30 research outputs found
The effectiveness of 28S and 16S molecular regions in resolving phylogeny of Malaysian microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
No full textClassification of endosymbiont Wolbachia (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) in opiine wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
No full textDNA barcoding and relationships of eight ladybugs species (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) that infesting several crops from Peninsular Malaysia
No full text
Critical Perspectives on Musharakah Mutanaqisah Home Financing in Malaysia: Exploring Legal, Regulative and Financial Challenges
No full textABSTRACT
Critical Perspectives on Musharakah Mutanaqisah Home Financing in Malaysia: Exploring Legal, Regulative and Financial Challenges
Hanira Hanafi
As shelter is one of basic needs for the human beings, the financing for housing need is also an essential need. Since individuals are not in a position to pay for their houses in one go, the availability of mortgage is an imperative in ensuring homeownership.
Islamic mortgage as being the housing finance tool of Islamic banking and finance offers a home ownership for those who seek for halal alternative. There are indeed various type of instruments used as an underlying contract for Islamic mortgage, which comprise of debt based financing (murabaha, istisna’, ijarah, bay’bithaman ajil) and equity based financing (musharakah mutanaqisah). As the debt based products of Islamic mortgage are criticised for mimicking the conventional counterparts, the introduction of equity product of home financing based on musharakah mutanaqisah (MM home financing) is deemed to become a better alternative, which capable of fulfilling the true spirit of Shari’ah and overcome the shortcomings of debt based products.
As MM based Islamic mortgage has just been in the Malaysian market for seven years, there are many issues surrounding its implementation. This study, therefore, aims to explore and critically analyse the supply and demands side issues related to MM home financing by paying particular attention to challenges and prospects of MM home financing in Malaysia. In particular, this study explores legal and Shari’ah related operational issues associated with the implementation of MM home financing and also examine the prospects of this product through customers’ perceptions and expectations.
In achieving the aims, this study employed mixed method whereby the data obtained from the questionnaire survey and interviews. The sample size of the questionnaire survey is 260 respondents who have either Islamic or conventional mortgage and are from Klang Valley area of Malaysia. The interviews were conducted with 19 individuals who are actively involved in the implementation of MM home financing in Malaysia including Islamic bankers, Islamic economists, Shari’ah advisor and regulator.
The interview finding revealed that besides several legal issues such as inadequate of legal framework, treatment in the event of default, non-standardised agreement, issue of ownership and Shari’ah issues such as use of purchase undertaking or wa’d, there are number of other issues involved in MM home financing. These include takaful and its maintenance, issue of rental benchmarking. All these together are believed to hinder and ‘pollute’ the MM home financing operation. The study also noted the problems that also arose from the banks and customers itself.
The finding of the survey, also, revealed that the customers’ awareness on Islamic mortgage products is still very low, particularly for MM home financing. In addition, take-up reason for Islamic mortgage is mainly due to religious factor and non take-up reason is due to the price. However, it is very interesting to note that the majority of the respondents expected Islamic mortgage to be capable of safeguarding their interest. In other words, majority of the respondents expect Islamic mortgage could realise the inherent advantages associated in it which capable of serving the individual but also social interest. This factor is crucial to the Islamic banks, as this position seems generally agreed and expected by majority of the respondents. Therefore, capable of fulfilling this factor will ensure a promising future for MM home financing as the price for MM home financing is as competitive as the conventional counterparts making Islamic mortgage having extra advantages for the customers to opt for.
Based on the findings of the study, several recommendations are also proposed in order to revive the soul and spirit of Shari’ah which ultimately portray the efficiency and effectiveness of Islamic finance particularly in dealing with home financing for the benefit of all the stake holders
Land and land conflict in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process:1990-1999
No full textThis thesis examines the importance of the debates and struggle over land in the Oslo Accord and immediately post-Oslo. It does this by first situating the conflict
over land in the historical context of the spread of Zionism from the 1880s, culminating in the establishment of the State of Israel in Palestine in 1948. It then reviews and contrasts the policies on land and settlement of the Israeli Labour and Likud parties. The focus of the thesis is an assessment of Israeli settlement policy on the West Bank and Gaza-Strip after the Oslo Agreement of 1993. It examines the sequences of Israeli-Palestinian agreements that have divided Palestinian land into different categories and argues that these categories and the problems they have created have ignored the historical importance of land in the conflict between Israel
and Palestine.
