Last newsdealer in mentakab maintains print tradition amid digital shift

K. Mutusamy, a 70-year-old newsdealer in Mentakab, Malaysia, continues to operate the only remaining print news shop in his town.

He opened his shop on Jalan Tun Abdul Razak in 1987 after beginning his career in the trade in 1979. While younger generations increasingly use digital platforms, Mutusamy remains committed to selling physical newspapers and magazines as long as his health permits. The business has changed significantly since the 1980s and 1990s when Mutusamy faced overwhelming demand for printed materials.

During that era, he would arrive at his shop at 3:00 am to receive deliveries from printing factories. He recalls a time when dozens of agents and paperboys gathered outside his shop and customers waited in lines as early as 5:30 am to purchase papers. He also previously sold more than 70 different titles in Malay, English, and Tamil. Today, the shop serves a smaller group of loyal customers who still prefer physical copies.

Mutusamy decided to focus exclusively on the news trade rather than opening a grocery store or other businesses. Although his wife, C. Thanalatchimy, no longer assists him at the shop, his three children still help manage the business. Mutusamy intends to keep the shop running to maintain the tradition he started decades ago.