Young Malaysians Research Articles

Heritage Tourism in Malaysia: Fostering a Collective National Identity in an Ethnically Diverse Country

As the processes associated with globalisation swiftly erode distinct cultures and identities, it has been argued that heritage attractions have emerged as powerful communicators in developing collective national identities. Although many countries reveal histories and collective pasts that are universally representative of homogenous populations, Malaysia represents a distinctly contrasting scenario. Malaysian heritage attractions do not necessarily represent a singular population but three distinctive ethnic groups. Thus, selecting heritage attractions that appropriately represent Malaysia remains a complicated issue. Using photographs as “real-world” variables to supplement focus-group interviews, this article reveals that young Malaysians exhibit a limited understanding of religious heritage attractions and have developed identities that are highly specific to their ethnicity and own religious beliefs. However, the stories told by several respondents also show that Malaysia's ethnic- or religious-centred heritage attractions have the power to foster a simultaneous collective national identity if promoted effectively.

Malaysian Firms’ Role in Retaining Engineers

AbstractAn impediment to Malaysia’s drive for knowledge economy status is thought to be a very high rate of labour mobility — overseas, to Singapore, and inter-firm — by knowledge workers, particularly engineers. While a strong external labour market may be a sign of economic dynamism, very high turnover rates may indicate a failure of the sort of organisational attachment among professionals that is needed to foster organisational learning. Moreover a ‘brain drain’ from the country of Malaysian-educated engineers remains an ongoing concern. Although this phenomenon is popularly attributed to the ‘job-hopping’ propensities of young Malaysians, it is argued here that firms, through their human resource management (HRM) practices, have an important role to play in encouraging stronger rates of knowledge worker retention. The article reports on research findings indicating varying levels of organisational commitment by a sample of Malaysian engineers. It examines possible links between high turnover and HRM approaches that afford employees few other forms of voice than exiting the firm. Evidence is provided that employee participation in decision-making, particularly relating to training and development, and the perceived fairness of performance appraisal practices, contribute to feelings of perceived organisational support (POS), and that this sense of support influences engineers’ commitment and thus turnover intentions.

Conidiobolomycosis in a Young Malaysian Woman Showing Chronic Localized Fibrosing Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis

Conidiobolomycosis (also known as rhinoentomophthoramycosis) is a rare cutaneous/mucosal fungal infection seen mainly in the tropical rain forest regions of the world that can be associated with disfiguring facial elephantiasis, and rarely, death. To present an exemplary case report and perform a systematic review of the world's literature to more accurately describe the natural history and the effect of therapy on outcome in conidiobolomycosis. Case report and meta-analysis of published case reports and series of conidiobolomycosis to determine which clinical, pathologic, mycologic, and treatment factors impact on prognosis. We document delay in diagnosis of conidiobolomycosis in a young Malaysian woman, whose biopsy showed pathognomonic features-massive tissue eosinophilia and Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon surrounding broad hyphae. These findings coexisted with granuloma faciale-like changes (fibrosing leukocytoclastic vasculitis) and lymphedema. Treatment with multiple antifungals was followed by complete resolution. For the meta-analysis, pooled data from 199 cases (162 with full outcome data) from 120 reports revealed a similar course for most cases: a disease affecting healthy young adults who present with progressive nasal symptoms (eg, nasal obstruction) and central facial swelling and show improvement or cure after surgical excision and/or treatment with one or more antifungal agents in 83%. Persistent-progressive facial disease occurred in 11%, and 6% died rapidly of fungal infection. Presentation with facial elephantiasis correlated with persistent-progressive rhinoentomophthoramycosis and a longer duration of disease before diagnosis (P = 0.02). Lethal infections were significantly associated with nonstereotypical presentation (eg, orbital cellulitis), visceral infection, absence of the Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon, presence of comorbidities (eg, immunosuppression, hematolymphoid malignancy), infection with Conidiobolus incongruus or Conidiobolus lamprauges (not Conidiobolus coronatus), lack of response to amphotericin B, and female sex (all P ≤ 0.002). The few sensitivity studies performed demonstrated in vitro multidrug resistance of Conidiobolus species to most available antifungal agents. Publication bias, reporting heterogeneity, and data deficits may affect results. Conidiobolomycosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients who present with nasal symptoms and painless centrofacial swelling. Massive tissue eosinophilia and Splendore-Hoeppli material coating thin-walled hyphae confirms the clinical diagnosis. The granuloma faciale-like histology found in this case can explain the onset of facial lymphedema by fibroinflammatory destruction of lymphatic vessels; the duration of disease and severity of inflammation likely predicts whether the lymphedema is reversible or not. Although rhinoentomophthoramycosis ostensibly responds in vivo to most available antifungal agents, routine culture and susceptibility testing is recommended to better define the efficacy of these therapeutic agents.

