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Ionospheric scintillation is a common phenomenon in the equatorial, auroral, and polar areas, posing a threat to the Global Navigation Satellite System's (GNSS) operation. This ionospheric effect is thought to impact satellite signal propagation, hence, lowering positioning accuracy. Therefore, detecting ionospheric scintillation is critical in enhancing GNSS performance, particularly at low latitudes with severe amplitude scintillation. This paper investigates the effects of ionospheric scintillation on GPS signals at UNIMAS station, the East part of Malaysia. This study aims to identify the occurrence of ionospheric scintillation by calculating the index of scintillation strength during solar maximum 2014. The amplitude scintillation, which is measured in the S 4 index is obtained and classified accordingly from the data recorded at the UNIMAS station. The results have shown that strong scintillation (S 4 ≥ 0.5) occurred in the spring (April) and autumn (September and October) seasons, reaching 8 incidents. This paper also presents the diurnal, seasonal, and solar activity dependence of ionospheric scintillation. It is evident that the occurrence of amplitude scintillation is influenced by variations in solar activity, including solar flares and sunspots, as well as diurnal and seasonal changes. These findings provide valuable insights into the behaviour of the ionosphere and its impact on space-based communication and navigation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass gasification technology has gained significant attention as a potential solution for circular economies by converting organic waste into valuable energy and products (Waste-to-Power-to-X). This paper comprehensively evaluates biomass gasification technology from a techno-economic-policy perspective, providing valuable insights for circular economies. It examines technical aspects such as processes, feedstocks, and syngas production, assessing advancements that would improve efficiency and environmental performance by addressing key challenges like tar removal and gas cleaning. Economic feasibility is analysed through a techno-economic assessment, considering capital costs, operational expenses, revenue streams, and potential markets. Real-world examples and case studies offer insights into economic viability of these processes. The paper emphasizes the significance of supportive policy frameworks, discussing stimulus measures like feed-in tariffs, tax incentives, and regulatory reforms to promote biomass gasification adoption. By combining technological, economic, and policy perspectives, this paper provides a holistic reality check of biomass gasification technology, identifying opportunities, challenges, and pathways for leveraging as a sustainable and economically viable solution for waste management and energy production. The findings and insights presented in this paper can assist policymakers, investors, and stakeholders in making informed decisions regarding the implementation of biomass gasification projects in the future. [Display omitted] • These findings serve as valuable insights for exploring the market potential. • Waste materials are transformed into valuable resources. • Effectively managing by-products is crucial in unlocking their economic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral infection that primarily affects children. The disease is characterized by fever, sores in the mouth, and a rash on the hands, feet, and buttocks. In this case study, we analyze the dynamics of HFMD in children under 15 years old in Malaysia using an age-structured modeling approach. First we prove backward bifurcation for a baseline model which is then extended to an age-structured model. We used data on the incidence of HFMD in Malaysia from 2021 to 2022 to calibrate the model parameters and simulate the disease dynamics. Sensitivity analysis is done by Latin hypercube sampling - partial rank correlation coefficient (LHS/PRCC) method. Simulation is done and the impact of imperfect vaccine and quarantine is explored. Our results show that the dynamics of the disease is mostly driven by children under 5 years old. The model also predicts that vaccination could significantly reduce the incidence of HFMD in Malaysia. Vaccination is most effective when targeted at young children, who are at the highest risk of disease as this will lead to drastic decrease in the incidence of HFMD in all age groups. Our simulations show that quarantining of infected children until they fully recover will reduce the transmission of HFMD, but this strategy needs to be sustained for a sufficient duration to have a significant impact. The result of this paper can inform the development of policies for controlling the spread of HFMD and other infectious diseases in Malaysia and other similar settings. • A novel age-structured mathematical model of HFMD. • Interactions between different age groups are investigated. • The model is calibrated with real-life data. • Sensitivity analysis is performed to illustrate the role of parameters with respect to disease control. • Prove backward bifurcation due to the incorporation of imperfect vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a survey assessing factors contributing to the public acceptance of hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles in Malaysia. For the survey, a set of questionnaires was prepared in Google Forms and distributed to respondents through social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, and Telegram). The survey was conducted during the movement order control in Malaysia due to the global pandemic, and the responses were collected from November to December 2021. One hundred seventy-six local respondents voluntarily participated in the survey. The responses were analysed using non-parametric statistical tests in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The highest number