Issues In Malaysia Research Articles

A CORPUS-BASED LEXICAL ANALYSIS OF COVID-19 SPECIAL MESSAGES BY THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

Background and Purpose: The global emergence and rise of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 have a serious effect on a nation’s economic and social well-being, including Malaysia. During lockdown period, the former Prime Minister delivered Special Messages on the updates of COVID-19 issues in Malaysia on television. A specialised Malay corpus, i.e., Cov-19 Related Special Messages Corpus, consisting of 19 Special Messages texts by Muhyiddin Yasin, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia was examined to reveal its lexical profiling.
 
 Methodology: The specialised corpus was analysed using Sketch Engine tool, fully utilising the Wordlist, Keyword, and Concordance functions for the purpose of lexical analysis. The list of lexical items was then compared with the same list of items in the Malaysian Web (MalaysianWaC), a default Malay Reference Corpus set in Sketch Engine.
 
 Findings: Through wordlist analysis, the most frequently used words in the analysed corpus are generally linked to political or government entity (e.g., kerajaan, menteri, and perdana) and the welfare of the Malaysians (e.g., rakyat, kesihatan, and epidemik). The keyword analysis indicates that words related to the containment of the pandemic and reference to the Malaysians (e.g., saudara-saudari, pelitup, and penjarakan) show high keyness values. Finally, through concordance analysis some words with high keyness scores are used differently in both specialised Malay corpus and Reference Corpus. From the analyses, the most used words in the specialised corpus are related to the issue of COVID-19.
 
 Contributions: It is hoped that this study would contribute to the corpus linguistic studies on COVID-19 to comprehend the use of COVID-19 related lexical items.
 
 Keywords: Corpus analysis, specialised corpus, COVID-19, WordSmith Tool, lexical analysis.
 
 Cite as: Abdullah, S., Malik, N. A., Shak, M. S., & Anuar, N. (2023). A corpus-based lexical analysis of Covid-19 special messages by the former prime minister of Malaysia. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 8(2), 44-72. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol8iss2pp44-72

KEFAHAMAN DAN PERSEPSI TERHADAP BUDAYA SILANG GENDER DALAM KALANGAN PELAJAR UNIVERSITI

In the past decade, the proliferation of cross-gender culture, commonly known as transgender culture, in Malaysia has become a significant challenge to the Muslim community. The advancement of the digital world has provided a platform for this group to normalize cross-gender culture in the country. The combination of technological advancements and the abundance of social media applications has made it easier for all groups, especially the youth, to access various discussions, particularly on this issue. This is relevant as the younger generation also contributes to the emergence of this group. We can observe on social media platforms that the transgender community is becoming increasingly bold in openly spreading their ideology, to the extent of insulting Islam. For instance, they would livestream on their personal social media platforms while eating openly during the daytime in the month of Ramadan. Such actions demonstrate a fragility in religious understanding, leading them to engage in activities that contradict Islam without considering the concept of reward and punishment. Therefore, this study aims to assess the level of understanding and perception of university students regarding cross-gender issues in Malaysia. A survey questionnaire was distributed to respondents who were students at a university in Malaysia. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software in a descriptive manner. The study found that the respondents exhibited a moderate level of understanding regarding cross-gender issues in Malaysia. Additionally, their perception of cross-gender culture was also moderate. This indicates the need to extensively expose university students to the issue of cross-gender culture so that they become more aware of its presence. This study is considered significant in preventing society, particularly young Muslim individuals, from adopting an open-minded attitude towards accepting the presence of cross-gender culture and subsequently getting trapped in a realm that contradicts Islamic law.

Utilization of Green Materials and Technology for Sustainable Construction in Malaysia

