States In Peninsular Malaysia Research Articles

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) marked reliable value of Ulu Muda Forest Reserve

Water resources must be preserved because they are vital for agricultural, industrial, and domestic use, especially in tropical forest regions. Given the importance of the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve to the Kedah state in sustaining paddy cultivation for the country, this study aimed to provide reliable forest classification method and produce Normalized Difference Vegetation Index-Maximum Likelihood Classification of forest density map for Ulu Muda Forest Reserve. Here, the study reports measurements of the satellite remote sensing index for the forest based the image date. The forest recorded NDVI index of 0.72 to 0.98 for high density, NDVI index of 0.61 to 0.71 for moderate and NDVI index of 0.26 to 0.60 for low density area. The index showed higher value, which is comparable with reports of other tropical forest elsewhere. The results were influenced using satellite remote sensing pre-processing, processing, and classification. As a result, based on the satellite image indices approach, upper threshold of the higher density, the forest can exhibit higher capability for sustaining its ecological and hydrological functions. Given that most of the tropical forest biome has sustained this threshold, forest management should be sustained at this state, and more measures should be taken for example increase of protection forest classification in Rancangan Pengurusan Hutan (RPH) that is one of yearly planning report in states of Peninsular Malaysia. In the meantime, Geographical Information System (GIS) capacity should be mandate looking forwards for more utilisation in mapping for planning and projection of forest resource management activities.

The prevalence of simian malaria in wild long-tailed macaques throughout Peninsular Malaysia

The parasite Plasmodium knowlesi has been the sole cause of malaria in Malaysia from 2018 to 2022. The persistence of this zoonotic species has hampered Malaysia’s progress towards achieving the malaria-free status awarded by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Due to the zoonotic nature of P. knowlesi infections, it is important to study the prevalence of the parasite in the macaque host, the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Apart from P. knowlesi, the long-tailed macaque is also able to harbour Plasmodium cynomolgi, Plasmodium inui, Plasmodium caotneyi and Plasmodium fieldi. Here we report the prevalence of the 5 simian malaria parasites in the wild long-tailed macaque population in 12 out of the 13 states in Peninsular Malaysia using a nested PCR approach targeting the 18s ribosomal RNA (18s rRNA) gene. It was found that all five Plasmodium species were widely distributed throughout Peninsular Malaysia except for states with major cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. Of note, Pahang reported a malaria prevalence of 100% in the long-tailed macaque population, identifying it as a potential hotspot for zoonotic transmission. Overall, this study shows the distribution of the 5 simian malaria parasite species throughout Peninsular Malaysia, the data of which could be used to guide future malaria control interventions to target zoonotic malaria.

Anticancer agents and genetic identification of Pterospermum, an indigenous plant of Sarawak, Malaysia

In Malaysia, Pterospermum is distributed in the states of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Sabah. For centuries, the Bidayuh tribe in Sarawak has been using an indigenous plant to cure patients diagnosed with breast cancer. The plant is called Bayur by the tribe, which is the similar local name known for several Pterospermum species in Sarawak, Sabah, and Indonesia. This study was carried out to genetically identify the indigenous plant using the core barcode loci, rbcL and matK, as well as profiling anticancer agents from this plant. Phylogenetic analyses based on both rbcL and matK loci did not show clear species resolution for the indigenous plant, however, the analyses showed consistent relationships among congeneric species of Pterospermum. Interestingly, UHPLC-QQQ/MS analysis showed the presence of anti-cancer agents in the bark extract, thus supporting the potential of the indigenous plant for breast cancer treatment.

Assessing the effect of cardiovascular disease on work productivity and financial loss among school teachers in Peninsular Malaysia: a nested case-control study.

