Penang Island Research Articles

Environmental impact screening for urban land use transitions - a perspective from developing a hill land development in Penang Island and shaping community acceptance

The current rate of urbanisation is unprecedented in human history, particularly in Malaysia’s densely populated areas. Natural constraints and hazards are frequently ignored in this informal and sprawling urban growth, exposing the population to these hazards. Deforestation, water catchment loss, extinction of protected species and plants, soil erosion, landslides, water pollution, sedimentation, and downstream flooding have all resulted from inadequate environmental mitigation. Hence, this research quantifies and assesses the environmental and social impacts of hill land development on the affected areas. The community’s opinion on such growth and environmental mitigation measures will be assessed and evaluated at a study site on Penang Island, Malaysia. Environmental Impact Screening (EIS) was conducted by distributing questionnaires to affected residents and businesses, with 69 respondents. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package (SPSS), followed by a thorough elaboration on the pros and cons of expanding this steep land by considering social, economic, and environmental consequences. From the evaluation, most respondents were opposed to hill land development that can harmed community’s ecosystem. As a result, numerous efforts have been made to reduce community and environmental impacts. This study enables stakeholders to assess the environmental impacts from this type of developments and conduct necessary steps to mitigate or eliminate them.

BMax consulting moves into Southeast Asia

Research methodology The data for this case were obtained primarily through a series of in-person interviews in Penang between the authors and Pete Browning (a pseudonym) from 2017 to early 2019. The authors also consulted secondary data sources, including publicly available material on BMax and “Company B”. Case overview/synopsis This case examines a key decision, or set of decisions, in the life of a small- to medium-sized management consultancy group, namely, whether they might expand their operations in Southeast Asia, and if so, where. These key decisions came in the wake of their having already established a very modest scale presence there, with an operating base on the island of Penang just off the north western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The initial establishment of a Southeast Asian branch had been somewhat spontaneous in nature – a former colleague of one of the two managing partners in the USA was on the ground in Malaysia and available: he became the local partner in the firm. But the firm had now been eyeing expansion within the region, with three markets under particular consideration (Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand) and a further two (Vietnam and China) also seen as possible targets, though at a more peripheral level. The questions facing the decision makers were “was it time they expand beyond Malaysia?” and “if so, where?” Complexity academic level This case could be used effectively in undergraduate courses in international business. The key concepts on which the case focuses are the factors affecting market entry, particularly the choice of market and the assessment of potential attractiveness such markets offer.

INFLUENCING FACTORS OF NEIGHBOURHOOD ATTACHMENT: A CASE STUDY OF PENANG, MALAYSIA

Many studies have examined the influencing factors of neighbourhood attachment. However, there are relatively lesser empirical studies regarding the influencing factors of neighbourhood attachment in the aftermath of COVID-19. This study investigates the influencing factors of neighbourhood attachment in two Penang Island, Malaysia neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood attachment is a second-order factor structure assessed by a first-order factor structure that includes place dependence and social bonding. A questionnaire survey with a Likert scale was used to measure the residents’ assessment of economic, physical and social factors as well as neighbourhood attachment level. The findings were then analysed by Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). These results support the theoretical findings in the literature that economic, physical and social factors affect neighbourhood attachment. Social factors are the most substantial influencing factors of neighbourhood attachment among the three factors. Neighbourhood attachment comprises multiple factors and processes rather than just one. Social interactions, cultural practices, environmental factors, and other experiences all contribute to the development of attachment. It can encourage residents to stay for a more extended time or permanently by fostering neighbourhood attachment. Therefore, this study can serve as a guide for community stakeholders to design attractive neighbourhoods that evoke pleasant memories and sentiments, which in turn encourage a sense of neighbourhood attachment.

