UNIMAS Journal (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak)
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CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DISCLOSURE AND COST OF EQUITY EVIDENCE FROM PUBLIC LISTED COMPANIES IN MALAYSIA
Get PDFCorporate social responsibility (CSR) has been rolled out in recent years as it has become vital owing to the massive growth of financial institutions, mutual funds, online resources, and other publications. CSR disclosure could reduce the cost of equity. The study's main objective is to investigate the CSR disclosure by companies listed in Malaysia towards the cost of equity. This study is based on three hundred four (304) samples of Malaysian listed companies from 2013 to 2014. The data of the samples were mainly collected from annual reports, except for financial data which were collected from DataStream. The result revealed that the CSR disclosure in the annual report could reduce the company's cost of equity by reducing information asymmetry, reducing agency costs, and reducing companies' risk. The result also shows that liquidity has a significant negative relationship with the cost of equity. The higher information disclosure enhances stock market liquidity, thus, reducing the cost of equity through the reduction of risk as well increasing demand for a company's securities. The size, liquidity, and growth have a significant relationship with the cost of equity
AN INTERACTION BETWEEN BOARD ATTRIBUTES AND EARNINGS MANAGEMENT OF LISTED MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN NIGERIA
Get PDFThe study investigated an interplay between board attribute and earnings management of listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. This study tested some board attributes indicators (audit fee, board independence, and board size), and earnings management was proxied using discretionary accruals using a sample of forty-two (42) manufacturing companies listed on Nigerian Exchange Group while purposeful sampling techniques were used to sampled from the population, covering the study period from 2010 to 2021. The data were analyzed using the Generalized method of moment by the use of E-View 12 econometric software and multivariate- regression model. The findings of the study show that there is a positive and statistically insignificant relationship between audit fees and earnings management. The study therefore concludes that a positive and statistical relationship exists between board attributes and earnings management of listed manufacturing companies in Nigeria. The study consequently recommends that ethical standards should be encouraged by the regulatory agencies if not mandated
Body Indices and Population Dynamics of Setipinna breviceps (Cantor, 1849) from Batang Lassa Estuary, Sarawak, Malaysia: Population dynamics of Setipinna breviceps from Batang Lassa
No full textThe Setipinna breviceps is a commercially important and highly esteemed food fish. This species has scant of scientific formation particularly on population parameters like growth, mortality and recruitment. The present study aimed to estimate the body indices and population parameters of Setipinna breviceps of Batang Lassa Estuary (BLE). Samples were collected between April 2019 and September 2020. A local made bag net known as Gnian (mesh size 1.25 to 4.00 cm) was used for sampling the fish. A total of 287 qualified specimens were used for this study. The length and weight of individual fish was measured to the nearest 0.1 cm and 0.01 g, respectively. The length ranged from 5.50 to 24.00 cm and growth coefficient (b) was 2.563 (R2 = 0.87) which clearly indicated a negative allometric growth. About 50% of individuals showed flat or slender body (Kn<1) and 47% of the specimens were rounded shaped (Kn>1) while 2.44% of fishes measured an ideal shape (Kn = 1). The parameters of growth L∞, K and ϕ’ were estimated at 24.15 cm, 0.23 yr-2 and 2.13, respectively. The estimated natural mortality and fishing mortality were 0.74 and 0.29 yr-2, respectively and exploitation rate was 0.28. The recruitment pattern during the study was observed at two possible unequal peaks. The present study concluded that the anchovy was under exploited (E<0.5) as demonstrated by the under-sized fishes caught with small mesh size net. However, considering the minimum lengths and length at first catch, the BLE could be a productive nursery ground for S. breviceps. Therefore, management actions are required to avoid juvenile catches
Morphological and Physiological Development of Pyricularia oryzae Isolates from North-western Region of Sarawak on Different Media under Laboratory Conditions : Growth of Pyricularia oryzae on different media
