Petaling Jaya Research Articles

Older women migrants in Malaysia and their left-behind families

This paper looks at older Filipino female migrants in Malaysia. Based on semi-structured interviews and FGDs I conducted in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya from February to March 2018 and in August 2018, I found that women’s experiences of aging are linked to gender, social class and societal expectations of their familial roles. For them, family obligations as breadwinners meant working as domestic workers in Malaysia even way into their older years. While old age is not a hindrance to them to perform transnational care toward their left-behind families, tensions and ambivalence are present within their intergenerational relationships.

THE ELEMENTS OF THE COMPACT CITY ON SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN PETALING JAYA, SELANGOR, MALAYSIA

Urbanization is an ongoing global phenomenon that demands innovative approaches to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability. This study investigates the elements contributing to the development of a compact city and their impact on sustainable urban development in the context of Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The study aims to identify the elements of compact cities that contribute to sustainable urban development in Petaling Jaya and explore the elements that contribute to sustainable urban development in Petaling Jaya. The research employs a qualitative approach, combining interviews with experts and document analysis of compact cities. Through thematic analysis, the study identifies the core elements of compact cities in Petaling Jaya, exploring their influence on sustainability. Preliminary findings reveal that the compact city is shaped by population density, mixed land use, and transportation infrastructure. Stakeholder perspectives shed light on these compact city elements' perceived benefits and challenges. Additionally, the document analysis examines the elements of the compact city that may influence sustainable urban development. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a nuanced understanding of the elements contributing to the compact city characteristics and their role in fostering sustainable urban development.

URBAN REGENERATION AND PUBLIC SPACE: LESSONS ON EARLY INTERVENTION OF COMMUNITY-BASED MICRO-PLANNING

Documenting lessons learned from revitalization projects through community-based micro-planning is crucial in developing countries, as it lacks mainstream urban regeneration recognition. This research aimed to evaluate the early intervention of community gardening or urban farming initiatives under an urban regeneration project: the Special Area Action Plan Section 13, Petaling Jaya City, Malaysia. This single case study was investigated using the mixed-methods approach. In the quantitative approach, 200 samples were collected via questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics. In the qualitative approach, eight interviews were conducted and analyzed via thematic analysis. The findings show that the respondents are sceptical about the awareness, safety infrastructure and support services, caretaker, and land ownership concerns surrounding the proposal for community gardening at the Sungai Penchala monsoon drain area. When revitalizing left-over urban public spaces, authorities are recommended to plan more awareness intervention campaigns, enhance safety infrastructure designs, provide policy support in appointing caretakers, and resolve land acquisition matters to realize and sustain the regeneration projects in the public interest. This study contributes lessons learned by auditing the early intervention urban regeneration initiatives in development plans, particularly in fourth-tier-community-based micro-planning in a developing country.

Customer Intention on The Usage of Online Food Delivery Application in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Online food delivery applications (OFDA) allow customers to purchase meals online and delivered to their doors. These services have grown rapidly in Malaysia, aligning with consumer demands. This study aims to determine factors influencing customer intention to use OFDAs in Klang Valley, examine the relationships between social influence, price-saving orientation, information quality, and time-saving orientation, and identify the most popular OFDAs among customers. An online survey was distributed via Google Forms to 384 residents of Klang Valley, including Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Petaling Jaya, Klang, and Sepang. Respondents ranged from 18 to 55 years and above, with the survey targeting both experienced users and potential new users of OFDAs. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS, including descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses. The results showed that all variables (social influence, information quality, price-saving orientation, and time-saving orientation) were statistically significant and positively correlated. Information quality emerged as the most influential factor, providing accurate information on food, charges, and delivery times. The findings of this research can help food service and restaurant owners improve their operations and remain competitive by understanding the key factors that drive customer intentions to use OFDAs in Klang Valley.