School teachers may have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), potentially affecting their work productivity. However, limited data exists on the impact of CVD on teachers' productivity in Malaysia. Our objectives were to assess work productivity loss (absenteeism and presenteeism) as well as to determine the associated annual monetary loss among school teachers who experienced incident CVD in Peninsular Malaysia. We adopted a nested case-control design within a cohort of school teachers. Working teachers from six states of Peninsular Malaysia, and had experienced incident CVD before a right-censored date (31st December 2021) were defined as cases. Incident CVD was operationally defined as the development of non-fatal acute coronary syndrome (ACS), stroke, congestive cardiac failure, deep vein thrombosis or peripheral arterial disease before the censored date. Controls were working teachers who did not acquire an incident CVD before the similar right-censored date. All controls were randomly selected, with a ratio of one case to four controls, from among the working teachers in one of the states in Peninsular Malaysia. We used a shortened version of the Malay-validated World Health Organization-Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (WHO-HPQ) to estimate the workplace productivity effect among teachers with incident CVD (cases). The same questionnaire was distributed to teachers in a single state of Peninsular Malaysia who did not experience incident CVD (controls). Absenteeism, presenteeism and annual monetary loss were computed based on the scoring rules in the WHO-HPQ. Analysis of covariance was performed with covariate adjustment using propensity scores. The bootstrapping method was applied to obtain better estimates of marginal mean differences, along with standard errors (SE) and appropriate effect sizes. We recruited 48 cases (baseline mean age = 42.4 years old, 54.2% females) and 192 randomly selected controls (baseline mean age = 36.2 years old, 99.0% females). The majority of the cases had ACS (73.9%). No significant difference was observed in absenteeism between cases and controls. The mean self-rated job performance score was lower for cases (7.63, SE = 0.21) compared to controls (8.60, SE = 0.10). Marginal mean scores of absolute presenteeism among cases (76.30) were lower (p<0.05, eta squared = 0.075) than controls (85.97). The marginal mean annual cost of presenteeism was higher in cases (MYR 21,237.52) compared to controls (MYR 12,089.74) (p<0.05, eta squared = 0.082). Absolute presenteeism was lower among school teachers who experienced incident CVD and the annual cost of presenteeism was substantial. Implementing supportive work strategies in school settings is recommended to increase absolute presenteeism, which can lead to a reduction in the annual cost of presenteeism among teachers experiencing incident CVD.

Dairy farmers' knowledge, awareness and practices regarding bovine lameness in Malaysian dairy farms.

Given the data paucity on dairy farmers' perspectives regarding bovine lameness and hoof diseases, particularly in South East Asian countries, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices toward lameness and hoof health among dairy cattle farmers in Malaysia. An online-based and face-to-face survey was conducted among 114 dairy farmers from four states in Peninsular Malaysia. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis and an independent sample t-test. Overall, farmers demonstrated satisfactory knowledge and attitude regarding lameness and its impact on dairy cattle welfare and production. Lameness was ranked the second most important health issue in dairy farms after mastitis. Notably, 90% reported the presence of at least one lame cow on their farms, and 55% stated lameness as the reason for culling their cows. While sole ulcer was the hoof lesion mostly identified by farmers, 75% of them underestimated lameness prevalence on their farms and rarely implemented management strategies such as preventive hoof trimming and footbath. Farmers' educational qualification influenced their understanding of the impact of lameness on dairy cattle production. Despite reflecting satisfactory knowledge and attitude towards lameness in dairy cows, farmers in this study need to improve their current management practices to address lameness problem in their herds. Educating farmers on the importance of early detection and prompt treatment, and preventive measures are crucial for lameness control and improving hoof health in these dairy farms.

Screening of Streptococcus suis in swine workers of selected states in Peninsular Malaysia.

Streptococcus suis is a zoonotic pathogen that is highly associated with contact between live pigs and raw pig material. In view of the recent reports of human infections in Malaysia, epidemiological data on the status of S. suis in the human population, especially among people working closely with pigs and/or raw pork, should be provided. The aim of this study was to detect S. suis among individuals working in the swine industry in several major pig production areas in Peninsular Malaysia. Demographic information, exposure determinants, and oral swabs were collected from swine personnel, including farmers, butchers, and veterinarians. Oral swabs were subjected to bacterial isolation and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for S. suis detection. The study included 40 participants working in the swine industry, with a predominant representation of males (62.5%) and Malaysian Chinese individuals (60.0%) who consumed pork (92.5%). Notably, none of the participants reported consuming raw or partially cooked pork. In spite of their occupational exposure risk, none of the oral swabs showed positive results for S. suis infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report and detection study of S. suis using oral swabs obtained from swine personnel in Peninsular Malaysia.

