Universiti Malaysia Sabah Research Articles

APPLICATION OF BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AS POTENTIAL BIO-INDICATORS IN MALAYSIAN'S RIVERS: GAP AND BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSES

The literature on reliable indices, suitable bio-indicators, taxonomic level, frequency of measurements, and replications on benthic macroinvertebrates remains scarce in Malaysia. In addition, no review study was conducted using bibliometric analysis related to this discipline. Thus, this review aimed at gap and bibliometric analysis of publications on benthic macroinvertebrates as potential biological indicators. Sixty-six relevant scientific research papers from 2011 to 2022 were selected from the different databases. Then, descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed to assess the most reliable potential bio-indicators for river assessment and monitoring. Visualized statistics regarding bibliographic coupling analysis of authors, journal proceedings, and organizations were analyzed. The findings revealed that publications on invertebrates had no significant relationship in the last ten years (r = 0.241; p > 0.05). Most publications on macroinvertebrates in Malaysian rivers were found in the Scopus database (53.57%). Therefore, research articles must be published in journals included in the Journal Citation Report (JCR) to improve their quality further. Besides, benthic macroinvertebrates are commonly identified only up to the family level (47%) due to incomplete tropical benthic macroinvertebrates identification keys. As such, using environmental DNA methods with the power of next-generation sequencing has come in handy in bio-indicator species identification. Among the potential bio-indicators found in Malaysian rivers are Chironomidae (9.11%), Baetidae (8.87%), and Hydropsychidae (8.62%). Based on the approaches utilized in analyzing benthic macroinvertebrates as bio-indicators, in-depth research such as bioassay and toxicology tests is necessary to realize the potential bio-indicators fully. Many studies focused on recreational rivers in Peninsular Malaysia. Therefore, research studies would be expanded to urban rivers and rivers in Sabah and Sarawak. Also, to overcome the limitation of the single biotic index, developing a multimetric index to evaluate the water quality by selecting many river basins is essential. Bibliographic analysis showed that the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, made the greatest total link strength. The Serangga Journal published the highest number of research articles. Finally, utilizing advanced technologies is recommended to address Malaysia's lack of potential bio-indicator studies.

Empowering the Student through Social Media and Financial Management Plan Templates for Universities in Southeast Asia

Planning from various aspects is crucial in running a business. Planning is done so that an entrepreneur can achieve optimal results and profit. One type of planning that can be utilized in line with the increasingly widespread development of digital marketing is from the side of Social Media and the Financial Management Plan. But unfortunately, not many entrepreneurs, either those who are just starting a business or are currently running a business, apply this type of planning. In fact, by using good planning, an entrepreneur can maximize brand promotion and financial management that they manage. The community service team provides templates and training on the utilization/use of the Social Media Plan and Financial Management Plan Templates to students interested in entrepreneurship (studentpreneurs). The training was conducted through Zoom Meetings at three universities in Southeast Asia (Universitas Negeri Jakarta – Indonesia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah – Malaysia, and Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University – Thailand). As many as 85.7% of participants have never used a template similar to a Social Media Plan; 2) There are 77.1% of participants who have never used a template such as a Financial Management Plan; 3) 100% of participants felt that the two templates were handy, and they were interested in using the templates.

The Knowledge and Practice of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) among Nursing Students

Cardiac arrest is the sudden cessation of a person’s cardiac activity and is often fatal if corrective life-saving interventions are not performed quickly. The American Heart Association advocates the need for high CPR competency among healthcare providers to increase the cardiac arrest survival rate. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and practice of nursing students on the acquisition and retention of CPR. A quantitative descriptive-correlation design was used, and a sample of 76 nursing students of Universiti Malaysia Sabah were recruited via a non-probability purposive technique. Data were collected using an online survey questionnaire that consists of 3 sections: Demographic, knowledge of CPR, and practice of CPR. They were analyzed using the correlation method. The results of this study are about the knowledge and practice of CPR. Nursing students' knowledge of the acquisition of CPR could be higher (39.36%), as is their practice (31.95%). The correlation coefficient between knowledge and practice is insignificant (rho = -0.073, p 0.531).In this study, both the knowledge and practice of CPR are independent.