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the construction industry on the environment in Malaysia and propose strategies for mitigating its adverse effects through the adoption of sustainable building techniques. The study recognizes the importance of a healthy ecosystem in promoting health conditions, improving living standards, and ensuring a sustainable future for the nation. However, the recent population expansion has placed increased pressure on Malaysia's building industry and infrastructure, resulting in environmental degradation caused by the construction sector. To address this issue, the study examines the overall framework of ecological management implemented in Malaysia's construction industry. It evaluates key aspects of construction management, including the formulation and implementation of environmental policies, the involvement of stakeholders in decision-making processes, and the effective management of construction waste. Additionally, the study conducts a comprehensive assessment of specific regulations and guidelines pertaining to construction waste, water contamination, and air pollution, all of which are prevalent issues in Malaysia's construction activities. Furthermore, the study highlights the benefits of using green materials in construction to minimize environmental impact and enhance overall quality of life. It explores the implementation of green technologies in Malaysia, considering their advantages and disadvantages within the local context. By doing so, the study aims to provide insights into the challenges faced in the widespread adoption of green technologies, taking into account the perspectives of the government, economy, society, and available resources. Ultimately, the study emphasizes the need for collaboration among all stakeholders to address environmental damage effectively. It stresses the importance of an inclusive approach, ensuring that no one is left behind in the efforts to rectify the situation and prevent further deterioration of the environment. By taking proactive measures and implementing sustainable building techniques, it is hoped that the construction industry in Malaysia can contribute to a greener and more sustainable future for the nation.

The Application of Sadd Al-Dharai' Approach as A Mechanism for The Management of Transgender Issues in Malaysia

The Application of Sadd Al-Dharai' Approach as A Mechanism for The Management of Transgender Issues in Malaysia

The Need to Study Political Psychology in Malaysia

This paper aims to describe political psychology and its significance in the context of Malaysian politics. Political studies in Malaysia primarily rely on political science, political sociology, and socio-political analysis. However, it is crucial to examine the political environment and issues in Malaysia from a psychological perspective. Political psychology provides insights into the thinking and behaviour of political leaders and enables an understanding of voters' behaviour. This interdisciplinary approach enriches our comprehension of politics from diverse angles. In the Malaysian context, studying political psychology will enhance our understanding of numerous variables related to political practices. The interaction between politics and psychology, particularly the impact of psychology on politics, is an intriguing subject to explore. A deeper comprehension of political psychology in Malaysia will enable leaders to better appreciate the aspirations of the people and work towards fulfilling their needs. The study of political psychology should aim to uncover the thought processes of political actors and voters alike.

Recycled waste of construction industry in Malaysia: A review

The increasing demand in the construction industry has led to a vast development in recent years. However, the impacts of this development are arising such as the increasing amount of waste. The majority of construction solid waste is dumped in landfills despite of its recyclable potential. Therefore, there should be a more viable solution to answer this issue. The objective of literature review is to obtain the information of each kind of construction waste that is most recycled with the methods. The review is based on the articles related to the recycled waste issues in Malaysia. In terms of recycling methods, paper and cardboard waste is mostly recycled into new paper while asphalt waste does have potential as aggregates for new asphalt layer. Moreover, brick and glass waste which are commonly found in demolition can be turned into pozzolanic materials and filler or glass fibre respectively. Meanwhile, the metals waste may be recycled as new metals while plastic waste can be turned into other plastic products or composite. Lastly, the timber and concrete waste can be recycled as boards and concrete aggregates respectively. The recycling system of construction waste is regulated by several bodies in Malaysia: National Solid Waste Management Department, Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation Malaysia (SWCorp), and Department of Environment Malaysia.

Students’ Views of the Contributing Factors, Effects and Ways to Overcome Islamophobia in Malaysia and the West

Islamophobia is on the rise in the West, and the spread of it through Western media content has alarmed Muslims around the world including in Malaysia. Islam as a religion peace has been described as a religion that promotes violence. Anti-Islamic sentiment and its adherents increased drastically in Europe, such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom, causing tensions in the communities in those areas. The awarding of Qatar, a Muslim country, to host 2022 FIFA World Cup is the recent example of the case in point. Hence, this paper explores Islamophobia issues in Malaysia and the West from the views of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s students, i.e., knowledge, contributing factors, effects on Muslims, and ways to overcome Islamophobia. A quantitative survey questionnaire was disseminated online to the students and 60 of them responded. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis method. Results indicate that the students’ were knowledgeable about Islamophobia, and they viewed the Western mainstream media as the major factor contributing to the rise of Islamophobia. The students agreed that Muslims in the West received bad treatments as the effects of Islamophobia, and the most effective way to overcome Islamophobia is through the use of online and social media.