of respondents from the 18–25 age group is 101 (57.39 per cent), followed by 26–35 (26.7 per cent) and 36–45 (7.95 per cent). The statistical analysis of the survey shows that socio-demographics is a factor influencing public acceptance. The Spearman correlation test shows a positive correlation between Malaysia's environmental awareness and the potential to use a hydrogen-powered car; hence, there is a good chance of Malaysian acceptance of using hydrogen as fuel. Safety and public perception of hydrogen-powered cars also indicate a positive correlation, where the R- values for all questions are more than 0.5, indicating that safety is a factor that shapes public acceptance. Although the number of samples does not represent the population, it provides a reasonable basis to examine the influencing factors of public acceptance of hydrogen as a fuel for vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission published a discussion paper on Regulating Unsolicited Commercial Messages in early August 2003. It was undertaken as a precursor to a law to control the problem of junk mails or spam on the Internet and other electronic media. In this article, I intend to explore the problem of regulating spam from an economic point of view, and to discuss the Commission''s findings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Energy plays a crucial role in human life as it is necessary for survival and enables us to perform daily activities. The passage of time has driven progress, with various tools, machines, and devices created to facilitate human affairs. Everything is very dependent on Energy. Unfortunately, the prevalent reliance on fossil fuels as the primary energy source has resulted in an environmental disparity attributed to greenhouse gas emissions. Besides, the depletion of fossil fuel reserves is a long-term concern for nations involved in fossil fuel production including Malaysia, which necessitates a delicate equilibrium between escalating energy demands and escalating pollution levels. This review paper aims to highlight the potential of renewable energy based on green hydrogen in Malaysia. The energy scenario in Malaysia has been reviewed by discussing energy demand, current population, energy policy synopsis, conventional energy sources, carbon emissions, and the direction of renewable energy in Malaysia. Besides, the conceptual framework for hydrogen as renewable energy was discussed covering the hydrogen economy, production technology, storage, and energy production using green hydrogen. Finally, potential applications for using hydrogen energy have been presented so that the future direction of using this alternative energy can be well planned in Malaysia. •An overview of hydrogen energy as Malaysian alternative energy is comprehensively discussed. •The hydrogen energy prospects are described in detail such as hydrogen economy, production, and consumption. •The progress of hydrogen energy implementation in Malaysia is studied towards embarking on this effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the antecedents of cashless payment systems among businesses in Malaysia. The adoption of cashless payment systems by businesses has the potential to reduce the costs related to handling huge amounts of cash in the market and enhance transaction speed. Unfortunately, its current adoption in Malaysia is still small and very little is known about the factors. A seven-factor model based on the TOE framework was developed and tested. The partial least square (PLS) statistical approach was employed to analyze data collected from 200 business entities in Malaysia. The results reveal that compatibility and technology competence have higher significant relationships with the adoption of cashless payment systems. Management support, firm critical mass, competitive pressure, and information intensity are significantly related to the adoption of cashless payment systems, while firm size is not associated with it. The findings of this study provide significant practical implications for Malaysian stakeholders and technology vendors to recognize factors that affect a firm's adoption of cashless payment systems to support business transactions. By investigating the phenomenon through the TOE framework, this study presents an integrated model of cashless payment systems by businesses. Our findings also offer guidance for future application of the PLS method in cashless payment and related research. The paper provides a more holistic understanding of the factors influencing cashless payment systems among businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is the continuation from the previous paper which has been published. The focus of this paper is to analyse the tropospheric scintillation which consists of both fades and enhancements and the worst-month of scintillation fades and enhancements. This analysis is then compared against the six scintillation prediction models, namely Karasawa, ITU-R, Van de Kamp, Otung, Anthony-Mandeep and Nadirah-Rafiqul. The result shows that both measured scintillation fades and enhancements are 0.50 dB and 0.48 dB at 0.01% of time. Whereas the other six scintillation models have the following reading for the scintillation amplitude (both fades and enhancements) respectively: 0.44 dB and 0.36 dB (Karasawa), 0.42 dB (ITU-R only for fades but not enhancements), 0.23 dB for both (Van De Kamp), 0.70 dB and 0.68 dB (Anthony & Mandeep) and 0.38 dB and 0.33 dB (Nadirah & Rafiqul) at 0.01% of time. Otung has the highest scintillation fades and enhancements with values of 1.29 dB and 0.67 dB respectively. On the other hand, the measured worst-month of both scintillation fades and enhancements have the highest amplitude at 0.01% of time, which are 0.88 dB and 0.90 dB if compared to the annual cumulative distribution function (CDF), which yield 0.50 dB and 0.48 dB respectively. The month of February 2016 is declared to be the worst-month because it has the