Movement Control Order Period Research Articles

COVID-19 Epidemic in Malaysia: Epidemic Progression, Challenges, and Response.

COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest communicable disease outbreak to have hit Malaysia since the 1918 Spanish Flu which killed 34,644 people or 1% of the population of the then British Malaya. In 1999, the Nipah virus outbreak killed 105 Malaysians, while the SARS outbreak of 2003 claimed only 2 lives. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has so far claimed over 100 Malaysian lives. There were two waves of the COVID-19 cases in Malaysia. First wave of 22 cases occurred from January 25 to February 15 with no death and full recovery of all cases. The ongoing second wave, which commenced on February 27, presented cases in several clusters, the biggest of which was the Sri Petaling Tabligh cluster with an infection rate of 6.5%, and making up 47% of all cases in Malaysia. Subsequently, other clusters appeared from local mass gatherings and imported cases of Malaysians returning from overseas. Healthcare workers carry high risks of infection due to the daily exposure and management of COVID-19 in the hospitals. However, 70% of them were infected through community transmission and not while handling patients. In vulnerable groups, the incidence of COVID-19 cases was highest among the age group 55 to 64 years. In terms of fatalities, 63% were reported to be aged above 60 years, and 81% had chronic comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart diseases. The predominant COVID-19 strain in Malaysia is strain B, which is found exclusively in East Asia. However, strain A, which is mostly found in the USA and Australia, and strain C in Europe were also present. To contain the epidemic, Malaysia implemented a Movement Control Order (MCO) beginning on March 18 in 4 phases over 2 months, ending on May 12. In terms of economic impacts, Malaysia lost RM2.4 billion a day during the MCO period, with an accumulated loss of RM63 billion up to the end of April. Since May 4, Malaysia has relaxed the MCO and opened up its economic sector to relieve its economic burden. Currently, the best approach to achieving herd immunity to COVID-19 is through vaccination rather than by acquiring it naturally. There are at least two candidate vaccines which have reached the final stage of human clinical trials. Malaysia's COVID-19 case fatality rate is lower than what it is globally; this is due to the successful implementation of early preparedness and planning, the public health and hospital system, comprehensive contact tracing, active case detection, and a strict enhanced MCO.

Effects of Movement Control Order (MCO) During Covid-19 Pandemic on Patients With Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in Malaysian Tertiary Centers

Introduction: The Malaysian government implemented MCO or lockdown for nearly 3 months from 18 Mar to 9 Jun 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This restricted access to usual food, workplace, and leisure sports, and also led to reduced clinic attendance. The effects of MCO on patients with chronic lifestyle diseases like DM is unknown. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study exploring effects of MCO on adult (>18 years) DM patients (both Type 1 and Type 2) attending endocrinologist-run DM clinics in 3 tertiary centres in Malaysia. Glycaemic and metabolic parameters were collected through medical record review while data on healthcare utilisation, dietary and lifestyle habits before MCO (17 Nov 2019 to 17 Mar 2020) and during MCO were collected by investigator-administered questionnaires during routine clinic follow-up after the MCO period (10 Jun to 30 Oct 2020). Results: From a total of 207 patients (56.5% female, 73.4% T2D and 80% on insulin) no significant difference between mean (SD) A1c [8.6(2.39) % vs 8.4(2.14) %; p=0.073] or BMI [29.2(7.57) vs 29.4(9.23)kg/m2; p=0.968] were seen before and during MCO respectively. More than 95% of the patients attended clinic before MCO and at least 20.3% saw either the DM nurse educator, DM pharmacist or dietitian. In contrast, during MCO only 31.4% of patients attended clinic and less than 10% had face-to-face consultation with the DM support team. More patients also reported missing insulin (11.6% vs 7.7%) and not checking blood glucose (17.9% vs 15.5%) during MCO. Before MCO, 61.8% of patients had home-cooked food daily. During MCO this increased to 83.1%. However, there was a trend towards unhealthy eating during MCO. Patients reported eating more frequently with those eating more than 4 meals a day nearly tripled during MCO (18.4% vs 6.8%). In addition, 22% of patients recalled consuming more confectionary; a similar percentage also reported higher consumption of processed food like dry snacks, canned food and instant noodles during MCO. Mean (SD) hours of sleep [6.8 (1.35) vs 7.2 (1.73) hours; p<0.001] and screen time [3.3 (2.51) vs 4.51 (3.10] hours, p< 0.001) increased significantly during MCO compared to before. Notably, before MCO 44% of patients reported no exercise and this increased to 65.7% during MCO. Conclusion: Despite reduced clinic attendance and contact with the DM support team, there were no consequent significant change in A1c or BMI of our DM patients from the 3-month MCO in our short term study. However, a worrying increase in sedentariness and unhealthy eating existed. The imperative need to conduct work or lessons online, among others contributed to the inevitable rise in screen time and reduced physical activity. As the pandemic continues with imposed movement restrictions, the long-term implications of MCO to metabolic health warrant our attention. Innovative strategies to promote healthier living during MCO are urgently needed.

