SINGAPORE, Oct. 21 -- Singapore novels are set to reach readers across Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar following a landmark regional publishing agreement.

The pact was initiated by home-grown publisher Epigram Literary Foundation, formerly Epigram Books, and will take effect in 2026, The Straits Times reported today.

It was signed on October 17 during the Frankfurt Book Fair, ensuring that winners of the annual Epigram Books Fiction Prize will be simultaneously released in six Southeast Asian markets with larger print runs.

The prize - first launched in 2015 for unpublished English manuscripts - has been open to citizens and permanent residents of South-east Asia since 2020.

"Together, I hope we can leverage...