MPH Group Malaysia Sdn Bhd is a Malaysian group of companies best known for its book retailing and online retailing services as well as being involved in the printing, publishing and distribution of books and library services in Malaysia and Singapore. Its bookstore chain, ''MPH Bookstores Sdn Bhd'', headquartered in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, has been among the largest in Malaysia after Popular. In 2020 MPH closed many of its bookstores in Malaysia and Singapore and concentrated its efforts on selling books via its online bookstore.Melissa Chan
"End Of A Chapter: Why MPH Bookstores Is Closing Its Last Two Outlets In S'pore"
vulcanpost.com. Retrieved 3 April 2022.R. Loheswar
"Readers reminisce as two MPH bookstores in Klang Valley close on June 6, others may follow suit"
'' Malay Mail'', 3 June 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2022.Nur Haziqah A. Malek
MPH bookstores turn online for better customer's experience
themalaysianreserve.com. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2022.Michael Arnold
Malaysian bookstore chain MPH culling stores in shift online
insideretail.asia. Retrieved 3 April 2022.

History

Captain W.G. Shellabear is recognized as the founder of MPH. In 1890, he established the ''Amelia Bishop Press'' in Singapore, publishing

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

literature. The company eventually began publishing secular works as well, changing its name to the ''American Mission Press'' in 1893. In the 1900s, Rev. William T. Cherry expanded the organization's activities to printing, publishing, bookselling, and book distribution. He changed the company's name to ''Methodist Publishing House'' in 1906, giving rise to the acronym 'MPH', as the company is known today. Beginning in 1906 the firm published the Malay Literature Series. The administration and editor's office of the Methodist Publishing House was located in a two storey Edwardian style building at the corner of

Stamford Road Stamford Road (Chinese: 史丹福路; ms, Jalan Stamford) is a one-way road in Singapore within the planning areas of Downtown Core and Museum. The road continues after the traffic light junction of Nicoll Highway, Esplanade Drive and Raffles ...

and Armenian Street in Singapore. Constructed in 1907-08, the building housed a printing press and also served for decades as an MPH bookstore."MPH Building" (entry) in: Wan Meng Hao and Jacqueline Lau,
Heritage Places of Singapore
', Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 2009, pages 85-87. Retrieved 3 April 2022.Vernon Cornelius

National Library Board (Singapore), eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 3 April 2022. MPH changed its name in 1927 to the ''Malaya Publishing House'' and in 1963 it was renamed as the ''Malaysia Publishing House'', but throughout the acronym MPH remained. The company also changed ownership multiple times, being acquired by an Indonesian consortium in 1966, then a Hong Kong group, Jack Chia-MPH, in 1972 and finally by Singaporean entrepreneur

Simon Cheong Simon Cheong Sae Peng (; born ) is a Singaporean businessman. He was ranked by ''Forbes'' as the 44th richest man in Singapore in 2016. He is the founder of the property developer SC Global Developments Company. Cheong was ranked the 22nd riches ...

in 1999. In 2002, Jalinan Inspirasi Sdn Bhd, acquired the company. This was the first time MPH became a wholly Malaysian-owned company.

Bookstores

In early 2019 MPH had 29 bookstores in Malaysia and three in Singapore. It had a heavy presence in the

Klang Valley Klang Valley ( ms, Lembah Klang; zh, 巴生谷; ) is an urban conglomeration in Malaysia that is centered in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and includes its adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. It is con ...

, operating in major shopping outlets including Mid Valley. Its bookstores in Singapore were located at Raffles City, Parkway Parade, and in the SingPost Centre in Paya Lebar. Following a partial lockdown from the COVID-19 pandemic and several social media posts alleging the closure of nine MPH stores nationwide including four in the

, MPH staff members confirmed that their outlet in Subang Parade would be closing on 6 June 2020. Following the online speculation, in June 2020 the MPH Group CEO Donald Kee issued a statement outlining "its strategy as a transition into a more e-commerce-focused retail format, consolidating non-performing stores and pooling resources for a digital-business push", as well as deploying "high-tech vending machines placed in strategic locations", and launching a "social interactive e-learning platform". He added that the firm would "maintain its key physical locations".

Online bookstore

MPH branched out into the online book retailing via its MPHOnline.com website in 2000.

References

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External links

Official websiteTriglot Vocabulary (English, Malay, Hokkien, Hakka). Methodist Publishing House, Singapore, 1913
1890 establishments in Singapore Retail companies established in 1890 Publishing companies established in 1890 Book publishing companies of Malaysia Bookstores of Malaysia Privately held companies of Malaysia Malaysian brands