We wouldn’t be here without the Lumut Creative Festival (read the story). Barely three months after the Perak-on-the-sea festival, the poets who were forced to perform at the Lumut car park regroup to organise this mini book fest at the capital city of Perak, Ipoh, in May 2025. Poetry persists, you see.
The poetry and music collectives behind IABF 2025, Projek Rebel and Projek Rabak, have a long track record in publishing, archiving zines, organising zine workshops, and producing records for Malaysian bands. The flavour is grunge and punk – up to the UK standard and independent of the Kuala Lumpur movement. That’s the connection between this Ipoh fest and the Lumut music festival. There were a few brains behind IABF 2025, but chiefly, Mohd Jayzuan – the artist – was the curator.
The venue – Moodie Café, also an event partner – a minute’s walk away from a huge wet market in the old, grungey part of Ipoh town – befits the book fest. It’s a charming venue and well-designed for small events. It describes itself as a dessert house on the façade of one of Ipoh’s listed buildings. Pastel-coloured heritage buildings, lively neighbouring food bazaars and stylish thrift stores shaped the festival’s Perakian identity: laid-back yet contemplative and forward-facing.
We don’t sell books. We sell a vision
Story Of Books set up our booth next to publishers such as Port Ipoh, Matahari Books, BukuFixi, Buku Liar, Rocky Press, Studio Kaukab, Pipit Press, Bilek Buku, Toko Buku Rakyat, Sekutu Buku Anti Kemampanan, Biblio Books, Rabak-Lit, Hubooks, Kinta Zine Club, Kawah Buku and Working Desk Publishing.
These are publishers that are inclined to cross borders with their ideas – and are probably curious of yours.
Take note, because these are publishers that are inclined to cross borders with their ideas – and are probably curious of yours. They came from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Perak and Penang. Story Of Books represented our hometowns, London, UK and Seri Manjung, Perak.
The participating indie bookstores such as Toko Sue, Hubooks and Bilek Buku double as book curators and organisers of book events. Hubooks specialises in Perak-focused collectible books, vintage posters and maps. It sold us a rare photobook on traditional dabus performance. Dabus is a dance of Persian origin where dancers go into a trance and stab themselves. Bilek Buku is a niche bookstore located in the heart of the Pasar Besar Ipoh or Ipoh Market. Toko Sue is a boutique bookstore based in Kuala Lumpur, known for hosting workshops and talks.
Where great minds get together
Sandwiched between two economically progressive states, Penang and Selangor, it makes logical sense for Perak to boom economically. Post-pandemic, that’s taking time. So culture comes to the fore to bring ideas and excitement where needed.
Sandwiched between Penang and Selangor, it makes sense for Perak to boom economically. That’s taking time. So culture comes to the fore.
The timing of IABF 2025 in May is perfect because it’s six months after the Georgetown Literary Festival and six weeks before Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair. It means new releases and indie works on the verge of discovery can be debuted here. Perak the state is measured and cautious, but Perakian creatives are anything but. The country’s important authors, auteurs and actors make ripples globally for a reason. It’s not so much the rebelliousness but more because of the disarming charm.
Perhaps this bookfest can be the event where new talents are spotted, and established publishers discover their non-mainstream partners for a ground-breaking collaboration.
Photography credit: © Zarina Holmes / Story Of Books; Copyright owners.
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