Viewable Terrestrial Mammals along the Nature Trails at the Lowland Tropical Forests of Western Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

The information related to the species of terrestrial mammals that can be detected along the nature trails established in the lowland tropical forests of Western Sabah remains scarce at this moment. The camera trapping surveys were commenced at the Tenghilan Community Forest (TCF), Kawang Forest Reserve (KFR), and the urban forest of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to investigate the terrestrial mammal species that could be observed along the local trails. A total of 20 terrestrial mammal species belonging to 13 different families were observed in 2,077 trap nights, where most of them were validated to be non-threatened (n = 16 or 80.0%) and omnivorous (n = 13 or 65.0%) species. Twelve species were found along the nature trails in TCF (H’ = 2.223; 1-D = 0.8650) and KFR (H’ = 1.730; 1-D = 0.7078), whereas seven species were detected along the trails in the urban forest of UMS (H’ = 1.217; 1-D = 0.5567). The differences in the mammalian composition, diversity richness, and distribution evenness between these three study sites were validated as significant (p<0.05). The present findings emphasize that these three study sites are favorable habitats for four threatened species. Hence, conservation efforts are needed to protect these terrestrial mammal species from facing extinction risks in future.

Preface

The world now is facing a potential future risk which is climate change due to the increasing global temperature compared to the pre-industrial era in the late 18th century. Greenhouse gas emission released from un-clean industries, land use change, fuel-based transportation, energy, and urban waste has been considered as the main contributor to this problem. To tackle this issue, the international community has been offered various schemes including providing incentives for countries or entities that proved to be successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions.This year, the Faculty of Forestry Mulawarman University, Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia hosted The 3rd International Symposium on Tropical Forestry and Environmental Sciences (3rd ISTFES) on August 29-31, 2023 in Balikpapan. The symposium was co-organized with Kreativa Organizer Samarinda, Indonesia. In line with the climate change issue as described above, the symposium took “Forest & Environment Future Challenges and Opportunities on Climate Policies and Benefits” as the main theme. A total of 139 participants attended this symposium which came from various institutions and universities including four keynote speakers, three invited speakers, oral presenters, and participants.The 3rd ISTFES committee wishes to express gratitude to all authors and co-authors who have contributed to this event by submitting their valuable and recent works. The 3rd ISTFES proceeding, comprising 59 selected reviewed papers that published in the this IOP conference series: Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES).As the chairman of the symposium, I would like to convey our appreciation to all keynote speakers and invited speakers: Ir. Ujang Rachmat, M.Si (Assistant for Economic and Development Administration, East Kalimantan Province); Dr. Tetra Yanuardi (Project Manager, Division of Trade and Industry, International Tropical Timber Organization, Japan); Dr. Robert Nasi (Director General of CIFOR-ICRAF); Prof. Dr. Phua Mui How (Universiti Malaysia Sabah); Mirna Asnawi Safitri, S.H., M.Si., Ph.D (Deputy for Environmental and Natural Resources, Authority Bureau of Nusantara Capital City (OIKN)); Tunggul Butar Butar (Project Leader for Peatland Management and Rehabilitation Project (PROPEAT–GIZ)); and Dr. Josi Khatarina (USAID Sustainable Environmental Governance Across Region (SEGAR)). Our sincere gratitude also goes to the sponsors: the Governor of East Kalimantan Government, East Kalimantan Regional Council of Climate Change, GIZ PROPEAT, USAID SEGAR, and PT Multi Harapan Utama (MHU), for their invaluable contribution to making this conference highly meaningful and rewarding. We expect that forthcoming ISTFES conferences will be equally exciting, given the encouraging evidence of contribution demonstrated in these proceedings.Warm regards,Chairman of Organizing Committee Ali Suhardiman, Ph.D List of symposium committees are available in this Pdf.

Financial Literacy for University Students: Helping You Prepare For Life

Without good financial planning, it will not be easy to achieve all of one's financial goals in the future. The purpose of this community service is to teach students how to manage finances so that they can understand personal financial planning and be wise in managing their finances. This activity is aimed at students of the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Accountancy Universiti Malaysia Sabah and students of the Faculty of Economics and Management Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Knowledge of financial planning will be taught by a lecturer and a speaker from Finansialku as a digital financial application to introduce how to use the application for financial planning. The result of this event is that students need to have sufficient and good financial literacy in order to be able to prepare their financial condition for the future.

