Workers In Malaysia Research Articles

Entry of Migrant Workers to Malaysia: Consideration to Implement Mass Drug Administration Against Intestinal Parasitic Infections.

Over the last five decades, widespread industrialisation and urbanisation have resulted in the influx of low-skilled workers, particularly from Southeast and West Asia to Malaysia. The current practice for migrant workers entry for employment requires mandatory medical screening for infectious diseases. However, screening for parasitic infections in Malaysia is woefully inadequate. Many migrants come from low-income countries where parasitic infections are common, which may have public health implications for their overall well-being as parasitic infections, although not critical, may impact their overall productivity. The high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) recorded among migrant workers in Malaysia necessitates improvement in the national health policy to include mandatory mass administration of a single dose of anthelmintic drugs to all low-skilled migrant labourers, particularly upon entry into the country, admission, and encourage continuous surveillance. A constant stream of migrant labourers is anticipated, potentially resulting in an ongoing occurrence of parasitic infections within the population. The implementation of economic measures like health awareness initiatives, routine deworming campaigns, and improved sanitation facilities holds the potential to reduce the spread of these infections notably. More often than not, taking preventive actions proves to be more financially efficient over time compared to addressing severe infections at a later stage.

Governance and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers in Malaysia

Protecting Indonesian migrant workers (IMWs) in Malaysia is a matter of great significance due to Indonesia's status as one of the primary source countries for migrant workers to Malaysia. Consequently, it necessitates the implementation of comprehensive governance measures by both nations. This paper aims to analyze the joint endeavors and collaborative frameworks established between governments of Indonesia and Malaysia. Additionally, it seeks to identify the network of policies and innovations enacted in both countries related to the protection and regulation of migrant workers. This research was enhanced through the utilization of NVivo qualitative analysis software. This article shows that efforts to protect IMWs in Malaysia involve many government institutions in both countries, especially at ministerial and departmental levels. The policies established between the two countries are also able to support the success of migrant protection, especially with the agreement between the two countries in the form of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU gave birth to innovation in digital-based migrant worker protection services, namely a "one channel system" as the only official mechanism for recruiting workers. However, at the implementation stage, this innovation has not gone well and necessitated a sincere effort from both countries in implementing it, especially Malaysia as the destination country.
 
 Keywords: Indonesian Migrant Workers, Policy Network, Innovation, Governance

A Qualitative Study of Work Motivation Among the Media and Creative Workers in Malaysia

The creative industry is a booming sector in the contribution to the gross domestic product in a country especially towards the gig economy. Among the pillars within the creative industry is those from the film and drama sectors. Terms such as above-the-line and below-the-line are segregated to identify their nature of work and how it contributes to the audio-visual industry. Therefore, the creative industry practitioners are facing challenges in maintaining their status quo for better economic gains and protecting their well-fare due to the nature of the creative industries as freelancers. This study’s objective is to understand the problems that are faced by the creative industry stakeholders in generating their income and also to study the possible effects of inefficiency of well-fare protection in Malaysia's creative industry. This study also uses qualitative study and thematic analysis to analyse the data gained from focus group discussion of five (5) participants where four (4) of them are creative creators and one (1) of them was from the legislative office of copyright protection in Malaysia. The interviews were recorded into audio files and transcribed verbatim. The data acquired were later on analysed using ATLAS.ti and have managed to discover three (3) emergent themes that reflects the whole purpose of the study. The impact of this study is to understand what could possibly be done to improvise the economic and welfare well-being of the creative industry practitioners.

Musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) in female office workers: An exploratory investigation

Abstract: Predictors associated with musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) are multi-factorial, including physical, psychosocial, and individual factors. However, with most of the studies on musculoskeletal disorders being undertaken in developed countries; it is plausible that the findings might not be relevant due to differences in work culture and organizational practices in various developing countries. Given this, the current study aimed to examine the prevalence rate of MSD among female office workers in public organizations. A questionnaire survey was employed to measure job satisfaction, work-life balance, mental health, and MSD levels among female office workers (N=333) from four public sector organizations. The 6 months MSD prevalence was 93.4% (95%CI = 90.9-95.8%). Besides, the most frequently experienced MSD among participants in this present study was on the neck/shoulder (92%), lower back (87.5%), lower extremity (82.4%), and hand/fingers (75%). The findings suggested that female office workers in Malaysia did experience MSD and suffer from it in various body regions. In addition, the results further demonstrate the need to develop MSD risk management in the workplace, particularly among female office workers. Nevertheless, further examination of MSD in various types of occupations that employed women to minimize MSD at the workplace is also needed.