COMMUNITY-BASED EYE HEALTH SCREENING REPORT IN MALAYSIA: URBAN-RURAL REFERRAL COMPARISON

This study compared urban and rural referrals from a community-based eye health screening program named 'Jom Check Mata Malaysia (JCMM)'. The program was carried out in nine different states in Peninsular Malaysia—a total of 18 screening locations with a mix of urban and rural. Two mobile eye clinics were mobilised for community-based eye health screenings. This study involved 3,139 participants (1,158 and 1,981 participants from rural and urban, respectively). Visual complaints were collected via interviews using an ocular symptom checklist. The visual acuity was screened using a Snellen Chart. Ocular health screening, including anterior and posterior eye segments, was screened using slit-lamp bio-microscopy and fundus camera. Overall referrals were 2,139 (68%), 846 (27%) and 362 (12%) based on visual complaints, visual acuity and ocular health screening, respectively. Rural locations had significantly higher referral rates for visual complaint screening (χ2 = 422.53, p&lt;0.05), visual acuity screening (χ2 = 20.20, p&lt;0.05) as well as ocular health screening (χ2 = 64.70, p&lt;0.05) compared to the urban locations. There was a consistent pattern of higher rural referrals for all types of vision screening. Information from our three-category screening analysis could help to design a vision screening for our rural and urban populations.

Changes in Kidney Function Among Malaysian Adolescents and Its Determinants

The health and wellbeing of adolescents are often neglected, including the knowledge of chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially in its early stages. A total of 607 adolescents were recruited from the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team (MyHeART) study, a prospective cohort study conducted from March 2012 to May 2016 that explored the noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) risk factors among 13 to 17 years old students in 3 states of Peninsular Malaysia. Students who participated in all 3 data collection periods in 2012, 2014, and 2016 with kidney function assessment across all 3-time points were included in the current study. The students' estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated from isotope-dilution mass spectrometry-traceable Schwartz's equation and categorized based on Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification. Changes in kidney function were examined, and the longitudinal relationship between eGFR and multiple NCD risk factors was analyzed using the generalized estimating equation (GEE). The prevalence of decreased eGFR (60-89 ml/min per 1.73 m2) among the students increased from 6.1% (2012) to 30.0% (2014) and 40.2% (2016). Based on the GEE, the student's eGFR decreased over time, with a steeper decline during early to midadolescence. Males and rural students had lower eGFR compared to their counterparts. Students who are morbidly obese had lower eGFR than those with normal body mass index (BMI). Protein consumption also has a potential moderating effect on eGFR in adolescents. Kidney function changes can be detected as early as adolescence and are likely attributable to multiple NCD risk factors. Therefore, more comprehensive prevention efforts from various stakeholders are needed to identify health issues like CKD.

Comparative Metabolomics Analysis of Weedy Rice (Oryza spp.) across Peninsular Malaysia

Weedy rice (Oryza spp.) is a notorious weed that invades paddy fields and hampers the rice’s production and yield quality; thus, it has become a major problem for rice farmers worldwide. Weedy rice comprises a diverse morphology and phenotypic variation; however, the metabolome and chemical phenotypes of weedy rice grains have not been explored. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the metabolite profiles and chemical diversity of Malaysian weedy rice. Thirty-one biotypes of weedy rice grains were collected from selected rice granaries in different states of Peninsular Malaysia, including Selangor, Perak, Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, and Terengganu. In addition to the weedy rice samples, four cultivated rice varieties (MR219, MR220, MR220 CL2, and MARDI Siraj 297) were subjected to nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics. The PLS-DA and OPLS-DA models revealed a clear separation between the weedy rice and cultivated rice, which was contributed by the higher level of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), α-glucose, fumaric acid, and phenylalanine in the weedy rice, whilst valine, leucine, isoleucine, fatty acids, 2,3-butanediol, threonine, alanine, butyric acid, choline, γ-oryzanol, fructose, β-glucose, sucrose, ferulic acid, and formic acid were found dominant in the cultivated rice. Interestingly, the models also showed a separation between the weedy rice samples collected from the west coast and east coast regions of Peninsular Malaysia. The metabolites responsible for the separation, i.e., threonine, alanine, butyric acid, fructose, β-glucose, and formic acid, were found higher in the west coast samples, and the east coast samples were discriminated by higher levels of valine, leucine, isoleucine, fatty acids, 2,3-butanediol, choline, GABA, γ-oryzanol, α-glucose, sucrose, fumaric acid, ferulic acid, and phenylalanine. This study is the first to provide insights into the metabolite profiles and chemical phenotypes of Malaysian weedy rice that could be influenced by genotype and environmental conditions. The information on the weedy rice metabolome and omics data is important for further research on weed management and crop improvement.

