UNIMAS Journal (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak)
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THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES MANAGEMENT
Get PDFIn ensuring an effective implementation and maximum impact of regional development projects and programmes, the element of Critical Success Factors (CSFs) should also be considered. East Coast Economic Region (ECER) is one of five regional economic corridors established in Malaysia to facilitate the socioeconomic transformation of this region towards becoming a high-income nation by 2025. East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) was established in 2008 as a statutory body under the East Coast Economic Region Development Council Act (Act 688) to drive the implementation of ECER Master Plan. ECERDC also came out with a list of CSFs that serves as a guidance to achieve all the expected goals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of ownership at all levels, creation of ECER Development Council, complementation among ECER states, complementation of ECER towards other regional developments, and private and public sector partnerships in the implementation of various regional development programmes and projects by ECERDC. This study used qualitative method which utilized in-depth interviews with 10 key informants. The obtained findings demonstrated that ECERDC has practiced all five CSFs effectively and as a return, the implementation of various regional development programmes has brought positive outcomes to the organisation. The result should help understand which factors must be given priority by the stakeholders, especially in maximising the impact of the government development projects that benefit the local community
THE IMPACTS OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS AND OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE ON CAPITAL STRUCTURE OF CHINESE DUAL-LISTED COMPANIES
Get PDFThis research aims to assess how the mechanisms of corporate governance and ownership structure affect the capital structures of Chinese dual-listed companies that list their shares in the China A-share market and the Hong Kong market simultaneously from 2003 to 2019. A binary variable of state control firm attribute is introduced to proxy the political connection to the Chinese government. Both the independent director ratio and CEO duality are negatively and significantly associated with the long-term debt ratio. The board size negatively and significantly relates to the short-term debt ratio. Evidence of board members’ avoidance of investors’ pressure to use more debt and escape from debt lenders’ monitoring is observed in this research. Both foreign ownership and state ownership are significantly and negatively associate with the short-term debt ratio, but significantly and positively associate with the long-term debt ratio. Thus, both foreign investors and the Chinese government prefer the companies to achieve rapid growth through the use of more long-term debts. The binary variable of state control firm attribute has a significant positive association with the short-term debt ratio alone. However, evidence of declining use of long-term debt financing due to political connections, such as the issuance of equity, is not observed
THE EDUCATIONAL ROLE OF THE ARAB FAMILY: CHALLENGES OF CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION
Get PDFThe research paper "The Educational Role of the Arab Family: Challenges of Cultural Globalization" delves into the evolving landscape of family education within Arab societies against rapid cultural globalization. In an increasingly interconnected world, family education emerges as a pivotal societal responsibility with the imperative to provide a comprehensive foundation for individuals from all strata of society. This study underscores the vital role of family education as the primary agent in nurturing well-rounded individuals who can adapt to the dynamic changes spurred by globalization. The paper specifically addresses the impact of globalization on social dynamics and relationships, emphasizing its potential to reshape family structures and values. Employing a comprehensive literature review methodology, the research collected and meticulously analyzed pertinent information, subjecting it to rigorous scientific critique. Drawing from sociological insights and previous literature, the study examines how these transformations may conflict with traditional Islamic values and ethos. Ultimately, the research contributes to understanding the complex interplay between family education, cultural globalization, and preserving core societal values, offering insights into how Arab families can navigate these challenges while upholding their cultural identity
Risk Screening of Introduced African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) (Burchell, 1822) in Sarawak Using the Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit (FISK v2): Risk screening of African catfish using FISK v2
No full textAfrican Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is a popular non-native fish for aquaculture in Malaysia. The issues of non-native fish species have not been much discussed despite general perception of the negative effects of the species on the native biodiversity. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate the possible risk of C. gariepinus in Sarawak using a semi-quantitative system of Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit version 2 (FISK v2). There are 49 questions in FISK v2 assessment which was assessed by three independent assessors with fisheries knowledge in Sarawak. Threshold was set at 19.0. Descriptive Statistics using SPSS 25.0 was used to run FISK score from three assessors. Result shows that Clarias gariepinus was categorised as “very high risk”. Clarias gariepinus has a FISK score of 43.00 ± 1.00 with a certainty factor of 0.89 ± 0.08. Environmental and biological criteria, followed by the economic impacts for this species and the gaps in legislation and framework in Sarawak were discussed thoroughly. It can be concluded that this preliminary assessment might have indicate a sign of invasion of this non-native species to the local biodiversity. The tool could be more robust if more comprehensive data are included which eventually be useful to assist in decisions regarding future management of non-native species in Sarawak
CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND PERFORMANCE OF MANUFACTURING COMPANIES ON BURSA MALAYSIA
Get PDFThe study is carried out to examine the impact of capital structure on the performance of Malaysian manufacturing listed corporations. Specifically, the study attempts to investigate the relationship between short-term debt (STD), long-term debt (LTD), total assets (TA) and debt to equity (DE) on the return on equity (ROE) of manufacturing companies listed on Bursa Malaysia. To achieve this objective, the data is collected from the annual data of 30 Malaysian manufacturing companies listed on Bursa Malaysia from 2010 to 2017. The annual reports of the selected companies are available on the Bursa Malaysia webpage. In this study, the data is analyzed using Eviews 9 software. The findings of the study show that total assets (TA) and debt to equity (DE) have negative significant effect on the return on equity (ROE) whereas short-term debt (STD) and long-term debt (LTD) have positive significant relationship with firm financial performance. The study thus contributes towards better understanding on the relationship between the capital structure and performance of the manufacturing companies in Malaysia
