Groups In Malaysia Research Articles

The Influence of Zakat Assistance on Academic Achievement Among University Students in Malaysia and Indonesia: A Pilot Study

It is well known that knowledge and education are the best solutions to abolish the Asnaf people from poverty. As a result, zakat institutions actively play an essential role in distributing zakat funds through educational assistance to the asnaf groups in Malaysia and Indonesia. This measure ensures that the asnaf groups receive educational opportunities and succeed like others. Dropping out of studies due to failure to pay tuition fees is among the issues that are often reported in most past studies. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify and analyze the influence of zakat assistance on the academic achievement of students at Universiti Teknologi MARA Terengganu Branch, Malaysia (UiTMCT) and Universitas Sains Al-Qur'an, Indonesia (UNSIQ). This study also provides recommendations to empower zakat assistance at UiTMCT and UNSIQ. This study used a quantitative research method involving data collection by distributing questionnaires to 54 students at UiTMCT and UNSIQ. The findings were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software (version 24). The t-test results showed a significant difference in academic performance and governance between UiTMCT and UNSIQ, with a p-value of less than 0.05. This study is anticipated to provide insight to the community on the efforts to empower zakat institutions to assist asnaf fisabilillah in higher education institutions (IPTs) in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Idealized Past, Exclusivist Present: Right-wing Appropriation of the Decolonial Rhetoric in Malaysia

ABSTRACT Scholars have often assumed that a decolonial agenda would empower emancipatory and anti-racist movements. Nevertheless, there is also increasing recognition by scholars that the language of decolonization has been co-opted to support right-wing ideologies and majoritarian agendas, most prominently in India and Turkey. Similarly, in Malaysia, right-wing actors use decolonial rhetoric to criticize ethnic, religious, gender, and sexual minorities and silence their demands for equal rights. These actors have justified their intolerance by labelling any perceived threats to heteronormative Malay Muslim identity as examples of “Western imperialism” or “Chinese colonialism.” This article illustrates how decolonial vocabulary has been transformed into Sinophobia and homophobia by a right-wing Islamist group in Malaysia. It shows how revisionist nativist historiography, racism, and conspiracy theories can be integrated with moralistic calls for decolonization. Tracing developments over the past decade, the paper demonstrates how persistent dissemination, intellectual laundering, and innovative marketing strategies have helped mainstream a nativist Islamist decolonial agenda in Malaysia.

Human Leukocyte Antigen-G Gene Polymorphism in Peninsular Malaysia: A Preliminary Report.

Introduction: Expression of the nonclassical human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G gene is upregulated in placenta during pregnancy. In other cells, HLA-G is upregulated during parasitic infections and allergic reactions. Polymorphism at the HLA-G gene locus has been reported for many populations, but so far not for any ethnic groups in Malaysia. In this survey, we screened for genetic variation in HLA-G genes from representative Malay, Chinese, and Indian individuals living in Peninsular Malaysia. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were obtained with informed consent, and ethnicity classes were assigned based on self-declared pedigree information. Exons 2, 3, and 4 of the HLA-G gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and subjected to Sanger sequencing. Results: The most common genotype in Malays and Indians was found to be HLA-G*01:01:01:01/01:01:01:01 with frequencies of 0.206 and 0.167, respectively, whereas the HLA-G*01:01:03:01/01:01:01:01 genotype was the one most frequently observed in Chinese (0.221). Based on this study, HLA-G*01:01:01:01 (0.427-0.448) is the most frequent HLA-G allele in the all three ethnic groups. In contrast, HLA-G*01:01:02:01 (0.186) was observed as the second most frequent HLA-G allele in Malays and HLA-G*01:04:01 in Chinese and Indians, (0.188-0.198, respectively). Several minor HLA-G alleles were detected at low frequency in Malays, Chinese, or Indians (HLA-G*01:01:05, 01:01:09, 01:04:02, and 01:04:03). These have only rarely, if ever, been reported in other population groups. Subsequent statistical analysis including using principal coordinate data mapping showed the Malays, Chinese, and Indians are distinct but quite closely related to one another as compared with other population groups from across Europe and Africa. Conclusion: The HLA-G population data collected in this study showed that the ancestrally unrelated Malays, Chinese, and Indians are genetically distinct. This new database provides a foundation for further studies to capture HLA-G allelic diversity in uncharacterized populations of Malaysia and for future attempts to identify their roles in disease resistance and susceptibility.