highest values for the scintillation fades and enhancements. Furthermore, the percentage fractional error and Root Mean Square (RMS) error are shown. Particularly at 0.01% of time, Van de Kamp has the highest fractional error for both scintillation fades and enhancements which are 100.8% and 100% respectively. Similarly, the same for RMS errors for both scintillation fades and enhancements with the values of 78.3% and 65.3% respectively. Whereas the other models have higher values for both percentage fractional error and RMS error except for Karasawa with the values of 11.6% and 17.2% for fades and enhancements respectively. Thus, this model is suitable to be used in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many industries operate or run 24 h and seven days a week with downtime only for maintenance and repair in manufacturing facilities. This continuous operating trend allows for a higher production volume since the industry has relentless pressures on cost containment to maintain profit margins. However, the practice poses high risks of occupational injuries or major accidents. Shift working hours could lead to various safety and health and significantly impact the workers' well-being. Based on this fact, this paper presents a correlation analysis of shift works with sleep patterns, fatigue, and work injuries in food manufacturing plants, specifically in Malaysia. A survey using a set of questionnaires was conducted on two food manufacturing industries in Selangor, Malaysia. The industry operates continuously with a pre-planned downtime due to market globalization, industrialization transformation, and the rising demand for food. The companies in the food manufacturing industry held frequent internal and external audits to ensure the food quality was not being compromised and adhered to the local acts and regulations. To ensure the company runs continuously, the companies practice slow rotation schedules of shift work systems, where workers change to a new shift every three months. The companies have three working shifts per day, namely the morning shift (7.00 am to 3.00 pm), the afternoon shift (3.00–11.00 pm) and the night shift (11.00 pm to 7.00 am). Based on the statistical analysis, many workers prefer the day shift over the afternoon and night shifts. Sleep patterns and fatigue are significantly correlated with work-related injuries. Due to shift work, the workers tend to have fewer sleep hours, resulting in poor sleep patterns, which could increase the possibility of work injuries. In conclusion, workers' physical, mental and social well-being in any industry should be promoted and maintained to the highest degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Safety Leadership influences both safety motivation and safety motivation. • Safety knowledge and motivation mediates safety leadership and safety behavior. • Effective safety leadership in hospitals indirectly leads to better safety behavior. • Safety leadership consist of caring, controlling, and coaching dimensions. • Self-efficacy theory sheds light on safety leadership and safety behavior. Introduction: This paper investigates the relationships among safety leadership, safety motivation, safety knowledge, and safety behavior in the setting of a tertiary hospital in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Method: Underpinned by the self-efficacy theory, we argue that high-quality safety leadership enhances nurses' safety knowledge and motivation and subsequently, improves their safety behavior (safety compliance and safety participation). A total of 332 questionnaire responses were gathered and analyzed using SmartPLS Version 3.2.9, revealing the direct effect of safety leadership on both safety knowledge and safety motivation. Results: Safety knowledge and safety motivation were found to directly and significantly predict nurses' safety behavior. Notably, safety knowledge and safety motivation were established as important mediators in the relationship between safety leadership and nurses' safety compliance and participation. Practical Applications: The findings of this study offer key guidance for safety researchers and hospital practitioners in identifying mechanisms to enhance safety behavior among nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia is one of the leading producers and exporters of oil palm, and the industry contributes significantly to the growth of the national economy. Nonetheless, the consequential oil palm biomass (OPB) with a potential yield of ∼97 million tonnes annually presents both challenges and opportunities, demanding innovative waste management solutions. This paper explores the feasibility of converting OPB into valuable commodities by employing concentrated solar-driven pyrolysis. A detailed overview of the biomass produced from oil palm plantations and mills is provided, along with a discussion of the industry stakeholders and associated biomass management challenges. The pyrolysis of OPB is explored, emphasizing benefits, potential barriers, and techniques. The focus then shifts to Malaysia's solar potential, which ranges from 1470 to 1900 kWh/m2 annually. The potentials of solar pyrolysis are explored, encompassing discussions on solar concentrator types, reactors, and the distribution of solar and OPB resources throughout Malaysia. The paper then recommends Tawau in Sabah, as an ideal location for OPB solar pyrolysis, due to its solar availability (up to 1873 kWh/m2), potential OPB resources from 19 mills and 241 plantations, and supportive infrastructure. The paper proposes solar-driven pyrolysis as a sustainable solution for Malaysia's OPB management, offers insights for policy initiatives and technological innovations in optimizing OPB and solar energy utilization. • Analyzes oil palm biomass potential for solar pyrolysis in Malaysia. • Explores solar resources in Malaysia for solar-driven pyrolysis. • Examines solar concentrators and reactors for