IMPACT OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE ON CATTLE PRODUCTION IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Foot and mouth disease is vital in Malaysia with increasing yearly cases. Quantitative information about the impact of the disease on the cattle in the country, however, is scarce. This study quantitatively assesses the direct economic impacts of foot and mouth disease outbreaks on cattle production in Peninsular Malaysia. The impacts were assessed based on the data obtained from case outbreaks of cattle in 2017 and 2018. Data were collected using a questionnaire administered to 349 cattle farmers in six states of Peninsular Malaysia from April to October 2018. Collected data were analyzed using a t-test (i.e., to compare between gender within the age of breed) and one-way ANOVA (i.e., to compare between breeds and between ages within the breed). Results demonstrate that the breed of Limousine, Charolaise and Kedah-Kelantan have been proven affected due to the FMD outbreak. The economic losses of foot and mouth disease outbreaks due to mortality and weight loss reached the figure of MYR390.24 per herd. To reduce the impact of the loss of cattle production and achieve Malaysia food security target, it is vital for the government to surveillance and eradicate the FMD outbreak.

Analysis of issues and solutions on the implementation of istibdal waqf property in states of Peninsular Malaysia

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the implementation of istibdal waqf property in several states of Peninsular Malaysia. To achieve this objective, this study identified the amount of waqf property ‘am (general) and waqf property khas (special) which were involved in the process of istibdal in each state, the factors that have caused the istibdal to be implemented, the rate of istibdal involved for each lot of waqf lands and the type of property replacement performed. Design/methodology/approach This study used the qualitative method, whereby the researchers had collected secondary data consisting of documents related to waqf from the State Islamic Religious Council (MAIN). The type of documents obtained were public records. The data collected were analysed using the content analysis techniques. Findings The results showed that there are several factors involved in the implementation of istibdal, namely, the acquisition of waqf land by the State Authority, applications by external parties for a particular interest and the initiatives taken by the MAIN on waqf property which is problematic and uneconomical to generate waqf fund. This study also found some Shariah and management issues, which were identified in the implementations of istibdal, whereas some cases of istibdal were only carried out on a small part of the waqf lands and there were also cases of the implementation of istibdal which have not been replaced with fixed assets as authorised by the istibdal parameter. This study suggests some improvements to the issues identified in the implementation of istibdal for waqf managers in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications The limitation of this study is that it analyses only the documents that record the implementation of istibdal in the states managed by MAIN. Thus, the analysis performed was limited to the documents obtained without involving empirical data. Practical implications This study suggests some improvements to the implementation of istibdal waqf in the states studied. Therefore, these recommendations can be used by waqf property managers to improve the process of implementing waqf property istibdal so that it can be used to its maximum potential. Social implications If the recommendations in this study can be implemented, the Muslim community will benefit greatly from the waqf property because it is being developed through the method of istibdal. This impact can increase the confidence of the Muslim community towards MAIN in managing waqf property and encouraging the Muslim community to contribute to waqf property for the welfare of the ummah. Originality/value This study involved data on a larger waqf istibdal implementations that involved several states in Peninsular Malaysia, which to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the analysis involving such large research data have not been implemented before.

Assessments of Heavy Metals Accumulation, Bioavailability, Mobility, and Toxicity in Serpentine Soils