Application of Mediation in Resolving Elderly Family Issues in Malaysia: Lessons from Canada and Australia

Malaysia is expected to be an ageing country by 2030 when 15% of her populace will be in the category of the elderly. The elderly will face various issues and challenges, such as finance along with abuse and neglect. Generally, like in other disputes, the legal mechanism is the resort for resolution. However, litigation is less preferred in this type of cases as it does not address the emotional distress suffered by the parties involved. As such, litigation is not a suitable method as it may break the relationship between the parties. Conversely, mediation, a non-adjudicative dispute resolution mechanism, is considered a potential method of dispute settlement since it is effective in addressing the issues in a family conflict involving the elderly. Due to its effectiveness, the application of mediation as a means of resolving disputes has gained global attention. Considering its effectiveness, some countries, such as Australia and Canada, apply mediation in resolving family issues involving the elderly. The use of mediation in family disputes is not new in Malaysia, however, it is yet to be applied in elderly family disputes. The objective of this article is to explore the scope of the application of mediation in elderly family issues. As such, this study adopts the qualitative approach of research where primary and secondary sources of data were gleaned from various statutes as well as existing literature, respectively. In order to underline the potential of mediation in dispute resolution, the experiences of Australia and Canada have been shared in this article. The finding indicates that due to its intrinsic excellence and usefulness, mediation can excel in resolving the disputes related to the elderly. Therefore, the paper recommends embracing mediation as a feasible dispute settlement mechanism involving the elderly in a family setting in Malaysia.

THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR WATER POLLUTION IN MALAYSIA: AN ANALYSIS

Despite the increasing importance of water resources sustainability in the country, river pollution issues in Malaysia remain critical and unresolved. This paper focuses on the legal framework concerning water pollution in Malaysia as a means to identify some possible gaps since the Federal Constitution was drafted post-independence, albeit with latter revisions and amendments. Data were obtained from documents retrieved from primary and secondary sources. Analysis of data showed that serious water pollution issues can be dealt with through several options. First, to examine existing constitutional provisions, laws and policies and to identify the gaps, and where necessary, to address the shortfalls. For instance, to amend the constitution so that there is a clear definition of “environment”. Second, to consult the National Land Council in matters involving the State and Federal. This paper contributes to literature by offering insights into the possible measures in tackling water pollution issues, despite the gaps existing in the constitutional provision, which had not been explored in the same level of detail in existing literatures.

A Conceptual Paper on Characteristics of Successful Asnafpreneur in Malaysia

This conceptual paper is presented with the intention to study the characteristics of a successful asnafpreneur specifically at south states of Malaysia. It started by reviewing the past literature on the features of successful asnafpreneur, business person or source that contribute in someone’s career to bloom. The basis study's foundation was a hypothesis of past successful business person theory. The lack of growth in successful asnafpreneurs and the advancement of technology for asnaf issues in Malaysia are the driving forces behind this study. The novel in these studies is that researcher study the similarities in 4 south states in Malaysia. Other past study only focusses on 1 state or at least 2 states. The discoveries could benefit today's body of knowledge.

An Explorative Study: The Challenges of Cross-Cultural Adaptation among Expatriates in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The current progress of technological modernization has further enhanced the increase in the number of international migration movements around the world. The encouragement of international migration is also driven by the policies enacted by the government at the policy implementation stage, producing a dynamic and highly innovative local workforce as well as high demand from industries, institutions, and statutory bodies to fill the energy gap in professional work. International migration is an advantageous approach and has been found to positively impact a country’s economic and socio-political development. Furthermore, the involvement of professionals, especially expatriates who are technologically literate, highly knowledgeable, and have extensive experience in certain fields, not only helps the country’s economic growth but also contributes to the sustainability and viability of organizational management. Nonetheless, individuals involved in international migration, especially expatriates, tend to experience problems adaptating to the cultural environment of the host country due to the differing cultural practices than their countries of origin. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the challenges of cultural adaptation among expatriates in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The findings of this study found that the lack of social interaction and lack of cultural interaction are the challenges faced by expatriates while adapting to the culture in Malaysia. The findings of this study also provide benefits to the organizations and agencies of the government i.e. MIDA or TalentCorp in managing expatriate issues in Malaysia in order to reduce the turnover and repatriation among expatriates.