Lockdown during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Psychological Responses and Coping Strategies among Medical Students in a Public University in Malaysia

World Health Organization (WHO) had promulgated Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic in the early year 2020. Following that, the National Security Council of Malaysia had announced the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in March 2020 to curb the disease. This social distancing measure had inevitably induced undesirable psychological responses among the public, including medical students. In this study, we aim to determine the psychological responses of medical students during the MCO period and their coping strategies. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 245 medical students of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) from 24th to 30th April 2020, using an online questionnaire comprising demographic data, Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21), and Brief COPE questionnaire. Nearly 30% of medical students experienced stress, anxiety, or depression. Among all, 9.4% had reported severe anxiety. There were significant differences between avoidance coping strategies and negative psychological responses. In general, the medical students preferred approach coping strategies (M = 29.19, SD = 9.27). Religion (M= 5.62, SD =2.10) was the most favored coping strategy while the least had abused substance (M=2.16, SD.77). A significant statistical difference was revealed in the choice of coping between the genders, for positive reframing, religion, humour, and substance abuse. Pre-clinical students were noted to have significant stress and anxiety levels and more inclined to use avoidance coping strategies. Psychological interventions are essential to address the mental health problems among university students during current and future disasters based on the understanding of their coping strategies.

Categories for Non-Compliance of Movement Control Order in Malaysia: A Review through Online News Report

The Movement Control Order (MCO) has been enforced on 18th March 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. This MCO is hoped that it is able to lower the number of infection cases in Malaysia. However, some groups of societal members were found as non-compliant with the MCO as reported by the online news. The objective of this research was to identify the display category on the news of non-compliant citizens in MCO period. Data analysis had been performed on online news starting from 18th March 2020 until 28th April 2020 which is based on MCO Phase 1 up to Phase 3. More than 100 online news headlines about MCO violation had been analysed using content analysis method based on Social Interaction Theory. The research outcome has found that social interaction plays a vital role in non-compliance issue within the enforcement period of MCO as reported by online news. The categories for non-compliance of MCO are as follows i) Movement without a valid reason, ii) Sports and recreational activities, iii) Religious activities, iv) Visiting and having feast, v) Chatting at restricted area, vi) Drugs-related violation, vii) Crime involvement and police record, viii) Gambling and Entertainment, ix) Intake of drinks leading to intoxication and imagination and x) Violation by foreigners. The use of social interaction theory in this research has clearly illustrated that non-compliance of MCO shows self-control of the perpetrator as a result of social control is very weak. Generally, the violation of MCO has a relationship with the environment of social interaction. Social interaction has a conflict that leads to deviant act which causes the breach of rules and norms.

