Workers In Malaysia Research Articles

Foreign Workers and Remittance Outflow in Malaysia

This conceptual paper reviews foreign workers and remittance outflows in Malaysia. Foreign workers in Malaysia, who remit a portion of their earnings back home, play a crucial role in the country's economic development. With approximately 1.5 million foreign workers engaged in various sectors such as manufacturing, plantation, construction, and agriculture, Malaysia relies heavily on foreign labor. Predominantly, these workers come from Indonesia, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Factors such as Malaysia's economic performance, government recruitment policies addressing labor shortages, and cultural and geographical proximity influence why these workers choose Malaysia. Despite concerns that foreign workers might negatively impact short-term labor market outcomes by taking jobs from locals and suppressing wages, the evidence suggests their presence does not significantly harm these outcomes. However, the growing number of foreign workers has led to a notable increase in remittance outflows. Remittance outflows represent a transfer of capital from host countries to the workers' countries of origin. Among the ASEAN-5 countries, Malaysia has recorded the highest remittance outflows, surpassing inflows. While research on remittance flows has expanded, the focus has traditionally been on inflows, with outflows receiving less attention due to their relatively small impact on the macroeconomic indicators of sending countries. Existing literature indicates that remittance outflows can influence the economic growth and inflation of sending countries, including Malaysia, despite varied findings.

Exploring the Impact of Managerial Coaching, Emotional Intelligence and Social Support on Employee Retention: The Mediating Role of Employee Resilience in Malaysian Public Healthcare

This paper explores the correlation between managerial coaching, emotional intelligence, social support, employee resilience, and retention among healthcare workers in Malaysia's public healthcare sector. Retaining healthcare staff has become a severe difficulty in the BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible) environment, worsened by the COVID-19 epidemic. The study suggests that managerial coaching, emotional intelligence, and social support are essential for developing resilience among healthcare workers. This resilience, in turn, impacts their ability to stay in their jobs. The study will employ a quantitative cross-sectional survey approach to examine the links inside specific public hospitals in Malaysia. The results are anticipated to offer a vital understanding of how public healthcare in Malaysia can strategically improve staff resilience and retention, guaranteeing the long-term viability of the healthcare workforce in a world after the pandemic. This study enhances our comprehension of the intricate processes that impact staff retention in the public healthcare industry, providing practical implications for policymakers and healthcare managers.

Factors Influencing the Retirement Planning Among Private Sector Workers in Malaysia

Factors Influencing the Retirement Planning Among Private Sector Workers in Malaysia

The The Impact of Task Management, Social Support and Income on Work-Life Balance among Gig Workers

The study addresses the growing concern about work-life balance among gig workers in Malaysia, a population facing unique challenges due to the nature of gig employment. This issue is particularly critical as gig workers often struggle with task management, securing social support, and dealing with income volatility, all of which impact their ability to achieve a balanced work-life dynamic. This study aims to analyze the effects of task management, social support, and income stability on the work-life balance of gig workers in Malaysia. A quantitative research methodology was employed, involving a survey of 70 gig workers across various sectors in Kedah. The data was analyzed using correlation analysis to assess the relationships between the independent variables, task management, social support, and income stability, and the dependent variable, work-life balance. The findings reveal that task management, social support, and income stability are all significantly correlated with better work-life balance, with task management being the most influential factor. The implications of this study suggest that improving task management practices, enhancing social support systems, and stabilizing income are crucial strategies for gig platforms and policymakers to consider. These measures can significantly improve the well-being of gig workers and contribute to a more sustainable gig economy. The study also highlights the need for further research to explore these relationships in different cultural contexts and over time, to better understand their long-term effects.

Navigating Sexism in the Workplace: A Comparative Study of Muslim and Buddhist Female Workers in Malaysia

This study explores the widespread issue of sexism in Malaysia, focusing on its impact on Muslim and Buddhist female workers. Employing a qualitative approach, the research involves observations, interviews, and documentation to examine how sexism affects women's job opportunities across various sectors. The findings reveal that despite legal progress, sexism remains deeply ingrained, manifesting through discriminatory practices that impede women’s professional advancement and reinforce gender stereotypes. Muslim women encounter additional challenges related to compliance with Islamic teachings in the workplace, while Buddhist women face cultural prejudices that impact their employment opportunities. This study contributes to the gender equality discourse by providing insights into the specific experiences of women in Malaysia, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to combat sexism and promote a more equitable society.

