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Ethnolinguistic Vitality of the Iban Language in Iban-dominant and Non-Iban-dominant Areas in Sarawak, Focusing on Language Use and Language Attitudes
No full textThe study aimed to investigate the ethnolinguistic vitality of the Iban language in Iban-dominant and non-Iban-dominant areas in Sarawak, focusing on language use and language attitudes. The specific objectives of the study were (1) to identify the Iban respondents’ perceptions of their language use in various domains: the family domains, outside-home domains, as well as social media and new domains; (2) to examine the Iban respondents’ attitudes towards the instrumental value and status of the Iban language in Sarawak; (3) to compare the use of Iban in interactions in the family, outside the home, and social media and new domains, and the attitudes towards Iban in Iban-dominant and non-Iban-dominant areas, and (4) to compare the perceived and observed language use of the participants in Iban-dominant and non-Iban-dominant areas. This study adopted a mixed method incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Two types of instruments were used in this study: a set of online questionnaires via Google Form developed based on UNESCO’s nine criteria of language vitality/endangerment, and a non-participant observation sheet developed based on Fishman’s (1967) theory of language domains. The questionnaire data were obtained from 1,204 Iban respondents, while the participants for the non-participant observations involved 102 respondents. Five key findings were identified from the study, namely, (1) most respondents learned Iban informally, acquired from their parents; (2) the Iban language is predominantly used at home but faces reduced transmission in non-Iban-dominant areas, especially in interactions involving Iban younger generations; (3) Iban is used to a lesser extent in communication with other ethnic groups (Malay, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Chinese, etc.) despite being the largest ethnic group in Sarawak; (4) Iban is the least used language for social and professional interactions in social media and new media domains, in which English emerges as the primary language for communication; and (5)
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locality plays a significant influence on language use and attitudes within the Iban community, particularly emphasising the effect on intergenerational language transmission, religious practices, and communication in various social contexts. The language vitality of Iban can be graded as medium-level, roughly aligned with Grade 5- on the UNESCO framework. While the Iban language maintains a stable speaker base and positive community attitudes, it faces challenges from dominant languages (Malay and English) that restrict its formal and new media use. Its moderate institutional support highlights the need for proactive measures to strengthen education, literacy, and domain expansion to ensure its continued vitality and prevent future endangerment
Factors Affecting China’s Tea Exports to Malaysia
No full textThis study aims to explore the factors affecting China’s tea exports to Malaysia and their
long-term and short-term dynamic impacts, so as to deepen China-Malaysia trade relations.
Based on demand theory, this study mainly adopts the Autoregressive Distributed Lag
(ARDL) approach to conduct an empirical analysis using quarterly data from 2005 to 2024.
It focuses on examining the impacts of variables such as the price of China’s tea imported
by Malaysia, the price of coffee imported by Malaysia, Malaysia’s GDP, Malaysia’s tea
production, and international oil price on the export volume. The empirical results show that
an increase in the price of China’s tea significantly inhibits export volume in the long-term.
As a substitute, coffee price exhibits a significantly negative impact in the long-term,
indicating that tea and coffee in Malaysia do not have a conventional substitution
relationship. Malaysia’s GDP has a significantly positive impact in the long-term, while local
tea production and international oil price exert significantly negative long-term impact on
China’s tea exports. The findings from Granger causality test further indicate that the price
of China’s tea, the price of coffee, and GDP of Malaysia can Granger cause the China’s tea
exports to Malaysia in the short-run. This study provides targeted reference suggestions for
enterprises and policymakers to promote the development of China-Malaysia tea trade,
filling the gap in the literature
Swiftlet farming
No full textAlthough humans have occupied the Great Cave of Niah as far back as 60,000 years before present, swiftlets within the caves were left unmolested. Humans began collecting edible nests for sale in the last two centuries, and within a span of 170 years, the swiftlet populations were nearly decimated. Fortunately, within 25 years, descendants of the same group
of human, successfully rescued the swiftlets from local extinction. This is the story of humans and swiftlets at Niah
Youth Perspectives on Climate Change : A Comparative Study of Perhentian and Redang Islands
