• Maxis recently collaborated with Xentral Methods Sdn Bhd, a local digital platform, to organise Malaysia’s first ebook writing competition
• Submissions now available for previews and free downloads on Maxis’ ebook service and e-Sentral until 25 April 2013
• The ebook with the highest number of downloads will be selected as one of the five winners
Kuala Lumpur, 4 April 2013. Maxis Berhad (Maxis), Malaysia’s leading integrated communications service provider, is pleased to announce that the ebook submissions from the competition launched a month ago in collaboration with local digital platform, Xentral Methods Sdn Bhd (e-Sentral), will be available for previews and free downloads by the public on Maxis’ ebook service at http://ebuuk.com.my and e-Sentral’s website at http://esentral.com.my until 25 April 2013.
The authors of the five most downloaded ebooks will be selected as the winners and receive an iPad each, while the author of the most downloaded book will also receive a Professional Editorial and Publishing Consultation on how to publish and commercialise their work on digital platforms.
T Kugan, Head of Product, Device, Innovation and Roaming, Maxis Berhad.
In February, Maxis and e-Sentral launched Malaysia’s first ebook writing competition which was open to all Malaysians aged 18 and above, with the aim of discovering Malaysia’s next generation of writers by providing an alternative platform for them to highlight their work and also help them reach a wider audience. Aspiring writers were able to submit their short fiction ebooks either in English or Bahasa Malaysia (one author per submission) between 1 February and 15 March 2013, to the official Ebook Competition Facebook page at www.facebook.com/EbookCompetition.
T Kugan, Maxis’ Head of Product, Device, Innovation and Roaming, said, “We are thrilled that this competition has received such a positive response from the public, especially from young writers aged 25 and below, who made up a majority of the submissions. We are also pleased to see them embracing technology as a medium to unleash their creativity and make their work known. We now encourage the public to start downloading and vote for their favourite stories.
“Maxis has been a leader in bringing innovation to the market by continuously building a data-friendly ecosystem to provide customers a richer digital experience through a wide range of digital content. With this competition, we are further strengthening this proposition by giving customers access to innovative and exclusive content which is only available through our ebooks service,” Kugan added.
Aspiring writer Michele Chia Yuen Yee, 22, from Petaling Jaya, said, “Even as a little girl, I've always wanted to be a novelist/writer. I am still working on that dream and several novels, in the hopes that one day I can be Malaysia's Meg Cabot or Sophie Kinsella, who are my absolute book author idols. My aspiration is to make readers feel the way these great writers make me feel whenever I read one of their books - absolutely magical and transported, forgetful of the world around me.”
Another passionate writer, Jay Anil Singh Shemar, 18, from Rawang, Selangor, said “What inspired me to write was my passion for writing tales that normally do not leave the classroom. Through this competition, I hope to be given the opportunity to be recognised as a potential author. Perhaps to even be offered publishing deal!”
While these aspiring writers were thrilled at the prospect at winning the competition, some had used the competition as an opportunity to demonstrate their skills as writers for the longer term.
When asked what she hopes to achieve from the competition, Ezzah Fatin Jemain, 21, from Skudai, Johor said, “I hope this this will become an encouragement and a motivation for myself that the world of a writer is limitless. Winning is certainly a bonus, but losing doesn't mean this should stop!”
“It would be great to win but at this point, I am quite happy to find a place to showcase my writing to a wider audience other than my immediate family and friends. I also hope to write for different mediums such as TV and film,” said Adlina Amiruddin, 29, from Shah Alam, Selangor
Meanwhile, 20-year old Muhammad Iqbal Ibrahim from Pulau Pangkor said, "Winning is not the first thing that I hope from this competition. I can accept it if I don’t win. I only hope my work is read by the readers out there. That is what will make me happy. When this competition ends, I hope that the readers will continue to read my next book."
Last year, Maxis launched Malaysia's first integrated digital book service, or ebooks, which can be used across devices. With the service, Maxis customers have access to a selection of over 300,000 international and local ebooks from over 40 categories. Maxis ebooks features a user-friendly interface and runs on a cloud-based digital bookstore, where customers can download books for free onto their iPads or Android tablets, anytime and anywhere they want. As part of this service, Maxis is also looking to nurture the growth of local books and content by partnering with local publishers, authors and educational institutions to grow the amount of local content in its digital library. To date, Maxis has already partnered with Cempaka Schools to eventually distribute learning content comprising publications and reference materials by its teachers through Maxis ebooks, enabling students to digitally access such content.
Further information on Maxis ebooks can be found at www.ebuuk.com.my and the app can be downloaded for free from Google Play and Apple's App Store.
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