No full textRice blast (causal agent: Pyricularia oryzae) is an important disease of rice in Sarawak. Understanding the pathogen’s morphological characteristics, genetic diversity and pathogenicity is important. Having a suitable medium for culturing and maintaining P. oryzae is important to ensure the availability of inoculum or materials under laboratory conditions. Oatmeal agar (OMA) and potato dextrose agar (PDA) are common media used for growing P. oryzae. OMA allows better mycelial growth and better sporulation as compared to PDA. There are also other alternatives such as fresh rice leaf agar and rice straw agar. Although OMA seems to be the best medium, unfortunately the opaqueness of the medium causes difficulty in observing the morphology and growth of mycelia. In addition, it is known that different isolates of P. oryzae will respond differently to different media. This study aims to identify the best media for culturing and maintaining P. oryzae isolates from Sarawak. A total of 14 P. oryzae isolates were characterised for their morphological characteristics, growth rate and sporulation rate using seven growing media. These 14 isolates included seven newly identified isolates in this study and seven isolates from a previous study, which were verified using internal transcribed spacer DNA sequence. The colony surface of the 14 P. oryzae isolates varied on different growing media. The pigmentation of colony surface varied from different shades of grey, translucent light brown, white and colourless. Pyricularia oryzae isolates grew better on OMA and PDA, while OMA was the best for sporulation. These two media can be recommended for culturing and maintaining different P. oryzae isolates under laboratory conditions
External Environmental and Insects Factor for Attraction of Edible Bird Nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) in Sarawak: Factors attracting EBN swiftlet into SFH at southern Sarawak
No full textEdible Bird Nest (EBN) swiftlet industry plays a significant role in the economic growth in Sarawak. This study aimed at identifying both the external environmental factors and types of insects that are important for a successful swiftlet farmhouse (SFH). For this purpose, a total of 21 SFHs from the southern areas of Sarawak were selected. The external environmental factors of SFH and the type of insects present in relation to the number of EBN swiftlet populations were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that external environmental locations, namely rural and remote areas, were highly selected (71.42%) for the construction of SFHs (p<0.05) compared to the other location categories, as analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Significant relationships (p<0.05) were observed between environmental factors (habitat origin and predation) and the population of EBN swiftlets in the SFHs. Large densities of the EBN swiftlet populations were found in SFHs located in areas with fewer disturbances. The highest population of insect types in most SFHs was Diptera (52.38%). This study can be used as a guideline for swiftlet ranchers looking to startup their EBN swiftlet farming
DIVIDEND POLICY EFFECTS ON FIRMS’ VALUE IN MALAYSIAN PLANTATION SECTOR
Get PDFDividend policy relay information regarding the dividend decision made by the firm, and it is crucial to the shareholders and investors due to the potential impact on the value of a firm. This study aims to investigate the influence of dividend policy and firms’ value for the plantation sector in Malaysia. Thus, the determinants for dividend policy are dividend payout ratio, price earnings ratio, and earnings per share while the firms’ value is represented by Tobin’s Q. Based on a quantitative approach, 44 firms of plantation sectors listed in Bursa Malaysia from 2016 to 2019. The data were collected from the published annual reports and audited financial statements of the local plantation firms and analyzed using EViews version 10. Based on the findings, the dividend payout ratio has a negative significant relationship with firms’ value. The price earnings ratio has a negative influence on firms’ value while earnings per share have a positive influence on firms’ value. However, these relationships were reported as insignificant. This study attempts to contribute to the body of knowledge and highlights the valuable implication to the management, stakeholders, and policy makers of the plantation sector in Malaysia.
 
THE IMPACT OF TRADE, FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI), AND ECONOMIC GROWTH ON CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) EMISSIONS IN SELECTED ASIAN COUNTRIES
Get PDFThis study examines the impact of trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), and economic growth on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Selected Asian countries for the period 1990 to 2019. The objectives of this study are (1) to investigate the relationship between trade and CO2 emission, (2) to investigate the relationship between FDI and CO2 emission, and (3) to investigate the relationship between economic growth and CO2 emission.