SPATIOTEMPORAL OF NITROGEN DIOXIDE (NO2) CONCENTRATION IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT OF KLANG VALLEY, MALAYSIA

The high concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) directly results in Klang Valley’s air quality deterioration, causing a public health risk. This study was conducted to analyse the daily-averaged and annual concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on a spatial-temporal scale at five continuous monitoring stations under the Department of Environment (DOE) in Klang Valley, namely, Klang, Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Kajang, and Cheras from 2000 to 2009 using Man-Kendall statistical analysis and interpolation technique in Geographic Information System (GIS). The result clearly showed that the Petaling Jaya station was identified as the most polluted compared to other stations, with an average concentration of more than 0.050 ppm every year and reaching the maximum concentration of 0.069 ppm where the mean was 0.030 in 2001. Based on the p-value derived from the Mann-Kendall statistical analysis, the Klang, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, and Cheras stations recorded a significant trend with p-values < 0.05 at 0.0001 and 0.020, respectively. The annual concentration of NO2 in all the stations was in the range of 0.015 to 0.04 ppm from 2004 to 2009, compared to 0.005 to 0.01 ppm from 2000 to 2003. The highest annual-averaged NO2 concentration was reported at the Petaling Jaya station between 0.035 and 0.004 ppm for all years except 2007 and 2009 when concentrations were in the 0.03 to 0.035 ppm. Notably, the Petaling Jaya station had the highest annual NO2 concentration, which ranged from 0.025 to 0.04 ppm due to emissions from motor vehicles. The major pressure on road infrastructure was recognised, mainly a lack of space to accommodate the effect of the maximum density of motor vehicles and traffic, resulting in traffic congestion in the city centre.

An Investigation of Syntactic Impairment in Relative Clauses of a Non-Fluent Aphasic Patient

This paper reports on a study on the typical characterization of syntactic impairment in relative clauses found in a patient diagnosed with non-fluent aphasia or also known as Broca ‘s aphasia at National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM), Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. The study adopts the theory of Chomsky’s (1981) Government and Binding Theory that consist of (D)eep Structure and (S)urface Structure as a framework for the description of syntactic impairment and adopts an influential hypothesis by Grodzinsky’s (1990) Trace Deletion Hypothesis (TDH) concerning agrammatism. The sentence structure used in this study is syntactically identical to the base order subject-verb-object (SVO) except for the movement of the object to the beginning of the sentence known as derived order that will result to the formation of object-subject-verb (OSV) in English, and thus enable examination of syntactic movement in agrammatic comprehension. This study involves one patient with non-fluent aphasia, native speaker of Tamil and speaker of English as second language from NASAM, performing a sentence - to-picture matching test. This study reveals the patient’s comprehension of subject relative clauses (SVO structure) are significantly above chance level, but object relative clauses (OSV structure) are at chance level. This study reveals that the score obtained by the patient is within the percentage and performance level (standard norm) proposed by Grodzinsky. These results also show that the non-fluent aphasic patient’s ability to comprehend the relative clauses that involve movement of a noun phrase is impaired.

Terrariums approach in cafe design on people’s eating behaviour

Nature-inspired cafés have become a trend in modern interior design, promoting quality health and well-being for the customers. To encourage people to bring nature into the built environment, terrariums have taken up the interior space to improve the quality of life. Terrariums are one of the preferred indoor gardening options that only require an individual's creativity, with or without professional knowledge. However, the terrariums approach to interior spaces is still uncommon in Malaysia, and how the terrarium approach enhances people’s eating behaviour remains unexplored. With the emerging trend of Mossarium KL, the concept of terrariums is used as part of the interior design as well as positive factors that enhance people’s eating behaviour. This paper aims to study the terrariums approach in built environments and to review the enhancements of the terrarium on people’s eating behaviour. A case study had been done on the Mossarium KL in Petaling Jaya, Selangor that adapted the concept of a terrarium in the interior space. This study's conceptual framework is based on the idea of employing terrariums as an interior landscape for exploring their potential impact on individual eating habits. This study highlights the importance of incorporating nature-based interventions, such as terrarium cafes within interior spaces and providing valuable insights into people’s eating behaviours in the cafes.