No full textClimate change poses significant threats to island communities. Youths play a crucial role in climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, yet their perspectives and engagement remain understudied in many island settings. This study aims to assess youth awareness, action, and knowledge of climate change on Perhentian and Redang Islands; compare their perspectives; and provide recommendations to enhance youth participation in climate action and adaptation strategies. In total, 148 youths participated in this study using a cross-sectional survey by stratified random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaire surveys and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings indicate significant differences in awareness, action, and knowledge between the two island communities
(p < 0.05). Factors contributing to these differences include the presence of environmental education
programs, exposure to conservation projects, the influence of social media, and the integration of traditional ecological knowledge in daily practices. Youths from families involved in eco-tourism or conservation efforts exhibit greater awareness and proactive attitudes toward climate issues. Limited access to environmental education and fewer youth-led initiatives on Perhentian Island contribute to lower engagement levels. This study emphasizes the need of culturally appropriate climate education, digital engagement tactics, and community-based conservation projects for increasing climate awareness and action among island youths. Strengthening partnerships between local governments, educational institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can lead to effective youth participation in climate resilience initiatives. This study will help policymakers and conservation practitioners in planning targeted initiatives to promote sustainable development and climate adaptation in vulnerable coastal communities
A Comparative Study of Cooperative Principal Violation in How I Met Your Mother and Phua Chu Kang
No full textThis comparative study examines how non-observance of Grice’s Cooperative Principle generates humour in How I Met Your Mother and Phua Chu Kang, aiming to map breach types to strategies. The framework integrates Grice’s maxims (Quality, Quantity, Relation, Manner) with incongruity, superiority, and relief theories to explain how pragmatic choices cue audience inferences. The problem addressed is the lack of cross-show, cross-cultural evidence about which maxims are breached, why they are not observed, and how such breaches translate into coherent humour mechanisms. Using comparative content analysis, the sample comprised the three highest-rated season-one episodes from each sitcom, restricted to main-cast utterances that show non-observance. Data were collected through close reading and human coding, then analyzed via frequency profiling of breach types and discourse analysis of implicatures and joke functions. Findings show distinct breach profiles: one series favors information play and misdirection, the other strategic ambiguity and politeness-tinged vagueness. Across both shows, incongruity leads most laughs, while superiority and relief vary with character dynamics and situational tension. Overall, pragmatic design—not merely topics or punchlines—shapes laugh timing and social meaning audiences quickly recognize. Implications include writer, translator, and educator guidance; future work should use multi-season corpora, test audiences, and model multimodal cues robustly..
Glial cells missing 1 triggers gliosis and angiogenesis after neonatal brain injury
No full textThe glial cells missing (gcm) protein in Drosophila plays a crucial role in the cell fate switch in the nervous system and in induction of glial cell differentiation. However, the functions of the mammalian homologue Gcm1 in normal neural development and pathological conditions remain elusive. Here, we report that Gcm1 was upregulated in Nestin+ cells immediately after neonatal brain injury, followed by accumulation of GFAP+ and Olig2+ cells in the penumbra region. Injury-induced upregulation of Lif gene was mediated, at least in part, by the demethylation activity of Gcm1. In addition, Gcm1 strongly induced angiogenesis in the injury lesion as well as in the developing brain via vascular endothelial growth factor A and C activity. Lack of Gcm1-mediated angiogenesis could be a major cause of the dysplasia in placental labyrinths found in Gcm1–/– embryos, leading to embryonic lethality. Our data suggest that Gcm1 triggers both gliosis and angiogenesis after brain injury and could be a target for therapeutic intervention
Penggunaan Jenis Vokal Dan Diftong Dalam Dialek Melayu Kampung Semarang, Sarawak
No full textThe Malay dialect of Sarawak is widely spoken across the state and exists in various regional variations depending on location. This study focuses on the Malay dialect spoken by the community in Kampung Semarang, Pusa, Sarawak. The research employed a qualitative descriptive approach through upstream fieldwork and data analysis based on descriptive linguistic theory. Informants were selected using the
NORM (Non-mobile, Older, Rural, Male) and NORF (Non-mobile, Older, Rural, Female) criteria, involving two male and two female speakers. Data were collected using 100 Swadesh basic vocabulary items along with over 200 additional words
categorized into domains such as animals, kinship, household items, numbers, colours, food, and body parts. Field notes were also used as supporting data. Findings revealed that there are eight cardinal vowel phonemes in this dialect: /i/, /e/, /ɛ/, /a/, /ə/, /u/, /o/, and /ɔ/, as well as two primary rising diphthongs: /aj/ and /oj/. A total of 16 allophones were identified: [i], [ĩ], [ʷi], [ʲi], [e], [ẽ], [ɛ], [ɛ], [a], [ʷa], [ã], [ʲa], [ ̃ ə], [ə̃], [u], [ũ],