Accumulation of heavy metals is a concerning issue due to their known persistence in the ecosystem, and there are standard limits established for their maximum allowable concentrations in soils. However, heavy metal accumulation coming from serpentinite soils often exceeds the regulatory values, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding their bioavailability, mobility, and toxicity in the environment. This research applied novel selective sequential extraction and leaching procedures to assess the gaps in knowledge regarding heavy metals accumulation on serpentinite topsoil derived from a few states in Peninsular Malaysia. Based on the total digestion method, the concentration of all studied heavy metals except Mn exceeded the site screening levels issued by the Department of Environment, Malaysia (DOEM). The Geo-accumulation Index categorized Cr, Cd, Ni, and Co as extreme contamination and Cu, Pb, Zn, and Mn as unpolluted to moderate contamination. From the extraction results, Cd was found bounded 100% to a residual fraction. Meanwhile, Ni, Co, and Cr were mostly (≥92%) found to be bound to a residual fraction, with the remaining percentages distributed within non-bioavailable fractions (crystalline Fe oxides, poorly crystalline Fe oxides, and Mn oxides). Nevertheless, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Mn contaminants showed an increase (1–9%) in bioavailability and mobility fractions (soluble–exchangeable, surface-adsorbed, and organic matter) which pose a threat to the environment. The toxicity of the heavy metals greatly surpassed the DOEM standards; however, it was still below the global USEPA toxicity control. This research concluded that, even though the toxicity level of the topsoils had not exceeded the global toxicity limit, the accumulation of heavy metals in the serpentinite soils needs to be addressed due to its high concentration and its being potentially bioavailable and mobile in the environment.

Readiness and Challenges of E-Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic Era: A Space Analysis in Peninsular Malaysia.

During the COVID-19 era, most countries, including Malaysia, have shifted from face-to-face teaching systems to online teaching programs. The aim of this study is to identify the main challenges that higher education students face during e-learning based on their residential location throughout Peninsular Malaysia. This study further examines the readiness of higher education students to apply e-learning. Therefore, a cross-sectional survey approach is used to fulfil the outlined objectives. Accordingly, 761 public (95.3%) and private (4.7%) higher education students residing in Peninsular Malaysia are sampled in this study. The survey was administered online for 37 days, from 21 October 21 to 6 December 2021, using either WhatsApp or Facebook. The raw data is inferentially (Principal Component Analysis, K-Means Clustering, Kruskal Wallis, and spatial analysis) and descriptively (mean, standard deviation & percentage) analyzed. It has been revealed that six clusters of students in Peninsular Malaysia face various challenges while following the e-learning program. Most states in Peninsular Malaysia are dominated by students in Cluster D (Terengganu, Perlis, Penang, Selangor, WP Kuala Lumpur, and WP Putrajaya) and Cluster B categories (Melaka, Johor, Kelantan, and Kedah). Students in the Cluster D category tend to suffer from physical health disorders and social isolation, while students in the Cluster B category face problems with decreased focus in learning, mental health disorders, and social isolation. The outcomes further indicate that the more challenges students face during e-learning programs, the lower their willingness to continue with the program. The results of this study are significant in addressing the challenges of e-learning, which will help stakeholders address and strengthen student abilities.

Financial Literacy, Experience, Risk Tolerance and Investment Behavior: Observations during Pandemic

This paper investigates the relationships among financial literacy, investment experience, risk tolerance, and investment decision-making. The study, carried out in the top two populated states in Peninsular Malaysia, is to better understand investment behavior, especially during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The target respondents are widely distributed across ages, academic qualifications, years of investment experience, occupations, and gender. The correlations and regressions propose significant relationships among financial literacy, investment experience, risk tolerance, and investment behavior. Generally, financial literacy, investment experience, and risk tolerance are important factors contributing to the investment decision-making prescribed, with experience typically outpacing literacy in our sample. At the same time, investment experience is found to be relevant in describing the level of risk tolerance. The result supports the importance of understanding finance to aid investment decision-making and manage investment risks. It contributes to the literature by covering experience as one of the factors in describing investment behavior. This year-2021 survey also helps to better understand investment behavior among Malaysians in recent days and during the pandemic.

Heritage Value, Sustainability, And Commercialisation of Smoked Clam (Etak Salai) in Kelantan, Malaysia

