Lumpur Research Articles

Influence of ethical management on politics in performance appraisal: Development and validation of a causal model

This study examines the impact of the ethical Management concept on perceptions of organizational politics in performance appraisal within the context of Malaysia's rapidly growing economy and its demand for effective human resource policies in the financial sector. Addressing the risks of workplace politics that can lead to performance errors and reputational harm, the research employed a quantitative approach, utilizing a questionnaire distributed to 274 officers and clerical staff selected through proportionate stratified random sampling in a Malaysian government financial institution in Kuala Lumpur. Exploratory factor analysis and data validation identified three dimensions of organizational politics in performance appraisal and six dimensions of the Ethical Management concept: work commitment, social obligation, justice, job satisfaction, creative work, and productivity. The findings revealed that work commitment, justice, job satisfaction, and creative work were significantly influenced by the perception of benefits, emphasizing their role in improving organizational outcomes. This study contributes to the development of a model linking the Ethical Management concept to organizational politics, offering insights for enhancing organizational performance through improved management practices.

The 3rd International Conference on Behavioral Sciences and Applied Psychology (BSAP2024), 13 - 15 September 2024, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The 3rd International Conference on Behavioral Sciences and Applied Psychology (BSAP2024), 13 - 15 September 2024, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

When Income isn’t a Factor, What Makes Kuala Lumpur’s Upper-Class (T20) Households Happy? The Role of Generosity and Social Support

When Income isn’t a Factor, What Makes Kuala Lumpur’s Upper-Class (T20) Households Happy? The Role of Generosity and Social Support

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA SCREEN TIME AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS DURING PANDEMIC COVID19 IN KUALA LUMPUR

Social media can be used as a channel for communication with family members. A strong dependence on the Internet may result from excessive screen time, which can then affect people's mental health and well-being. It has been suggested that adolescent social media use is associated with decreased mental health. One of the key components that affects a person's quality of life is their mental health in the aspects of anxiety and depression levels. This cross-sectional study aimed to measure and analyse the relationship between social media screen time and quality of life among undergraduate biomedical sciences students. In Kuala Lumpur, this study's online survey was carried out. A validated questionnaire about social media use and quality of life was used to conduct this online survey. The study involved 182 respondents. WhatsApp was the most popular communication platform, with 62.6%, followed by Twitter with 12.6%. 52.7% use social media for social and entertainment purposes. There was no significant mean difference in social media usage and screen time between gender, year of study, income, and residency (p>0.05). There was no significant interaction between gender and year of study for social media usage duration(F=1.465, p>0.05). There was no significant correlation between the level of social media with quality of life(p>0.05). Meanwhile, using binary logistic regression analysis, there was no significant relationship between level of screen time with all domains of quality of life. Meanwhile, there is a significant relationship between the level of screen time and the year of study OR=3.67(2nd year) and OR=3.14 (4th year) when compared to the first year (p<0.05). In conclusion, the results suggested there was a significant relationship between social media usage and with year of study. The results suggest that higher education should consider promoting the effective usage of social media using the social media platform as most students nowadays find information on social media. Keywords: Anxiety; depression; social media; screen time; quality of life; undergraduates.

The Relationship Between Sociodemographic Attributes and Financial Well-Being of Low-Income Urban Families Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Malaysia

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO) have had a negative impact on the financial well-being of low-income families in urban areas. This study involved respondents living in the public housing project (PPR) residential areas in Kuala Lumpur—the capital of Malaysia. The key finding is that the financial well-being of low-income urban families was negatively impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the MCO implementation. Furthermore, the impact on the financial well-being of low-income urban families is significantly different in terms of types of families, type and sector of employment, type of home ownership, household monthly income, and education level. Reforms to the financial assistance system and the community empowerment of low-income urban families are necessary to increase the community’s preparedness and resilience in the face of new shocks in the future.