EMPOWERING B40 WOMEN IN MALAYSIA: A SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE ECER-SURI@HOME PROGRAM

Women can be categorised as one of the marginalised and disadvantaged groups in Malaysia. With the COVID-19 pandemic that has hit Malaysia over the past three years, the vulnerability of Malaysian women in aspects of mental health and limited or inflexible occupations has increased. ECER-Suri@Home is a socioeconomic development program designed for women in ECER, especially housewives and single mothers with mobility constraints, to engage in home-based businesses, such as tenun and songket weaving, as a means to help them earn regular additional income. This study aims to assess the socioeconomic impact of the ECER-Suri@Home program on the participants and explore how the monitoring practice used can influence the sustainability of the program in empowering the wellbeing of B40 women in Terengganu. This study employed quantitative and qualitative approaches in data collection by distributing questionnaires to the program’s participants and in-depth interviews with several key informants from ECERDC and Yayasan Pembangunan Keluarga Terengganu. The outcome of this study revealed that this program has had a high impact on the economic status of the participants. The monthly monitoring visit has increased the productivity and quality of the tenun songket produced by the participants; however, this program would not be sustainable for the next cohort due to the difficulty in finding suitable participants.

Malay Music Transmission: Social Practices and Community Perception

Malaysia is part of the Malay cultural family of the archipelago (Nusantara). Musical elements and structures are similar to those found in Indonesian traditions. However, the local people's social practices and natural perceptions differ. This study looks into the social practices and musical perceptions of Malaysian societies. Interviews, focused group discussions, observations, a literature review, and internet data retrieval were all used in this qualitative study. The findings indicate that social practices of Malay Music differ among sub-ethnic groups in Malaysia. The sub-ethnic perceptions regarding “local” Malay Music differs as well. Several factors influence the natural perception of Malaysian music. The country's cultural diversity, natural setting, and historical legacy are all closely related to how Malaysian music is perceived. Malaysian music frequently reflects a strong sense of place and is influenced by the country's natural surroundings, ethnic traditions, and landscapes.

Framing and othering the T20 group in Malaysia: An analysis of news articles from selected mainstream and independent news portals

Malaysian news portals often feature news related to the B40 group as they are considered the socially disadvantaged group. Conversely, the T20 group in Malaysia refers to 20% of the population earning the highest income which serves as the complete opposite of the B40 group. Primarily deemed as a privileged group, this study examines how the T20 group is unfairly framed and othered in the media by drawing upon Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s concepts of media framing and othering. The study examines the linguistic elements in selected articles that depict the T20 as “unaffected”, “undeserving”, and “unrealistic”. This negative portrayal is used to justify the implementation of broad economic policies, that exclude the T20 from government subsidy programmes and impose higher taxes on them. This demonstrates the power of language to evoke negative feelings and perceptions about a specific group, including those perceived as privileged in a society.

How the Use of prep (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) Helps to Prevent HIV Infection in Malaysia

Background: HIV remains a significant public health challenge in Malaysia, affecting key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender individuals, sex workers, and people who inject drugs (PWID). Despite advancements in prevention and treatment, HIV continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has emerged as a promising biomedical intervention, utilizing antiretroviral tablets (ARVs) to significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection in HIV-negative individuals. Methods and Materials: This study investigates the effectiveness of PrEP in preventing HIV transmission among high-risk groups in Malaysia. The research examines the mechanism of action of the two primary drugs used in PrEP—tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC)—and analyzes data from various studies, including the iPrEx, Partners PrEP, PROUD, and IPERGAY studies. Additionally, it addresses the challenges of implementing PrEP in Malaysia, such as stigma, adherence issues, and integration with existing HIV services. Results: PrEP has shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection by more than 90% when used consistently. The iPrEx study demonstrated a 44% reduction in HIV risk, increasing to 92% with consistent use. The Partners PrEP study indicated a 75% reduction, with a potential 90% decrease with strict adherence. The PROUD and IPERGAY studies reinforced these findings, showing 86% reductions in HIV risk. Despite its proven efficacy, the implementation of PrEP in Malaysia faces barriers such as stigma, prejudice, and adherence challenges. Conclusion: PrEP is a highly effective strategy for reducing HIV transmission among high-risk populations in Malaysia. To maximize its potential impact, it is crucial to address barriers to implementation, including stigma, adherence issues, and integration with existing healthcare services. Mathematical modeling suggests that widespread PrEP use could lead to a significant decrease in new HIV infections, potentially reducing cases among MSM by 30% over a decade. Learning from successful PrEP programs in other countries, Malaysia should focus on supportive policies, community engagement, affordability, and adherence support to effectively combat the HIV epidemic.