pyrolysis. • Identifies potential city, as the optimal location for solar pyrolysis. • Discusses commercialization challenges of solar-driven pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hybrid solar desalination system. • Active mode operation and passive mode operation. • Solar desalination systems efficiency and economic analysis. • Trend in distillate cost, and yield by hybrid solar desalination systems. • Innovation type, feedwater, weather variabilities, operation mode impact on distillate quantity. In this paper, a hybrid solar desalination system was fabricated and incorporated with a water heater powered by a photovoltaic (PV) system. It was experimentally evaluated at Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Malaysia. Daytime operating conditions without the use of a PV system were considered for the conventional operation, while the use of PV alone or combined with direct solar radiation was considered as the modified system. This study was carried out to determine the freshwater yield, weather variabilities impact on yield, economic analysis, and system efficiency of hybrid solar desalination systems. An encyclopaedic review of five years of different researchers from different countries was critically analysed and compared with this study to see their trends and relationship. Within the study period, solar still distillate cost ranges from 0.0051 to 0.8857$/L, and 0.006 to 0.789$/L for the modified and conventional systems respectively. Similarly, the distillate cost for this study is 0.0374$/L and 0.0892$/L for the conventional and modified systems respectively. Also, the distillate yield ranges from 0.93 to 24.3 L/m2.day with an average of 12.1 L/m2.day, for the modified system, and 0.55 to 6.63 L/m2.day with an average of 3.35 L/m2.day for the conventional systems. The hourly system efficiency is 30.07 %, and 8.29 % for the modified and conventional systems respectively. Solar still is economically reasonable with good efficiency as obtained from the result. The findings also suggested that researchers should target a distillate yield of at least 6 L/m2.day and a distillate cost of 0.2$/L or lower for innovation, for a good and economical system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pilot study of solar/hybrid/storage system for vertical farming under tropical climate condition with a case study at Malaysia. • Energy utilization and management via optimized building geometry modeling integrated with energy yield estimation tool to evaluate the potential of integrating green energy into urban agriculture. • Comprehensive analysis and assessments including technological, economic and environmental aspects of the proposed work. • The proposed work is evaluated under different design configuration (grid connected, stand alone, hybrid, storage etc) considering various optimization and design requirements and real-life constraints. • Comparative studies with hypothetical model and verification with additional energy modeling tool. Human population is projected to reach 9.7 billion in 2050 and strike 11.2 billion by 2100. Residence shift from countryside to cities will occur and the human population resides in the cities is envisaged to rise from 55% to 68%. Vertical farming was proposed to address food insecurity caused by overcrowded population and farmland shortages. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of vertical farming in the Asia Pacific is forecasted to grow at 22.1% with a market size reaching USD 2,101.0 million by 2024. Malaysian government encourages the implementation of vertical farming as the production of major agricultural commodities has contracted by 3.4% from 2015 to 2017. However, high energy consumption is one of the shortcomings of a vertical farm as the estimated annual energy consumption for each square meter of growing area is 3500 kW h. Thus, this paper proposes an optimized building geometry modeling integrated with energy yield estimation tool to evaluate the potential of integrating green energy into urban agriculture. This research examines the load demand in the vertical farming systems and develops solar/hybrid/storage for vertical farming system with energy yield, performance ratio, economics and environmental assessments. Preliminary resources assessment by analyzing the solar radiation of the sites was carried out at stage 1. At stage 2, load consumption was calculated, and specifications of the system were justified. Stage 3 included the development of solar PV system for the vertical farms, the economic evaluation in the context of net present cost (NPC), levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and investigation of the environmental impact. Grid-connected and standalone solar PV systems were developed for comparative studies. The estimated daily energy consumption for vertical farms in Selangor and Kuching was 430.116 kW h and 1002.024 kW h. Energy generated by grid-connected solar PV systems supported 11.6% and 8.35% of the load consumption in Selangor and Sarawak. The performance ratios of grid-connected solar PV systems in both selected sites were 82.22% and 82.56%. The finding proved that proposed work has significantly reduced the dependency of the utility grid. Additionally, the LCOE with solar PV integration vertical farming system appeared to be lower than the LCOE of the grid and lower CO 2 emission. This paper serves as a reference guide to the vertical farming stakeholders, national policy-decision makers and non-profit organizations who planned for similar initiatives especially those within the tropical climate regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sunbelt countries can develop reliable solar-dominant grids in the absence of wind. • Policymakers should be highly sceptical of low solar technical potential estimates. • Zero energy emissions Malaysia requires about 0.7 TW solar, 2 TWh pumped hydro. • Sarawak-Peninsular Malaysia interconnection reduces storage