Understanding the Cultural Politics Experience of Indonesian Male Domestic Helpers in Malaysia

This research explores the cultural-politics dynamics of Indonesian male domestic workers in Malaysia as they confront and challenge societal prejudices while taking on fatherhood-associated responsibilities. It delves into the obstacles these men face due to ingrained gender stereotypes that question their suitability for domestic roles, particularly in a foreign cultural context. The primary objective is to understand how these men redefine their identities and assert their roles as nurturers and providers, challenging traditional masculine ideals. This study uses a qualitative research design and a narrativization approach to explore the experiences of Indonesian male domestic helpers. Through in-depth interviews and personal narratives, the research reveals how these men navigate their roles as caregivers and fathers, challenging traditional gender norms and gaining recognition within their households and communities. The study also highlights the importance of upholding cultural ties and personal resilience in their experiences as migrant domestic workers.

Psychological Capital, Emotional Labour, and Burnout among Malaysian Workers

Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment, is an occupational phenomenon now recognized by the World Health Organization. This study explores the interplay between psychological capital and emotional labour in contributing to burnout among workers in a Malaysian non-profit organization (NPO). Psychological capital encompasses positive psychological states such as self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience. Emotional labour involves managing emotions to fulfil job roles, often requiring workers to present emotions that may not reflect their true feelings. The constant need to maintain these emotional displays can lead to emotional dissonance and burnout. Given Malaysia's demographic shifts towards an ageing population, the implications of burnout among NPO workers, who provide critical services to vulnerable groups, are significant. The high workload and emotional demands placed on these workers can result in chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and a decrease in job performance and motivation. This study aims to fill the research gap by examining the specific factors that contribute to burnout in the Malaysian context, considering the unique cultural and social dynamics that may influence these relationships. The findings of this research can provide valuable insights for developing interventions to enhance psychological resilience and manage emotional labour more effectively among NPO workers. By addressing these challenges, organizations can support their workforce in maintaining high levels of service quality and personal well-being, which is crucial for the sustainability of NPOs and the well-being of the communities they serve.

Study of SME employees’ awareness level on lean manufacturing and ergonomics implementation in Malaysian and Indonesian production environments

SMEs are small to medium-sized businesses with relatively fewer workers and lower revenues than large companies. However, SMEs also contribute to the local economic growth of a region, so the smooth production process needs to be considered to increase productivity. Applying lean manufacturing (LM) and Ergonomics concepts in the production process is critical because it can overcome smooth production and maintain the health and safety of SMEs workers. LM focuses on minimizing waste, while ergonomics focuses on humans as a source of energy in the smooth running of production activities. So, this study aims to measure the level of understanding of Malaysian and Indonesian SMEs workers on applying LM and Ergonomics concepts on the production floor and determine the effect of these two concepts using the SPSS and SmartPLS4 applications. SPSS serves to measure the validity, reliability and mean for the category of workers' understanding of LM and Ergonomics. SmartPLS4 helps us understand the influence of the two concepts. Based on the calculation of the mean for each variable of LM and ergonomics, it is found that Malaysian workers understand enough compared to Indonesian SMEs workers. As for the effect, Ergonomics has a significant influence on LM.

Barriers to Trade Union Participation among Indonesian foreign Workers in Malaysia

Barriers to Trade Union Participation among Indonesian foreign Workers in Malaysia

Assessing lifetime occupational chrysotile inhalation exposure, respiratory symptoms, and lung cancer risk among brake maintenance workers in Malaysia.

This study aimed to estimate workers' occupational lifetime exposure to chrysotile and examine the respiratory symptoms and lung cancer risk. A total of 112 workers were interviewed about their occupational histories. Exposure modeling using information on the determinants of exposure was used to estimate chrysotile emissions. The cumulative lifetime exposure was then assessed for each worker. Respiratory symptoms were obtained using a validated questionnaire. Lung cancer mortality rate was also predicted using a model. Almost all the workers were male and young (mean age = 30 years, SD = 7). The estimated lifetime occupational chrysotile inhalation exposure ranged from 0.0001 to 0.0486 f/mL.years (median = 0.0018 f/mL.years, IQR = 0.486). A high prevalence of cough symptom (11.7%), and low estimated cancer risk (<1%) were reported. In conclusion, the lung cancer risk among our cohort of workers was at a low level because of lower cumulative lifetime occupational chrysotile exposure.