BEHAVIOUR AND THE PERCEPTION OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING THE PERIOD OF MOVEMENT CONTROL ORDER (MCO) IN MALAYSIA

To curb the spread of Covid-19, governments have introduced social distancing measures with varying degrees of enforcement, ranging from unenforced recommendations to quarantine. Physical activity is an important determinant of health, and it is likely affected by social distancing measures introduced to combat the pandemic. This study presents findings from an online survey examining behaviour and the perception of physical activity and exercise during the period of the movement control order (MCO) in Malaysia. A total of 307 respondents (male = 134, female = 173) participated in the survey, which comprised three sections with a total of 33 items. Results indicate that about 80% of the respondents engaged in physical activity and exercise during the MCO period, but male respondents reported a greater impact on their actual physical activity and exercise as compared to female respondents. This study reveals no significant correlation between gender and perception, but it does show a significant correlation between gender and behaviour (p &lt; 0.05) in terms of physical activity and exercise during the MCO period. This study found that both genders have a positive understanding and awareness of the benefits of physical activity and exercise, which are crucial for physical and mental health during the pandemic.

The Covid-19 Dashboard Sector Specific Impact: Malaysia Financial, Consumer Products and Health Care Services

The Covid-19 outbreak triggered in 2019 and continues the spread around the world. In March 2020 Malaysia has started implement a series of Movement Control Order (MCO) until the series continues to Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) and Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO). This paper aims to examine the sector specific impact namely financial, consumer products and healthcare services index during the prolong of MCO period. Finding shows, the number of Covid-19 daily cases shows a constant significant positive impact towards those sectors. In addition, the external independent also included with the resulted the China daily cases significantly impact the sectors with the mix directions. The healthcare services index tends to result the highly performed sector during the pandemic outbreak. Overall, the results suggest that these stocks are positively respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and this response differs over the period depending on the stage of the duration.

Physical Activity Patterns, Psychosocial Well-Being and Coping Strategies Among Older Persons with Cognitive Frailty of the "WE-RISE" Trial Throughout the COVID-19 Movement Control Order.

PurposeOlder persons have been identified as a vulnerable population with respect to the novel coronavirus outbreak, COVID-19. Aiming to “flatten the curve” a strict Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented in Malaysia. Older adults with cognitive frailty are prone to physical, cognitive and psychosocial decline. This study aims to compare physical activity patterns, psychological wellbeing and coping strategies of older persons with cognitive frailty in the “WE-RISE” trial (intervention versus control) throughout this period.Materials and MethodsThis study was conducted as a sub-analysis of the ongoing “WE-RISE” randomized controlled trial. This study included 42 community-dwelling older adults, aged 60 years and above, with cognitive frailty, stratified into intervention (n=21) and control (n=21) groups who are receiving a multi-domain intervention and usual care, respectively, within the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Phone call interviews were conducted during the MCO period. Physical activity patterns were assessed using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ). Psychological wellbeing was assessed using Flourishing Scale (FS) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), while the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) assessed coping strategies. Data were analysed descriptively and with independent samples t-test.ResultsThe WE-RISE intervention group had significantly higher levels of estimated resting energy expenditure (MET) for “walking activity” (I:μ=1723.1±780.7;C:μ=537.4±581.9)(p<0.001), “moderate activity” (I:μ=1422.8±1215.1;C:μ=405.7±746.9)(p=0.002) and “total physical activity” (I: μ=3625.9±3399.3;C:μ=994.6±1193.9)(p=0.002). The intervention group was also significantly more independent in functional activities (μ=1.76±1.73) as compared to the control group (μ=5.57±8.31) (p<0.05). Moreover, significant higher self-perception of living a meaningful life and feeling respected (p<0.05) was demonstrated in regard to psychological well-being in the intervention group. Regarding coping strategies, the intervention group relied significantly on the domains of religion (I:μ=6.43±0.99;C:μ=6.09±1.09)(p<0.05) and planning (I:μ=4.81±0.75; C:μ=4.04±1.28)(p<0.05) whilst the control group relied on humour (C:μ=3.14±1.19; I:μ=2.38±0.74)(p<0.05).ConclusionParticipants of the WE-RISE intervention group were more physically active, functionally independent and had higher self-perceived social-psychological prosperity regarding living a meaningful life and feeling respected; whilst both groups relied on positive coping strategies during the MCO. These results indicate that it is vital to ensure older persons with cognitive frailty remain physically active and preserve their psychosocial wellbeing to be more resilient in preventing further decline during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consumers satisfaction towards e-Hailing food delivery services during Movement Control Order period: A case study in Selangor