Divulging the Smart City Concept in the Perspective of Community

Objective—This paper aims to investigate the relationship between smart city elements and performance from the community's perspective in Petaling Jaya City. Methodology—This paper adopted PLS-SEM techniques, and 128 respondents were collected through questionnaire surveys. PLS-SEM is required to determine the reliability and validity of the model in terms of measurement and structural model. Findings – The results found that our model is reliable and valid regarding measurement and structural model. Our R-square values achieve satisfactory results, where two of the three dependent variables acquire a moderate benchmark. The hypotheses results show that only a few of the Smart City Elements significantly affect Smart City Performance. Novelty – Novelty in this research is identified when we can refer to the understanding of the needs of the Smart City model from the community’s perspective. The Smart City concept created by the government undoubtedly sustains the city towards a better and more progressive life. In this study, we have evaluated the value of the Smart City concept from the community. Type of Paper: Empirical JEL Classification: R11, R58 Keywords: Smart City; Elements; Performances; Perspective; Community; Petaling Jaya. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Azmi, N.A; Rozman, R.T.A.T. (2024). Divulging the Smart City Concept in the Perspective of Community, J. Bus. Econ. Review, 8(4), 25–37. https://doi.org/10.35609/jber.2024.8.4(3)

Spatial Distribution of Ground Level Ozone Concentrations in Klang Valley

Ground-level ozone (O3) is a significant air pollutant formed when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It poses risks to human health, vegetation, crops, and materials. This study focuses on ground-level ozone in Klang Valley, Malaysia, using hourly average data from 2010 to 2020 acquired from the Department of Environment in Klang, Shah Alam, and Petaling Jaya. Descriptive statistics and GIS tools are employed to analyse the distribution and variations of pollutants during the study periods. The study revealed that the maximum concentration in all locations in most of the year exceeded 100 ppb, with the maximum recorded in Shah Alam at 161 ppb, while mean concentrations were 13.69 – 21.18 ppb in Klang, 17.99 – 23.88 ppb in Shah Alam, and 9.40 – 17.93 ppb in Petaling Jaya, with the daily maximum concentration still exceeding the hourly average recommended value of 90 ppb. Spatial analysis using GIS reveals the distribution of O3 concentrations is highly affected by seasonal wind direction, as high O3 concentration is observed from January to March. The study underscores the pressing issue of ozone pollution in Klang Valley and the need for mitigation strategies to improve air quality.

The mediating role of corporate image on the retailer’s corporate social responsibility practices and corporate reputation of a fast-food chain company

The purpose of the study is to examine the mediating role of corporate image on the influence of retailers’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of a fast-food chain brand and its corporate reputation. The study utilized the dimensions of the retailer’s CSR dimension. This study focused on the external stakeholders (customers) of X fast food brand in Klang Valley. Social exchange theory was employed to guide the study. Quantitative (survey) methods have been used in this study, whereby 150 valid online questionnaires were gathered among the customers in the Petaling Jaya and analyzed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (Smart-PLS 4.0). The findings showed that Philanthropic activities, Respect for the Environment, and Respect for Consumers have positive and significant relationships with corporate image, and corporate image also has a positive and significant relationship with corporate reputation. Furthermore, there is a significant mediating effect of corporate image on the relationship between CSR practices (Respect for Consumers, Respect for the Environment, Philanthropic Activities) and corporate reputation. The conclusion, implications, and suggestions for future studies were also discussed.

ENHANCING ECOSYSTEM BIODIVERSITY THROUGH AIR POLLUTION CONCENTRATIONS PREDICTION USING SUPPORT VECTOR REGRESSION APPROACHES

Air is the most crucial element for the survival of life on Earth. The air we breathe has a profound effect on our ecosystem biodiversity. Consequently, it is always prudent to monitor the air quality in our environment. There are few ways can be done in predicting the air pollution index (API) like data mining. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate three types of support vector regression (linear, SVR, libSVR) in predicting the air pollutant concentration and identify the best model. This study also would like to calculate the API by using the proposed model. The secondary daily data is used in this study from year 2002 to 2020 from the Department of Environment (DoE) Malaysia which located at Petaling Jaya monitoring station. There are six major pollutants that have been focusing in this work like PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, and O3. The root means square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and relative error (RE) were used to evaluate the performance of the regression models. Experimental results showed that the best model is linear SVR with average of RMSE = 5.548, MAE = 3.490, and RE = 27.98% because had the lowest total rank value of RMSE, MAE, and RE for five air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, CO, O3) in this study. Unlikely for NO2, the best model is support vector regression (SVR) with RMSE = 0.007, MAE = 0.006, and RE = 20.75% in predicting the air pollutant concentration. This work also illustrates that combining data mining with air pollutants prediction is an efficient and convenient way to solve some related environment problems. The best model has the potential to be applied as an early warning system to inform local authorities about the air quality and can reliably predict the daily air pollution events over three consecutive days. Besides, good air quality plays a significant role in supporting biodiversity and maintaning healthy ecosystems.