Medical elective research – eyelid asymmetry amongst Malaysians: a study of two racial groups

Facial asymmetry is a common condition and only becomes a problem if there is a significant difference between both sides. In the Asian community, the difference between the height and width of the palpebral fissures and the skin creases is usually the most apparent on photographs. There has not been any reports on the prevalence of such differences between the various racial groups in Malaysia. This study looks at the incidence of asymmetry of the palpebral fissue and upper eyelid crease in young Malaysians of Malay and Chinese origins of which form the biggest racial groups in Malaysia. Data obtained from such studies would be useful for reconstructive and aesthetic surgery as well as for counselling patients with dysmorphophobia.

Representation of Sexuality on Television: Values and Attitudes of Young Malaysian

Technological changes are expanding rapidly which in turn has had an immense impact on the behaviour of young people, the massive users of technology. The mass media provides a diverse source of cultural opinions and standards to young people as well as differing examples of identity. Young people would be able to look at these and decide which they found most favourable and also to what they aspire to be. They use media and the cultural insights provided by them to see both who they might be and how they should behave. This paper explores the consequences of the advent of global media specifically via television in the lives of young people in Malaysia and their values and attitude towards issues of sexuality. Results revealed that the meanings that are gathered from the media are open to reshaping and refashioning to suit their individual needs, whether to accept or deny.

Young Malaysians' chocolate brand familiarity: the effect of brand's country of origin and consumer consumption level

PurposeConsumer brand familiarity influences product judgment and the purchase decision. This study aims to examine consumer familiarity towards local and foreign chocolate brands and how it is related to brands' country of origin and their consumption level.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology was convenience sampling collected from a 100‐student sample.FindingsThe findings indicate that a chocolate brand's country of origin is related to a young consumer's chocolate brand familiarity level. Other than that, the finding demonstrate that the consumer's chocolate brand familiarity level is positively related to their consumption level.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has implications for marketers, where they need to take account of the effects of a brand's country of origin, gender and consumption level on brand familiarity in designing marketing strategies.Originality/valueThis study help market practitioners to design market strategies that involve a brand's country of origin information, especially when targeting young consumers.

Accumulating Japanese Popular Culture: Media Consumption Experiences of Malaysian Young Adults

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of media consumption of Japanese popular culture among Malaysian young adults. Such a study is important in order to understand the consequence of the consumption of foreign cultural products since the development of information and communication technology has brought changes to media entertainment consumption styles, especially among the younger generation. This article discusses the ‘accumulation’ of Japanese popular culture as part of media consumption experiences. Through the interpretation of some young Malaysians’ experiences, the accumulation was found to be an important part of media consumption in developing the young Malaysians’ mindset towards specific formats, genres or products from Japan despite the differences that exist between the lifestyles of the Japanese and the Malaysians. The paper highlights that the contents of Japanese popular cultural products are crucial. Without a sophisticated depiction of ‘an essential human aspect’ to which young Malaysians could relate, Japanese popular culture would not be well-liked.

Practice Of Skin Cancer Prevention Among Young Malaysian

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the practice of skin cancer prevention among young Malaysian. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 university students of Management and Science University (MSU). The questionnaire consists of socio-demographic characteristics such as (age, sex, race, education, residency, family income and family history on skin cancer) and practice toward skin cancer prevention. Data was recorded and analyzed using SPSS 13. Results: A total number of 400 university students participated in this study. The majority of them were female and Malays (70.3%, 70.3%; respectively). Only 25% of the participants stayed in shade, 3.8% wore hat, 10.3% wore sunglasses, 43.3% wore clothes covering most of the body and 43.5% used sunscreen when outdoor. Gender significantly influenced the practice of staying in shade, clothes covering most of the body and sunscreen used (p=0.009, p=0.001, p=0.001; respectively). Race significantly influenced the practice of staying in shade and clothes covering most of the body (p=0.004, p=0.002; respectively). Age significantly influenced the practice of wearing hat and staying in shade (p=0.011, p=0.013; respectively). Type of educational significantly influenced the practice of staying in shade and clothes cover most of the body (p=0.001, p=0.046; respectively). Residency significantly influenced the practice of hat wearing and staying in shade (p=0.006, p=0.002; respectively). Income significantly influenced the practice of staying in shade, sunglasses wearing, clothes covering most of the body, sunscreen used (p=0.002, p=0.048, p=0.014, p=0.049; respectively). Marital status significantly influenced the practice of clothes covering most of the body and sunscreen used (p=0.015, p=0.020; respectively). Conclusion: This study showed poor practice of skin cancer prevention among university students. Gender, marital status and income significantly influenced the practice of sunscreen use among the study participants. Health education about skin cancer prevention among university students is urgently needed.