PERBEZAAN GENDER DAN STATUS SOSIOEKONOMI TERHADAP KEBIMBANGAN BAHASA ASING DALAM KALANGAN PELAJAR UNIVERSITI AWAM DI SABAH

This study was conducted to identify the level of foreign language anxiety (FLA), gender differences,and socioeconomic status influence on FLA among public university students in Sabah. The research wascarried out at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) branch in KotaKinabalu, Sabah. A total of 358 respondents, consisting of 104 males and 254 females, participated in thisstudy. The research adapted the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) questionnaire developedby Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986). Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for SocialScience (SPSS) version 28.0. The study results indicated that the level of FLA among public university studentsin Sabah is at a moderate level. The study also showed gender differences in FLA among male and femalestudents (p < .05), where female students (M = 97.97, SD = 20.88) exhibited higher levels of FLA compared tomale students (M = 91.22, SD = 20.09). Furthermore, the study revealed socioeconomic status differences inFLA among public university students in Sabah (p < .05). The findings showed that students from lowsocioeconomic status were reported to have high levels of FLA (M = 97.72, SD = 21.02). On the other hand,students from high socioeconomic status had lower levels of FLA (M = 83.63, SD = 16.79). The findings of thisstudy can provide a deeper understanding and clarity for students, parents, and educators regarding the issue ofFLA that often occurs among students. Suggestions for future research include expanding the scope of locationsand study samples, diversifying data collection methods, and conducting longitudinal studies.

Assessing Perceptions of Academic Staff in Using SmartUMS for Teaching and Learning

The use of educational technologies for teaching and learning has been implemented in many institutions of higher learning. Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) uses Moodle on SmartUMS e-learning platform to deliver academic courses. Every lecturer needs to register their respective courses on SmartUMS to complement face-to-face teaching and learning routine. The purpose of the study was to investigate academic staff’s acceptance and perceptions towards SmartUMS usage in UMS. The findings will contribute to the development of the UMS’s e-learning strategy, providing information on active participations from the lecturers which will enable the most effective use of education technology. Data was collected from all participants of SmartUMS training sessions. A questionnaire was distributed to 86 respondents and statistically analyzed using SPSS statistical package. The findings revealed that lecturers developed positive acceptance and perception towards using SmartUMS. It also concludes that SmartUMS provide value tools for effective interaction between lecturers and students in their teaching and learning activities.

A Case-Control Study on Factors Associated With Secondary Amenorrhea Among the Medical Students of Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI), anxiety, stress, depression, hormones, and secondary amenorrhea among female medical students at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). In this case-control study, UMS undergraduate female medical students aged 19-25 years who did not menstruate in the last three months (with a previous history of a regular menstrual cycle) or six months (with a history of irregular menstruation) were included as cases (40 students), and students with similar criteria but no menstrual irregularities were recruited in the study as controls (40 students). The study was conducted at Polyclinic UMS from January 1, 2021, until December31, 2022. The chi-squared test and odd ratio examined the association of the above-mentioned factors with the secondary amenorrhea. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant, and an odds ratio if the confidence interval did not contain one was considered significant. Both the groups had a similar frequency of different BMI grades. The cases exhibited significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress than the controls. Again, the cases demonstrated higher estradiol (E2), testosterone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and lower levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) than those with regular menstruation. The research also revealed that a one-unit decrease in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels corresponds to a threefold increase in the risk of experiencing secondary amenorrhea, while the risk escalates to fourfold for LH.Moreover, E2, testosterone, and TSH levels exhibited protective effects on secondary amenorrhea. Anxiety, serum LH, and FSH were significantly associated with secondary amenorrhea. Future studies should address the diurnal variation of the hormones and consider the participants' circumstances to get a proper effect of hormonal influence and stress.

Behind the Choices: Loss Aversion's Impact on Students' Course Selection

This study investigates how the concept of loss aversion affects the decision-making process of students when they choose their courses at Universiti Malaysia Sabah. The primary focus of this research is to understand the impact of factors such as individual interests, career aspirations, and the reputation of lecturers on the degree of loss aversion experienced by students during their course selection. To gather data, the study employed purposive sampling, targeting third-year students from ten different academic programs. Questionnaires were administered, and data analysis was carried out using SPSS version 28 and SmartPLS 4.0. The findings of the study highlight a noteworthy negative correlation between students' career aspirations and the presence of loss aversion in their course selection decisions. Simultaneously, the research indicates that personal interests and the reputation of lecturers do not exert a significant influence on the manifestation of loss aversion in course selection among students at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

Long-Tailed Macaque Reliance on Anthropogenic Food with Potential Conflicts toward Humans in the Campus of Universiti Malaysia Sabah

Long-Tailed Macaque Reliance on Anthropogenic Food with Potential Conflicts toward Humans in the Campus of Universiti Malaysia Sabah

First Report of Angiopsora paspalicola Causing Leaf Rust on Paspalum conjugatum in Malaysia.