Comparative review of Smart City from an urban planning perspective in Johor Bahru City and Petaling Jaya City

Smart cities are of great importance globally, and Malaysia recognizes this importance. The Malaysian government has launched various initiatives to encourage the ‘Smart City’ such as the framework (Malaysia Smart City Framework), blueprints, action plans, and standard, the Malaysian Standard for Smart Cities. The outlines the definitions, key principles, and strategies for adopting smart cities in Malaysia’s development. This study aimed to contribute to the understanding of smart city development in Malaysia and provide valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers in their efforts to create sustainable and efficient cities. The objective of this study is to compare the approaches and outcomes of smart city development between Johor Bahru City, Johor, and Petaling Jaya City, Selangor. This has analyzed and comprehended the trends in various features of smart city development of the cities. The study found that Johor Bahru City is making more efforts to develop as a smart city through effective governance and strategic planning for short-term and long-term goals same as Petaling Jaya City but focuses more on a one-stop center which promotes community togetherness with the governance. Nevertheless, at the regional level, Johor Bahru City has the Iskandar Malaysia Smart City Framework promoting Sustainable Smart City Vision, followed by the Johor Smart City Blueprint at the state level, and implemented via blueprints at the local authorities, which sets it apart from Petaling Jaya City. Both cities have well-planned smart city initiatives that integrate technology, energy, and the environment, including support for smart city components that suit their needs. Despite facing challenges, the city serves as a model for smart and sustainable development.

EVALUATING THE TOD POTENTIAL OF LRT STATIONS IN MALAYSIA USING THE TOD INDEX

The fundamental principle of railway development is that rail stations are not merely nodes where people change from one mode of transport to another but also places where spatial concentrations of high-value activity are recognised as positively impacting cities. This can be a similar definition of transit-oriented development: integrating land uses (mixed-use activities) and transportation systems to improve urban issues, especially traffic congestion. This paper aims to quantitatively assess the current transit nodes using the TOD index by evaluating the standard criteria of the 5Ds that determine TOD levels. The TOD index was calculated for areas of 69 stations on the LRT Ampang/Sri Petaling and LRT Kelana Jaya Lines. Some stations are indicated as having a potential TOD but a poor built environment and accessibility, depending on the TOD index's value. With these results, the recommendations to improve TOD planning and implementation can become effective for each station, depending on its built environment factors and typologies. Therefore, using the TOD index, the study offers insights into the station's potential for TOD implementation at rail station development. It put forward recommendations for enhancing TOD planning and implementation towards a better passenger experience, optimising each station's potential, and achieving the objective of TOD implementation in the first place.

Urban Environmentand Physical Activity of Petaling Jaya Residents

Physical activity and active lifestyle are imperative for good health. However, rapid urbanisation has prompted a significant decline in physical activity, particularly among those living in cities. Past studies have mainly focused on personal and social variables, built environment features, and green space features when examining how urban green spaces affect physical activity. Nevertheless, the statistical relationship between urban environment and physical activity remains unexplored, especially in the context ofMalaysia. This study aims to address suchgapby examining the relationship between urban environmentand residents’physical activity in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Urban environmentwasevaluated based on four (4) indicators, namely green areas, sportsfacilities, facilities convenience,as well as thesafety anddistance to access the facilities. The data were obtained through observation and mapping the radius between the green areasand sports facilities to the neighbourhood area. Whereas, physical activity wasevaluated based on the frequency and duration of two types of physical activity, namely vigorous activity and moderate activity. The data were obtainedthrough a questionnairesurvey, which were later analysed using frequency and cross-tabulation via the IBM SPSS Statistics software. The results showed that sectionswith more green areas and sports facilities as well as convenientenvironment tend to have active respondents. Meanwhile,sections with no green areas nor sports facilities still produced active respondentsas they were willing to travel to nearby sections with green areas and sports facilities. The findings of this study hope to assist stakeholders, especially city planners,in improving urban environment for a healthier community.