The Main Tendencies of Discourse Representation of Immigrant Workers: A Critical Discourse Analysis in Malaysian Online News Portals

Being one of the most industrialised nations in Southeast Asia, Malaysia has been receiving many immigrant workers from neighbouring countries to provide labour for economic expansion. The government was heavily criticised following its announcement on the intake of 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers into the country. The local media have profoundly reported on the issues of immigrant workers in Malaysia. This study focuses on the main tendencies of discourse representation of immigrant workers in Malaysia, specifically in The Star and Malaysiakini online news portals. A total of 20 news articles, 10 from each news portal concerning the above-mentioned issues are analysed according to Fairclough’s (1995) Discourse Representation in Media Discourse framework. Each phrase undergoes a five-level parameter analysis to investigate the language and the strategies employed. As a whole, both online news portals maintained the ideational meaning of the primary discourse in their news reports.

TEACHER’S STRATEGIES IN TEACHING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL FOR AUTONOMOUS LEARNERS (A CASE STUDY OF INDONESIAN MIGRANT WORKERS IN PENANG - MALAYSIA)

This study was carried out to investigate strategies used by the teacher in teaching English, speaking competency, for autonomous learners at English Academy Bengkulu Malaysia, an English class program for Indonesian migrant workers. Specifically, it was conducted to identify whether the strategies were proper to be applied in teaching students whose profession as migrant workers. The qualitative method and case study approached were applied in conducting this research. Thirty workers and a teacher were selected as the participants. A series of interview, classroom observations, and video- recordings are done by the researchers to collect the data. Then they were analysed by using Miles and Huberman’s framework of qualitative analysis. The result of the study shows that to arrange proper strategies in teaching Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, teacher had to understand their characteristic first. In this study, the researchers found that most of the students had the characteristics of autonomous learners as follows; responsive [AL-BR], independent [AL-BI], well- motivated [AL-BWM], and self-aware [AL-BSA]. Based on these four characteristics, the teacher was able to arrange the strategies that proper to be practiced in the classroom. The strategies used by the teacher in teaching English speaking skill for Indonesian migrant workers were interactive techniques, grammar translation method, cooperative learning, direct instruction, and diary- writing. Students' activities in class as a result of the teacher's strategies were related to and consistent with the teacher's beliefs about autonomous learners and their characteristics. In other words, the strategies are effective, compelling, and appropriate for use in a class with autonomous learners.

Analysis of English Learning Strategies of Children of Immigrant Workers in Informal Schools in Malaysia

Education is the main key that someone needs, to penetrate the gates of educational institutions to get a good education and a brighter future. It should be noted that good education is not only obtained in formal schools but the same opportunities can also be achieved by the children of immigrant workers in Malaysia in an informal school. Although habituation is not always easy, especially in learning English. For this reason, there are many learning strategies that they use including (1) Memory Strategies (2) Cognitive Strategies (3) Compensation Strategies (4) Metacognitive Strategies (5) Affective Strategies (6) Social Strategies. This study aims to analyze the children's learning strategies in learning English, and with quantitative research methods and clear presentations, the author will describe the results of the strategy analysis. The results of this study are in the form of elaboration of percentages to find the strategies most used by students. In conclusion, the writer wants to convey to readers that every child has a different way of learning something.

Factors That Influence Job Stress among Foreign Construction Site Workers in Malaysia

This study’s goal is to address factors that cause major stress scenarios and identify the factors that cause such a dilemma among foreign workers. These issues stem from three different variables that contribute to stress, which include job characteristics (job demand, job control and job support) workload and reward. To affirm and verify the said variables, a quantitative research approach is implemented based on participants from the construction site. The sampling frame was for foreign workers from different levels and positions in a selected construction site in Klang Valley. This study was based on 100 samples of foreign workers selected using the snowballing method. Results indicate a significant relationship between job factors (job demand, job control and job support) on the job stress of foreign workers at the construction site. Results also show a significant relationship between workload and job stress and no relationship was found between reward and job stress. This study discussed the results from the psychological, and human resource perspectives, as well as their implications for human resource management. The findings can be used to guide the progress of policies and programs that can navigate the negative effects of employees’ stress. The present study was done to further combine and explore whether the main initial factors influencing stress in Malaysia are still applicable in the context of foreign workers in the construction industry. Up until now, there has been only scarce research on the combination of the discussed factors on stress.