Social Well-Being of Juvenile Sex Offenders with Conduct Issues in Malaysia

Adolescents' ability to converse and form meaningful connections with others, as well as to keep up a social network that helps them to avoid isolation, is greatly aided by their level of social well-being. Juvenile delinquents with conduct disorder exhibit more psychopathology and commit more serious crimes than those without a conduct disorder diagnosis. However, it has been proven that positive peer interactions lessen behaviour problems in adolescents where the negative behaviour in teenagers can be diminishes with increased peer support. To explore how the juvenile sex offenders with conduct issues socialized with peers, seven juvenile sex offenders between the age of 14 to 17 with conduct issues were participated in interviews. The data were collected from two detention centers in Selangor and Perak, Malaysia, and analysed using thematic analysis. This study found that social well-being includes social interaction, peers support, closeness in peer relationships, peer acceptance, and a sense of belonging among juvenile sex offenders with conduct issues in detention centers. It is concluded that social well-being is vital in building emotional resilience among juvenile sex offenders with conduct issues. Positive social well-being allows adolescents to move forward and self-growth while negative social well-being regresses the individual in cognitive, and socio-emotional development. The findings demonstrated the significance of adolescents' social well-being, which helps them maintain their health and develop social and emotional abilities in the detention centre.

Isu Pengkategorian Hadis Sebagai Ẓan Menurut Perspektif Qiyās Al-Shabah

Khilafiah issues in Malaysia have become polemics that give a negative impression to the community. The purpose of this writing is to highlight the Qiyas al-Shabah instrument in identifying the qiyas method used on issues arising among Islamic scholars in Malaysia. The difference in views of Islamic scholars is usually because of an individual’s propensity towards certain manhaj. The difference in manhaj significantly impacts the Qiyas al-Shabah which consequently be used in eliciting the nas of the Qur’an and al-Sunnah, as well as the words of the imams of the madhhab. Hence, Qiyas al-Shabah is one of the methods of ‘illah in Fiqh and understanding it leads to openness and tolerance. This research is a qualitative study which will use a reference approach that involves theoretical and practical analysis.

Foreword

This journal is meant to be an international journal. Hence, articles that we publish in this journal shall represent international coverage. This second edition of this journal just does that. It consists of six (6) articles that examines issues related to Muslim politics in at least four different countries: Indonesia, Turkey, Malaysia and Egypt. Two articles on Indonesia examine, respectively, the conservative turn of subcultural youth and the emergence of Islamic populism in Palembang in 1950s. Two other articles are comparative studies: one article discusses the contemporary narratives of leftist Islam movements in Indonesia and Turkey; and the other compares the number of religious legislations in Indonesia with those of other democratic states to gauge the level/quality of democracy in Indonesia. The remaining two articles exclusively discuss social and political issues in Malaysia and Egypt. The Malaysia article examines the history of women’s involvement in politics from the time of the Malay Sultanate until post-World War II in Malaya, which now forms the modern territories of Malaysia and Singapore. The article on Egypt discusses major shift in the discourse of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, from the advocacy for restoring the Caliphate to the call for a modern civic state. Future editions of this journal shall cover political issues in more Muslim countries to further strengthen this journal’s credential as international journal. To attain that objective, scholars from around the world are warmly welcome to write articles for our journal.

Factors Affecting Social Sustainability Performance amongst Malaysian Manufacturing Companies

Malaysia is among 192 countries that adopted the 2030 agenda for sustainable development to move towards more sustainable, resilient and inclusive growth through strengthening the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development. However, among the three pillars, social sustainability is often disregarded than economic and environmental. Social sustainability is an aspect of sustainability or sustainable development that encompasses human rights, labour rights, and corporate governance. It brings a better environmental and positive influence on the employees working in the industry. This study aims to investigate the relationship between diversity practices, environmental practices, product responsibility and, safety and health practices on social sustainability performance in the manufacturing industry in Malaysia. A total of 384 questionnaires were distributed amongst manufacturers with multinational corporation status based on the purposive sampling method. Eighty-two usable questionnaires had been received and analysed. The findings of this study revealed that only diversity practices and safety and health practices significantly influenced the social sustainability performance. Future research is suggested to verify the significance of these factors as well as other potential factors in different industries for better understanding and knowledge of the social sustainability issues in Malaysia.

End-of-life vehicles research development in Malaysia: a comprehensive review with the integrated conceptual model of innovative sustainable manufacturing elements.