Policy Learning for National Advantage and Sovereign Governance in Non‐Western Contexts: Comparing Public Management Reforms in Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan

ABSTRACTPolicy transfer literature as a strand within policy studies highlights “national context” as crucial to understanding processes of transfer, convergence, and diffusion across contexts. While the policy transfer framework associated with it more specifically identifies “facilitators” and “constraints” of such national context as key to international policy learning based on doctrines such as NPM (New Public Management) and the like, policy scholars and practitioners have been struggling not only with the puzzle of “who learns what from whom” but also “how are policy lessons learned?” Based on these underpinnings, this paper attempts to compare public management reforms in Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan, three “upper/middle‐income” countries situated respectively in South Caucasus, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia, which share in common features including post‐Soviet/post‐colonial legacy, relative economic prosperity, and Muslim‐majority populations. Relying on the policy transfer framework and ethnographic empirical research in Baku, Kuala Lumpur, and Astana during July 2022 to August 2023, the findings reveal an increasing “creativity” of these regimes in terms of adopting “policy learning” to fit their “sovereignty” agenda, often masking their autocratic nature and likely causing policy communication gaps between political principals, bureaucrats, and the citizenry. The latter coupled with evidence of an increasing influence of ethno‐religious dynamics on reform implementation might as well be interpreted as transfer constraints likely to undermine the effectiveness of lesson‐learning based on global administrative doctrines in order to sustain their national competitive advantages in the long run.

Navigating Pretext and Legal Consequences on Stateless Indonesian Children in Malaysia

Due to lack of job opportunity, low-skilled Indonesian workers opted to work in Malaysia in hope for a better opportunity. As migrant workers in a foreign country, Indonesian are obligated to follow a string of policies reserved for foreign worker. Legal problems started to arise when those workers started a family in Malaysia. According to our interviews with fifty Indonesian Worker in Kuala Lumpur and Indonesian Government Officials in the Embassy, they admitted their ignorance of the ramification of their actions, the risk of statelessness of their children. Indonesian workers are (1) marrying fellow Indonesian workers, (2) marrying foreign workers, (3) marrying Malaysian nationality. As the family grew, their children born in Malaysia may (1) be an Indonesian, provided that their parents marriage are registered, (2) be Malaysian, provided that their parents marriage is legitimate under Malaysian Marriage Law, (3) stateless. The purpose of this paper is to set out the legal ramifications following an Indonesian Workers’ marriage to eradicate statelessness of their children and provide solution for them to obtain Indonesian citizenship by combining normative and empirical method to achieve the result. This paper is a conclusion of STIH Adhyaksa’s community services in collaboration with Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Risk Assessment of Radiological Dispersal Device Terrorism in Malaysia Cities

Research has revealed that a terror attack in Malaysia, a developing nation, is a cause for alarm as it could create panic among its citizens. To address this, a study was conducted to investigate the dispersion of radionuclides after a hypothetical explosion, considering multiple cities in Malaysia as potential targets, including Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu. The primary aim of the research was to analyze the dose concentrations released from the RDD explosion over a 24-hour period and to assess the associated health risks in terms of morbidity and mortality per 100,000 people in these cities. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) software was employed to simulate the trajectory and dispersion of air particles, taking into account parameters such as time, altitude, and potential target cities, based on meteorological data from the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The research focused on the analysis of Cs-137 at 50 TBq and was conducted with simulations on December 22, 2020. Results from the simulations revealed that the dose concentration in the air within 24 hours was 3.3 mSv, 1.8 mSv, and 7.7 mSv for Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu, respectively, while the dose deposited on the ground was 150 mSv, 71 mSv, and 310 mSv for the same cities. Furthermore, it was found that the dose concentration was most significant within the first four hours after the release of Cs-137, peaking between 30 to 90 minutes at altitudes of 60 to 80 meters. In terms of risk assessment, the research indicated that, for individuals located at this altitude during the timeframe of 0045 hours to 0100 hours after the dispersion of Cs-137, there could be 88 fatalities and 128 injuries per 100,000 residents in the city. The simulation offers valuable insights and guidance for governmental efforts to improve radioactive waste management and formulating or enhancing protocols to address such incidents promptly. It is essential to take swift and effective actions in order to protect the lives of the population in the event of a radiological terrorist threat.