The Malaysian government had decided to imposed on the Movement Control Order (MCO) starting from 18th March 2020 in order to break the chain of Covid-19 pandemic in the country. As such, people were encouraged to use e-hailing delivery services when ordering foods. As a result, the number of food delivery services had increased since then. This study was conducted to investigate the consumers satisfaction level towards e-hailing food delivery services in Selangor during the MCO period. An online survey was conducted among 220 customers who used e-hailing food delivery services during the MCO. The data was then analysed using Statistical Analysis System (SAS) OnDemand for Academics software. The results showed that the level of satisfaction among consumers was high ( = 3.30/4.00). The mean score for the factors that contributed to the satisfaction was also high such as service quality ( = 3.25/4.00), food quality ( = 3.25/4.00) and price ( = 3.01/4.00). The finding also showed that there exist significance correlation between consumers satisfaction and service quality (r = 0.75), food quality (r = 0.68) and price (r = 0.50). As a conclusion, since e-hailing food delivery services already established in Malaysia long before MCO, consumers were satisfied with the services even during the MCO. Furthermore, despite increasing number of orders during MCO, it showed that the services still maintaining the quality of the service, food quality and also the price.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on student learning performance from the perspectives of community of inquiry

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on university students during the Movement Control Order (MCO) and Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO). MCO was introduced in March 2020, and the learning process switched from face-to-face to online learning in schools and universities. Subsequently, with the reduced number of daily cases and active cases of COVID-19, the Malaysian Government implemented RMCO from 10th June to 31st December 2020, which had more relaxation of restrictions. This study particularly focuses on students studying in higher education institutions by analysing the impacts of the community of inquiry on students learning performance. The construct of the community of inquiry includes social presence, cognitive presence and teaching presence. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides quantitative analysis, independent sample t-tests and multiple linear regression on the students’ learning performance using the framework of community of inquiry. This paper presents the analysis of the online learning preference of 282 university students during MCO and 456 students during RMCO. Findings The results showed that there is a significant difference in students learning process during MCO and RMCO. The findings also indicated that the social presence is the most important factor in affecting learning performance during the MCO period and it changed to teaching presence during RMCO. Students lost motivation and could not perform well using online learning methods during the MCO period but the situation improved during RMCO. Research limitations/implications This research helps to identify the impact of the pandemic on higher education and provides insights into reshaping the future of higher education system. Practical implications Students are isolated from their peers in the learning process and struggle to adapt to the new normal in online learning. The teaching faculties are picking up new skills to deliver online courses and manage the risk as best as they can. This study presented the impact of the pandemic on students learning performance and explored the space for universities as business organizations to provide better infrastructures and platforms for online learning while battling with cash flow and debt level during this challenging time. Social implications Students need peer support and guidance from the faculty team in their learning journey. The study provides a better understanding of how we shall promote a better higher education environment, either blended or online learning. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to examine the impact of the community of inquiry on students learning performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students suffered during the MCO period and the learning experience got better when they were able to adapt to the changes. The higher education system needs a reform and the agency theory in corporate governance plays an important role in the transformation.

Effect of E-Evaluation on Work Motivation among Teachers during the Movement Control Order in COVID-19: The Mediating Role of Stress.

This paper aims to examine the effect of e-evaluation on work motivation among teachers during the Movement Control Order (MCO) in COVID-19 and determining the mediating role of stress.,The study is designed using a causal research design to examine the cause-effect relationship between the study variables. The study sample consists of 595 school teachers selected via convenient sampling. Quantitative data are collected from an online survey through the questionnaires with demographic, stress, e-evaluation and work motivation developed by the researchers were distributed during the MCO period. To test the model, structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied by using AMOS 21.,The results indicated that the e-evaluation, stress and work motivation of teachers during the MCO were conducted at a moderate level. The stress relationship with work motivation of teachers was also weak and showed a negative relationship, while e-evaluation and work motivation showed a strong relationship. The results of the SEM analysis revealed that the model fit was achieved with RMSEA = 0.07, GFI = 0.96, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.97, ChiSq/df = 4.30 and p = 0.00. In addition, there was no role of stress as a mediator in the relationship between e-evaluation and work motivation and e-evaluation contributed 54% to work motivation.,This study underlines our contention that teachers’ work motivation correlated positively with their e-evaluation. The findings suggest that teachers’ stress cannot mediate the relationship between e-evaluation and work motivation. The limitations of the study include the convenience sampling, non-probability sampling technique, not chosen at random and undermines the generalizations from sample to the population.,The results provide a useful framework to teachers for the successful implementation of e-evaluations in their instruction to enhance their work-motivation.,There is a lack of e-evaluation studies in teacher education and teaching strategies, and the correlation between e-evaluation and work motivation during COVID-19 pandemic is often absent.

