USM Journal Management System (Univ. Sains Malaysia)
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Military Connections, Investment Efficiency and Political Uncertainty: Evidence from Pakistan
Get PDFThis study examined the impact of military connections on a firm\u27s investment efficiency in Pakistan during the period from 2011 to 2019. Fixed effect regression results revealed that military connections exert a positive and significant effect on the firm\u27s investment efficiency, supporting the resource dependence theory\u27s prediction. This result remains robust when using alternative measurements of investment efficiency, considering periods of political uncertainty proxied by election years, and controlling for endogeneity issues related to the military connection variable. However, a breakdown of military connections revealed that the presence of a military-connected Chairman reduces firms\u27 investment efficiency. Our paper contributes to the growing attention on the impact of military-connected key individuals on corporate decision-making
Being Needed but Hated: The Exodus of Dutch Scientists in Indonesia, 1945–1959
Get PDFThe Japanese occupation in 1942 compelled Dutch scientists to depart from Indonesia or face imprisonment as prisoners of war. The Allied victory led to the liberation of captive scientists and encouraged Dutch scientists to return to Indonesia. This article aims to analyse and describe: (1) the process of Dutch scientists’ reentry to Indonesia in 1945 to 1949 and 1950 to 1959 and (2) the factors that caused the departure of Dutch scientists from Indonesia from 1949 to 1959. The archives at the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) are used as sources for this article. Dutch scientists are discussed more extensively since they were the most impacted by the dynamics of Indonesian nationalism. In 1945 to 1949, Dutch scientists had more opportunities than their Indonesian counterparts. However, the Dutch, including their scientists, were obliged to leave Indonesia in 1949 following the Konferensi Meja Bundar agreement. The exodus of Dutch scientists prompted the government to recruit scientists from various countries to fill vacant positions from 1950 to 1959. Nevertheless, bureaucratic inefficiency, different regulations regarding the supervision of foreigners and the emergence of anti-foreign sentiment in an unstable social, political and economic situation encouraged foreign scientists to return to their homeland
Tenaga Elektrik, Dapur Moden dan Transformasi Wanita di Kuala Lumpur, 1927–1940: Electricity, Modern Kitchen and the Transformation of Women in Kuala Lumpur, 1927–1940
Get PDFEntering the 20th century, electricity began to be used commercially in Kuala Lumpur. Electricity supply, initially limited to the mining sector and streetlights, were later expanded to become the main source of power for the domestic sector, especially residences since the late 1920s. The provided supply of electricity influenced residents to then use electrical appliances, thus making domestic daily life more comfortable and easier. Women were identified as the consumer group with the most noticeable change in daily chores in the kitchen, following this development in domestic technology. This study aims to examine how electricity supply in residences triggered a transformation among women in Kuala Lumpur between 1927 until 1940. This article uses the qualitative approach by analysing primary and secondary sources. The findings show women realise the importance of electricity and worked to adapt its uses into their daily work in the kitchen. Electricity supply for kitchen, led women to turn to electrical appliances and then learn how to use them. This development has encouraged these women to improve their skills and abilities in food preparation. Therefore, it is clear that domestic chores did not hinder women from absorbing rapid technological advances in Kuala Lumpur as something beneficial in their daily chores.