Creative Approach in Teaching CEFR Reading Comprehension Using Bubble Map and Tree Map Method

In Malaysian secondary schools, the dynamic tool of teaching CEFR reading comprehension is to give students a greater exposure and increase their motivation in conducive learning environment. The topmost objective of this study is to investigate whether the use of Bubble Map and Tree Map method improves students’ learning of open ended and cloze test questions in the CEFR reading comprehension framework. For this purpose, the researcher employed a quasi-experimental design with a sample of 105 Form One students (13 years old) from three different schools (school A, B and C) from Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Three groups of students were taken as intact groups to fulfill the requirement of this study. All the three groups were comprised with equal participants (35 students in each group). The Experimental Group 1 (EG1) from school A was taught using Bubble Map, Experimental Group 2 (EG2) from school B was taught using Tree Map and the Control Group (CG) from school C was taught using conventional method. In order to collect the data, the researcher administered pre-test and post-test (instruments for this study). First, the quantitative data was analyzed using MANCOVA test and Tukey HSD (SPSS program for Windows version 26). The findings from the MANCOVA test demonstrated that EG1 (using Bubble Map) significantly outperformed EG2 and CG in answering open ended comprehension questions and the cloze test questions. The results of Tukey HSD also indicated that EG2 (using Tree Map) performed significantly better than CG (using conventional method) in answering the open ended and the close test comprehension questions. This study has crucial pedagogical implication because it revealed that utilizing Bubble Map and Tree Map methods can enhance students CEFR reading comprehension. As such, teachers can use Bubble Map and Tree Map method as an alternative method to teach CEFR reading comprehension in the ESL classroom.

Assessment of 18 endocrine disrupting chemicals in tap water samples from Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Multiclass of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as nine perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), five bisphenols, and four parabens were analysed in tap water samples from Malaysia's Klang Valley region. All samples were analysed using liquid chromatography mass tandem spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with limit of quantitation (LOQ) ranged between 0.015 and 5ng/mL. Fifteen of the 18 EDCs were tested positive in tap water samples, with total EDC concentrations ranging from 0.28 to 5516ng/L for all 61 sampling point locations. In a specific area of the Klang Valley, the total concentration of EDCs was found to be highest in Hulu Langat, followed by Sepang, Putrajaya, Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, Seremban, and Gombak/Klang. PFAS and paraben were the most found EDCs in all tap water samples. Meanwhile, ethyl paraben (EtP) exhibited the highest detection rate, with 90.2% of all locations showing its presence. Over 60% of the regions showed the presence of perfluoro-n-butanoic acid (PFBA), perfluoro-n-hexanoic acid (PFHXA), perfluoro-n-octanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoro-n-nonanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluoro-1-octanesulfonate (PFOS), whereas the frequency of detection for other compounds was less than 40%. The spatial distribution and mean concentrations of EDCs in the Klang Valley regions revealed that Hulu Langat, Petaling Jaya, and Putrajaya exhibited higher levels of bisphenol A (BPA). On the other hand, Kuala Lumpur and Sepang displayed the highest mean concentrations of PFBA. In the worst scenario, the estimated daily intake (EDI) and risk quotient of some EDCs in this study exceeded the acceptable daily limits recommended by international standards, particularly for BPA, PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA, where the risk quotient (RQ) was found to be greater than 1, indicating a high risk to human health. The increasing presence of EDCs in tap water is undoubtedly a cause for concern as these substances can have adverse health consequences. This highlights the necessity for a standardised approach to evaluating EDC exposure and its direct impact on human populations' health.

Impact of Residents’ Trust on Behavioral Intention to Use Social Media for E-Administration Services

Trust is the fundamental matter that improves residents’ willingness to utilize social media as a technology tool for e-administration facilities. Despite its significance in the e-administrative sector, there is a lack of empirical investigation on residents’ trust in behavioral intention to use social media for e-administrative services. This study investigates the antecedents of residents’ trust and its impact on their behavioral intention to use social media for e-administration services. An online survey platform was used to collect the data from Malaysian residents in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya area. Data were analyzed using the partial least square technique. The findings revealed that reliable information has a positive and highly significant influence on residents’ trust, whereas attitude, subjective norms, and perceived privacy did not significantly affect residents’ trust. The findings also indicated that residents’ trust significantly impacts behavioral intention to use social media for e-administrative services. The findings have significant insight into the residents’ trust and behavioral intention to use social media for e-administration facilities. The results of this research can help government associations and policymakers in the nation to adequately establish their systems in raising residents’ trust, driving towards their engagement through information technology, particularly social media technology for e-administration services.