Melaleuca cajuputi Powell Essential Oil: A Review of Botanical, Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties: Melaleuca cajuputi Powell essential oil
No full textMelaleuca cajuputi Powell essential oil (MCEO) is widely used in Malay traditional medicine for the treatment of stomach cramps, cough, acne, insect bites, thrush problems and many more. The demand for medicinal applications of MCEO is gradually increasing among the Southeast Asian community. All information regarding MCEO was collected via internet sources such as Google Scholar, Elsevier, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, Web of Science and local books. Meta-analysis method was performed to identify all publications or relevant books regarding the MCEO range from 1998 to 2021. The main bioactive compounds of MCEO include terpenes, esters, aldehydes and alkenes. Scientific research on MCEO has revealed a wide range of pharmacological activities such as contact and fumigant toxicity, repellence, antibacterial activity and many more. The MCEO has a huge potential for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications, but comprehensive toxicity studies must be conducted to ensure their safety. Research on pharmacokinetics studies and potential drug interactions with standard-of-care medications is still limited, which calls for additional studies, particularly in humans. Further assessments and clinical trials should be performed before it can be integrated into medicinal practices
Fish Communities of Tropical Headwater Streams Under Multiple Land-use Influence: Fish communities of tropical headwater streams
No full textThe intensive development of agricultural activities can be a major threat to the extinction of fish fauna in the tropical headwater streams of Borneo Island. Insufficient information on the influence of multiple land-use on fish communities can lead to failure in preserving ecological buffer zones along stream channels and the loss of aquatic biodiversity. We investigated fish communities of tropical headwater streams in Bau District of Sarawak State that flow through different types of land-uses. It is hypothesised that multiple land-use influent fish diversity and abundance. Fish were sampled at three headwater streams, Sg Bu’un, Sg Dian and Sg Sibomou of Sarawak Kanan River that have multiple land use in the catchment areas. The assessment of land use activities and fish sampling were done once in dry and rainy months. The assessment of land use showed that the distribution of agricultural activities is not consistent across the water catchments of the three headwater streams, which among others could be depending on soil fertility and the interests of the farmers. Oil palm plantation was the major agricultural activity in the catchment of headwater streams. The aboveground biomass varied with the type of land use, size of coverage, and age of the forest or plantation. The fish fauna of the three headwater streams was represented by 25 species in ten families and six orders, which was dominated by the family Cyprinidae. The cyprinids made up 17% of the total individuals with three dominant species are Barbodes sealei, Rasbora cryptica and Oxygaster anomalura. The diversity index of Shannon was significantly different among the three headwater streams. The headwater streams with high coverage of oil palm plantations showed significantly low species richness and high number of individuals. Fish richness and abundance in dry season were significantly lower than rainy season. The less sensitive species such as Systomus rubripinnis, Barbodes sealei, Rasbora cryptica,and Parachela oxygastroides were dominant in three headwater streams in both wet and dry months. The findings of this study may suggest that the width of buffer zone along stream channel could be estimated by integrating size of the major land use in the catchment, precipitation, and management practices of each type of land-use.
 
Production and Decomposition of Mangrove Species Rhizophora apiculata Blume in Surabaya East Coast Indonesia: Production and decomposition of Rhizophora apiculata Blume
No full textThe mangrove ecosystem is supported by the production and decomposition of leaf litter, as well as the release of nutrients into the environment and the neighbouring coastal seas. The release of phosphorus and nitrogen contributes significantly to the improvement of the nutritional values, which benefits marine species and the neighbourhood. In the current study, nutrient release, leaf decomposition rate, litter generation, and mangrove habitat at Surabaya East Coast, Java, Indonesia were all examined. Three transects and three plots in each transect were established. The percentage of initial dry mass remaining in the litter bags were determined by using two sample t-test in Statistica 6.0 software. The decomposition of Rhizophora apiculata leaves was studied by using litter bag technique. They were made of synthetic nylon with the dimension of 15×15×25 cm and mesh size of 1×1.25 mm2. Senescent leaves were used because they present major leaves on the forest floor. According to the findings, daily mangrove litter production (dry weight) varied between 2.15 and 3.28 g/m2. Branch litter (9.43 – 13.27%), reproductive parts (8.20 – 14, 31%), and leaf litter (76.26 – 78.53%) were the other major contributors. The 345.6 ha of mangrove forests along the east coast of Surabaya are the results of reforestation, which has the potential to produce nitrogen and phosphorus at the rates of 109.43 to 173.549 kg/ha/year and 5.467 to 8.12 kg/h/year, respectively. These results imply that decomposition breakdown rates differ across the research area due to the variation in the nutrients availability. Changes in the breakdown of detritus point to variations in nutrient intake, which is crucial for mangrove ecosystems
CEO GENDER AND FIRM PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIA
Get PDFThis study aims to examine the link between CEO gender and company performance in Malaysia Using 30 companies for the period from 2018 to 2022 and a panel data analysis, the findings show that gender, firm age, and the number of directors have no effect on a company's performance. Contrarily, firm size significantly enhances the performance of the firm. The study has major implications to investors, businesses, and policy makers
IMPACT OF DERIVATIVES USER ON FIRMS’ PERFORMANCE OF SHARI’AH COMPLIANT FIRMS
Get PDFThe study examined the impact of derivatives usage on the performance of Shari'ah-compliant firms in Malaysia. The study employed a Generalised Method-of-Moment estimator (System-GMM) on a set of panel data from 2012 to 2017. A paired sample t-test for mean difference and a Wilcoxon Signed-ranks test was performed to examine the performance difference between users and non-users of derivatives. The study provided strong evidence of a significant difference in performance between users and non-users of derivatives. Moreover, the study observed better performance among derivative users than non-derivative users. The findings enriched the current Islamic financial market literature and contributed to a better understanding of the hedging activities among Shari’ah-compliant firms. The study offered new evidence on risk management using derivatives in the Islamic financial market