Smoked clam (etak salai) is a popular traditional food and part of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Kelantan state. The main objective of this study is to seek a path for its safeguarding. For this purpose, the sustainability of etak salai will be examined from economic and ecological viewpoints. Some Kelantanese fishing households inherit knowledge with regard to the harvesting and processing of etak (clams), and run micro-enterprises as vendors. Increasing the profitability of these micro-enterprises is a crucial factor for safeguarding etak salai. Through quantitative analysis based on Hayashi’s quantification theory type 2, this study determines that the profitability of these micro-enterprises chiefly depends on the initial investment amount. It also finds that inheritance of micro-enterprises without enhancement of profitability results in the reproduction of low-income households. Ecological factors also determine the sustainability of etak salai. The study reveals that deterioration of the local ecosystem has triggered continuous transition of the mode of production of etak salai. Commercial production of etak salai began only after the majority of community members moved away from the rivers. After severe degradation of local rivers, harvesters expanded the geographic scope of their activity to other states of Peninsular Malaysia. Currently, Thailand and Cambodia account for a majority of the supplies. These transformations have decreased the number of households that are able to transmit knowledge regarding the harvesting and processing of etak. This is a grave concern in terms of safeguarding ICH. Thus, the study concludes that injecting capital to vendors and restoring the local ecosystem could be useful measures for safeguarding ICH.

Nature Tourism in Muar River Valley

Sungai Muar or Muar River is special. Passing through three states of Peninsular Malaysia, it originates in Negeri Sembilan, passes briefly in Malacca, into Johor and ends into the Straits of Malacca. Though laden with history and presently undergoing much socio-economic development, the importance of this river remains inconspicuous, as it is simply known as Sungai Muar. This paper proposes that a geographical official entity be recognized for this river and its surrounding areas as Muar River Valley (MRV) or in Malay, Lembangan Sungai Muar to enhance any future planning and development which would be site-based, thus giving due recognition to the river. Essential data was researched. The geophysical information of MRV is gathered, which forms the first objective of the research. To realistically prove its importance as an official entity, the tourism development was chosen. This research examined previous and potentially new nature tourism research. These are then marked on the map and thus a simple visual appreciation to understand the potential of nature tourism of MRV is easily seen. Hence, a map is produced for existing tourism activities and potential tourism destinations and products in MRV. This forms the second objective. To further enhance, a venture such as nature tourism, that could increase the appreciation to the importance of MRV, a nature tourism product development was done and described, forming the third objective. The exemplary product development is based on a newly recognized oyster species, endemic to MRV named as Crassostrea (Magallana) saidii sp. nov.. All data for the three objectives were obtained through literature search using search engine like Google. Additional methods include interviewing through phone calls, face-to-face, and also Google Meet to obtain information related to land use, drainage and irrigation systems around Bandar Maharani, along with the topography around the extent of Muar District, as basic requirement for the proposal of MRV. Finally, the newly recognized oyster is developed into a tourism product of which the proposed 3 hours package include activities such as observing traditional harvesting of the oysters and tasting of oyster dishes. To complete the nature tourism product development, prototypes of souvenirs are made from shells of the new oysters. For conservation purpose, souvenirs are also made from common species. This recommendation to officiate the designation of MRV would be made to the state government of Johore, through the Muar District Office.

Determinants of prolonged hospitalization and mortality among leptospirosis patients attending tertiary care hospitals in northeastern state in peninsular Malaysia: A cross sectional retrospective analysis

BackgroundLeptospirosis is the most common anthropozoonosis worldwide and imposes a major public health problem in many tropical countries. It is a leading cause of disease burden in form of mortality, morbidity and hospital admission. Identifying patients at high risk for mortality or for prolonged hospitalization may save lives and preserve economy. The aim of the current study is to identify significant factors associated with disease mortality and prolonged hospitalization.DesignCress-sectional retrospective study.SettingsTertiary care teaching hospitals in Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia.ParticipantsAdult patients proven to have leptospirosis depending on IgM ELISA were classified into two classes depending on prolonged hospitalization (>7 days or ≤ 7 days) and mortality (fatal cases or non-fatal cases). Patients' clinico-laboratory data were compared according to these two outcomes using the appropriate statistical test.ResultsOf the 525 patients enrolled, 136 (25.9%) had prolonged hospitalization. The mean length of stay was 6.77 ± 5.68 days. Logistic regression analysis identified acute kidney injury (AKI) (OR 2.3), Jaundice (OR 2.7), elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (OR 2), and prolonged prothrombin time (PT) (OR 1.9) independently associated with prolonged hospitalization. Case fatality rate was 6.48% and around one third of fatal cases had prolonged hospitalization of more than seven days. Factors associated with leptospirosis mortality included age >40 years (p < 0.001), patients presented with tachypnea (p = 0.002), pulmonary infiltrate (p < 0.001), T-wave changes (p < 0.001), atrial fibrillation (p = 0.013), conducting abnormality (p < 0.001), chronic kidney diseases (p < 0.001), multiple organ dysfunctions (p < 0.0010), respiratory failure (p < 0.001), pneumonia (p < 0.001), sepsis (p = 0.004), low venous PH (p = 0.042), AKI (P < 0.001), elevated AST (p < 0.001) or ALT (p = 0.004), hypoalbuminemia (p < 0.001), rhabdomyolysis (p < 0.001), severe thrombocytopenia (p = 0.042), prolonged PT (p < 0.001) or prolonged aPTT (p < 0.017).ConclusionsSignificant proportion of leptospirosis patients (25.9%) had prolonged hospital stay and less proportion died (6.48%). Early identifying patients with factors associated with prolonged hospitalization and death will positively impact practitioners' decisions regarding the proper and fast course of management including ICU admission.

