PUTRAJAYA, Sept. 8 -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for Malaysia to strengthen its approach to historiography, warning that weakening reading habits and declining interest in history pose a serious challenge to the nation's cultural identity.

Speaking at the launch of the National Historians' Council, Anwar said historiography, the study and critique of how history is written, is crucial not only for understanding the past but also for questioning and interpreting it more deeply.

"I feel that the time has come for Malaysia to build strength in this field. I do not think this is something new, nor do I want anyone to say that this gathering is merely an early attempt to 'set Malaysia's history straight'. In fact, the...