Developing and validating a knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire regarding dengue among secondary schoolchildren in Malaysia

IntroductionDengue is a viral disease borne by mosquitoes that infects humans that is a significant public health concern and socio-economic burden globally, especially in countries in the tropics and subtropics. Health education and community participation are the most powerful prevention strategies. Assessing local community knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) on dengue is essential for targeted interventions, as enhancing KAP helps communities recognize risks, adopt preventive attitudes, and implement effective measures to reduce dengue transmission. This study developed and validated a questionnaire on dengue KAP among secondary schoolchildren. Questionnaires serve as essential tools in research, allowing for standardized measurement of knowledge, attitudes, and practices, which supports accurate data collection and meaningful analysis.MethodsThe development and evaluation process (structure and content) involved consultations with eight experts including public health medicine specialists, medical officers, behavioural insights officer, academician, and entomologist, to ensure the relevance and comprehensiveness of the questionnaires. A QDengue-KAP questionnaire was administered to 30 secondary schoolchildren in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The online questionnaire was self-administered, closed-ended, distributed anonymously, and participation was voluntary.ResultsThe final questionnaire comprised four sections and 50 items after the initial version had undergone a rigorous evaluation to ensure its reliability and validity. The content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR) values exceeded the minimum requirement and indicated that all items met the minimum standards for content validity. Compared to the initial version, the final version of the questionnaire had improved Cronbach alpha values for each dengue KAP domain: knowledge [Cronbach’s alpha: 0.765 (items: 15)], attitude [0.894 (15)], practice Part A [0.735 (15)], and practice Part B [0.876 (5)]. Thus, each statement in the Knowledge (K), Attitude (A), and Practice (P) domains was deemed valid through validity and reliability evaluation, ensuring their relevance and accuracy in assessing dengue-related factors.ConclusionThe validation process demonstrated that each statement in the KAP domains was relevant, accurate, and aligned with the study's objectives, supported by expert validation and representation of the target population. This rigorous approach strengthens the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, making it a valid tool for assessing and improving dengue-related behaviours within the target population.

Exploring effective institutional models for piped drinking water management: a comparative study of Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur and proposal of a new model for Indonesia's new capital city

Exploring effective institutional models for piped drinking water management: a comparative study of Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur and proposal of a new model for Indonesia's new capital city

Factors affecting collective action in low-cost housing, Malaysia: commoning the governance

PurposeThis paper aims to explain the factors shaping collective action within low-cost housing communities, focusing on parcel holders, through the utilisation of an expanded institutional analysis development (IAD) framework, which extends upon Ostrom’s foundational framework. Additionally, the paper explores four different property management approaches accessible to these communities.Design/methodology/approachThe research employed a mixed-method approach comprising four sequential steps. Firstly, a quantitative inquiry entailed a questionnaire survey administered to 633 parcel holders across four low-cost housing schemes, aimed at discerning factors influencing collective action. Subsequently, a qualitative investigation involved face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders to elucidate the contributing factors of collective action, with a specific focus on Nursa Kurnia (a successful low-cost housing scheme comprising 200 units), accessible via Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road II. Thirdly, the study explored the social practice of “commoning the governance”. Lastly, the paper advocated for housing policy interventions, specifically proposing government subsidies for lower-income parcel holders.FindingsExemplified by the success of Nursa Kurnia, the research findings emphasised the importance of shifting local management’s mindset from a zero-sum approach to a win-win perspective. It highlighted the pivotal role of four factors (resource system, governance system, context and historical development) in shaping collective action and fostering improved property management practices. Moreover, the study highlighted the potential of “commoning the governance” as a new approach capable of addressing collective action challenges in low-cost housing management, presenting a promising avenue for future endeavours.Research limitations/implicationsAs more studies utilising the expanded IAD framework become available in the future, there is potential for further refinement and enhancement of the framework.Practical implicationsThis study offers valuable insights for policymakers, property developers, local management and local communities, shedding light on challenges associated with the self-organisation of shared resources. Moreover, it highlights the potential of “commoning the governance” as a new property management approach to mitigate the impact of collective action problems.Social implicationsThe well-being of society’s most vulnerable segment is indicative of the overall societal health. This underscores the significance of addressing the interests and needs of these lower-income groups within the broader social context.Originality/valueExploring collective action within the context of self-organising low-cost housing, the study delves into an area marked by persistent challenges like free-riding tendencies and vandalism. Despite significant attention given to collective action issues in the past, the novel approach of “commoning the governance” remains unexamined in the realm of low-cost housing maintenance and management.