Paspalum conjugatum (family Poaceae), locally known as Buffalo grass, is a perennial weed that can be found in rice field, residential lawn, and sod farm in Malaysia (Uddin et al. 2010; Hakim et al. 2013). In September 2022, Buffalo grass with rust symptoms and signs were collected from the lawn located in Universiti Malaysia Sabah in the province of Sabah (6°01'55.6"N, 116°07'15.7"E). The incidence was 90%. Yellow uredinia were observed primarily on the abaxial surface of the leaves. As the disease progressed, leaves were covered with coalescing pustules. Microscopic examination of pustules revealed the presence of urediniospores. Urediniospores were ellipsoid to obovoid in shape, contents in yellow, 16.4-28.8 x 14.0-22.4 μm and echinulate, with a prominent tonsure on most of the spores. A fine brush was used to collect yellow urediniospores, and genomic DNA was extracted based on Khoo et al. (2022a). The primers Rust28SF/LR5 (Vilgalys and Hester 1990; Aime et al. 2018) and CO3_F1/CO3_R1 (Vialle et al. 2009) were used to amplify partial 28S ribosomal RNA (28S) and cytochrome c oxidase III (COX3) gene fragments following the protocols of Khoo et al. (2022b). The sequences were deposited in GenBank under accession numbers OQ186624- OQ186626 (985/985 bp) (28S) and OQ200381-OQ200383 (556/556 bp) (COX3). They were 100% similar to Angiopsora paspalicola 28S (MW049243) and COX3 (MW036496) sequences. Phylogenetic analysis using maximum likelihood based on the combined 28S and COX3 sequences indicated that the isolate formed a supported clade to A. paspalicola. Koch's postulates were performed with spray inoculations of urediniospores suspended in water (106 spores/ml) on leaves of three healthy Buffalo grass leaves, while water was sprayed on three additional Buffalo grass leaves which served as control. The inoculated Buffalo grass were placed in the greenhouse. Symptoms and signs similar to those of the field collection occurred after 12 days post inoculation. No symptoms occurred on controls. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. paspalicola causing leaf rust on P. conjugatum in Malaysia. Our findings expand the geographic range of A. paspalicola in Malaysia. Albeit P. conjugatum is a host of the pathogen, but the host range of the pathogen especially in Poaceae economic crops need to be studied. Weed management could be an effective way to eliminate inoculum sources of A. paspalicola.

PENILAIAN PRODUK “PROGRAM KO-KURIKULUM BERKREDIT” MENGGUNAKAN MODEL PENILAIAN KONTEKS, INPUT, PROSES DAN PRODUK

The policy and philosophy of the Co-curriculum and Student Development Center (CSDC) aim to produce students who are balanced from the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects, develop the physical, mental, and spiritual endurance of students, generate creative, innovative, productive and proactive thinking and instill enthusiasm and confidence to face challenges. The Product Evaluation of the ‘Co-Curriculum Program with Credit’ at Universiti Malaysia Sabah aims to improve and provide accurate information for making policy decisions. Qualitative research uses structured interviews conducted with nine informants who are students who take co-curriculum courses with credit. The findings of the study show that the learning outcomes of the co-curriculum program courses with credit are achieved with many students getting excellent grades based on document review. The soft skills acquired are leadership skills and communication skills. The impact of the co-curriculum program on the informants can be seen from the expected and unexpected product aspects such as courage to communicate, improved learning process, improved time management, learning to manage projects, acquiring new knowledge, daring to lead, responsible and tolerance. In summary, Universiti Malaysia Sabah's offering co-curriculum program courses with credit should be maintained and continued.

Factors affecting the selection of Kadazandusun ethnic foods among students of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia

Ethnic food refers to food originating from a specific ethnic group. The study identifies the knowledge and factors in Kadazandusun ethnic food selection among students at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). A total of 410 students from Universiti Malaysia Sabah were recruited as respondents through the snowball method. This quantitative study used questionnaires to collect data. The closed-ended questionnaire has four parts: demographics, knowledge, factors affecting food selection, and Kadazandusun ethnic food consumption intention. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented as frequencies, percentages, and mean values to address the study aims. In this study, 46.8% of the respondents had low knowledge (scale of 0–50) about Kadazandusun ethnic food. As factors that influence food selection, the health factor with an average value of x= 3.39 ± 1.095 received a neutral response toward agreeing compared with the convenience factor (x= 3.17 ± 1.086), taste/sense of food (x= 3.12 ± 1.170), price(x= 3.17 ± 1.134), and habit (x= 2.55 ± 1.164). Therefore, awareness and ethnic food selection factors among students are still low. A mechanism that can promote ethnic food, especially among IPTA students, for sustainability, information dissemination, and consumption of traditional ethnic food, is needed so that it does not disappear.