Education Service for Children of Unregistered Indonesian Migrant Workers in Malaysia

Following registration records for the 2022 Unlicensed Foreign Worker Recalibration Program (PATI), 418,649 Indonesian citizens are participating in the labour recalibration program in Malaysia, so this will have a negative impact, namely an increase in the number of children of Indonesian migrant workers. Malaysian immigration authorities do not allow all migrant workers to invite their families to come live in Malaysia. This causes migrant workers' children to feel ostracized, discriminated against and denied their right to education due to a lack of access to education and love from their parents. The research aims to explore the role of government in providing educational services. The research method is descriptive and qualitative. The subjects of this research were the Indonesian and Malaysian governments, the children of unregistered immigrant workers in several guidance studios, and migrant workers. Data was collected through interviews, observation, and documentation. Data analysis techniques include data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The research results found that the rights of Indonesian citizens and children have been fulfilled, such as access to education. Fulfilling these needs is achieved through the role of government, such as establishing formal and non-formal schools to foster a sense of comfort and protection. In addition, the government, with its role, can create appropriate policies to provide rights and safety to the children of unregistered immigrant workers

Burnout in humanitarian work: A qualitative study on the life experiences of workers in Malaysia

Burnout in humanitarian work: A qualitative study on the life experiences of workers in Malaysia

Exploring Legal Protections for Platform Workers in Malaysia: A Human Rights-Based Perspective

Exploring Legal Protections for Platform Workers in Malaysia: A Human Rights-Based Perspective

Overview of the Prevalence and Contributing Factors for Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) in Malaysia

INTRODUCTION: This manuscript aims to provide a synopsis of the current situation surrounding noise exposure at work and the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in Malaysia. NIHL is an occupational illness that affects most many people and can be prevented in many countries in the world. The production and agriculture businesses and the extraction of natural resources and urban traffic all contribute to ambient noise levels. Working in a noisy environment is the main occupational risk factor for adult-onset hearing loss. In this study, we investigate the prevalence of NIHL across different industries, as well as research publication trends on NIHL. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Conducted thorough several online databases, like Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, for related research that had already been published. The review phases were carried out according to the recommendations laid out by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews. A set of criteria was developed for selecting relevant studies. RESULTS: The prevalence of NIHL among workers in Malaysia, varies across different industries and has been reported to range from 5.0% to 82.6%. NIHL has multiple contributing factors, including noise intensity, long-term exposure to daily noise, hearing protection devices and age. A review of these studies found varying percentages of individuals affected by each contributing factor. CONCLUSION: Occupational NIHL is a preventable health risk for workers across industries. Employers must adopt engineering and administrative controls (education and training) and provide personal hearing protectors to protect workers from noise.

RUPIAH CURRENCY INTRODUCTION PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN OF MIGRANT WORKERS IN MALAYSIA

This program's goal is to enhance the understanding and skills of the children of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia in recognizing and understanding the Rupiah currency. Through an interactive and creative approach, this program combines information technology, mock money, and hands-on teaching to 32 children in Malaysia.. The results of this program include children's ability to demonstrate methods of distinguishing between natural and imitation currency, an understanding of how to care for money properly, the ability to compare the value of Ringgit and Rupiah currency, and the ability to recognize, sort and count the amount of Rupiah currency. This program provides practical knowledge of currency and engages children in activities supporting essential financial skills development. With the involvement of the Indonesian Young Spirit, this program is a form of positive contribution in equipping the children of migrant workers with relevant knowledge to face life in Malaysian society.

HIV Knowledge and Its Associated Sociodemographic Factors among Female Sex Workers in Malaysia.

Female sex workers (FSWs) have a high risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In spite of the alarming fact that a large proportion of FSWs does not have adequate HIV knowledge, the association between sociodemographic factors and HIV knowledge among FSWs have yet to be thoroughly explored in the context of Malaysia. The aims of this study are the following: i) to determine HIV knowledge and ii) to examine the associated factors of HIV knowledge. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted. Data from the Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey (IBBS) 2017 (n = 630) were used. The survey was carried out in all states in Malaysia and its duration was 4 months (from March 2017 to June 2017). Ordered probit regressions were utilised to shed light on the association between sociodemographic variables and levels of HIV knowledge. A large proportion of FSWs had middle-level HIV knowledge (44.1%). FSWs with tertiary-level education were 19.5% more likely to have high-level HIV knowledge compared to those without formal education. The probability of having low-level HIV knowledge was 6.8% lower among FSWs with monthly incomes of RM1,500-RM1,999 than those having incomes of ≤ RM499. Being single instead of married was associated with 7.6%-8% lower probabilities of having low- and middle-level HIV knowledge. Public health interventions to improve FSWs' HIV knowledge need to take into consideration the role of sociodemographic factors.

