Tintabudi curates a unique selection of writings, from journals to literature and magazines.
“Welcome to Tintabudi,” says Abdul Nazir Harith Fadzilah, the soft-spoken founder of Tintabudi, an independent bookstore tucked away in a quiet corner of TTDI. “How have you found this place so far?”
As most places that are a sanctuary for literature and the arts, I felt inspired just by walking through the door. I asked him how Tintabudi first came about.
Abdul Nazir Harith Fadzilah, Founder of Tintabudi
“It all began with a longing,” he says about the store’s beginnings, his voice carrying the cadence of a storyteller. “Initially, it wasn’t a deliberate venture, but rather a response to my struggles upon returning to Malaysia after studying at RMIT in Australia. Finding the books I craved was hard. That’s when I decided to create a space that would cater to my literary interests—focusing on Southeast Asian perspectives,” he says.
With the idea of creating a space where Southeast Asian perspectives and scholarly discourse could come together with seamless integration, Tintabudi was born.
Tintabudi began with humble beginnings as a pop-up booth in Kuala Lumpur, which eventually gained momentum. They later relocated to Canning Garden in Ipoh—a quaint bungalow doubling as an Airbnb and a bookstore. This unique space was created in collaboration with the creative collective Projek Rabak.
It was here where Tintabudi began to weave its narrative by hosting literary events that attracted intellectuals and literature lovers alike. In 2017, they opened a bookstore in The Zhongshan Building.
The bookstore encourages visitors to browse and explore the diverse selection.
“We’ve grown beyond being just book purveyors; we’re now custodians of intellectual discourse, drawing a diverse audience passionate about humanities and academic literature.” It was around this time Nazir went on to spend a stint in London where he worked at independent bookstore, AnyAmountofBooks for a year. “It was a secondhand bookshop in Charing Cross—a place steeped in literary history. There, I gained invaluable insights into the nuances of the book trade.”
Fast forward to 2024, Tintabudi relocated to TTDI – marking a turning point, responding to a neighbourhood known for its cultural vibrancy and fulfilling its vision of a community-driven bookstore.
When asked about Tintabudi’s eclectic collection, Nazir says that they aim to feature intellectually and culturally resonant books. Initially niche-focused on humanities and academic titles.
Our move to TTDI has inspired us to broaden our range while staying true to our foundational offerings. From contemporary literature to socio-economic analyses, each book is curated with both passion and community feedback in mind.”
His reverence for the written word was palpable when naming the bookstore. “It’s not a combination of words,” he explains with pride. “It marries ‘Tinta,’ symbolising ink, with ‘Budi,’ which represents the essence of intellect, courtesy, and wisdom inherent in our culture.” To him, Tintabudi embodies the human capacity for thought and reflection, with each book on its shelves representing the richness of the human experience in ink.