The end-of-life vehicles (ELV) issue has become an essential topic in the fast-growing automotive industry. This study utilizes comprehensive content analysis to critically review the recent ELV research developments and underpinning issues in Malaysia. Fifty relevant ELV studies in Malaysia from the year 2006 to 2021 are selected and categorized based on three innovative sub-elements (product, process, system) of sustainable manufacturing. The literature review findings show that sustainable product recovery and recyclability issues in ELV treatments are still a major concern. Current studies overlook specific research on sustainable and integrated processes for ELV treatment. There is still lack of detailed ELV implementation framework equipped with the documented procedures and appropriate industrial practices in the ELV ecosystem to optimize the ELV supply chain. ELV policy is yet to be enacted in Malaysia, and public awareness of ELV is still low. There is inadequate alignment in ELV research developments with the current National Automotive Policy 2020 in Malaysia. The proposed integrated conceptual model will provide an extensive overview for scholars, policy-makers, and ELV stakeholders to implement appropriate actions to improve present ELV businesses in line with the public readiness to enact the potential ELV directives or legislation in Malaysia.

BIM-Based Building Performance Analysis for a Green Resort in Malaysia

Building Information Modelling or BIM has proved its competency in making build construction process effective and efficient. Due to the emergence of more energy efficient approaches and popularity of green certification in building construction, BIM also became a valuable tool to evaluate the building energy performance and sustainability level. Various building typologies using green approaches started to emerge due to the Malaysia Government's sustainability and green policy according to the 2009 National Green Technology Policy (NGTP). Although this development includes green hotels and resorts but there is still lack of quantitative analysis for existing tourism facilities in Malaysia, specifically for green resorts. Thus, this paper describes through literature studies the current BIM development and issues in Malaysia, the green resort certification, and its challenges, as well as the general energy consumption of a hospitality building in Malaysia. By using the BIM-based simulation, this paper is an attempt to investigate the building performance analysis in terms of energy and cost in relation to hospitality industry building design specifically a green resort in Malaysian context. Design alternatives for the existing selected green resort facade were also proposed to further demonstrate the usefulness of BIM simulation to choose the best design option that is energy-cost effective. The conclusion explained the research limitations of the project and indicates the results can be perceived faster by using the simulation as it demonstrated that even the smallest changes can give a positive effect energy-wise and cost-wise which proved that it is beneficial to construct a green resort in the long run.

Awareness among Students of Higher Education Institutions about Transgender Issues in Malaysia

Awareness among Students of Higher Education Institutions about Transgender Issues in Malaysia

Green Office Concept: Study Among Employees in Government Organizations

The green office can serve as an effective showcase of sustainability initiatives by the organization. Considering the increase in environmental issues in Malaysia, therefore this study examined the employees’ perceptions of the green office concept. This study focuses on four dimensions of the “green office” concept which are sustainable transportation, recycling, resource conservation, and eco-labelling. The data comprised responses from 97 employees from the government office indicated the highest level of agreement of all green office dimensions. The study outcomes may serve as a reference for fostering the green office to achieve the environmental sustainability of the organization. The green office can serve as an effective showcase of sustainability initiatives by the organization. Considering the increase in environmental issues in Malaysia, therefore this study examined the employees’ perceptions of the green office concept. This study focuses on four dimensions of the “green office” concept which are sustainable transportation, recycling, resource conservation, and eco-labelling. The data comprised responses from 97 employees from the government office indicated the highest level of agreement of all green office dimensions. The study outcomes may serve as a reference for fostering the green office to achieve the environmental sustainability of the organization.

The Determinants of Residents' Recycling Intention in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu

Waste management and recycling have emerged as critical issues in Malaysia's economy and ecology. It's encouraging to see recycling rates rise in Malaysia, but the country has a long way to go. Recycling is not widely practiced among Kuala Nerus's population. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate what influences people in Kuala Nerus to recycle. The study gathered its data from a street survey conducted in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, which yielded 260 replies. The information was collected using online questionnaires completed by the respondents themselves. The respondent's details were kept confidential. Attitude, knowledge, perceived moral obligation, inconvenience, and subjective norms were all found to have positive correlations with recycling intention among Kuala Nerus residents. This research adds to the existing literature on recycling by elucidating the nature and importance of attitude, knowledge, inconvenience, perceived moral obligation, and subjective norms in predicting recycling intention. The findings have important policy implications, including the need for public authorities to actively promote recycling as a progressive social movement. To further encourage people to recycle, public authorities should increase access to recycling centers.