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A retired headmaster has founded and oversees a small public library in Taman Wawasan, Puchong.

Uncle Lee, an 89-year-old retiree, began gathering books in the 1950s. He thinks, "Why not share them with the public?".

@zestie.my Retired headmaster opens mini-libraries in a park Taman Wawasan Puchong 9:00am - 12:00pm (Monday - Thursday) #library #park #retired #volunteer #education #interview #tamanwawasanpuchong #puchong #malaysia #fyp #foryou original sound - Zestie Malaysia

Zestie Malaysia shared a TikTok video on which Uncle Lee claimed to have donated more than 10,000 books. Uncle Lee stated that although each family is allowed to check out up to thirty volumes at once, the guidelines are still open-ended.

Situated in a public play area, the books are in excellent shape. His name was even stamped on a few of the volumes. The books are available in many languages and subjects, so they can be read by people from all backgrounds.

Additionally, a variety of publications covering IT-related subjects, fiction, folklore, and reference books for elementary and high school students are available.

Uncle Lee mentioned that some people had checked out the books but never brought them back. "That was beyond bothering me. I'll be pleased if they bring the books back. I am powerless if they don't. Accepting the books without the stamp is OK. But kindly send those back with the stamp," he commanded.

According to Uncle Lee, several households contributed at least five books to help fill the little library, even though they had only borrowed two.

The local municipality was also impressed by Uncle Lee's passion and helped to construct a roof over the little library to serve as a shed from the sun and rain. Uncle Lee's idea received RM70,000 in assistance from Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

In China and Thailand, he has also established little public libraries and given books as gifts. "In my seventies, I was on a tour of China, and when I visited a little community, I found it hard to believe there was no library there. "There was no library and 1,700 middle school students in the school," he stated.

I informed the principal that I would give a library because it was in a remote location. They got 6,000 books from me. He continued, "That community sent a handful of their kids to famous institutions around China a few years later. The principal was overjoyed to learn that my books had benefited the kids. These folks found great value in the books I gave them," he remarked.

He argued that if there was a library in every little village, people might go there to read and learn more, and the nation would advance more quickly.

Regarding his future plans, Uncle Lee expressed his desire that the libraries could be taken up by someone. "Anyone is welcome to come help out at the library by volunteering. Just assist in organising things," he uttered.