The One Health Approach to Addressing Zoonotic Malaria in Rural Northern Borneo: Challenges and Solutions

Abstract Plasmodium knowlesi malaria is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. The incidence of this zoonotic malaria in South-east Asian rural communities continues to increase annually, despite efforts and guidelines for malaria control. To address this gap, a One Health project, supported by various stakeholders, was conducted from January to August 2022 to integrate community perspectives and address challenges to malaria prevention. The project implemented a photovoice initiative in collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, international malaria experts, the Sabah State Health Department, and primary healthcare workers in four rural villages in Sabah, Malaysia. The study recruited 26 adult participants of both genders to explore their perceptions of malaria, prevention challenges, and the significance of innovative community engagement methods. Cultural and social norms, environmental factors, social disparity, and socio-economic status influenced the identified challenges. The project findings were shared with stakeholders and policy makers through photo exhibitions, newspaper articles, academic manuscripts, reports, and conferences and helped initiate further dialogues with policy makers and stakeholders. The transdisciplinary photovoice approach showcased the impact of collaborative efforts with rural communities in shedding light on critical issues related to malaria prevention. Future recommendations propose co-designing interventions for the target population and bridging the gap through a One Health initiative that integrates community perspectives and is supported by multiple stakeholders in addressing the challenges of malaria prevention. Information © The Authors 2023

TAHAP PENERIMAAN DAN KEBERKESANAN KURSUS TASAWWUR ISLAM DALAM KALANGAN MAHASISWA ASASI DI UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SABAH

The offer of basic studies at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is the same as that offered at other local universities, namely to students who are graduates of Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). In pursuing the foundation level at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Muslim students need to follow the subject of Tasawwur Islam as one of the compulsory subjects. The subject of Tasawwur Islam is a continuation of the application of religious knowledge to Muslim students to provide added value to their lives. The question that arises here is does this Tasawwur Islam course have an encouraging impact on the lives of students? Therefore, this study was conducted to see the level of acceptance and effectiveness of Tasawwur Islam courses among students at UMS. This study uses quantitative methodologies based on questionnaires distributed through Google Form. There were 50 respondents among the students at UMS who had taken the time to participate in their views and perceptions on the level of acceptance and effectiveness of the Tasawwur Islam course at the foundation level. The results of the Tasawwur Islam course offering at the foundation level showed that 84% of the students can increase their knowledge especially in the ins and outs of Islam, 60% of students can apply the knowledge gained in everyday life and 42% of students can transform themselves into a better person than before. Overall, the offering of Tasawwur Islam courses at this fundamental level has a positive impact on the lives of students in the coming days.

THE USE OF QUIZIZZ AS A GAME-BASED LEARNING TOOL IN IMPROVING THE MASTERY OF GRAMMAR: LOW-PROFICIENT L2 LEARNERS’ PERCEPTIONS

It is indubitable that in this digital age, a plethora of game-based platforms have been used globally to teach students English at all levels. It is also imperative to explore the degree of effectiveness of using gamification in English language acquisition so that its benefits in educational settings can be boosted to the fullest. In congruence with that, this paper gleans into low-proficient L2 learners' perceptions towards the use of Quizizz, a game-based learning tool, towards improving their mastery of English grammar, a pivotal element of acquiring English at the tertiary educational level. This study employed a questionnaire to collect quantitative data from 65 students at Universiti Malaysia Sabah who took the Essential Communication Skills subject. Two parts of the questions posed in the questionnaire are Part A, which is on a 5-point Likert scale and comprises ten questions on students' perceptions of Quizizz features and grammar mastery, and Part B, which consists of one checkbox question with four options on the challenges of using Quizizz. The data yielded positive perceptions that the use of Quizizz is indeed a helpful tool to improve students' grasp of English grammar, and most respondents perceived internet connection issues, distraction from the timing and touch screen’s sensitivity that led to accidental incorrect responses, and jitters when answering questions as the central challenges of using Quizizz. Positive feedback obtained from this study serves as supportive evidence that Quizizz should be constantly and broadly used at the university level for low-proficient students to learn and practise grammar lessons and ultimately level up their comprehension of English grammar. At the same time, educators and educational institutions can take some apt measures to address the challenges so that the benefits of learning English grammar through Quizizz can be optimised.