Representation of Victim and Perpetrator in Adelina Lisao’s Abuse Case in Malaysian Online News Articles

This research analyses the representation of victim and perpetrator as social actors and its argumentation strategies from Malaysian online news articles surrounding the tragic case of Adelina Lisao, an Indonesian domestic worker who lost her life in Malaysia due to abuse by her employer. Employing a qualitative research approach, the data is systematically collected with keywords to identify relevant news articles pertinent to the case: "Adelina Lisao” and “Ambika Shan”. This research utilises the Social Actor’s Network (SAN) and the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, specifically the Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA), to examine 39 online news articles about the case from the most popular Malaysian news website in 2023, Malaysiakini. The findings revealed that Adelina Lisao was mostly represented as a passive receiver of the abuse, while Ambika Shan’s role as a perpetrator was mostly backgrounded. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how social actors are portrayed on online websites and the argumentation strategies within the context of domestic worker abuse cases in Malaysia. Thus, it acknowledges the importance of language in online news discourse in shaping public perceptions, particularly regarding domestic workers in Malaysia as evidenced by the representation of victim-perpetrator dynamics in such cases.

Effectiveness of Burnout Assessment Scales Among Healthcare Workers in Malaysia: A Systematic Review

Effectiveness of Burnout Assessment Scales Among Healthcare Workers in Malaysia: A Systematic Review

What inhibits “speaking up” for patient safety among healthcare workers? A cross-sectional study in Malaysia

BackgroundIn healthcare, “speaking up” refers to when healthcare workers raise concerns regarding patient safety through questions, sharing information, or expressing their opinion to prevent harmful incidents and ensure patient safety. Conversely, withholding voice is an act of not raising concerns, which could be beneficial in certain situations. Factors associated with speaking up and withholding voices are not fully understood, especially in strong authoritarian societies, such as Malaysia. This study aimed to examine the factors associated with speaking up and withholding the voices of healthcare workers in Malaysia, thus providing suggestions that can be used in other countries facing similar patient safety challenges.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Sarawak State, Malaysia. Data were collected from 474 healthcare workers from 43 departments using a self-administered questionnaire for speaking up and withholding voices measures in 4 weeks prior to data analysis as well as socio-demographic factors of healthcare workers (sex, age group, profession, department, weekly work hours for patient care, years of employment in the hospital, and the hierarchical level) and speaking up related climate of the working environment were recorded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Logistic regression was performed to find out (adjusted) odds ratio of frequent speaking up and withholding voices.ResultsNurse compared to doctors and healthcare workers with short weekly working hours were more likely to speak up. Healthcare workers in emergency and intensive care department, those with short years of employment, and those who worked at low hierarchical levels were less likely to speak up. Healthcare workers in discouraging environment towards speaking up were more likely to withhold their voices.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the characteristics of healthcare workers who speak up and those who withhold their voices in Malaysia. To ensure patient safety and prevent harm, it is essential to establish an encouraging environment that promotes speaking up and prevents withholding voices among healthcare worker, especially in circumstances where multiple types of healthcare workers with different socio-demographic backgrounds work together.

Living beyond borders: the international legal framework to protecting rights to health of Indonesian illegal migrant workers in Malaysia

PurposeThis study aims to analyse in the health access of Indonesian illegal migrant workers in Malaysia, during which time they were not covered by Indonesia’s national social health insurance.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a sociolegal approach, the research approach is conducted to understand the effect of a law, policy and regulation on access to health-care access among Indonesian migrant workers working illegally in Malaysia. This research involved 110 respondents who work illegally in Malaysia. The research explored the perceptions of respondents concerning to health access services of illegal migrant workers.FindingsThe study demonstrated the weakness of provisions intended to guarantee the health access to health care of migrant workers from Indonesia illegally working in Malaysia. A decline in health status was observed, but it was not significant. Bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia is necessary to provide a framework for Indonesia providing health care to its citizens working in Malaysia, regardless of their legal status.Originality/valueThis paper concerns on the Indonesia illegal migrant workers experiencing illness and the access to the health service in Malaysia, and also the implementation of international regulation to protect Indonesian illegal migrant workers in Malaysia under ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.