UNIMAS Journal (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak)
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Essential Oil from Citrus medica Waste and Its Repellent Activity Against Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)
Full text linkCitrus medica is enriched with beneficial antioxidant agents and has promising potential as a mosquito repellent. Most commercial mosquito repellents contain N,N,-diethyl-3-methybenzamide (DEET), damaging the synthetic fabric and plastic, thus producing toxic reactions. This study was conducted to identify the application of C. medica peels as new mosquito repellents formulated using essential oil of C. medica peels. Methodologically, the essential oil of C. medica peels was extracted via hydro-distillation method and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The insect repellent of C. medical essential oil nanoemulsion (EON) spray was formulated. This EON was further characterized and assessed for its stability as well as mosquito repellency properties. Major chemical constituents were successfully identified in C. medica peels, in which D-Limonene constituted almost 64.57%. The formulated EON was found to be slightly turbid, bluish-white, and isotropic. The pH of EON was 5.45, which was skin-friendly, with 0.8896 ± 0.0016 cP viscosity at 27 °C, which was lower than water (0.8539 cP). The conductivity readings (- 234V) used to establish the oil-in-water nanoemulsion were substantiated by spherical and homogenous shapes with no aggregation seen on a scanning electron microscope. From the repellency test, EON showed good potential with more than 70% mosquito repellency. In conclusion, mosquito repellents formulated from C. medica peel essential oil showed good mosquito repellency that effectively reduces vector-borne diseases, which significantly threaten many lives
MARKETING BOYCOTT MODEL IN INDONESIA: A STUDY USING SOCIAL IDENTITY AND PLANNED BEHAVIOR THEORIES
Full text linkThis study examines the role of self-identity expressiveness and social-identity expressiveness in marketing boycotts of products perceived to be affiliated with Israel in Indonesia. An extended model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), incorporating identity and social influences, is developed and tested. The study utilizes a sample of 571 individuals from Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi, selected through purposive sampling. Data analysis is conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) with IBM SPSS AMOS software. The findings confirm that self-identity expressiveness and social-identity expressiveness significantly influence behavioral intentions. Additionally, the study explores the relationship between self-identity expressiveness and attitudes, as well as between social-identity expressiveness and subjective norms. The results indicate that subjective norms alone are sufficient to capture the broader range of identity and social influences shaping boycott intentions. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, offering insights for marketing practitioners and scholars
BREAKING THE VIRTUAL WALL: WHY BUSINESSES RESIST METAVERSE IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY?
Full text linkWhile the metaverse is considered the next big thing associated with the information system ecosystem, this disruptive technology has not been widely adopted by many of the enterprises to date. Given its potential to drive the success of businesses as evidence across literature, this study aims to investigate retail enterprises’ non-adoption intentions toward the metaverse. The Technology, Organisation, and Environment (TOE) framework is used as an underpinning theory to examine the impact of various barriers on non-adoption intention towards the metaverse. Data were collected from 400 large- and medium-sized retail enterprises in China and analysed using partial least-squares structural equation models (PLS-SEM) to ensure reliability and test hypotheses. The findings indicate that both technological barriers (i.e., perceived complexity and perceived risk), organisational barriers (i.e., a lack of top management support), and environmental barriers (i.e., a lack of governance and standardisation) were found to have a significant effect on resistance to the adoption of the metaverse in retailing, which in turn significantly influenced non-adoption intentions. It is believed that the findings from this study will provide a better understanding of the metaverse's adoption from a business organisation's perspective and its impact on related stakeholders
Optimization of Lactic Acid Fermentation Conditions for the Production of Antibacterial Peptides Targeting Pantoea spp. for Rice Leaf Blight Control
Full text linkThis study aimed to optimize the production of antibacterial peptides from Bactronophorus thoracites via lactic acid fermentation, specifically focusing on Pantoea species to manage rice leaf blight. The main goal was to investigate sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches to address this agricultural disease using bioactive compounds derived from marine sources. The fermentation process was refined using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), producing highly reliable results confirmed by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and strong determination coefficients (R² = 0.9952 for Pantoea ananatis and R² = 0.9967 for Pantoea stewartii). The optimized parameters included a 4-day fermentation duration, a 3% (w/v) glucose concentration, and a 0.92% (w/v) solid-to-water ratio. These conditions closely matched predictive models and were further validated by a residual standard error (RSE) of less than 5%. The study identified the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the bioactive peptides, determining that 125 µg/mL was effective against the target bacteria. The hydrolysates produced in this study show promise as a natural method to control rice leaf blight and may have broader applications in agricultural disease management. This research highlights the potential of optimized lactic acid fermentation to produce effective antimicrobial agents, contributing to sustainable agriculture and offering new biotechnological strategies for plant disease control