Trends and projections of mild and moderate hearing loss among adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults and age-standardised population in Malaysia from 1996 to 2030.

This study aims to assess the prevalence of mild and moderate hearing loss spanning three decades, from 1990 to 2019, and to project the anticipated trends from 2020 to 2030 among adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, and age-standardised groups in Malaysia. This study involved secondary data analysis of mild and moderate hearing loss prevalence over 30 years among the Malaysian population aged 15-19, 25-29, 35-39, 45-49, and age-standardised groups. Subsequently, three time-series models were evaluated and the best models with the minimal Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) were selected for projecting the prevalence of hearing loss until 2030. A relatively stable trend of mild hearing loss prevalence and gradual decline of moderate hearing loss were observed across all age groups throughout the study period. The prevalence of mild hearing loss was consistently higher than moderate hearing loss across all age groups, with its prevalence increasing with age. The projected prevalence of hearing loss exhibits a gradual declining trend in the future for all age groups, except for mild hearing loss for the 15-19-year-old group. Over the past 30 years, there has been a relatively stable and slightly declining trend in the prevalence of mild and moderate hearing loss among the Malaysian population, respectively with projections showing a slow reduction in the future. These findings highlighted the need for identifying the best intervention and vulnerable age groups, directing increased resources and prioritization towards them.

A Bibliometric Review of The B40 Households Group in Malaysia

To give a comprehensive assessment of the B40 household groups research sector, a bibliometric analysis of 246 papers from the Scopus database between 2019 and 2023 is being conducted by this project. The study aims to learn about the latest research topics being worked on by researchers, examine Malaysia's contribution to the field, highlight author, university, and country collaborations in the field, and identify the most influential authors, universities, nations, and citations. Based on the study, Malaysia, the US, and the UK are the top three countries that have looked at B40 household groups. Focusing on B40 family groups most of the researchers at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA, and Universiti Malaya. On this subject, Sani, N.S. is the most well-known author. Due to its unique demographic of B40 people, Malaysia is the only country in the world that carries out extensive research on B40 household groupings.

Cash Waqf: Ethical & sustainable Qard Hasan Microfinancing in Malaysia for B40 & M40 inclusion

This study explores the integration of Qard Hasan with Cash Waqf (QHCW) as a funding source to support microfinancing for the B40 and M40 income groups in Malaysia. The research attempts a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative interviews with quantitative surveys to gather comprehensive data from Islamic bank customers and practitioners. Findings suggest that a well-structured QHCW model focusing on the net proceeds can enhance financial inclusion and economic resilience, particularly in the post-COVID-19 recovery phase.

Exploring individuals’ purchase willingness for cryptocurrency in an emerging context

This study aims to investigate the influencing factors of consumers’ willingness to buy cryptocurrency in Malaysia. The targeted population of this study was Malaysian citizens who had knowledge about digital currency such as cryptocurrency. In this study, the data collection process was completed using an online survey questionnaire from several social media groups in Malaysia. They were sent a survey invitation to take part in, and after their approval, their responses were gathered. Five-point Likert scale has been used, where ‘1’ stands for “strongly disagree” and ‘5’ stands for “strongly agree”, to find out the item-wise questionnaire. The final sample size was n = 620. Moreover, 5% significance level and SPSS software were used to analyze the data and evaluate the hypotheses. The outcome of this study exposes that the perception of the price value of the cryptocurrency, perceived trust, and perceived security measure positively and significantly affect consumers’ willingness to buy cryptocurrency. Overall, these variables can explain 49.50% (R2 = 0.495) of the variance in predicting consumers’ willingness to buy cryptocurrency. It is found that among the three determinants, perceived trust (β = 0.569) in cryptocurrency had the highest impact on the intention among Malaysian consumers compared to other variables. This study contributes to the limited existing literature concerning Bitcoin and digital currencies, offering insights that can aid scholars in comprehending the significance of cryptocurrency and delineating its predominant impacts within the Malaysian cryptocurrency space.