Zakat Practices among Muslim Migrant Workers in Malaysia

Zakat Practices among Muslim Migrant Workers in Malaysia

An empirical study in assessing the impact of foreign workers on labour productivity in the Malaysian manufacturing sector

This study investigates the impact of foreign workers on labour productivity within the manufacturing industry of Malaysia. The study utilized panel data from 297 manufacturing firms registered with the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), covering the ten-year period from 2008 to 2017, and analysed it using static panel data regression to measure the effect of foreign workers on labour productivity. The findings of the study indicate that the employment of foreign workers, particularly those with low skills, has a negative impact on labour productivity. Low-skilled foreign workers often possess a restricted level of education and skills that may not be compatible with the demands of modern industries. Consequently, they may face challenges in adjusting to novel technologies, procedures, or intricate assignments, thereby impeding their overall productivity. It can be concluded that the employment of low-skilled foreign workers in Malaysia's manufacturing sector negatively affects labour productivity. The limited education and skills of these workers hinder their ability to adapt to new technologies and complex tasks, leading to diminished productivity levels. The findings are useful in highlighting to regulators, employers, and workers the effect of foreign workers on labour productivity. The study implies that necessary skills should be provided to low-skilled foreign workers. By enhancing their skills, these workers can better meet the demands of modern industries and contribute more effectively to the manufacturing sector in Malaysia.

FINANCIAL WELL-BEING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs): FAMILY AS THE FOUNDATION

This study aims to evaluate the influence of parents (explicit and implicit) on the financial well-being of emerging adult workers in Malaysia. At the same time, this study will also examine if financial behaviour can mediate between parental influence and financial well-being. Respondents aged 19 to 29 from Sabah, Pahang, Perak, Selangor, and Melaka answered 500 survey-based online questions. The hypothetical model was statistically tested via Partial Least Square (SmartPLS) version 3.3.2. Results show that both implicit and explicit features of family financial socialisation considerably impact emerging adults’ financial conduct. However, implicit factors significantly impact emerging adults’ financial conduct more than explicit factors. Results also confirm the role of financial behaviours as a mediator between the influence of parents and the financial well-being of emerging adults. Therefore, this study supports the hypothesis that parental effects extend beyond infancy to emerging adulthood. Parents may aid their children by demonstrating and imitating healthy financial behaviours and directing and guiding them. The requirement of boosting financial well-being to meet the SDGs goals is stressed in this study since the financial component is vital to success.

Penambahan Jam Pelajaran dan Penerapan Fun Games di Sanggar Bimbingan Permai Penang

Education for Indonesian children is still uneven, both for various regions within the country and abroad, including children of migrant workers in Malaysia. Indonesian community associations in Malaysia together with the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia care about this and facilitate non-formal education in the form of guidance workshops. However, the limited conditions and facilities of Sanggar Bimbingan lead to less effective learning activities. In addition, there are still many children who are less motivated in every learning process. Therefore, KKN-Dik students who are placed at Sanggar Bimbingan Permai Penang develop a work program as a form of community service to international targets. The purpose of implementing this activity is to increase learning time and increase learning motivation through fun games activities that are integrated with Indonesian cultural insights. This service uses participatory implementation methods by prioritizing student involvement and activity. Fun games activities are carried out during the learning process involving all students. The results of the activity show that the addition of study hours can increase the effectiveness of the learning process. While the application of fun games succeeded in increasing the enthusiasm and motivation of students in learning.

Application of the theory of planned behaviour for predicting the determinants of workplace violence reporting behaviour among public hospital healthcare workers in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