Memasuki abad ke-20, penggunaan tenaga elektrik mula dikomersialkan di Kuala Lumpur. Penyediaan tenaga elektrik yang pada awalnya terhad untuk sektor perlombongan dan lampu jalan kemudiannya telah diperluaskan sehingga menjadi sumber tenaga utama untuk sektor domestik khususnya rumah kediaman mulai penghujung tahun 1920-an. Tenaga elektrik yang disediakan telah mempengaruhi penduduk untuk menggunakan barangan elektrik sekali gus menjadikan kehidupan harian di rumah lebih selesa dan mudah. Wanita didapati merupakan kumpulan pengguna yang telah menunjukkan perubahan besar dari segi tugasan harian mereka di dapur kesan perkembangan teknologi domestik tersebut. Kajian ini bertujuan mengkaji bagaimana penyediaan tenaga elektrik di rumah telah mencetuskan transformasi dalam kalangan wanita di Kuala Lumpur sekitar tahun 1927 hingga 1940. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah kualitatif dengan menganalisis sumber primer dan sekunder. Hasil kajian mendapati wanita menyedari kepentingan tenaga elektrik dan berusaha untuk menyesuaikan penggunaan tenaga tersebut dalam menjalankan kerjakerja harian mereka di dapur. Penyediaan tenaga elektrik di dapur menyebabkan wanita beralih kepada penggunaan barangan elektrik dan berusaha untuk menguasai cara-cara penggunaan barangan tersebut. Perkembangan ini mendorong wanita untuk meningkatkan lagi kemahiran dan kecekapan mereka dalam penyediaan makanan. Justeru, keadaan ini jelas menunjukkan bahawa tugasan di dapur tidak menghalang wanita untuk menyerap kemajuan teknologi yang sedang berkembang pesat di Kuala Lumpur untuk dimanfaatkan dalam melaksanakan tugasan harian mereka
Unsung Heroes in Sabah’s Historiography: The Indigenous Community in the Anti-Japanese Movement in North Borneo, 1942–1945
Get PDFThe Petagas War Memorial, erected in 1946, is the official symbol of Sabah’s anti-Japanese resistance between 1942 to 1945. The memorial focuses on the predominantly Chinese Kinabalu Guerrilla Defence Force (KGDF), which managed to secure vital assistance and cooperation from Sabah’s peribumi (indigenous) community. However, it does not adequately capture their contributions despite becoming the backbone of KGDF. Without them, the anti-Japanese movement would not have run smoothly nor achieved any form of success (albeit short-lived). On the 21st of January, the war memorial hosts an annual commemoration of KGDF against Japan. However, it tends to ignore the contributions of indigenous fighters. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the recognition that should have been given to Sabah’s indigenous fighters against the Japanese occupation in Sabah, exploring the cooperation between Sabah’s indigenous community and the KGDF in the anti-Japanese movement between 1942 and 1945. The aim is to place the role of former fighters in its proper context. This study is based on library research as well as interviews. The primary resources from the library research are derived from reports, files and newspapers found in the Sabah State Archives. Interviews are utilised to complement archival sources, especially in the absence of written records
Genetic Diversity of White-spotted Rabbitfish (Siganus canaliculatus) on Different Seagrass Habitats in Inner Ambon Bay, Indonesia Based on Mitochondrial CO1 Sequences
Get PDFThis study aims to analyse the genetic diversity of Siganus canaliculatus in the Inner Ambon Bay (IAB) waters. DNA of S. canaliculatus specimens collected from IAB was extracted from tissues using a Tissue Genomic DNA Mini Kit, and partial CO1 genes were amplified using pair of universal primers. Genetic distances were determined by Kimura 2-parameter, and phylogenetic trees were constructed using the neighbour-joining method in MEGA 10.2.2 software. Arlequin software was used to analyse Fixation Index (Fst) and Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA). There are three SNPs of S. canaliculatus from IAB that distinguish GenBank sequence data from S. canaliculatus. In Tanjung Tiram population group, contained three specific 677 (A), 679 (G), 703 (T) sites and two 693 (G), 714 (A) sites for the Nania population. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity of each population range from 0.000 to 1,000 and 0.000 to 0.004. Intra- and inter-population genetic differentiation were 21.19% dan 78.81%, respectively. Intra- and inter-population genetic distances were in range of 0.40–1.13 and 0.00–0.37, respectively. The pattern and direction of tidal currents as a link or barrier to spatial distribution and connectivity of S. canaliculatus larvae between seagrass habitats, as well as the presence of different anthropogenic pressures in each seagrass habitat, are thought to influence the genetic characteristics (genetic diversity, genetic variation, genetic differentiation and genetic distance) of S. canaliculatus populations in IAB waters. The results of this study provide information about the urgency of habitat-based fisheries management to support sustainable utilisation