Exploring Community Perceptions of Climate Change Issues in Peninsular Malaysia

The urbanization process in Peninsular Malaysia has resulted in an increase in temperature. Large cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bharu, and George Town are experiencing rapid urbanization processes, resulting in unpredictable changes in temperature and weather, which consequently impact community livelihoods. Many believe that the recent flooding in urban residential areas in Peninsular Malaysia has been worsened by climate change. Hence, this paper explores and discusses recent community perceptions of the climate change issue in Peninsular Malaysia. A group of 350 community members from different states in Peninsular Malaysia gave their views and opinions related to climate change via an online quantitative survey questionnaire. Their perception of the urbanization process and its impact on the increase in temperature was descriptively analyzed using the frequency analysis technique and mean score, while their suggestions in verbatim form on reducing the effects of climate change were analyzed thematically. The respondents perceived the climate change issue as attributable to the factors of urbanization, namely the manufacturing industry, population density, and private motor vehicles. Respondents provided suggestions for reducing the effects of climate change, ranging from government policies to community actions.

Development and Validation of a New Questionnaire to Measure Knowledge Level of Street Food Hawkers to Support the Single-Use Plastics Reduction Program in Kelantan, Malaysia

Food hawkers’ knowledge about single-use plastic food containers must be assessed using a valid and reliable tool to improve assessment and evidence collection credibility and to promote environmental sustainability practice. This study aims to develop and validate a new questionnaire to assess the knowledge level of street food hawkers to support the single-use plastics reduction program. Seven experts were involved in the questionnaire process. In the validation process, a cross-sectional study employed the purposive sampling of 660 night-market street food hawkers in a north-eastern state in Peninsular Malaysia, utilising a Google Forms questionnaire with 22 self-administered items. The Content Validity Index (CVI) and Face Validity index (FVI) were used for the construct analysis. The dichotomous response scale was analysed using a two-parameter logistic model of item response theory (2-PL IRT), while marginal reliability used to determine the internal consistency. The I-CVI were calculated for all items with the value ≥ 0.83, except for nine items with I-CVI &lt; 0.83. I-FVI with values of 0.83 or more were acceptable. The 2-PL IRT analyses indicated good psychometric properties considering the discrimination and difficulty index. The marginal reliability value was 0.77. The newly developed questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to assess the knowledge level of street-food hawkers to support the single-use plastics reduction program.

Getting the Ball Rolling: A Research on Physical Working Environment towards Employees’ Job Performance in Malaysia.

Employees’ performance is a very crucial factor to the company, as for now; there are many companies who support their workers to work from home rather than working in the office, due to COVID-19 Pandemic. Therefore, the researchers want to study the impact of control, satisfaction and distraction over working environment that might have certain impacts on employees’ performance. The unit of analysis in this study were made up of 133 employees in selected industries in Malaysia which are from manufacturing, education, public administration and also hospitality sector. The respondents are four states in Peninsular Malaysia which are Terengganu, Johor, Pulau Pinang and Selangor.The data was gathered using self-administered questionnaires by using a seven point likert-scale. The data collected then will be analysed using SPSS 20 for two analysis statistic, including inferential statistics and descriptive analysis. The results from this study shows that working environment, distraction in working environment, control over working environment and satisfaction over working environment do have a positive impact towards employees’ performance. Keywords: Employee Performance, Working Environment, Control, Distraction, Satisfaction