Reporting workplace violence (WPV) is a crucial preventive measure. Given the great impact of WPV on mental health and well-being, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and determinants of WPV reporting among healthcare workers (HCWs). A total of 557 public hospital HCWs in Melaka were recruited via probability sampling. A questionnaire guided by the theory of planned behaviour was developed, pre-tested and distributed. Malaysians with a minimum employment period of 12 months who experienced WPV within the same period in the selected public hospitals were eligible for inclusion. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between the independent variables and WPV reporting. Psychological violence was the most common WPV (80.3%), with only 177 (31.8%) respondents reporting such. The respondents who had high subjective norm (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=2.160, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.32-3.53) and perceived behavioural control scores (AOR=3.976, 95% CI=2.41-6.55); were clinical (AOR=2.679, 95% CI=1.43-5.02) and non-clinical (AOR=4.271, 95% CI=2.23-8.18) support staff; experienced physical WPV (AOR=13.157, 95% CI=3.83-45.24) and both physical and psychological WPV (AOR=2.029, 95% CI= 1.13-3.65); and perceived that WPV was intentional (AOR=11.111, 95% CI=6.50-19.00) were more likely to report WPV. HCWs who experience physical WPV have the highest likelihood to report, followed by those who perceive WPV as intentional. The prevalence of reported WPV among public hospital HCWs is low, potentially underestimating its true occurrence owing to underreporting. Ensuring readily available reporting mechanisms for WPV, especially the psychological type, is crucial for HCWs.

Factors of Gig Job Involvement and the Effect on B40 and M40 Socio-economic Sustainability

The emergence of information and communication technology (ICT) creates new means that permit interaction between employers and employees via apps and systems. The gig economy has arisen as a key theme in a recent independent review of modern employment practices. However, most of the existing literature focused on the implications of growth in these arrangements for workers and their families. Realizing the importance of the research on job involvement for Malaysian citizens specifically among B40 and M40 to opt for gig work is still largely unexplored, hence, this study aims to explore the factors influencing the involvement of a gig worker among B40 and M40 while examining the effect on the enhancement of the B40 and M40 segment’s socio-economic sustainability. Using a purposive sampling method, the data were collected through a survey among gig workers in Malaysia. A total of 1415 valid questionnaires were gathered from the gig workers in 14 states of Malaysia. Additionally, SPSS 28.0 was applied to test the hypotheses. The results indicated that circumstances, earnings, risk, prospects, and workload had a positive relationship with the B40 and M40 socio-economic sustainability while flexibility is not significant toward B40 and M40 socio-economic sustainability. The result also shows that there is a significant difference between B40 and M40 income groups toward socio-economic sustainability. Findings from this study contributed new knowledge on the gig economy in Malaysia. The research also assists policymakers in understanding holistically the current job scenario of gig workers to formulate policies, incentives, and development programs.

Measuring Financial Planning for Retirement of Gig Workers in Malaysia: A Pilot Study

Measuring Financial Planning for Retirement of Gig Workers in Malaysia: A Pilot Study

A Study on Retirement Preparedness and Confidence among Private Sector Employees in Malaysia

Retirement planning is particularly significant for an individual since it ensures that the individual's financial demands are met during the post-retirement period. A good plan prior to retirement is associated with significantly higher life satisfaction after retirement, given that many people spend a significant portion of their lives after a lengthy employment period. Personal retirement planning, on the other hand, is up to the individual. To ensure a comfortable retirement, employees must make a deliberate decision to set aside some of their earnings. However, past studies on retirement planning show that workers in Malaysia have made little or no preparation for their retirement. They only realize the need for retirement preparation when their savings are not enough to cover post-retirement expenses. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of attitude towards retirement, goal clarity, social influence, and financial literacy on the preparedness and confidence of private sector employees in Malaysia. Aside from that, the study intends to compare employees' retirement preparedness and confidence by gender as well as age group. The data for this study was collected through the use of a questionnaire. This study used ordered probit regression to see the effect of the determinants on retirement preparedness and confidence. The results of the study showed that attitude towards retirement, goal clarity, social influence, and financial literacy have a significant positive effect on retirement preparedness and confidence. Apart from that, male employees are found to be more prepared and confident to retire compared to female employees. Finally, employees between the ages of 31 and 40 are the most prepared and confident in their ability to retire. The study's findings have important implications for the retiring population in order for them to plan ahead of time so that they can survive throughout their retirement phase.

Translation and Validation of the Risk Perception on Safety and Health Questionnaire Among Palm Oil Plantation Workers in Terengganu, Malaysia.