Effects of Building Materials on Building Thermal Load in Malaysian Institutional Library

Green building, net-zero energy building, low energy building, and sustainable building are the common terms being used in the building industry nowadays, with the primary aim to produce buildings with low energy and low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Different types of building materials can have significant implications for energy efficiency, especially in the warming climate. The energy crisis, future global warming, and climate change can be mitigated by choosing the right building materials, which will also lower the building's energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. This paper presents the effects of different building materials on the cooling capacity and cooling energy consumption of a building for four (4) different climate change weather data, namely, the present time scenario, the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s time scenario using TRNSYS simulation software. The main library of a university in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, was chosen as the case study. Three (3) types of building materials were studied, namely, Type 1 (brick walls with single-glazed windows), Type 2 (foam insulation cavity walls with double-glazed windows), and Type 3 (air gap cavity walls with double-glazed windows). The simulation results showed that the Type 2 building materials could reduce the yearly cooling energy consumption by 14.5%, compared with the current building materials (brick walls with single-glazed windows). The Type 3 building materials (air gap cavity walls with double-glazed windows) with the lower installation were wound to reduce the yearly cooling energy consumption by 9% compared with the Type 1 building materials. For architects, designers, politicians, and library administrators, the research's conclusions have immediate practical implications that will help them make decisions and implement energy-saving plans. In the end, this research helps libraries in Malaysia remain sustainable and resilient in the face of global warming and the energy crisis.

The Effects of Bubble Map and Tree Map Method in CEFR Reading Comprehension

The effective method of teaching CEFR reading comprehension makes students to have better exposure and gain confidence in Malaysian secondary schools. The ultimate goal of this study is to investigate whether the use of Bubble Map and Tree Map methods enhances students’ learning of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) in the CEFR reading comprehension. This quantitative study employed a quasi-experimental design. The sample of this study consisted of 105 Form One students (13 years old) from three different schools (school A, B and C) from Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The sample were chosen as intact groups. The Experimental Group 1 (EG1) from school A was taught using Bubble Map, Experimental Group 2 (EG2) from school B was taught using Tree Map and the Control Group (CG) from school C was taught using conventional method. The pre-test and post-test were used as instruments to collect the data for this study. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS program for Windows version 26. The MANCOVA test and Tukey HSD were used to analyze the data. The findings demonstrated that EG1 (using Bubble Map) significantly outperformed EG2 and CG in their CEFR reading comprehension. The results also indicated that EG2 (using Tree Map) performed significantly better than CG (using conventional method). This study has essential pedagogical implication because the Bubble Map and Tree Map methods had positive effects in enhancing students’ CEFR reading comprehension. As such, teachers can use Bubble Map and Tree Map methods as an alternative method to teach CEFR reading comprehension in the ESL classroom.

Predicting Particulate Matter (PM10) during High Particulate Event (HPE) using Quantile Regression in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Particulate matter (PM10) is the key indicator of air quality index (API) during high particulate event (HPE). The presence of PM10 is believed to have an adverse effect on human health and environment. Therefore, the prediction of future PM10 concentration is very important because it can aid the local authorities to implement precautionary actions to limit the impact of air pollution. This study aims to compare the performances of two predictive models, which include Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Quantile Regression (QR) in predicting the next-day PM10 concentration during HPE. The hourly dataset of PM10 concentration with other trace gases and weather parameters at Kelang and Petaling Jaya from the year of historic haze event in Malaysia (1997, 2005, 2013 and 2015) were obtained from Department of Environment (DOE) Malaysia. Three performance measures namely Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Normalised Absolute Error (NAE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) were calculated to evaluate the performances of the predictive models. From the results, QR model at quantile 0.3 and 0.6 was chosen as the best predictive tools for predicting the next day PM10 concentration during haze event in Kelang and Petaling Jaya, respectively. showed better performance for the prediction of next-day PM10 concentration in Kelang. These results indicate that QR can be used as one of predictive tool to forecast air pollution concentration especially during unusual condition of air quality.