EFFECT OF STANDARD PENETRATION TEST CORRECTIONS ON THE ESTIMATION OF UNDRAINED SHEAR STRENGTH

This paper evaluated the influence of Standard Penetration Test (SPT) correction factors, namely the hammer energy efficiency, borehole diameter, drill rod length, and sampling method, on the correlations between SPT resistance (SPT-N) and undrained shear strength (Su). Comparisons were made between new equations (with and without SPT corrections), which were derived from soil data collected from Penang Island, Malaysia. The coefficient of determination, Absolute Average Relative Error, Standard Deviation, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were employed as the basis for the assessments. Finally, a comprehensive analysis was carried out to evaluate the relationship between uncorrected ratio (Su/N) or corrected ratio (Su/N60) and Plasticity Index (PI)/Liquidity Index (LI). Based on the results, all correction factors recorded a significant impact on the estimated Su, as the ANOVA calculation suggested that the borehole diameter correction was the most statistically significant. Furthermore, the Su/N and Su/N60 exhibited increasing trends with increased PI and LI, which may be attributed to the soil’s state and behaviour. Additionally, cubic regression is the best-fit equation to correlate the parameters. In summary, this study provided new insights into the influence of correction factors, which can be used to improve the accuracy of the empirical correlations and engineering designs.

Landslide susceptibility mapping of Penang Island, Malaysia, using remote sensing and multi-geophysical methods

Malaysia is one of the countries in the world experiencing landslides yearly due to natural events and human activities. Penang Island is Malaysia’s second most developed state and the largest by population. It is prone to landslides with devastating environmental impacts. Hence, the need to characterize its near-surface soil-rock conditions. This study uses remotely sensed data via frequency ratio (FR) techniques to identify landslide-prone areas based on different categories of landslide causative factors. To further understand the conditions and hydrodynamics of the soil-rock profiles causing landslides, electrical resistivity tomography and seismic refraction tomography were carried out at a landslide-suspected section in the study area. Also, the satellite-derived Bouguer gravity anomaly modeling was performed to map the varied gravity anomalies associated with landslide-triggering factors in lithologic units. The multi-geophysical models offer strongly correlated results with the causative remote sensed maps and the landslide susceptibility index (LSI) map. The likelihood of landslides occurring in the area, as suggested by the area under curve modeling of LSI data, yielded a high predicted success rate of 83.47%. Hence, prospective landslides were identified at the hilly and elevated sections, while the less susceptible sections were identified on flat reliefs. Landslides may also be triggered, for instance, at steep sections with varied contractive soil bodies and shallow structures. Most importantly, leveraging the LSI map would help the necessary agencies to forestall and mitigate future landslide occurrences in the area.

THE IMPACT OF HOME FINANCING COSTS AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ON THE DEPRESSION LEVELS OF LOWER-INCOME EMPLOYEES WORKING FROM HOME DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (MARCH 2020 - MARCH 2021)

As a result of COVID-19 which was at its height between March 2020 and March 2021, the Malaysian government was forced to impose a Movement Control Order in phases to limit mobility. Consequently, many employees, including those from lower-income (B40) groups, were compelled to work from home (WFH). The movement limitations caused severe losses in income, and many had to alter the nature of their work to adapt to the WFH requirements. Concern with the mental health issues which have become a serious issue worldwide due to the increasing psychological damage caused by COVID19, this study, through questionnaire of lower income employees working from home in Penang Island, Malaysia, aims to contribute to the study of the quality of live and impact of their habit towards built environment when working from home. Data analysis is performed using SEM-PLS to examine the impact of housing cost and built environment on WFH productivity levels. This was subsequently extended to observe the influence of productivity levels on levels of depression. The results show that home financing costs and the built environment positively influenced WFH productivity levels but at the expense of higher levels of depression. The results of this study may be of interest to policy makers who need to plan mental health awareness programs due to financial worries and confined space environment for lower income group, as health culture could foster healthy equitable communities and well-being physically and mentally.

Prevalence, potential risk factors and genetic diversity of Blastocystis in ruminant livestock animals from Penang, Malaysia.