Abstracts submitted/presented during the 16th Congress of the Asean Society of Pediatric Surgery and the 3rd Congress of the Malaysian Association of Paediatric Surgery in conjunction with the 45th Annual Congress of the Malaysian Paediatric Association 2024 on 26th – 28th September 2024 at Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

-

Assessment of Climate Change Impact in Tropical Buildings: Sensitivity Analysis of Light Shelf and Building Design Parameters for Daylighting and Thermal Balance

Climate change may lead to more intense sunlight in tropical regions, potentially increasing the daylight available for buildings. While this can enhance natural lighting inside buildings, it may also exacerbate issues such as glare and overheating if not properly managed through shading devices and glazing treatments. Nevertheless, common strategies to mitigate heat gain and glare such as shades and blinds often obstruct natural light, necessitating increased reliance on artificial lighting. The conflicting interplay between daylighting and thermal performance can undermine building performance if not carefully considered. Existing research on the influence of key design parameters in tropical climates tends to focus predominantly on heat gain mitigation, neglecting other aspects. This study addresses these gaps by examining the holistic daylighting and thermal energy performance of buildings to develop optimised façade and resilient designs against climate change. The investigation encompasses an analysis of 11 design parameters of light shelves and building characteristics that are critical during the initial design stage. Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) is employed to identify the most influential design parameters affecting useful daylight illuminance, uniformity ratio, cooling energy, and solar gain energy. A case study involving double-story terrace houses in Malaysia is employed, with analyses conducted for the present and future climates of three Malaysian cities (Kuala Lumpur, Bayan Lepas, and Kota Bahru). The findings reveal that, across all three cities, glazing transmittance is the most influential parameter for daylighting performance, while room depth assumes primary significance for thermal performance. Although the relative ranking of parameters remains consistent between present and future climates, their magnitudes differ. In summary, this paper gives designers insights into the critical design parameters essential for achieving a balanced and resilient daylight-thermal design in tropical climates at the initial stages of the design process.

Optimising thermal-daylight performance in tropical open-plan offices: A coupled OTTV and daylight prediction approach

In tropical climates, the thermal performance of air-conditioned commercial building envelopes, particularly offices, is commonly assessed using the Overall Thermal Transfer Value (OTTV). Designing office buildings in these regions requires meticulous attention to achieve the optimum thermal-daylight balance, which often has conflicting characteristics. This study aims to enhance the thermal-daylight performance optimization process for open-plan office building envelopes in tropical climates, with Kuala Lumpur as a specific case study. The methodology involves parametric thermal and daylight simulations, incorporating an extensive global sensitivity analysis (GSA) based on the Monte Carlo method. Next, the most critical design parameters affecting daylight provision are identified and used to develop a prediction formula for daylight provision assessment. Finally, the exploration further examines the impact of dominant parameters on energy consumption across diverse urban densities. The results pinpointed the Shading Coefficient (SC1) and Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR) as pivotal factors affecting heat gain. At the same time, obstruction angle (Theta), WWR, and Visible Transmittance (Tvis) significantly influence daylight provision. Furthermore, the developed daylight prediction formula consists of a fast method that can be coupled with OTTV to evaluate and optimise the thermal-daylight performance in the early design stage of office buildings. Moreover, the study reveals potential energy savings of up to 8 %, 4.83 %, and 4 % in very low, medium, and very high urban densities, respectively. These insights and the daylight prediction formula provide valuable tools for optimising building envelope thermal-daylight performance during the early stages of architectural design, offering practical guidance for both practitioners and researchers.