Occupational safety and health are of utmost importance in the palm oil industry, particularly in Malaysia where palm oil plantation workers face various hazards. This study aimed to translate and validate a risk perception questionnaire specifically designed to assessthe perceptions of safety and health risks among palm oil plantation workers in Terengganu, Malaysia. The original risk perception questionnaire, consisting of 22 items, was translated into the local languageand culturally adapted. The translation process involved forward translation, expert panel discussions, and back translation to ensure linguistic equivalence. The translated questionnaire was then administered to a sample of palm oil plantation workers in Terengganu, Malaysia, for validation purposes. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the model fitness of the questionnaire, and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was calculated to determine the internal consistency reliability of the final model. The translated risk perception questionnaire demonstrated good model fitness as indicated by CFA results (X2=224, df=79, p-value<0.0001, root mean square error of approximation(RMSEA)=0.07, goodness of fit index (GFI)=0.929, comparative fit index (CFI)=0.902). The questionnaire's final version has one factor comprising 13 items, selected based on factor loadings and theoretical relevance. The internal consistency reliability of the 13-item questionnaire was satisfactory, with a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of α=0.77. The13-item risk perception questionnaire demonstrated a good model fit and acceptable internal consistency reliability. It shows that the questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to evaluatethe level of risk perception on safety and health among palm oil plantation workers in Malaysia.

Factors That Influence the Influx of Foreign Workers in the Malaysian Construction Industry

Labour is one of the primary resources in the construction industry, and the nature of this industry is still intensive. Approximately 1 million construction labours are needed annually, most foreign workers. This situation indicates that the construction sector is one of the most important industries which attach many foreign workers in Malaysia. The influx of foreign workers has undeniably caused numerous negative impacts on human health, political and social problems. These deficiencies have influenced our country's development. Considering this situation, the research aims to identify the factors influencing the influx of foreign workers in the Malaysian construction industry. The questionnaire survey was selected as the research methodology to achieve the research objective. The respondents for this research were G7 contractors within Petaling, Selangor Darul Ehsan. The data was analysed by using SPSS software and displayed in the tabulation form. The result of the study presents that education level is the main factor influencing the influx of foreign workers in the Malaysian construction industry. The information acquired from this research is to enhance the direction for Malaysia to reduce the influx of foreign workers in the construction industry in line with the 12th Malaysia Plan and further support to increase and attract the interest of local people to work in this industry.

Indonesia’s pro-people foreign policy: the protection of Indonesian women migrant workers in Malaysia in 2022

This study investigates the Indonesian government's strategies to safeguard its informal sector in Malaysia, which has experienced considerable human rights violations and exploitation. Such incidents breach both the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Law No. 18 of 2017 on the Indonesian migrant workers' protection. Utilizing the pro-people foreign policy theory and the citizen protection concept, this research explores the government's responses to these issues as a protective measure for its citizens. Employing a qualitative descriptive method, data was gathered through library studies. The findings reveal that the Indonesian government, in its bid to protect indonesian women migrant workers in malaysia by 2022, has publicly criticized the Malaysian government, implemented a Moratorium, and pushed for immediate bilateral meetings between the two nations. Hence, the study concludes that these efforts have positively influenced the protection of indonesian women migrant workers in malaysia in 2022

Facilitators and barriers to latent tuberculosis infection treatment among primary healthcare workers in Malaysia: a qualitative study

BackgroundHealthcare workers (HCWs) have an increased risk of active and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) compared to the general population. Despite existing guidelines on the prevention and management of LTBI, little is known about why HCWs who tested positive for LTBI refuse treatment. This qualitative study sought to explore the facilitators and barriers to LBTI treatment uptake among primary HCWs in Malaysia.MethodsThis qualitative study used a phenomenological research design and was conducted from July 2019 to January 2021. A semi-structured topic guide was developed based on literature and the Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation. We conducted one focus group discussion and 15 in-depth interviews with primary care HCWs. Interviewees were 7 physicians and 11 allied HCWs who tested positive for LTBI by Tuberculin Skin Test or Interferon Gamma Release Assay. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.ResultsWe found four factors that serve as barriers to HCWs’ LTBI treatment uptake. Uncertainties about the need for LTBI treatment, alongside several other factors including the attitude of the treating physician towards treatment, time constraints during clinical consultations, and concerns about the treatment itself. On the other hand, facilitators for LTBI treatment uptake can be grouped into two themes: diagnostic modalities and improving knowledge of LTBI treatment.ConclusionsImproving HCWs’ knowledge and informative clinical consultation on LTBI and its treatment benefit, aided with a definitive diagnostic test can facilitate treatment uptake. Additionally, there is a need to improve infection control measures at the workplace to protect HCWs. Utilizing behavioural insights can help modify risk perception among HCWs and promote treatment uptake.