The thesis argues that the classification of land is intended to further subjugate Palestine to the political and economic dominance of Israel, and that the
formulation for discussing land issues undermines the possibility for the establishment of a strong and economically independent Palestinian state. The thesis submits that the persistence of Israeli settlement policy and the manner of Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank has not encouraged the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to conduct a comprehensive land survey and registration
procedure. Moreover. Israeli strategy in the post-Oslo period has been to promote the cantonisation of Palestine to ensure that any future Palestinian state will remain
economically weak and politically disjointed
Species composition and DNA barcoding of hemipteran assemblages throughout paddy growing seasons
No full textHemipterans are the diverse, abundant, and important pests in the paddy ecosystem due to their piercing and sucking mouthparts that feed on the crop causing significant losses in rice yields. Despite their important roles in the paddy ecosystem, the information on DNA barcode, diversity, and species richness has been occasionally discussed. This study aimed to measure its abundance, species richness, and barcode hemipteran species from the paddy ecosystem. Active sampling was used with two different sampling arrangements in the paddy ecosystem in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, for two different seasons. Hemipterans were collected and identified up to species level morphologically prior to DNA barcoding. The richness and the abundance of species were measured along with the paddy growth phases (vegetative, reproductive, and mature). A total of 2,167 individuals of seven hemipteran species (Cyrtorhinus lividipennis, Leptocorisa oratorius, Nephotettix virescens, Cofana spectra, Sogatella furcifera, Scotinophara coarctata, and Graptostethus sp.) were successfully collected with Shannon-Diversity Index (H’ = 0.4572), Margalef richness index (D = 0.7811), and Evenness Index (E = 0.2257). There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) for species diversity in both seasons. The highest abundance of hemipteran was during the maturity stage (1,543 individuals), followed by the reproductive (591 individuals) and vegetative stages (33 individuals). This study observed a significant difference between the paddy growth for both seasons (p < 0.05). Five hemipteran species namely C. lividipennis, L. oratorius, N. virescens, C. spectra, and S. furcifera, were successfully barcoded with Leptocorisa, the dominant genus. Outcomes from this study suggested that different hemipteran management approaches must be developed to cater to different hemipteran species at different paddy growth stages for a successful and sustainable paddy growing practice in Malaysia
Prevalence and evolutionary history of endosymbiont<i>Wolbachia</i>(Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) in parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) associated with<i>Bactrocera</i>fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) infesting carambola
No full textMolecular identification and species richness of flies (diptera) and their associated Bovidae hosts at cattle farms in Selangor, Malaysia
No full textFlies (Diptera) play a significant role in the ecosystem as pollinators and decomposers, and they are also important vermin and disease vectors. Studies on the dipteran species are still lacking in Malaysia; therefore, the dipteran species’ biology, morphology, distribution, and abundance are necessary. The objectives of this study were to identify dipteran species using a molecular approach, determine flies’ Bovidae hosts, and investigate the diversity of the fly’s species at three different cattle farms purposively selected in Selangor, Malaysia. The fly species were identified using cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) (Haematopota javana, Tabanus rubidus, Tabanus fontinalis, Iranihindia martellata, Musca domestica, and Chrysomya megacephala), while another six species only up to genus level ( Haematopota sp. 1, Musca sp. 1, Asilus sp., Metopia sp., Anasillomos sp., and Ommatius sp.). In addition, two species of hosts: Bos indicus and Bos taurus, were proven to be the associated host species for the dipteran species based on molecular data of cytochrome b (cytb). However, there were no significant differences between farms in species diversity and richness (F = 1.262, df = 2, p = 0.2459 >0.05). Interestingly, the two most dominant dipteran genera collected from the cattle farms were Musca and Chrysomya. At the same time, its abundance may have been influenced by the structure of the cattle cage flooring, which serves as a breeding site and food source. These findings contribute to fundamental epidemiological data in developing control strategies for dipteran species and are of great economic and health importance to livestock production in Malaysia
Selected monocots and eudicots as alternative host plants for promoting arthropod populations in paddy cultivation area
No full textAim of study: To investigate the relationship between selected alternative host plant species and the
abundance of arthropods throughout the growth of rice plants.
Area of study: Southwest of Malaysia (Melaka).
Material and methods: Sampling of arthropods was conducted in four rice field plots, each containing
five sampling plots based on the selected alternative hosts: Chloris barbata Sw. and Oryza sativa L.
(monocots); and Ageratum conyzoides L., Spermacoce verticillata L., and Euphorbia heterophylla L.
(eudicots). Yellow sticky traps, yellow pan traps, and sweep nets were set up and used, and sampling was
conducted during the vegetative, reproductive, and mature stages of rice growth. Analysis of variance
(ANOVA) and regression analysis were performed to determine the diversity and relationship between
alternative host plants with arthropods.
Main results: A total of 2,227 arthropod individuals from 11 orders and suborders, 32 families, and
40 species were recorded. The results showed a strong correlation between alternative host plants and pests
(R2 = 0.965), predators (R2 = 0.758), and other insects (R2 = 0.987), while a weaker correlation (R2 = 0.369)
was observed with parasitoids. A significant pest decline was observed in A. conyzoides (β = -0.725,
P = 0.040) and S. verticillata (β = -1.505, P = 0.034), while there was a substantial population increase in
C. barbata (β = 1.854, P = 0.026). Other insects showed a significant population increase in O. sativa
(β = 0.752, P = 0.030). However, predatory insects and parasitoids did not show significant population
trends during the sampling period in any of the alternative hosts.
Research highlights: The planting of alternative hosts in rice cultivation areas can attract natural enemies
of insects and improve Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices in rice fields