needs, but not costs. • Inclusion of about 0.4% hydrogen or synthetic methane reduces storage needs and cost. Three-quarters of the global population lives in the sunbelt region (±35o latitude) with excellent access to solar resources. Wind resources at the equator are very limited, while supply chain and permitting delays are slowing wind deployment at a global scale. This paper investigates the potential for solar photovoltaic-dominant 100% renewable grids to be developed in sunbelt countries through a case study of Malaysia. It was expected that the technical potential for solar photovoltaics and off-river pumped hydro would be far in excess of what is required to decarbonise Malaysia's electricity grids. A Geographic Information System analysis determined that Malaysia has the potential to deploy approximately 8.5 Terawatts of terrestrial photovoltaics and 25 Terawatts of marine floating solar on calm oceans. There are roughly 450 Terawatt-hours of energy storage available in the form of off-river (closed-loop) pumped hydro energy storage. A least-cost, 16-year hourly energy balance model was used to determine that an affluent, fully electrified, highly interconnected Malaysia could greatly reduce emissions through the deployment of 660 Gigawatts of photovoltaics and 2200 Gigawatt-hours of pumped hydro, supported by small amounts of hydrogen-based gas peaking. All-in costs for such a fully decarbonised energy system were modelled to be in the range of 95–103 USD per Megawatt-hour. A Sarawak-Peninsular Malaysia interconnected grid could produce a similar electricity cost to two separate grids while reducing the long-term energy storage needs by approximately 33%. Inclusion of about 3 Terawatt-hours (0.1% of average annual generation at 20 Megawatt-hours/capita/year demand) of hydrogen, synthetic methane, or legacy fossil fuels could further reduce long-term energy storage needs by about 30% by helping to ride through occasional prolonged cloudy periods. Policymakers in sunbelt countries should be highly sceptical of technical potential estimates that suggest limited area for solar photovoltaics. Sunbelt countries can comfortably proceed with the development of cheap, reliable solar-dominant grids primarily supported by pumped hydro energy storage and inter-regional transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • We looked into the potential applications of hydrate-based desalination (HBD) • HBD process treats produced water with a concentration 2.8 wt% • CO 2 as guest gas produced a water recovery of 45.55% • The desalination efficiency is strongly dependent on the ionic radii and strength of the ionic charge. This paper emphasizes sustainable development goal 6 and accepts that social progress and economic prosperity depend on the appropriate management of produced water. Produced water being the largest source of wastewater, several conventional desalination methods (thermal, membrane and freeze–thaw), are applied to obtain treated water. Nevertheless, the methods are highly energy intensive. Prospective utilization of hydrate-based desalination was proposed with a novel filter-based apparatus design to separate hydrate crystals from residual water and enhance the gas–liquid contact with all the unit operations (hydrate formation, and dissociation) occurring inside a single reactor. Experimentations were implemented to obtain the optimum conditions for CO 2 hydrate formation and compared with pure water. CO 2 hydrate formation kinetics revealed induction time, moles consumed, water-to-hydrate conversion, and water recovery were 57 mins, 1.28 mol, 27.72 %, and 50.65 % at optimum conditions of 500 ml, 3.0 MPa, 450 rpm, and 275.15 K for purification of produced water. A desalination efficiency of 62–80 % is achieved with each of the metal ions in the sequence K+>Na+>Mg2+>Ca2+, and anions SO 4 2- > Cl- without any pre and post-treatment. Also, demonstrated that the ionic charge and size have a significant impact on the ion rejection mechanism. The findings disclosed that with an upsurge in the temperature to 277.15 K the desalination efficiency enhanced nevertheless the volume of formed hydrate is less resulting in less driving force. The total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity results indicate that the treated water meets Malaysia's water quality standards for irrigation purposes. This showcases the execution of the hydrate-based desalination process, investigating salt rejection and yield with our custom reactor design. The proposed reactor design may be utilized for the effective separation of hydrate and effectively desalinating waters of higher salinities. Hydrate-based desalination integrated with membrane reactors could lead to a sustainable source of clean water by treating produced water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Importance of predicting Water Quality Index (WQI) for assessing water bodies' health and safety. • Development of hybrid model (CNN-CRNN-M5T) combining CNN, Clockwork RNN, and M5 Tree for WQI prediction. • Enhancement of M5T model's data analysis capability for intricate patterns in water quality parameters. • Utilization of GLM-ANOVA to determine significant input variables for WQI prediction. • CNN-CRNN-M5T model's superiority in reducing MAE and increasing efficiency for spatial and temporal WQI predictions in Malaysia. Predicting a water quality index (WQI) is important because it serves as an important metric for assessing the overall health and safety of water bodies. Our paper develops a new hybrid model for predicting the WQI. The study uses a combination of a convolutional neural network (CNN), clockwork recurrent neural network (Clockwork RNN), and M5 Tree (CNN-CRNN-M5T) to predict a WQI. The M5T model lacks advanced operators for extracting meaningful data from water quality parameters, so the new model enhances its ability to analyze intricate patterns. The general linear model analysis of variance (GLM-ANOVA) is an improved version of the ANOVA. Our study uses the GLM-ANOVA to determine significant inputs. As all input variables had p < 0.050, they were defined as significant variables. Results showed that NH-NL and PH had the highest and lowest impact, respectively. Our study used the CNN-CRNN-M5T, CNN-CRNN, CRNN-M5T, CNN-M5T, CRNN, CNN, and M5T models to predict the WQI of a large basin in Malaysia. The CNN-CRNN decreased testing mean absolute error (MAE) of the CRNN, CNN, and M5T models by 2.1 %, 12 %, and 15 %, respectively. The CNN-CRNN-M5T model increased Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of the other models by 4–20 % and 2.1–19 %, respectively. The CNN-CRNN-M5T model was a reliable tool for spatial and temporal predictions of WQI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has many dimensions, such as clean energy, green growth, and sustainable industry. Green finance has a key role in realizing these targets. The core focus of the existing paper is to demystify the influences of green finance, green energy on environmental dynamics in Malaysia covering the timeframe from 1990 to 2018. To this end, we employ the QARDL technique to peruse the effect of green finance, renewable energy, and economic growth on CO 2 emissions and ecological footprint separately. By doing so, we crosscheck the empirical outcomes and inspect the consistency of the analysis. Firstly, empirical results show that the ecological footprint model yields similar results to the CO 2 emissions model in terms of statistically significant quantile ranges and the magnitude of the coefficients. According to the overall results, GDP increases environmental degradation while green finance and renewable energy have a mitigating role. Finally, we confirm a significant EKC hypothesis for Malaysia. Based on these findings, we recommend Malaysian policymakers focus on energy efficiency, realize financial reforms and promote green energy through the financial system to achieve the 2050 net-zero emission target. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A cross-country analysis identifying risk and protective factors on the COVID-19 deaths. • Ranking of 100 countries based on the proposed pandemic containment effectiveness (PCE) score. • Positive relationship between the PCE score and economic growth in major economies. • A counterfactual analysis discussing the tradeoff between the PCE scores and GDP growth. This paper studies whether containing COVID-19 pandemic by stringent strategies deteriorates or saves economic growth. Since there are country-specific factors that could affect both economic growth and deaths due to COVID-19, we first start with a cross-country analysis on identifying risk and protective factors on the COVID-19 deaths using large across-country variation. Using data on 100 countries from 3 January to 27 November 2020 and taking into account the possibility of underreporting, we find that for deaths per million population, GDP per capita, population density, and income inequality are the three most important risk factors; government effectiveness, temperature, and hospital beds are the three most important protective factors. Second, inspired by the stochastic frontier literature, we construct a measure of pandemic containment effectiveness (PCE) after controlling for country-specific factors and rank countries by their PCE scores for deaths. Finally, by linking the PCE score with GDP growth data in Quarters 2 and 3 of 2020, we find that PCE is positively associated with economic growth in major economies. Countries with average PCE scores, such as Malaysia, would gain more GDP growth by 3.47 percentage points if they could improve their PCE scores for deaths to South Korea's level in Q2 of 2020. Therefore, there is not a trade-off between lives and livelihood facing by governments. Instead, to save economy, it is important to contain the pandemic first. Our conclusion is also mainly valid for infections due to COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Unification between two countries is not a purely economic phenomenon but a multidimensional phenomenon. We evaluate the prospects of unification between South Korea and North Korea from a multidimensional perspective encompassing the political, social, economic and technological dimensions. To do so, we use the Global Dimension of Regional Integration model developed by [Ruiz, M. A. (2004). The Global Dimension of Regional Integration Model (GDRI-Model), FEA 2004–7. Faculty of Economics and Administration (FEA) Working Papers. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: University of Malaya]. Our main finding is a wide and growing gap between the two Koreas in terms of political, social, economic and technological development as well as overall development. This suggests that inter-Korean unification is likely to be a costly and disruptive process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Impacts of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami to Malaysia were diverse and significant. • Majority of Malaysia's at-risk coastline are still highly vulnerable. • Tourism, fishing and aquaculture industries were heavily affected. • Impacts of the tsunami towards local ecosystem need better understanding. • Research on tsunami have gained interest in Malaysia. Situated in the middle of the Sunda Plate and close to the Ring of Fire, Malaysia is surrounded by seismically active zones that pose risks of natural hazards, among which is tsunami. The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami caused by a magnitude 9.3 earthquake off Sumatran coastline was the first tsunami to have reached Malaysia in the country's own recorded history, though there are brief records of other tsunami reaching Malaysian coastline in the past. This paper reviewed relevant literature sources to highlight the intensity and diversity of damages caused by the tsunami towards Malaysia. These damages ranged