Blastocystis is a unicellular, anaerobic protist inhabiting the intestinal tract of diverse animal hosts, including human. Information regarding Blastocystis in small ruminants, namely goats and sheep, is limited globally; thus, this study was carried out to investigate the distribution and determinants of Blastocystis in ruminant livestock animals from Penang, Malaysia. Fecal samples from 127 cattle, 149 goats, and 100 sheep were examined for Blastocystis by in vitro cultivation using modified Jones' medium, while DNA barcoding was used for subtyping. Overall, 23.1% (87/376) of animals screened were positive for Blastocystis sp. The prevalence of infection was significantly higher in goats than in cattle and sheep, while the female gender, semi-intensive farming system, and the Northeast Penang Island district were identified as potential risk factors for Blastocystis infection. Blastocystis sp. ST5, ST14, and ST25 were identified in cattle; ST5, ST10, ST13, and ST14 in goats; and ST4, ST5, ST14, and ST15 in sheep. ST5 and ST14 were found to be the most abundant and widespread subtypes in the study area. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ST4 from sheep and ST13 from goats, thus serving as an update to the host range of Blastocystis sp. ST4 and ST13. The isolation of ST4 and ST5 in this study suggests that ruminant livestock animals could serve as reservoirs of human infection.

The Reign of Raffles in Java in 1811-1816

Not long after the handover of Java, Lord Minto, governor of India, appointed Thomas Stamford Raffles as lieutenant-governor of Java. Coincidentally, in keeping with his feelings for the Dutch, he began his career on the island of Penang, where the British established a trading station (1786) against the trade monopoly exercised by the Dutch forces in Malacca through sea patrols. Raffles may well be regarded as a staunch hater against the Dutch who were constantly trying to destroy them before, during and after his rule in Java. The initial action of Raffles and Minto was to place the important influence attached to the administration of the domestic government in British hands. This was done through changes in the European government bureaucratic system and indigenous governments as well as changes in the administrative system of the residency area. Besides, Raffles introduced the land rental system or what is more commonly called the "land tax system", the "British system" or the "national system". The period of Raffles' rule in Java, which was relatively short, brought about a lot of changes and developments in Java.

Assessment of Sustainability Knowledge and Attitudes Among Undergraduate Students in Penang Island

Assessment of Sustainability Knowledge and Attitudes Among Undergraduate Students in Penang Island

RQD modeling using statistical-assisted SRT with compensated ERT methods: Correlations between borehole-based and SRT-based RMQ models

In complex tropical granitic terrains, foundation rocks’ bearing strength is important in infrastructure design, while bedrock fractures that adversely impact engineering structures can boost groundwater productivity. Consequently, rock quality designation (RQD) can characterize these features effectively. This technique is difficult to determine in boreholes and relatively costly for a large area. As a result, novel approaches were employed to effectively determine RQD over a large aerial extent using statistically optimized borehole and seismic P-wave velocity (Vp) data with compensated resistivity modeling. This study was carried out in the typical granitic terrain of Penang Island, Malaysia. The first stage involves evaluating and developing borehole-based RQD models, and the results were correlated with Vp data and were regressively analyzed to develop lithology-based empirical relations. These empirical relations were used for developing 2D/3D SRT (seismic refraction tomography) based RQD models and were treated as novel models. Integrating the borehole-based and SRT-based RQD models with compensated resistivity models effectively delineate the surficial-to-subsurface soil-rock profiles based on their rock mass quality (RMQ) and conditions, as residual soil, completely weathered rock, relatively weathered rock, and integral/fresh granitic bedrock, including different directional and multiple axial fractures. Based on these results, the highlighted suitable sections for founding the foundations of infrastructure are pinned on the fresh bedrock at the depths of 8–25 m, with >2400 m/s, >2000 Ω m, and RQD >90%. The deep-weathered/fractured zones, with depth >35 m at localized sections, are water-bearing proposed for groundwater development. Overall, the methods and lithology-based empirical relationships can be adopted in granitic terrains to rapidly estimate RQD for a vast area with few and no borehole data.