Air pollution impacts from COVID-19 pandemic control strategies in Malaysia.

Mitigation measures and control strategies relating to novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been widely applied in many countries in order to reduce the transmission of this pandemic disease. A Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented in Malaysia starting from the March 18, 2020 as a pandemic control strategy which restricted all movement and daily outdoor activities. To investigate the impact of MCO, air pollutants: particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM10), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) in nine major cities in Malaysia were measured before and during the implementation of the MCO. The non-carcinogenic health risk assessments of the air pollutants are also determined using the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Health Risk Assessment method. Overall, NO2 recorded an average percentage reduction of 40% with the highest reduction observed at Kota Kinabalu (62%). The largest reductions of PM10, PM2.5, SO2, O3 and CO were recorded at Kota Kinabalu (17%), Kuantan (9.5%), Alor Star (38%), Kota Bharu (15%), and Ipoh (27%) respectively. All cities had hazard quotient (HQ) values of <1 suggesting no non-carcinogenic health effects. The highest HQ was observed for PM2.5 during the MCO period (4.53E-02) in Kuala Lumpur. An average hazard index (HI) value of 1.44E-01 (before the MCO) and 1.40E-01 (during the MCO) showed higher human health risks before the MCO than during the MCO. This study gives confidence to regulatory bodies that the reduction of human activities significantly reduces air pollution and increases human health and so good air pollution control strategies can provide crucial impacts, especially in reducing air pollution and improving human health.

Behaviour and the perception of physical activity during the period of movement control order (MCO) in Malaysia

To curb the spread of Covid-19, governments have introduced social distancing measures with varying degrees of enforcement, ranging from unenforced recommendations to quarantine. Physical activity is an important determinant of health, and it is likely affected by social distancing measures introduced to combat the pandemic. This study presents findings from an online survey examining behaviour and the perception of physical activity and exercise during the period of the movement control order (MCO) in Malaysia. A total of 307 respondents (male = 134, female = 173) participated in the survey, which comprised three sections with a total of 33 items. Results indicate that about 80% of the respondents engaged in physical activity and exercise during the MCO period, but male respondents reported a greater impact on their actual physical activity and exercise as compared to female respondents. This study reveals no significant correlation between gender and perception, but it does show a significant correlation between gender and behaviour (p &lt; 0.05) in terms of physical activity and exercise during the MCO period. This study found that both genders have a positive understanding and awareness of the benefits of physical activity and exercise, which are crucial for physical and mental health during the pandemic.

The impact of population lockdown on the referral pattern for urology in a COVID-19 designated tertiary hospital in Malaysia

Purpose: Once COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, it has rapidly spread worldwide. The Malaysian Government had taken an early measure by introducing the movement control order (MCO), which is a form of lockdown. This study aims at describing the referral pattern for urology in a COVID-19 designated tertiary hospital throughout the MCO period. Materials and Methods: All urology referrals received from March 18, 2020 to April 28, 2020 (i.e., during the MCO period) were included and assessed prospectively. For comparison, a retrospective study covering the period from February 1, 2020 to March 17, 2020 (i.e. pre-MCO period) was conducted. Parameters measured and compared include sources of referral, type of cases, outcomes, admission status, and COVID-19 status of patients referred. Results: The majority of referrals for urology were received from the emergency department during MCO (42.9%), followed by the medical ward (28.6%) and surgical ward (2.3%). In terms of the type of cases referred, during the MCO, the highest number of hematuria cases (22.5%) was received and a high number of Benign Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH) and urethral stricture cases (18.8%). Conservative measures remain the most commonly adopted outcomes/management for both pre and during MCO. The number of admissions required for urology referral showed a slight difference between pre and during MCO. Conclusion: The workload of urology referral in a COVID-19 designated tertiary hospital did not change despite MCO. This supports that the urology team still has an important role to play as a subspecialty unit in managing urology emergencies, even when elective surgeries and procedures are being reduced or rescheduled.