from loss of lives, physical damage to structures and infrastructures, environmental changes, socioeconomic setbacks, and health issues among the victims. Subsequent measures taken by the Malaysian government and agencies in managing disaster risk in the country are also reviewed. These measures include the identification of tsunami hazard zones, development of tsunami emergency response plans, and the formation of the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA). In addition, the shift in disaster management approaches from being heavily top-down towards community-based was examined. Understanding of the wide spectrum of impacts caused by the tsunami disaster, the contributing factors as well as mitigation efforts reviewed in this paper can be particularly useful in making informed decisions regarding future risk reduction strategies in the context of a developing country like Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass is a promising resource in Malaysia for energy, fuels, and high value-added products. However, regards to biomass value chains, the numerous restrictions and challenges related to the economic and environmental features must be considered. The major concerns regarding the enlargement of biomass plantation is that it requires large amounts of land and environmental resources such as water and soil that arises the danger of creating severe damages to the ecosystem (e.g. deforestation, water pollution, soil depletion etc.). Regarded concerns can be diminished when all aspects associated with palm biomass conversion and utilization linked with environment, food, energy and water (EFEW) nexus to meet the standard requirement and to consider the potential impact on the nexus as a whole. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the detail interactions between all the components in the nexus once intended to look for the best solution to exploit the great potential of biomass. This paper offers an overview regarding the present potential biomass availability for energy production, technology readiness, feasibility study on the techno-economic analyses of the biomass utilization and the impact of this nexus on value chains. The agro-biomass resources potential and land suitability for different crops has been overviewed using satellite imageries and the outcomes of the nexus interactions should be incorporated in developmental policies on biomass. The paper finally discussed an insight of digitization of the agriculture industry as future strategy to modernize agriculture in Malaysia. Hence, this paper provides holistic overview of biomass competitiveness for sustainable bio-economy in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has focused on the design and sizing of standalone photovoltaic systems. Unfortunately, due to highly fluctuating levels of solar energy and the power supply generated not coinciding with energy demand, high capacity of generation and energy storage systems are required to provide a highly reliable supply. However, a highly reliable system tends to produce high excess energy which needs to be discarded as a dump load, which is proving to be a major concern. For this reason, this paper proposes to use the excess energy for hydrogen production, which will then be sold to local consumers. This paper presents a comparison of optimization design and economic analysis of a standalone photovoltaic with a battery system and a standalone photovoltaic with battery-hydrogen production system using an iterative technique. For the feasibility study of the standalone photovoltaic with a battery and with a hydrogen production system, the proposed minimum hydrogen-selling price is determined by breakeven analysis and is compared to the past references' hydrogen-selling prices and gasoline prices. • Optimization design, modeling, and economic analysis of SAPV without and with hydrogen production system were studied. • Iterative technique was used in optimization process. • Optimization results for SAPVBS and SAPVBHPS were compared. • Breakeven point analysis of the payback period and the return of investment were used to determine hydrogen-selling price. • Theminimum hydrogen-selling price was compared to the past published hydrogen-selling prices and Malaysia's gasoline prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid global economic development over the past two decades has been accompanied by rising energy demand and CO 2 emission rates. Understanding the driving forces of CO 2 emissions is necessary for future energy planning and policy formulation. This paper examines the driving factors behind the increase in CO 2 emissions in Malaysia with special focus on the manufacturing, electricity and transportation sectors. The paper extends the Kaya identity by incorporating energy mix, investment efficiency, capital-labor substitution, population-to-employment, urbanization rates, and per capita CO 2 , along with the standard variables including economic activity, economic structure, and energy intensity. The paper also evaluates if any macroeconomic instability (economic crisis) in the country has led to reduction in emission rates. The study utilizes the latest country data, covering the period 2002–2016. The result shows that, while economic activity is always associated with CO 2 emissions, more efficient energy use would help restrain the rise in emission rates without hampering economic growth regardless of economic structure. Emission reduction targets in Malaysia should be reinforced with an appropriate economic restructuring that restrains the economic structure effect. Due to the extensive energy use in the transportation and electricity generation, future emission control should focus more on these sectors. • The paper identifies the factors affecting CO 2 emissions, considering the economic, technical, and social aspects. • The study investigates whether the economic downturn induces further emission control. • Results