Composition and temporal variation in the diet of intermediate horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus affinis, relative to insect abundance in a tropical rainforest environment of Southeast Asia

AbstractDietary studies on insectivorous bat species in Southeast Asia are relatively few. We studied diet of the intermediate horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus affinis, and the temporal variations in prey resource use. We also measured prey availability in order to explore whether this species is a generalist or specialist feeder. A total of 665 fecal samples were collected from 133 captured individuals from January to December 2019 in a tropical rainforest of Penang Island (Malaysia). A descriptive analysis of samples revealed a total of eight insect prey orders. The main taxon was Coleoptera (Percent Volume >50%), followed by Isoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera, respectively (5–15%). Neuroptera and Psocoptera were occasionally found in the samples (each <1%). This result exhibits a degree of dietary specialization on coleopterans although the diet composition was flexible and significantly varied over time (among months and within nights). Based on light trapping, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera and Diptera were frequent insects in the study area, while Isoptera was seasonally abundant. The correlation between variation in the diet and light trap for each prey taxon was mostly not statistically significant, suggesting that R. affinis do not consume prey in proportion to abundance and alternatively may discriminate between prey items when foraging and take prey in rank order. Given this, we further investigated the heavy consumption of absolute abundance of Coleoptera (high‐ranking prey in diet). As a result, coleopterans were included in the diet regardless of the abundance of other prey showing a pattern of dietary specialization.

Industrialisation and internationalisation of education in the context of Economy 4.0: A case study of Penang

The globalisation of science, industry and commerce has resulted in the internationalisation of education. In this context, ‘ a global citizen’, representing the Humboldtian educational model, has to have universal cognitive skills and cultural competences formed by an international/global education. However, Malaysia’s unique situation, as seen in the case of Penang Island, shows a multicultural education that effectively adapted to the global market. Most of the schools were transformed to national schools after Malaya’s independence from the United Kingdom, yet some retained their international nature. This article shows how national schools in Penang Island preserved their culture after independence, resulting in cultural pluralism (multiculturalism) in the educational system and, at the same time, maintained their global value for Economy 4.0. This multicultural and industry-oriented approach contrasts with the Humboldtian universalistic model, and yet contributes to the growth of science and a global economy. In this regard, it is argued that for the sustainable development of science, technology and society in Penang, the ‘epistemological pluralism’ with cross-disciplinary thinking in diverse cultural contexts should be promoted in educational and global policies.

Occurrences of Indo-Pacific Finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) off the West Coast of Penang Island, Malaysia

The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) occurs in a narrow strip of shallow marine waters less than 50m deep. The finless porpoise although recorded in Malaysia has not been comprehensively studied. The documentation of the occurrence and distribution of finless porpoise in west and north-west Penang was carried out from 2011 to 2019.This included interview surveys every 3 months from December 2012 to December 2013, a collation of published literature and conducting preliminary boat surveys in 2019. A total of 240 structured, individual interviews were done with the local community. Based on the interview surveys, there were 6 sightings (n=6/240, 2.5%) of finless porpoises in 2013. Published data indicated that there were 19 sightings of finless porpoises in 2013 and 3 sightings in 2014. Twenty mortalities of finless porpoises have been recorded. Boat surveys recorded 14 sightings of finless porpoise with an encounter rate of 0.106 sightings per hour. Mean group size was 2.6 ± 0.4 SE. The finless porpoise appears to occur in Teluk Bahang, Pantai Kerachut, Sungai Pinang and Sungai Burung in west Penang. Overall, the data suggests that there is a consistent population where line transect surveys can be done to further elucidate the population status of finless porpoises in Penang.