Antifungal, Anti-Biofilm, and Anti-Phospholipase Effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteriocins on Clinical Yeast Pathogens
Full text linkYeast infections pose a significant challenge around the world, especially with the rising of antifungal drug resistance. This study investigates the antifungal, anti-biofilm and anti-phospholipase activity of bacteriocins produced by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa against 12 yeast isolates which were selected from 57 according to their high resistance to commonly used antifungal drugs, high biofilm production and phospholipase production. Additionally, this study tested the viability of the yeast cells tested after exposure to the bacteriocin. Forty P. aeruginosa isolates were tested and the most potent bacteriocin producing isolate was selected. The partially purified pyocins had high antifungal activity with a range of 40.57 µg ml-1 to 81.15 µg ml-1 minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against multiple clinical and drug resistant Candida and Cryptococcus isolates and surpassed the conventionally used antifungal drugs. It also possessed strong anti-biofilm activity, though its anti-phospholipase activity is varied and isolate dependent, and the viability of the yeast cells was significantly reduced. The high antimicrobial activity of the bacteriocin shows its potential as a therapeutic agent against yeast infections, especially those with high antifungal resistance and biofilm production. These findings can be beneficial to improve patients’ outcome as more novel antifungal therapeutic drugs are needed
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON THE INFLUENCE OF BOARD GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING
Full text linkSustainability reporting has become the primary method used by large corporations to inform stakeholders about the sustainability practices of the companies. Even though research on sustainability has gain prominence globally, there is still limited literature specifically on board governance and sustainability reporting of listed corporations. Therefore, it is vital that existing literature is accumulated, organised and analysed to determine the extent and development of literature in this area of research, including an overview of the key findings. The review adheres to the publication standard, namely Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Synthesis (ROSES). It includes articles from two leading databases, Scopus and Web of Science, which generated a final total of 53 related studies. The review is mainly categorised into six themes: social reporting, environmental reporting, GRI-based reporting, ESG-based reporting, reporting based on the scoring system and a combination of sustainability and integrated reporting. These themes further explore board governance and other related corporate governance aspects. The findings from the thematic analysis reveal an overview of board governance on sustainability reporting according to four main themes: (1) board independence and diversity; (2) board size and meeting; (3) board committee; and (4) board remuneration. Based on the results, board size and women directors tend to encourage sustainability reporting, but board independence seems less effective. The findings of this review are crucial for enhancing stakeholder confidence and protecting shareholders' interests as this study systematically summarises findings from various countries and contexts and does not just refer to the results of a single study. This study should also be particularly useful to future researchers who plan to embark on research in the areas of governance and sustainability reporting. The gaps in this research area are identified, and recommendations for future research are proposed
WORKING CAPITAL DYNAMICS AND FIRM PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM MALAYSIAN TECHNOLOGY FIRMS
Full text linkThis study examines how working capital management influences the financial performance of technology firms listed in the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Top 100 Index, addressing gaps in sector-specific evidence in Malaysia. Based on recent empirical findings linking WCM practices to profitability, we investigate the effects of the Cash Conversion Cycle, Average Payment Period, Current Ratio, and Leverage in relation to Return on Assets and Return on Equity. Using panel data from 12 firms over 2019–2023, and panel data regression, the Fixed Effects Model (FEM) shows that only LEV significantly and positively affects both ROE and ROA, supporting the Trade-Off Theory. To address endogeneity, the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) confirms LEV’s significance and further indicates that CCC and CR also influence ROE when dynamic factors are considered. The findings suggest that financial leverage is the primary driver of performance, while efficient WCM enhances shareholder returns under advanced modelling. These findings highlight the critical role of leverage management as part of working capital strategy for Malaysian technology firms