[ʷu], [o], [õ], [ʷo], [ʲo], [ɔ], and [ɔ̃]. The study also identified minimal vowel pairs—/u/ - /ə/, /u/ - /a/, /a/ - /i/, as well as seven vowel sequences present in this dialect: /au/, /ia/, /ua/, /ai/, /oa/, /ao/ dan /io/. Additionally, phonological processes such as
monophthongization ([aj] → [e], [aw] → [o], [ua] → [ɔ]), labialization ([ʷa], [ʷu], [ʷo]), and palatalization ([ʲa], and [ʲo]) were found to be significant features in the
phonological system of the Kampung Semarang Malay dialec
Penggunaan Unsur Eufemisme Dalam Pertuturan Seharian Masyarakat Bidayuh Jagoi Di Daerah Bau
No full textThe use of euphemism, especially in daily communication in a group of people, must be practiced in an individual. It doesn’t matter whether you are from the same ethnic group or
not because the uses of euphemism can bring some benefits to yourself. This study will be guided by various contexts of daily communication of the Bidayuh community in Bau, Sarawak. Indeed ynonymous with the use of words that sound harsh, but it can be replaced by terms that are subtle. This study was conducted in Kampung Bogag, Bau, Sarawak and
researcher found that four categories of euphemism domain elements (based on findings in this study only) has been obtained through the daily communication in Bidayuh community at Kampung Bogag, Bau, Sarawak including sex, disease, fear and referring to God. This study entirely qualitative. Data acquisition by interview fifteen informants directly based on the formula NORF (for female informants) and NORM (for male informants). Researcher also apply the theory of Allan & Burridge (1991) which is concept of categorization of euphemism. Thus, this study could give an impression to the people of Bidayuh ethnic group in Bau,
Sarawak who great emphasis on word choices in their daily communication
Credit Risk and Microfinance Performance in Pakistan: The Moderating Role of Board Risk Committee
No full textThis study investigates the influence of credit risk on the financial performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Pakistan, with a particular focus on the moderating role of
the Board Risk Committee Index (RCINDEX). Using panel data from 19 microfinance banks spanning the years 2012 to 2021, the study applies fixed-effects regression with robust
standard errors to assess the relationships among key variables. Credit risk is proxied by Portfolio at Risk (PAR) and Non-Performing Loans (NPL), while financial performance is measured using Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and Operational SelfSufficiency (OSS). The RCINDEX is constructed as a standardized composite of risk committee
size, independence, and competence. The findings reveal that both PAR and NPL are
significantly negatively associated with MFI performance, indicating that increased credit risk
compromises profitability and sustainability. However, the RCINDEX exhibits a significant
positive moderating effect, suggesting that well-structured risk committees can mitigate the
adverse consequences of credit risk. These results align with agency and stakeholder theories,
which highlight the critical role of governance mechanisms in managing risk and enhancing
institutional performance. The study offers practical implications for MFI regulators, boards
of directors, and policymakers seeking to strengthen governance frameworks and ensure
financial sustainability in emerging economies
Strengthening Bidayuh women enterpreneurs in Kampung Singai, Sarawak through the 3D-Impak model for rural transformation
No full textRural micro-entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in advancing socio-economic development, yet it remains fragmented and vulnerable, particularly among
women in Indigenous communities. In Malaysia, policy frameworks such as the MADANI Economy and the MyDIGITAL Blueprint 2021–2030 emphasize inclusive entrepreneurship and the pledge to “leave no one behind.” However, the realities on the ground reveal that Bidayuh women entrepreneurs
in Kampung Singai continue to face significant challenges, including digital exclusion, weak branding capacity, restricted market access, and limited support networks. These structural barriers prevent them from fully engaging
with national agendas and leveraging opportunities in the digital economy.This article introduces the 3D-IMPAK Model, a community-driven framework designed to strengthen Bidayuh women entrepreneurs by integrating Digital Transformation, Indigenous Empowerment, and Social Enterprise. The model
reframes rural entrepreneurship as a pathway not only for economic growth but also for cultural resilience, digital inclusion, and women’s collective agency.
By promoting digital literacy, advancing indigenous branding, and fostering peer-based cooperative networks, the 3D-IMPAK approach addresses systemic gaps that hinder women’s participation and competitiveness.Aligned with Malaysia’s national strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this framework highlights the transformative potential of empowering Indigenous women entrepreneurs as catalysts for rural development.
Ultimately, the study demonstrates that strengthening Bidayuh women entrepreneurs through the 3D-IMPAK Model contributes to building resilience, enhancing market competitiveness, and preserving dignity in the
digital era, offering a replicable approach for inclusive and sustainable rural transformation