More Than Colonial Vestige? Afternoon Tea as Heritage Practice in Penang (Malaysia)

This article builds on insights from both critical heritage studies and Indian Ocean studies to argue that there is a need to delve deeply into how, by whom, and why heritage is practiced. Empirically, the practice of afternoon tea in Penang (Malaysia) provides insights into habits, manners, and customs in order to explore heritage as a social practice. Drawing on ethnographic field research on the island of Penang in Malaysia, this article demonstrates how the multiple forms, as well as the changing production, practice, and preservation, of local cultural heritage are used to strategically and situationally create identities in dependence of the “other” and in response to a national heritage narrative. In contrast to what is nowadays often considered a colonial vestige, I maintain that these cultural heritage elements are not foreign but part of specific local cultural heritages.

Groundwater Potential Assessment of Penang Island, Malaysia, Through Integration of Remote Sensing and GIS with Validation by 2D ERT

Groundwater Potential Assessment of Penang Island, Malaysia, Through Integration of Remote Sensing and GIS with Validation by 2D ERT

Spatial Analysis on the Variances of Landslide Factors Using Geographically Weighted Logistic Regression in Penang Island, Malaysia

Landslides are one of the common natural disasters involving mostly movement of soil surfaces associated with gravitational attraction. Their adverse losses and significant damage, which always result in at least 17% of casualties and billions of dollars of financial losses worldwide, have made landslides the third most notorious phenomenon devastating many parts of the world. Malaysia has had multiple landslide occurrences, particularly in highly urbanized areas, such as Penang Island, owing to the declining vegetation cover in hilly terrains. Thus, this study aims to delineate the spatial relationship variances between landslide occurrences and the influencing factors in the area of interest. Ten influencing factors considered, including distance to roads, distance to rivers, distance to faults, slope angle, slope aspect, curvature, rainfall annual average, lithology, soil series, and land use. In this study, we use a software (GWR 4.0) as a medium for the analysis processing, coupled with GIS. A local statistical technique, Geographically Weighted Logistic Regression (GWLR), is primacy in capturing the geographical variation of the model coefficients that considers non-stationary variables and models their relationships, as well as processes regression coefficients over space. Goodness-of-fit criteria were used to evaluate the GWLR model, namely AICc that decrease from 872.202167 to 800.856998. Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) shows a decrease in value from 925.784185 to 945.196942. Likewise, deviance decreased from 849.931675 to 739.175630, while pdev increased from 0.379457 to 0.460321. These goodness-of-fit criteria values express GWLR as the best model for local measure. The variances in both local parameter estimates and the t-values (negative and positive values) show the level of significance for each landslide factor in influencing landslide occurrences across the study area. The results of the local parameter estimates and the t-values also show that the slope angle and the slope aspect spatially affect landslide occurrences across the study area. Therefore, a proper perspective and a thorough understanding of the certain slope condition must be established for future mitigation actions to support the agenda of SDG 15, which promotes resilience and disaster risk reduction.

The Sustainability of Transport Mode Choice among B40 Groups in Urban Areas: A Case Study of Penang Island, Malaysia

The proliferation of privately owned vehicles contributes to various urban mobility issues, including traffic congestion. This study was conducted in Penang Island, Malaysia with the aim of examining the dominant transport mode choice among B40 groups, articulating the urban mobility issues they encountered and capturing their expectations regarding transport, particularly for commuting to their workplaces. In order to achieve that objective, this study employed a mixed-method technique. For the quantitative component, a total of 306 respondents from households classified as B40 were selected from Penang's eKasih Programme in the 2016 list, using a stratified random sampling upon ratio. Meanwhile, the qualitative component was conducted with a subset of 10 automobile-dependent respondents selected from 306 respondents who commute a distance exceeding 15 kilometres to their workplaces. The findings of the study reveal that specifically 29.08% of the northeast district and 42.81% of the southwest district on Penang Island, are motorcycle-dependent. It is imperative to enhance transportation policy by implementing strategies that focus on enhancing the appeal of public transportation through refurbishment efforts and diversification of transport modes. This approach aims to ensure the provision of affordable, sufficient, and efficient public transport options that can effectively cater to varying levels of demand.

