KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — While many students are able to grasp their lessons with ease, the experience was quite different for renowned Malaysian scholar Prof Emeritus Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang.
He admitted that he was never among the top three students in his class during his school and university years and often felt that he lagged behind his peers.
As a result, he had to push himself to spend more time reading a wide range of materials to understand concepts he could not fully grasp, including those taught during lectures.
“I was not the best student in class. I was always behind. Some of my classmates could fully understand what the professor was teaching during lectures. I couldn’t. Usually, I had to revise the material before I could understand it. So, I had to read more than they did,” he told Bernama during a meet-and-greet session at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2026 here recently.
From that need to pursue knowledge emerged a deep passion for reading, which ultimately shaped his life journey as an academic, administrator, author and respected public intellectual known both locally and internationally.
Zaini, 61, who is also Chairman of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) Council, said that a love for reading does not necessarily have to begin with academic or heavy reading materials. Instead, individuals should start with subjects that genuinely interest them.
“Start by reading about things you enjoy. For example, adventure novels. From there, you can move on to related subjects such as maritime technology or geography. It is impossible to master knowledge and skills in a field that you do not enjoy,” he said.
The Professor Emeritus and former Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said consistent reading enabled him to deepen his knowledge in environmental studies, a field that had fascinated him since his student days and throughout his postgraduate education.
He has continued reading extensively on environmental issues from his student years until today, making it a major theme in much of his writing over the past three decades.
Apart from promoting a reading culture, the Management and Science University Pro-Chancellor also stressed the importance of developing specialised expertise or a niche in a particular field rather than trying to master too many things at once.
The idea is also explored in his latest book, Eco-Shift Model: Climate Action for Water Sustainability, which outlines a framework on how organisations and ministries can drive comprehensive cultural change within society.
What began as a reading habit to better understand his studies eventually transformed Zaini into a prolific author. To date, he has written 55 books covering a wide range of topics, including the environment, higher education and travel, as well as six collections of poetry.
Among his early and well-received works is Membaca: Motivasi & Kaedah, first published in 1993 and now in its third edition by the Malaysian Institute of Translation and Books (ITBM), with sales reaching approximately 15,000 copies.
“Compared with 30 or 40 years ago, not many people were interested in reading serious materials. Today, more people are reading them, including young people. Even the works of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas are among the best-selling books,” he said, viewing this as a sign of growing public interest in reading.
Besides academic books, he has also authored travel literature, including Kembara Dunia: 100 Hari, 15 Negara, 1 Misi, which chronicles his experiences delivering lectures in 15 countries and meeting leading global academics. An English edition is scheduled for publication in August 2026.
“I am currently preparing to deliver the Keris Mas Lecture 2026, organised by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, titled Sastera Alam Dalam Alam Sastera on June 23. It will also be published under the same title,” he said.
Interestingly, Zaini, who served as Secretary-General in six ministries between 2013 and 2025, said he rarely experiences writer’s block because he constantly draws ideas from his reading, experiences and professional fields of involvement.
Although he produces three to four books a year, he does not subscribe to a culture of working non-stop. Instead, he prefers to write for one to two hours before taking a break to spend time with his family or engage in recreational activities.
“I like having a little interruption while reading or writing. We are human. If we work continuously from morning until evening without stopping, it will be detrimental to both our health and creativity,” he said.
For Zaini, who is also a Professor Fellow at the International Islamic University Malaysia, the greatest satisfaction of being a writer lies not in the number of books published, but in the opportunity to leave behind knowledge that can benefit future generations.
“Writing is a form of amal jariah (continuous charity), whose benefits endure as long as the knowledge we leave behind continues to be read and practised. We pray that we will be granted lasting rewards from it,” said Zaini, who aims to write 100 books during his lifetime.
The Petronas Foundation trustee also expressed his hope of continuing to read, write and share knowledge for as long as he is blessed with good health and the opportunity to do so. — Bernama