Practice Of Skin Cancer Prevention Among Young Malaysian

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the practice of skin cancer prevention among young Malaysian. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 university students of Management and Science University (MSU). The questionnaire consists of socio-demographic characteristics such as (age, sex, race, education, residency, family income and family history on skin cancer) and practice toward skin cancer prevention. Data was recorded and analyzed using SPSS 13. Results: A total number of 400 university students participated in this study. The majority of them were female and Malays (70.3%, 70.3%; respectively). Only 25% of the participants stayed in shade, 3.8% wore hat, 10.3% wore sunglasses, 43.3% wore clothes covering most of the body and 43.5% used sunscreen when outdoor. Gender significantly influenced the practice of staying in shade, clothes covering most of the body and sunscreen used (p=0.009, p=0.001, p=0.001; respectively). Race significantly influenced the practice of staying in shade and clothes covering most of the body (p=0.004, p=0.002; respectively). Age significantly influenced the practice of wearing hat and staying in shade (p=0.011, p=0.013; respectively). Type of educational significantly influenced the practice of staying in shade and clothes cover most of the body (p=0.001, p=0.046; respectively). Residency significantly influenced the practice of hat wearing and staying in shade (p=0.006, p=0.002; respectively). Income significantly influenced the practice of staying in shade, sunglasses wearing, clothes covering most of the body, sunscreen used (p=0.002, p=0.048, p=0.014, p=0.049; respectively). Marital status significantly influenced the practice of clothes covering most of the body and sunscreen used (p=0.015, p=0.020; respectively). Conclusion: This study showed poor practice of skin cancer prevention among university students. Gender, marital status and income significantly influenced the practice of sunscreen use among the study participants. Health education about skin cancer prevention among university students is urgently needed.

Learning moral values through virtual technology: the development and evaluation of Malaysian virtual folktales- Hikayat Land

Moral values are one of the most important lessons to be learnt by Malaysian children. In order to become a harmonious and balanced person in intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical terms, Malaysian children need to be exposed to moral education since primary school. These important lessons should not only be taught in school but also practiced within society where children can be taught indirectly about moral values by exposing them to Malaysian folktales. Malaysian folktales are rich in moral values and ethics, and they also help children to understand their culture and their roles in the society. However, nowadays Malaysian folktales have been forgotten and children are fonder of foreign folktales compared to the local ones. Therefore, we propose a new method of teaching children about moral values and at the same time preserving Malaysian folktales, by using virtual technology like Second Life. In this paper we will share experiences about the development of Hikayat Land – the Malaysian Virtual Folktales based on the KANCIL model. A pilot study has been conducted with ten children (11-14 years old), and it showed that moral values can be projected through a virtual learning environment. Despite the many successes we see in our findings, there are a few aspects that should be revised in order to ensure that this technology is effective in teaching young Malaysians about moral values.

Meeting first-time buyers’ housing needs and preferences in greater Kuala Lumpur

High housing prices in Greater Kuala Lumpur have made it difficult for potential first-time homebuyers to own a house. As a result, affordable housing schemes were introduced recently to assist potential homeowners. The Malaysian government has launched many kinds of public low-cost housing schemes; however, many housing projects resulting from these schemes have turned into slums that do not provide a wholesome environment for families. To avoid building more slums and to provide more benefits for young buyers, the goal of this paper is to determine the correct housing attributes required for first-time homebuyers in the urban area. Three hundred questionnaires were distributed to young Malaysians in Greater Kuala Lumpur (KL), and 265 questionnaires were returned. The responses to the questionnaire revealed that accessibility and neighborhood environment play a role in the decision to own. It can also be observed that ecologically friendly homes that embrace sustainability are important considerations for prospective homebuyers.