In silico EST-SSR Identification and Development through EST Sequences from Metroxylon sagu Rottb. for Genetic Diversity Analysis
Get PDFSago plant (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) is one of the most carbohydrate-producing plants in the world. Microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) play an important role in the genome and are used extensively compared to other molecular markers. For the first time, we are exploiting data expressed sequence tags (EST) of sago plants to identify and characterise markers in this species. EST data about sago plants are obtained through the EST database on the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website. We obtained data of 458 Kb (412 contig) with a maximum and minimum length of 1,138 and 124 nucleotides, respectively. We successfully identified 820 perfectly patterned SSR using Phobos 3.3.12 software. The type characterisation of EST-SSR was dominated by tri-nucleotides 36% (294), followed by hexa-nucleotides 24% (202), tetra-nucleotides 15% (120), penta-nucleotides 13% (108) and di-nucleotides 12% (96). The most frequency of SSR motifs in each type is AG, AAG and AAAG. Analysis of synteny on the EST sequence with the online application Phytozome found that sequences were distributed on 12 Oryza sativa chromosomes with a likeness percentage between 63% to 100% and e-value between 0 to 0.094. We developed the primer and generated 19 primers. Furthermore, we validated 7 primers that all generated polymorphic alleles. To our knowledge, this report is the first identification and characterisation of EST-SSR for sago species and these markers can be used for genetic diversity analysis, marker assisted selection (MAS), cultivar identification, kinship analysis and genetic mapping analysis
Status of Hawksbill Turtle and Green Turtle in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Get PDFThis paper highlighted the annual distribution, seasonality and reproduction status of two species of sea turtles in Negeri Sembilan, Peninsular Malaysia between January 2016 and July 2020 (55 months). These data were officially provided by the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (Negeri Sembilan’s state), as a part of a conservation effort made by them to protect the endangered species, as the turtle’s population residing in Negeri Sembilan is one of the smallest in Malaysia. Current status shows that the hawksbill turtles, Eretmochelys Imbricata population in Negeri Sembilan is in stable decline with an average of <30 nests per year, and an average of <10 nests per year for the green turtle, Chelonia mydas. The overall sum was 122 nests collected for both species from 2016–2020. This paper updated the status of the hawksbill and green turtle after 30 years from the first study recorded by Mortimer et al. in 1993.
Investigation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Sunda Porcupine’s (Hystrix javanica, F.Cuvier 1823) Quills Ethanolic Crude Extract
Get PDFThe Sunda porcupine (Hystrix javanica, F.Cuvier, 1823) is a rodent-mammal species native to Indonesia and is utilised in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments. Some ethnic communities in Indonesia have traditional beliefs regarding Sunda porcupine’s quills, which are thought to relieve back pain and toothache. Despite this traditional knowledge, there is limited scientific research on the topic. The aim of this study was to identify active compound in an ethanolic crude extract of Sunda porcupine’s quills, and to evaluate its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-free radical scavenging assay while the antimicrobial activity was evaluated through microdilution resazurin assay. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined to support the antioxidant properties. The active compounds were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometer (GCMS) with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST-11) library. The result showed that the extract possesses antioxidant properties (IC50 138.93 ?g/mL) and antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) (IC50 range 0.40 mg/mL–33.05 mg/mL). Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were 27.29 ± 2.20 mgGAE/g and 27.09 ± 1.66 mgQE/g, respectively. A total of 24 active compounds from the crude extract were identified. As much as five compounds serve as antioxidant agents, including: butylated hydroxytoluene; eicosane; 1-iodo-hexadecane; methyl ester hexadecanoic acid; and L-(+)-ascorbic acid 2,6-dihexadecanoate. Furthermore, as much as 11 compounds serve as antimicrobial agents, including: tetradecane; pentadecane; 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-1-heptanol; hexadecane; butylated hydroxytoluene; eicosane; 1-iodo-hexadecane; methyl ester hexadecanoic acid; benzenepropanoic acid, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxy-, methyl ester; L-(+)-ascorbic acid 2,6-dihexadecanoate; and octadecanoic acid. This study provides scientific validation for the use of the Sunda porcupine’s quills in traditional medicine and highlights the potential for further research in animal bioprospecting
Phytochemical Analysis, Antioxidant Activity and Bioassay-Guided Isolation of Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibitors from Horsfieldia polyspherula Bark (Myristicaceae)
Get PDFAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition brought on by aging and characterised by progressive decline in cognitive function and abnormalities in the central cholnergic system. ?-amyloid deposits, neurofibril tangle aggregation, oxidative stress or reduced level of acetylcholine are a few causes that have been linked to AD. In this study, the bioassay-guided isolation from ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of Horsfieldia polyspherula bark led to the isolation of nine compounds namely, 16-phenylhexadecanoic acid (1), undecylbenzene (2), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3), dodecanoic acid (4), tetradecanoic acid (5), pentadecanoic acid (6), 1-tridecene (7), stigmasterol (8) and trimyristin (9). Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, steroids, lignin, alkaloids, phytosterol and triterpenoids. The DPPH scavenging activity of EtOAc extract was related to the phenolic content (116.67 ± 16.98 GAE mg/g) and other non-phenolics such as lower fatty acids. Meanwhile, the DPPH scavenging activity was found to be concentration-dependent and correlated with both flavonoid and phenolic content. Furthermore, EtOAc and methanol (MeOH) extracts of H. polyspherula bark showed significant inhibitory activity at 100 ?g/mL on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), with EtOAc extract showing 77.2% and 64.1% inhibition and MeOH extract showing 37.5% and 39.2% inhibition, respectively. Additionally, the IC50 for BuChE and AChE of the EtOAc extract were found to be effective, with 15.41 ± 0.78 ?g/mL and 7.67 ± 0.13 ?g/mL, respectively. Compound 1 exhibited dual inhibition of 40.99 ± 1.99 ?M (BuChE) and 46.83 ± 2.44 ?M (AChE), while compounds 2 and 3 showed IC50 values above 200 ?M. This study revealed that this plant shows a significant potential as anti-cholinesterase focusing on acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). This is the first report on Horsfieldia polyspherula and their biological activity
Phenology and Breeding Mechanisms of Calamus lobbianus Becc. and Calamus pygmaeus Becc.
Get PDFThe floral biology of Calamus is relatively unknown except for several species. In this study, Calamus lobbianus and Calamus pygmaeus were selected to represent the non-climbing rattan of the Sundaland’s flagellate group. Observations on phenology, floral rewards and floral visitors as well as experiments on the breeding mechanism and operational sex ratio were performed for both species. For both species, anthesis started in the early morning for pistillate and staminate plants, ended by late noon (staminate plants) but lasted till the next day in pistillate plants for both species. Although both species appeared to be aseasonal in flowering, C. lobbianus exhibited a male-biased population while C. pygmaeus did not exhibit any sex bias. Nectar was observed to be extruded from the base of the petals of C. lobbianus of the staminate flowers and sterile staminate flowers of the pistillate plants. The concentration and volume of the nectar of the staminate flower and sterile staminate flower of C. lobbianus peaked at c. 11% and 9 ?L around 1100 (Day 1) and c. 13% and 8 ?L around 0930 (Day 1), respectively, but only appeared as a layer of glistening exudate in C. pygmaeus. Floral scent was not detected in any of the inflorescences of both species. Several insect visitors were observed to be the primary visitors of both Calamus species which include two species of Tetragonula, a species of Liostenogaster sp., and Stenodyneriellus sp. Experiments on breeding mechanism of C. lobbianus and C. pygmaeus indicate that both species are most likely apomictic. C. pygmaeus is capable of vegetative propagation through the rooting at the tip of inflorescence