AN EXPLORATORY SEQUENTIAL SENTIMENT ANALYSIS OF ONLINE LEARNING DURING THE MOVEMENT CONTROL ORDER IN MALAYSIA

Purpose – Online learning is an essential platform to support varying learning conditions, anytime and anywhere. It helps connect online communities regardless of one’s geographical location and time zone. During the COVID-19 outbreak in Malaysia, the use of online learning platforms has become a crucial option for accomplishing learning objectives. During this challenging time, universities have been looking for suitable solutions to address issues regarding the online learning process. This paper discusses the challenges in online learning, as well as the importance of collaborative learning activities during the Movement Control Order (MCO). Challenges in emotion and changes of routine among students have been detected during the MCO imposed by the government of Malaysia. Methodology – An exploratory sequential approach was carried out in this study to obtain students’ feedback in terms of their emotions and routine changes during the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent implementation of the MCO. Convenience sampling was used for this research, and in order to obtain feedback on online learning during the MCO an online interview was conducted with 42 students from the Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA branch in the state of Kelantan. The feedback items were recorded and transcribed in Excel format. Next, sentiment analysis was carried out using Rapidminer software. Findings – The results showed that higher education institutions or universities had to play their part in providing a virtual learning environment as convenient as possible during the Movement Control Order period. The results also showed that educators had to ensure the success of online learning by maintaining the motivation of their students Significance – The findings in this study can also benefit educators and higher education institutions or universities in executing suitable teaching and learning plans during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The impact of COVID-19 on student motivation, community of inquiry and learning performance

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the students studying in higher education institutions pre and during Movement Control Order (MCO). MCO was introduced in March 2020, and the learning process must switch from face-to-face to online learning in schools and universities. This study particularly focuses on university students by analyzing the students' motivation, the community of inquiry and learning performance. In total, three factors are examined in the construct of the community of inquiry, namely social presence, cognitive presence and teaching presence.Design/methodology/approachThis paper provides quantitative analysis and paired sample t-tests on the students' learning motivation, the community of inquiry and learning performance. This paper presents the analysis of the online learning preference of 282 university students and examines whether there is significant difference in preference before and during MCO.FindingsThe findings indicated that the students lost motivation and learning performance using online learning methods during the MCO period. There is a lack of infrastructure to support the learning and social support from the lecturers and peers.Research limitations/implicationsThis research helps to explore improvements that are needed to manage such a pandemic to support teaching staff and students.Practical implicationsThe COVID-19 is a pandemic that has affected the learning process of the students, and it should not be neglected even when it is over. Policymakers shall consider providing more training and better infrastructures to cater to smooth Internet connection and platform for online learning. Students are not able to focus on learning using online learning methods and, they lack motivation during the pandemic. The teaching faculty also need to be well-trained in delivering online courses and to be more tech-savvy.Social implicationsWith the detailed analysis of the students' learning motivation, the community of inquiry and learning performance, it helps to promote a better education environment.Originality/valueThis is the first study to examine the learning motivation and performance model as well as the community of inquiry during the pandemic. It is evident that university students initially have a high level of motivation and community of inquiry before the pandemic but yield a significant drop during the MCO. The paper presented how COVID-19 seriously impacted on the learning experience.

Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards COVID-19 prevention among Malaysian adults during the period of Movement Control Order (MCO): An online cross-sectional survey

Malaysian government started the Movement Control Order (MCO) on 18th March 2020, as one of the initiatives to prevent the more massive outbreak of COVID-19. Recent statistics showed a rapid rise in the numbers of positive COVID-19 patients. However, the statistics on COVID-19 patients being discharged showed that the higher authority was very committed in managing COVID-19 crisis. This online study was conducted among 1,543 Malaysian adults using a validated questionnaire to explore more findings on the Malaysian’s Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) level towards COVID-19 prevention during the MCO period. Descriptive study and binary logistic regression were performed using SPSS version 22. This study showed that the majority of respondents have good KAP level regarding COVID-19 prevention. WhatsApp and Telegram were the primary sources of information used by the respondents. Education level was the main predictor for knowledge (OR: 2.083, CI: 1.605-2.702), attitude (OR:1.854, Ci; 1.42-2.42) and practice (OR: 1.745, CI; 1.326-2.096) regarding COVID-19 prevention (p&lt;0.001). Knowledge (OR; 1.636, CI: 1.302-2.054) and practice (OR;2.328, CI: 1.858-2.916) were predictors of attitude regarding COVID-19 prevention (p&lt;0.001). In conclusion, total adherence to the Movement Control Order (MCO) along with public health interventions focusing on behavioral change may play vital roles in breaking the chain of infection.

TINJAUAN TENTANG KESAN COVID-19 DAN ISU PERUNDANGAN TERHADAP PERUSAHAAN KECIL DAN SEDERHANA (PKS) DI MALAYSIA

Malaysia was hit by the Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak in early 2020. To address the wide spread of Covid-19, the Malaysian government has declared a Movement Control Order (MCO) from 18th March 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic abruptly brought a significant impact on the country's economy, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as these SMEs play important roles in the national economy. During this MCO period, many business and economic activities were affected and in turn, caused the monthly income of small and medium enterprise entrepreneurs to become lesser. Thus, this study will examine the effects of Covid-19 on SMEs and whether the provisions of current laws and current policies are sufficient to protect the interests of SMEs in terms of economic issues. This study is qualitative in nature and involves the study of philosophy and views in academics systematically. This study is not an empirical study but rather a library study. The results of this study are expected to enhance the existing legal framework that will benefit SME entrepreneurs in Malaysia due to this pandemic.

A Study on The Perception and Acceptance of UiTM’s Undergraduates Towards Open and Distance Learning Method in Mandarin Language Teaching and Learning During COVID-19 Movement Control Order Period

The unexpected transformation from traditional face-to-face classes to Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, due to the implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) caused by COVID-19 pandemic, has deeply affect the basic Mandarin learners in higher education institutes. After studying Mandarin level 1 through face-to-face classes for only three weeks, students were forced to adjust and adapt to ODL mode within a short amount of time. This situation would inevitably affect their learning quality and progress during the MCO period. Hence, a study on the students’ perception and acceptance towards ODL under this circumstance is crucial as a pilot test, to establish a better understanding on the possibility of ODL’s sustainability as a necessary component in learning Mandarin henceforward. Such study will also help to apprehend and further satisfy students’ requirement on studying Mandarin through ODL, so that it will become an ideal complement, or even a more preferred main option compared to the conventional teaching activities.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on research

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on research

Knowledge, Attitude on Health Practices of University Students and Staffs During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia

A novel coronavirus; COVID-19 is posing a great threat to mankind worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the deadly pathogen as a pandemic in view of its alarming spread. Literature affirms that universities have a higher potential to be centres of a pandemic outbreak. The infectious disease could easily transmit from one person to many others within a university vicinity, thus creating a cluster if not properly contained. The Malaysian government has imposed the movement control order (MCO) to flatten the curve of infection. All economic sectors were closed during the MCO period. This study was conducted to explore the knowledge, attitude and health practices towards COVID-19 among internal stakeholders of a public university in Malaysia. An online survey was carried out on the first week of MCO. A total of 340 respondentsD comprised of students and staffs took part in the survey. The regression analysis found knowledge and attitude were significant predictors for adopting appropriate health practices among the internal stakeholders during the new coronavirus outbreak. This present study extends the existing literature on health crisis focusing on internal stakeholders of an institute of higher learning particularly during an early phase of MCO in Malaysia.