of the KLIBF, the Deputy Education Minister Datuk Wong Kah Woh remarked that this feat demonstrates the successful results of sustained efforts to foster the reading culture in Malaysia.

As reported by Wong, the number of visitors to the book fair has grown steadily in the recent years, increasing from one point six million in 2023 to one point eight million in 2024.

The 2026 event witnessed the involvement of 209 local publishers as well as 23 foreign publishers. In other words, there were many literary works available at the event for readers to enjoy.
Wong also pointed out that Malaysia’s digital publishing sector has grown rapidly and currently has more than 1,000 players. The total number of accessible book titles in Malaysia through the digital platforms exceeds 900,000.

The Madani Book Voucher scheme was another topic of discussion. As the programme was launched by the prime minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, it is one of the major factors driving the nation’s book industry since the scheme promotes books among students.

In 2024, RM286 million was allotted to support the scheme. As many as 3.57 million students from primary and secondary schools participated in the programme. It was claimed that no corruption happened within the framework of the scheme.

In this year’s edition, the program will target students from secondary school and above, with each beneficiary entitled to a book voucher worth RM100. The Government has projected that over two million students will be part of the project.

KLIBF 2026, which enjoyed huge turn out and good support from publishers and the government towards books, has proven itself to be one of the best literary festivals in the region, helping grow the Malaysian publishing industry.