This study uses ordinary least squares (OLS) method to analyze the data. Multicollinearity test, heteroskedasticity test, and serial correlation test were also used to check the stability of the model. In addition, Granger causality test was applied to this study.
The results show that there is a significant positive correlation between economic growth and CO2 emissions. If GDP increases by 1%, the average CO2 emission will increase by 0.186%, holding other variables constant. The explanation of trade and FDI on CO2 emissions is insignificant. Multicollinearity, heteroskedasticity and serial correlation are not present in the model of this study. Finally, the results of Granger causality test show that there is no Granger causality between independent variables and dependent variable.
The government establishes better environmental regulations and strengthens the regulation of chemical and heavy industry sectors. Promoting technological advancement and investment in new energy technologies, government focus on energy efficiency and environmental initiatives in the corporate sector can effectively curb the growth of CO2 emissions
THE IMPORTANCE OF SIGNALLING ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AND RELATIONSHIP LENDING FOR SMES’ BANK CREDIT ACCESS
Get PDFAlthough SMEs matter for the development of economies, they need financing that is the main impediment to their survival. To overcome this barrier, SMEs might reduce information asymmetries between them and banks by signaling their entrepreneurial activities that are based on Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) and by having frequent contact with banks in a lending relationship. In this regard, this paper purposes to find out the impacts of signaling EO and relationship lending on bank credit access of SMEs. To fulfill this aim, the researcher has applied stratified random and purposive sampling methods to create the research sample from SMEs that operate in various geographical regions of Turkey. The researcher also employs a self-administered internet-mediated questionnaire to collect data from 479 SMEs. Moreover, this paper runs Binary Logistic Regression Test to analyze the impacts of signaling EO and lending relationship on bank credit access. According to the results, trademark ownership, R&D subsidies received by SMEs and closeness of communication between SMEs and banks positively affect bank credit access of SMEs. On the other hand, patent ownership, R&D investments and alliances of SMEs with prominent firms do not influence their credit access
THE DETERMINANT OF CONSIGNMENT GOODS IN CROSS-BORDER E-COMMERCE
Get PDFE-commerce has started to dominate imported goods. This situation makes it problematic for domestic industries to compete with foreign products. The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia adjusted the de minimis threshold to USD3 from USD75 to anticipate it. The policy is expected to limit imported products and support the sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Research related to imports through e-commerce in Indonesia still needs to be completed. This study aims to analyse several variables predicted to affect cross-border e-commerce. This research employs the ordinary least square (OLS) and error correction model (ECM) approach to examine the effect of exchange rates, inflation, income, and discounts on imports from e-commerce. A one-way ANOVA test was used to find the difference in the average imports of the three de minimis groups (USD100, USD75, and USD3). It utilized transaction data obtained from the Lazada e-commerce platform. Lazada was chosen because it is one of the biggest marketplaces in Indonesia. The test result found that discounts significantly affect the short and long-term import value. In addition, lowering de minimis tends to decrease the average import of consignment goods. The result implies that the government should improve regulations to support SMEs as one of the keys to the success of the National Economic Recovery (PEN) from the COVID-19 pandemic
THE INTENTIONS TO ADOPT E-LEARNING USING UTAUT-3 MODEL: A POST COVID-19 PERSPECTIVE
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes to e-learning systems, highlighting the importance of understanding the factors affecting their adoption. This study highlights the importance of e-learning by blending UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) and UTAUT-3 theories to examine post-COVID adoption in e-learning programs. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions on the use of behavioral intentions in e-learning and the relationship between behavioral intentions and e-learning adoption behavior. The study sample consisted of 303 university students who continued to use e-learning systems after the COVID-19 pandemic, collected using a convenience sampling technique. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) through SmartPLS was used to analyze the collected data. The results revealed that effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and social influence significantly influence the behavioral intention to use e-learning. In contrast, the relationship between behavioral intention to use e-learning and acceptance of e-learning use is not significant. This study proved that significant changes in e-learning systems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and these changes are likely to continue after the pandemic. The study’s findings can help learners, learning providers, and policymakers plan and execute their online strategies