The Motives Young Malaysians Assign for Participating in Tennis

One of the most important issues confronting sport psychologists is to understand the motives that young people assign for participating in sports (Gill, 2000). However, most of the existing research has concentrated on motives for participation in sport in general (Gill, 2000), rather than in specific sports (Kolt & Capaldi, 2001). The present research attempts to help fill the gap in knowledge regarding motives for specific sports, by investigating the motives that young Malaysians gave for participating in the sports of tennis. The aims of the present study were twofold: first, to investigate the main reasons that young Malaysians assign for their participation in tennis; and second, to investigate the influence of demographic variables such as gender, age and level of competition on the motives. The sample comprised of 300 young Malaysian tennis players who were selected by means of convenience sampling. A modified version of Gill, Gross and Huddleston's (1983) Participation Motives Questionnaire (PMQ) was used as the research instrument, and each participant completed the PMQ questionnaire. The data collected was collated and statistically analysed using SPSS. Principal component analysis of the data revealed seven motives for taking part in tennis: a) Achievement & Status, b) Skills & Fitness, c) Challenge, Fun & Exercise, d) Teamwork, e) Travel & Tension Release, f) Action & Excitement, and g) Affiliation. Overall, the results also showed the influence of such demographic variables as gender, age and the level of competition on motives for participating in tennis. The implications of the results as they relate to the strategies needed to encourage young Malaysians to participate in tennis are discussed, and suggestions are offered for future research.

Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in young adult Malaysians: a survey among medical students.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disease in the West. Information on the prevalence of IBS in the Asian population is relatively scanty. The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of IBS and to assess the symptom subgroups based on the predominant bowel habit in a young adult population of Asian origin. Basic demographic data and symptoms of IBS using the Rome I criteria were sought using a questionnaire administered to all apparently healthy students in a medical school. Other questions asked related to alcohol intake, smoking, chili consumption, dietary fiber intake, and to psychological and psychosomatic symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, headache, and backache. The health-care seeking behavior of the subjects was also analyzed. Of the 610 questionnaires administered, 533 complete responses were received (response rate of 87.4%). The responders comprised 229 men (43.0%) and 304 (57.0%) women with a mean age of 22 +/- 1.8 years. The ethnic distribution was Malays 278 (52.2%), Chinese 179 (33.6%), Indians 46 (8.6%), and others 30 (5.6%). Eighty-four (15.8%) reported symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of IBS, predominantly women. Sixty-five (77.4%) and six (7.1%) were of the constipation-predominant and diarrhea-predominant IBS subgroups, respectively. Thirteen (15.5%) subjects fell into the non-specific IBS subgroup. The self-reported psychological and psychosomatic symptoms of anxiety (P = 0.02), depression (P = 0.002), insomnia (P = 0.006), headache (P = 0.04), and backache (P = 0.006) were encountered more frequently in the subjects with IBS. Only 13.1% of the IBS group had consulted their health-care practitioner, and 20.2% reported self-medication. Symptoms supportive of the diagnosis of IBS were common among young Malaysians, with a prevalence rate of 15.8%. There were significantly more women with IBS than men. Within the IBS population, the majority (77.4%) was of the constipation-predominant IBS subgroup. A significantly higher prevalence of psychological and psychosomatic symptoms was found in individuals with IBS. Only a minority sought medical advice for their symptoms.

A cross-cultural methodological study of the uses of two common hedonic response scales

Hedonic scale use, cross-culturally and particularly by Asian consumers, has received little attention but is of increasing concern with greater globalisation of food markets and opportunities for exporting to Asia. The study reported here sought to test whether there were cultural, scale and gender interactions between European-origin Australian ( n=61) and Malaysian ( n=54) consumers' hedonic responses to food and drink stimuli. A between-groups design, one group using a labelled nine-point category scale and the other an unstructured-anchored line scale, both using computerised responses, found no systematic cultural bias. However, there was some evidence of gender bias. In addition, a task in which semantic labels (from the labelled hedonic category scale) were assigned to a line scale found no statistically significant cultural differences in the scores attributed to the labels. These data indicated that, in the context of computerised responses, young Malaysians used both scales in a similar way to their Australian counterparts. However, further non-parametric analysis suggested that the unstructured line scale encouraged greater use of a range of possible responses and, therefore, line scales may be a preferred option for use in this population.

Motivations for childbearing among Malaysians.

SummaryEconomic reasons for wanting children predominate among 541 Malaysian adults and 2014 children, followed by happiness, love, and companionship, the latter group especially in several subgroups of young Malaysians identified as demographic innovators. Five empirically constructed value and cost of children indices with known reliability were used to predict variation in the achieved family size of parents as well as the desired family sizes of parents and children. Completeness of family appeared to be the best predictor of achieved family size, whereas intrinsic value of a large family was generally a good predictor of family size preferences.