SOCIALIZATION OF SHARIAH BASED INVESTMENT; TECHNICAL, BENEFIT, AND FUTURE ECONOMIC (ENTREPRENEUR AT PERMAI IN PENANG ISLAND)

Indonesia's economic development is greatly influenced by its migrant workers, who play a crucial role in protecting the nation from recession by contributing to the inflow of foreign currency. Despite their significant contributions, the government has shown limited concern for their support, and many Indonesians remain unaware of their impact. This paper explores the feasibility of financing Indonesian personnel to work abroad, comparing conventional and Islamic lending models. Malaysia has been a pioneer in developing Islamic finance, particularly through the introduction of the Shariah Index (SI) on April 17, 1999, by Bursa Malaysia (formerly the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange). The Shariah Advisory Council (SAC) designated 276 Main Board companies as Shariah-compliant securities, forming the core of the Bursa Malaysia SI, which serves as a benchmark for investors adhering to Islamic principles. Islamic finance in Malaysia has evolved beyond an alternative to conventional finance, becoming increasingly appealing to all Malaysians, with the Islamic capital market now accounting for 58% of the total capital market. This study also highlights the urbanization of human resources across borders, particularly in the Indonesian Community Association (PERMAI) in Pulau Penang, Malaysia, which includes expatriates, businessmen, lecturers, students, and workers contributing to both domestic and international economies.

Short-term Outcomes of a Dedicated Pelvic Exenteration Unit in a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia

Background : Pelvic exenteration offers potentially curative resection for locally advanced pelvic malignancy. A dedicated unit performing this complex surgery is recommended to achieve optimal outcomes. Objectives : The aim of this paper is to show that pelvic exenterations can be performed with acceptable oncological and safe perioperative results in an appropriately resourced specialist centre. Methods : Patients undergoing pelvic exenteration in the Colorectal Unit, Hospital Kuala Lumpur between January 2017 and January 2024 were included. Patients operated in the initial setup period of the unit (January 2017 – July 2020) were compared to the second half (August 2020 – January 2024) with univariate analysis. Results : A total of 30 patients were included, with a significant increase in the unit caseload over the study period (n = 11 versus n = 19). There was an increased use of neoadjuvant therapy and an increase in stage of disease at presentation (p = 0.014) in the second half of the study period. More complex procedures were performed in the latter period, involving both bony and pelvic side wall resections. There was no difference in complication severity (Clavien Dindo) (p = 0.257) and R0 resection was achieved in 76.7% of operated cases. Conclusion : The development of a dedicated pelvic exenteration unit, leads to an increase in patient volume and an increase in the complexity of the procedures performed, without compromising short term outcomes and safety.

Ascendancy of coworking space: user perceptions toward workspace features

Purpose This research paper aims to provide recommendations for enhancing the service quality of coworking spaces in Malaysia through effective workplace management. This study emphasizes the importance of avoiding over-promising and under-delivering, prioritizing cleanliness, functionality and customer satisfaction over profit to prevent user attrition. Design/methodology/approach Questionnaire surveys were administered to users of selected coworking spaces in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Respondents were asked to assess both their expectations and perceived performance of various coworking space features. The resulting gap scores were then analyzed to develop recommendations for enhancing the overall performance of these coworking spaces. Findings The analysis of the responses indicated that users had higher expectations for “location” and “facilities services,” while the actual service performance in these areas was less satisfactory. Among the nine sub-attributes under “facilities and services,” three (opening hours, coffee and tea corner, café or restaurant) received negative gap scores, significantly affecting overall user satisfaction. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that coworking space managers prioritize the consistent provision and maintenance of these key features to better meet user demands and enhance satisfaction levels. Originality/value This study is innovative in applying a gap analysis approach to coworking spaces, identifying discrepancies between user expectations and actual service performance. This method provides a deeper understanding of the areas that require improvement, contributing to more user-centered coworking space management.

Understanding the future of dengue in Malaysia: Assessing knowledge, attitude, and homeowner practices in mitigating climate-driven risks