Digitalisation in Religious Tourism towards Realising Industry Revolution 5.0: A Systematic Review: Digitalisation in Religious Tourism
No full textReligious tourism is becoming an important sector within the tourism industry. The integration of digital technologies has opened up new possibilities for religious tourism businesses, allowing them to provide a variety of engaging experiences while serving as essential resources for entertainment, education, accessibility, and cultural preservation. This study offers a systematic review of existing research on religious tourism, with a particular emphasis on the role of digitalisation in line with the IR 5.0 and SDGs agendas. Adhering to the ROSES reporting standards and drawing from prestigious databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, this research provides a thorough analysis of digitalisation's impact on religious tourism. Through methodical search techniques, 30 articles that meet the specific quality criteria were selected. The study identified three main themes (Type, Tools, Impact) and 12 sub-themes, illuminating how digitalisation contributes to the goals of IR 5.0 and supports the achievement of the SDGs
Antibiotic Resistance and Virulence Gene Profiles of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholera, and Vibrio alginolyticus Isolated from Commercial Shrimp Farm in Kuching, Sarawak
Full text linkIn the management and treatment of Vibrio spp. infections in aquaculture, antibiotics have traditionally been used. Misuse of antibiotics, however, has led to the emergence of resistance strains. In this study, antibiotic susceptibility testing of 30 (n=30) Vibrio spp. isolates were performed by using 18 antibiotics, revealing resistance to at least two antibiotics. Antibiotics Ceftazidime, Meropenem, Gentamicin, Tetracycline, Nalidixic acid, Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, and Chloramphenicol were 100% effective against all isolates of V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae, and V. alginolyticus. Meanwhile, 100% of V. parahaemolyticus and V. alginolyticus isolates were completely resistant to Penicillin G and Bacitracin, whereas 100% of V. cholerae isolates exhibited resistance to Penicillin G. The Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) indices of all isolates ranged from 0.11 to 0.33. The presence of isolates with MAR indices higher than 0.2 suggests potential contamination from sources with high antibiotic usage, such as wastewater or nearby agricultural and aquaculture activities. The findings highlight widespread antibiotic resistance among Vibrio spp., likely due to excessive antibiotics use in aquaculture settings. Additionally, virulence profile of each Vibrio spp. isolates was performed. While pathogenic potential is exhibited by some isolates, others lack key virulence genes associated with pathogenicity. All V. parahaemolyticus isolates showed the presence of tlh, toxR, and toxS genes, whille all V. cholerae isolates were positive with toxS, toxR, rtxA, and rtxC genes. None of the V. alginolyticus showed the presence of the nine tested virulence genes. However, given the high frequency of horizontal gene transfer among bacterial populations, continuous and comprehensive monitoring is crucial to prevent the spread of virulence genes between pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains. Therefore, continuous efforts to obtain more data on antibiotic resistance and bacterial virulence profiles in Sarawak is crucial for effective disease management and sustainable aquaculture practices
Exploring impact of Transformational Leadership, Engagement, and Commitment on Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Evidence from Indonesian Labor Unions
Full text linkThe purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Transformational Leadership (TL) on Organizational Commitment (OC), Organizational Engagement (OE), and Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) in Indonesian labor unions. The study uses a quantitative approach, with a sample of 126 Indonesian labor union members. Data examined using structural equation modeling (SMART-PLS) According to the results, TL increases OC and OE among workers of labor unions but has no direct influence on OCB. OC neither acts as a mediator between TL and OCB nor has any significant impact on OCB. OE, however, emphasizes the need of involvement in fostering citizenship behaviors inside the organizational environment since it serves as a vital mediator in the connection between TL and OCB. The results suggest that labor union leaders should concentrate on strategies to increase organizational participation since this is essential for the development of OCB. While trying to improve voluntary, citizenship-like behavior among members, leaders should also take into account company culture and peer influence in view of the different impact of TL. In the framework of labor unions, this study clarifies the complex interactions among leadership, dedication, involvement, and citizenship behavior. It highlights TL's indirect influence on OCB by OE and offers understanding of collective organization leadership strategies