Preface

Riau Annual Meeting on Law and Social Sciences (RAMLAS) is an annual event held by Faculty of Law Universitas Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia. This conference aims to exchange knowledge and research finding among academicians, researchers, professionals, policy makers and postgraduate students. The theme of the conference is “The Role of Law, Environmental Science and Policy for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).In 2022, Riau Annual Meeting on Law and Social Sciences (RAMLAS) was chosen to be implemented virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic that is still spreading. The conference was conducted on October 26th, 2022 and attended 200 participants. We received 82 submissions of abstract for presentation in RAMLAS. The conference committee invited 4 speakers from 4 countries, namely Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam.The committee is herewith extending thankfulness to all the involved persons who are actively contributing to implementation of the conference. We would like to thank to the scientific committess, reviewers, all participants. We are grateful to the attendance of the keynote speakers, Prof. Yuzuru Shimada, Ph.D. from Nagoya University Japan, Dr. AKM Ahsan Ullah from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Dr. Lee Kuok Tiung from Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Special thanks were presented to Prof. Dr. Hj. Sri Indarti, S.E., M.Si. (The Rector of Universitas Riau), Prof. Dr. Ir. Aras Mulyadi, DEA (Former Rector of Universitas Riau), Prof. Dr. Mubarak, M.Si. (The Chairman of The Institute for Research and Community Service Universitas Riau), Prof. Dr. Almasdi Syahza, S.E., M.P. (Former Chairman of The Institute for Research and Community Service Universitas Riau), Dr. Maria Maya Lestari, S.H., M.Sc., M.H. (The Dean of Faculty of Law Universitas Riau) and also Dr. Mexsasai Indra, S.H., M.H. (Former Dean of Faculty of Law Universitas Riau) for the support provided during the conference. Last but not the least, we are thankful to IOP EES Conference Series for producing the proceeding. See you at the next RAMLAS.Best Regards,Dr. Erdianto, S.H., M.Hum.Conference ChairmanList of Conference Committees, Conference Photographs are available in this pdf.

Acclimatisation of White Laran (Neolamarckia cadamba Roxb. Bosser) and Binuang (Octomeles sumatrana Miq.) Seedlings to Water-Logged and Water-Stress Conditions

Although practices that employ native species in plantation systems are common, the study of Neolamarckia cadamba Roxb. Bosser (White Laran) and Octomeles sumatrana Miq. (Binuang) in below-ground parameters is limited. The present study was conducted to compare the initial growth performance and below-ground parameters between these two native trees under water-logged and water-stress conditions. The study was conducted near the greenhouse of the Faculty of Tropical Forestry (Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia) for three months. Fifty seedlings of each species were grown in one-meter rhizotrons under Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three different treatments: water stress (T1), water-logged (T2), and control (T3). Height and root collar diameter (RCD) increments, leaf area index (LAI), dried shoot biomass (DSB), root depth (RD), root intensity (RI), root biomass (RB), specific root length (SRL), and root length density (RLD) were recorded. The outcome plainly demonstrated that N. cadamba seedlings were adaptive to both treatments, but O. sumatrana seedlings were more sensitive to water-logged than water-stress conditions. No significant difference was observed between aboveground and below-ground parameters. In conclusion, N. cadamba and O. sumatrana can potentially survive in these conditions in plantations.

PROJEK INOVASI SEKOLAH: KAJIAN KES DI SEKOLAH RENDAH KEBANGSAAN KANIBONGAN, PITAS, SABAH

The School Innovation Project was introduced by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) with the aim of helping teaching and learning activities at the primary school level. In fact, the success of teaching and learning activities also depends on the strengthening of language proficiency among students. The question is, the teaching and learning methods used by teachers need to be accompanied by elements of innovation in order to improve student excellence. Thus, this paper will discuss the School Innovation Project with a case study at Kanibongan School, Pitas, Sabah. The innovative elements used are based on local folklore from the Rungus ethnic group with the title, "Kisah Si Tunsong dan Goholu". The research methodology used is 'mixed-method', which combines quantitative and qualitative methods. From these folk tales, several innovative activities have been organized including video screenings, storytelling and learning activities. The results of the study found that this kind of activity can further enrich students' learning activities based on local folklore. At the same time, students can also go through new experiences that are interactive and innovative in learning the national language.