Introduction Dengue fever poses a significant public health threat, particularly in tropical regions like Malaysia. The rising incidence of dengue outbreaks challenges healthcare systems and highlights the urgent need for effective preventive measures. Climate change, with rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns, is expected to worsen the dengue situation in the coming years. Methods . This is a cross-sectional study conducted among adult residents of low-cost housing apartments in an urban poor community in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia involving approximately 16,000 residents. A representative sample of 1,636 residents was calculated using the Krejcie and Morgan formula, and stratified random sampling was used to ensure proportional representation across the various floors of each PPR community apartment block. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire adapted from a validated Malay version. The questionnaire assessed respondents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to dengue prevention, categorising KAP scores as “Good” (≥80%) or “Poor” (<80%). Descriptive statistics summarized population characteristics and KAP scores, while logistic regression identified predictors of KAP levels, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results In this community, 76.7% of participants exhibited poor knowledge and 83.1% had a negative attitude towards dengue, despite 66.7% demonstrating good preventive practices. The PPR location significantly predicts dengue knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices, with p-values of less than 0.001 for all domains. Marital status also predicts dengue knowledge (p = 0.007) and preventive practices (p = 0.023), while prior infection with dengue is a predictor of preventive practices (p = 0.047). Conclusion Despite the community’s good dengue prevention practices, likely influenced by environmental expectations, there remains a critical need for education to sustain and strengthen these efforts, as climate change continues to worsen in the coming years. It is crucial to help residents grasp the relevance of these practices, so they can apply them more effectively as climate-driven risks intensify. Targeted interventions should de designed differently for each of the four PPR communities as their levels of knowledge, attitude and practices vary significantly, taking into account independent factors like marital status and prior dengue infection, which shape preventive behaviors.

Cooling Period Strategies in an Intermittent Usage Building: A Case Study of a Mosque in the Tropical Climate of Malaysia

Mosques are used five times a day according to the prayer schedule, which follows the sun's position. Indoor thermal conditions in air-conditioned mosques are maintained with a cooling time pattern that follows prayer times. Therefore, an effective air conditioning operating strategy is needed for energy efficiency. This study aims to investigate the effect of air conditioning intermittent operation time strategies on the energy usage of a mosque. It involves reducing the cooling period before prayer time and swapping active air conditioning periods from pre-prayer calls to post-prayer in the base case. Field measurements in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur (UTMKL) mosque and simulation using DesignBuilder software were conducted to predict annual specific energy consumption. The results indicate a reduction in specific energy consumption of 5% by operating the air conditioning 10 minutes before the call to prayer. Shifting the pre-prayer call-post prayer cooling period results in an insignificant reduction in energy consumption of 0.3-0.6%; however, it can accommodate extended periods of comfortable conditions for people who perform prayers outside of congregational prayers on time. Furthermore, the results indicate that the cooling period after the prayer time affects the cooling load of the following prayer. This study provides information for architects, engineers, and other stakeholders towards improving energy consumption in religious buildings with intermittent occupancy.

Empowering Malaysian early childhood practitioners’ sustainable inclusive practices through the ‘integrating and navigating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics’ (inSTEAM) framework

This study investigate the Malaysian early childhood practitioners’ science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) integrating understanding and practices. Several research studies continuously report that the learners’ interest and motivation in STEAM are declining worldwide, and this reflects the current reality of the shortage of STEAM leaders and experts in the workforce. One of the primary purposes of STEAM learning in the classroom is to enhance the learning process and outcomes to prepare young children for a future STEAM-focused career. A qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews and classroom observations was employed to deeply understand the participants’ practices on Malaysian early childhood STEAM integration. This study adopted the ground-up approach of the constructivist paradigm. This study interviewed 15 early childhood practitioners (including one center director) in several small groups from early childhood centers in the Metropolitan area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The findings showed how practitioners utilize their understanding and translate this into an integrated STEAM enactment. This study focused on practice-based inputs, where the practitioners also attempted to teach a makerspace lesson that focused on designing and constructing STEAM solutions. Using thematic analysis and coding of the practitioners’ inputs and discussions, five themes arose from the analysis of the interviews. ‘Character building STEAM educators’, ‘locus of control’, ‘risk-taking as part of STEAM learning’, ‘differentiating in STEAM lesson’ and ‘where interest-based learning fit in the local Malaysian curriculum’ were factors that impacted the participants’ drive and actions to integrate STEAM and makerspace. The findings informs other early childhood practitioners understanding and STEAM integration practices. Future study may include a continuous investigation to support early childhood practitioners to facilitate and deliver STEAM integration both inclusively and sustainably.