Intertidal zonation of live benthic foraminiferal assemblages from mangrove environments around south-west Penang Island, Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract Studies on benthic foraminifera were conducted in the mangrove forests of Teluk Tempoyak, Pulau Betong and Kuala Sungai Pinang, Penang Island, Peninsular Malaysia to examine species composition and distribution patterns in different intertidal zones. Twenty-eight live benthic foraminiferal species were successfully identified at the study locations, predominantly species with agglutinated tests. Assemblages in Pulau Betong and Teluk Tempoyak were dominated by similar species such as Ammonia aoteana, Elphidium hispidulum, Elphidium neosimplex and Trochammina inflata, while Kuala Sungai Pinang comprises a high number of Trochammina inflata and Arenoparrella mexicana. Three species, Aubignyna perlucida, Elphidium neosimplex and Elphidium sandiegoense, were recorded for the first time in Malaysian mangrove forests. Principal component analysis showed that sediment type and organic matter content were the dominant parameters that explained the variation of environmental gradient. Canonical correspondence analysis of these parameters with benthic foraminiferal species indicated that sand particles influenced distribution of the hyaline tests. Species with agglutinated tests were abundant in sediment with rich organic matter in combination with high silt and clay content. Species with hyaline tests dominated lower intertidal zones, while those with agglutinated tests inhabited the area from the middle to upper intertidal zones. This distribution pattern of benthic foraminiferal species mirrored patterns found at other local and global mangrove locations.

Morpho-molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic Relationship of Tapinoma indicum Forel from Metropolitan Area

Tapinoma indicum Forel is one of the most abundant nuisance pests found in Penang Island, Malaysia. However, limited research has been done on T. indicum, especially in the molecular genetic field. This paper aims to collect T. indicum from three districts in Penang Island, Malaysia including George Town, Gelugor, Balik Pulau, characterize T. indicum based on morphological measurements and molecular characterization of T. indicum using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunits 1 (CO1) sequences and 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA) sequences. The morphological measurements resulting in HL = 4.31 ± 0.12 mm, HW = 3.87 ± 0.06 mm, EL = 0.89 ± 0.05 mm, EW = 0.58 ± 0.01 mm, SL = 3.56 ± 0.08 mm, ML= 1.11 ± 0.12 mm, CI = 89.83 ± 1.17, EI = 20.59 ± 0.88 and SI = 82.95 ± 2.34. The CO1 sequences and 16S rDNA sequences of T. indicum from each population are deposited and accessible via Genbank (NCBI) database. The phylogenetic trees result in two clades with three haplotypes, but the genetic structure is not well revealed.

Integrating Social, Economic, and Environmental Factors to Evaluate How Competitive Urban Landscapes Are for the Development of Sustainable Cities: Penang Island in Malaysia as a Case Study

The competitiveness of urban landscapes is a subject of growing attention as cities strive to become the best places to support enterprises, economic development, and high-quality living while preserving environmental resources. In evaluations of urban competitiveness, financial factors are frequently emphasized. In this systematic study for the future sustainable urban landscape (SUL), we use the instance of Penang Island, Malaysia, to present an integrated methodology for finding, evaluating, and validating good indicators for developing an urban landscape index that balances economic, sociocultural, and environmental factors. First, we provide a framework for developing such an index by developing a Delphi Analytical Hierarchy Process (DAHP) model that aids in choosing the most important aspects and sub criteria affecting the sustainability of urban landscapes. Then, under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), we demonstrate how to use these data to assess the competitiveness of various zones on Penang Island, namely Bayan Lepas and George Town. According to the quantitative results of the DAHP model, economic criteria, which were given a weight of 0.595 and a corresponding inconsistency (CI) of 0.04, had a greater influence on Penang Island’s urban landscape than environmental criteria, which were given a weight of 0.276 and a CI of 0.02, and social and cultural criteria, which were given a weight of 0.128 and a CI of 0.08. In terms of economic criteria, Zone 1 has a weight of 0.360, which indicates that it has less sway than Zone 2, which has a weight of 0.636. In the discussion, we highlight the essential elements of the methodology to assess the competitiveness of urban environments.