The Impact of Automation on the Economic Empowerment of the B40 Group in Malaysia: A Case Study in Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia

The Impact of Automation on the Economic Empowerment of the B40 Group in Malaysia: A Case Study in Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia

EVALUATION OF GEOMETRIC MORPHOMETRIC APPROACH FOR ETHNICITIES DISCRIMINATION USING HANDWRITTEN NUMERAL CHARACTERS

Handwriting evidence is a valuable source for authorship identification, an important aspect in investigating crimes such as murder, suicide, illegal drug trafficking, kidnapping, and document forgery. It relies heavily on the examination of written characters that make the document. However, specific studies on the handwritten numeral characters are scarce despite being crucial in assisting investigators in solving crimes. Hence, this study is aimed to gauge the possibility to discriminate authors according to their ethnicities by means of their handwritten numeral characters using a novel Geometric Morphometric (GMM) technique. Handwritten numeral characters collected from 30 individuals from three main different ethnic groups in Malaysia; Malay, Chinese and Indian were first digitised and landmarked using GMM software. Cluster patterns can be observed in the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) score plots, belonging exclusively to the three different ethnic groups. Significant differences (p<0.0001) were discovered in handwritten numerals characters 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 amongst the three ethnicities when tested using Procrustes ANOVA, which signifying that it is possible to discriminate authors according to their ethnicities using their handwritten numeral characters. However, more sophisticated meta-analyses are needed in order to find the most effective technique for determining and discriminating the author's ethnicity.

The contributions of grandparents to preadolescent grandchildren's social skills in rural Malaysia.

This study aimed to generate localized knowledge by investigating the perceptions and experiences of preadolescent grandchildren and grandparents regarding grandparenting and intergenerational interactions and how these processes were related to the social skills of preadolescents from three ethnic groups in Malaysia. Using a concurrent quantitative-qualitative mixed method research design, Chinese, Malay, and Indian preadolescents (N = 465; ages 9-12 years old; M = 10.27 years; SD = 1.03) from rural areas in Malaysia completed a self-administered quantitative survey; furthermore, 25 grandparents participated in one-on-one interviews. Survey findings showed that preadolescent grandchildren who reported higher grandparental warmth and support had greater social skills, mediated by positive grandparent-grandchildren (GP-GC) relationships. The GP-GC relationship and preadolescent social skills association was stronger for skipped generation compared to three-generation households. Interview findings revealed that grandparents expressed unconditional love and autonomy support in their grandparenting roles by guiding and encouraging their preadolescent grandchildren to make decisions. The GP-GC interactions served as a dynamic force in promoting preadolescents' social skills. By employing a decolonized approach and drawing on the lived experiences of grandparents from three ethnic backgrounds in rural Malaysia, the study provided an understanding of grandparenting practices and their general implications across the three ethnic groups. The interview responses highlighted both commonalities and specificities in grandparenting practices and relationship dynamics shaped by religious, class, and sociocultural dimensions in rural Malaysia.

The Marginalised Tamil Indians and Their Lived Experience in Multicultural Malaysia

The study aims to explore the Tamil Indians’ lived experience during the country’s economic progress under Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s premiership as the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. The period was chosen to reflect on the nation’s economic success since independence. The study adopts the Acculturation Model to analyse the living conditions of minority groups, particularly in the multiracial context of Malaysia. Using in-depth interviews with 23 informants, ranging from political leaders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academics, media organisations and youths, qualitative data was collected. Data for the study were analysed using the NVIVO 12 software and a thematic analysis approach was adopted for analysis. Two broad themes derived from the findings of this study are the responses to marginalisation issues and aspirations of Malaysian Tamil Indians. Findings from this study highlight the existence of the acculturation model, which Malaysian Tamil Indians encounter as one of the minority groups in Malaysia. The study suggests a need for improvement to the system to avoid institutional failure within multicultural Malaysia in the long term.

Understanding Factors Influencing the Adoption of Digital Marketing Among Small Businesses: The Application of Decomposed Model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)

Digital marketing has seen rapid growth. Millions have been spent on the digital marketing tools. The increase in the investment in digital marketing is due its effect in increasing sales, improving brand image, increasing customer image, and reducing the overall marketing cost. to companies. Despite these advancements in marketing and its effects, these phenomena are not really observed in small and medium enterprises in developing and less developed country. This has motivated this study to analyse factors that influence the adoption of digital marketing among a group of entrepreneurs from low-income category that is under the assistantship of a state government agency in Malaysia. The sample comprises of 60 entrepreneurs from the group that have just attended digital marketing training have responded to the survey. The study employs a quantitative technique that utilizes the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) model that combines the TPB and the Theory of Acceptance Model (TAM). The result indicates that the dependent variable (Digital Marketing Adoption) can be significantly explained by the independent variables (Except Subjective Norm). The result also provides an important finding on the importance of the participants internal factors- Perceived Ease of Use (PEU) , Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Behavior Control (PBC) in improving the rate of digital marketing adoption. This provides an important insight into the future development of e- marketing among the entrepreneurs from the lower income group in Malaysia. This indicates the importance of the role of effective training in e- marketing.

The Continuous Precarious Situation of the Refugees and Migrant Workers in Malaysia Post-COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic positioned the global population in a conundrum state and the most vulnerable were the refugees and migrant workers. It is a common narrative for governments and the people to treat them indifferently because of their illegal status thus creating a xenophobic environment against them. A similar situation occurred for these vulnerable groups in Malaysia during managing and mitigating the spread of COVID-19 resulting in the Malaysian government neglecting the fundamental human rights to protect the refugees and migrant workers from discrimination, abuse, and exploitation. By international standards, Malaysia is far from defending the rights of vulnerable groups, particularly the plight of refugees and migrant workers. Therefore, this paper aims to highlight and discuss the qualm conditions of these refugees and migrant workers during COVID-19 and the continuous precarious situation against them. Data was gathered from primary and secondary sources such as official statements, mainstream media and reports from local and international organisations. Findings show that the precarious situation remains the same for these vulnerable people, hence the Malaysian government should seriously work out comprehensive policies to alleviate the abysmal condition against them.

Exploring Influence of Food-Related Social Media Content on Eating Habits of Undergraduate Students

Introduction: Social media has become a ubiquitous part of daily life. However, little is known about the influence of food-related social media content (FRSMC) on the eating habits of Malaysian undergraduates. This study explored FRSMC usage of undergraduates enrolled in a non-health program, its influence on eating habits, and how such social media content influences dietary behaviours. Method: This qualitative semi-structured interview study involved chemical engineering (CE) undergraduates at a university in Penang, Malaysia. The study was carried out from April 2021 to March 2022 during which ten participants were purposively selected. Based on precedent qualitative research sampling rule of thumb, this sample size of ten participants provided sufficient data saturation for an initial exploratory study. The interview sessions were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Results: According to study findings, in terms of usage, food advertising and promotions; cooking tutorials and food and nutrition information are the most appealing types of FRSMC. With regards to eating habits, FRSMC can lead to healthy and unhealthy food choices. The study identified several perceived challenges, namely unrealistic and untrustworthy content, difficult and repetitive content, and algorithm-driven deviations from healthy diets. The effectiveness of FRSMC can be enhanced by creating trustworthy and engaging content. Conclusion: The study highlights that social media engagement can have both positive and negative impact on food choices among undergraduates. Some FRSMC are perceived to encourage and motivate undergraduates to adopt healthier dietary habits. Future research could involve a larger sample, representative of diverse socio-demographic groups in Malaysia.

Intention to Use Robo Advisory Services in Malaysia

In Malaysia, robo-advisory services have become increasingly popular in the financial industry. This study examines the factors that determine the intention to use robo-advisory services in Malaysia, including the performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, and trust. The target respondents of this study are individuals from the M40 income group in Malaysia. A total of 400 responses was collected and analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS software. The findings demonstrated that performance expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, price value, and trust are significant in affecting the behavioral intention to use robo-advisory services in Malaysia, except for effort expectancy and facilitating conditions, which showed an insignificant result. Moreover, this study would contribute to the understanding of the emergence of robo-advisory services in Malaysia and provide practical and theoretical implications for portfolio managers, robo-advisory firms, and researchers to aid in the future development of robo-advisory services and the financial industry in Malaysia.

E-Commerce Participation Among Urban Low-Income Group in Malaysia: Assessing the E-Commerce Infrastructure

In the digital era, e-commerce has reshaped the landscape of business transactions, offering a contemporary avenue for buying and selling goods and services globally. Malaysia, like many nations, has embraced this digital transformation, with the Malaysian government actively promoting e-commerce initiatives to foster economic growth and innovation. This study explores the availability and adequacy of infrastructure facilities supporting e-commerce activities that may influence the low-income group in urban state in Malaysia to participate in e-commerce. By gathering empirical insights from a survey targeting low-income individuals engaged in e-commerce and those who are not, the study contributes to the discourse on promoting e-commerce and fostering digital empowerment within Malaysia's low-income communities. The study endeavours to enhance economic opportunities and livelihoods of urban communities through informed policy recommendations and interventions.