indicate economic activities and urbanization process are the main driving factors. • Energy efficiency, renewable energy use, and capital-labor substitution should be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the foundation of the Peninsular Malaysia's electricity market reform and development towards successful of Incentive Based Regulation (IBR) implementation, when revising also the Special Industry Tariff (SIT), Time of Use (TOU) and Enhanced Time of Use (ETOU) tariff. The Malaysian characteristics of Price Based Program (PBP) pointed out are compared with other countries across several continents. Since PBP benefits the energy providers in order to enhance power system efficiency, the effectiveness of consumer side strategies to gain benefit from PBP should be given attention too. In this study, investigation has been focused on one of the PBP which is ETOU tariff; with regard to the impact of this new tariff in communicating to selected real data energy profile for all commercial and industrial tariff types through congruent analysis. Without any effort towards load management as well as Demand Side Management (DSM) strategies implementation, the dedicative consumers' electricity bill has increased significantly to approximately 0.5%–12% during ETOU tariff shifting. In order to overcome this issue, a novel formulation by using simultaneous demand side management strategies such as valley filling, load clipping and load shifting for the ETOU tariff optimization is proposed. Meanwhile, the momentous simulation analysis results has demonstrated that major commercial and industrial consumers should find out for about 20%–50% of load management; by selecting PBP activities before they can switch to new tariff program. • This paper highlight the important issue regarding to the new reform of electricity market in Malaysia which related to the demand side and demand response program. The Malaysian characteristics of Price Based Program (PBP) was pointed out since PBP benefits the energy providers and consumers in Peninsular Malaysia. • This paper has highlighted some of the case study investigation that has been focused to one of the PBP which is ETOU tariff; with regard to the impact of this new tariff in communicating to selected real data energy profile for all commercial and industrial tariff types through congruent analysis and finding. • It is hope that this paper will benefit huge groups of person that related to energy and economic especially among engineers, researchers, and consumers around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the outcome of an investigation which was conducted soon after the 2015 Sabah earthquake in Malaysia. Buildings in the affected area were mainly constructed from reinforced concrete (RC) and wooden materials. Although the Mw 6.0 earthquake imposed significant damage to the majority of RC buildings, no significant structural damage was observed for the wooden structures. It was found that damage to the RC buildings was mainly because of non-ductile detailing of the structural components, strong-beam weak-column condition, captive-column and short-column effects, soft and weak stories mechanism, irregularity in plan and elevation, unconfined gable/infill walls, bad workmanship, and the low quality of construction materials. It was observed that many wooden structures had flaws in their design and construction as well. However, because of the high strength-to-weight ratio and the flexible properties of wooden materials which allow them to undergo several cycles of deformation without breaking, they survived the seismic actions. This paper identifies and discusses the main reasons for the damage observed in RC buildings and the construction flaws that were observed for wooden structures. Recommendations from seismic design codes in order to prevent the occurrence of such damage in the future are also highlighted. • A brief explanation about seismic activities in Sabah, Malaysia is presented. • Observed damage to RC buildings and seismic code requirements are discussed. • Damage to wooden buildings and observed construction flaws are discussed. • Suggestions for having safer structures in the future construction are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the climate change influence on landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) using a case study conducted on Penang Island in Malaysia, a region prone to landslides. This study was carried out due to limited research assessing the climate change effect on LSM, considering rainfall and temperature. The study employs climate factors, including temperature and rainfall, alongside 12 causative factors in a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model to develop LSM. The Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM) is used to derive climate change projections under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Data preparation and normalization are performed using ArcGIS 10.7. Based on the results, future annual rainfall and daily temperatures are expected to rise under both scenarios, with RCP8.5 exhibiting more significant climatic changes. The LSM zonation is impacted more significantly under RCP8.5 due to the severity of climate change. LSM under an observation period achieves the best results (area under the curve (AUC) = 85.75, average statistical index (SI) = 94.48%, kappa = 0.885), followed by LSM under RCP4.5 (AUC = 84.38, average SI = 93.54%, kappa = 0.865) and LSM under RCP8.5 (AUC = 84.13, average SI = 93.34%, kappa = 0.860), demonstrating their reliability and adequate performance. These LSMs can assist local authorities in designating critical areas for monitoring and implementing an early-warning system to respond more effectively to landslide risks caused by climate change. However, the study's limitation is considering only two climate scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). Future research should encompass a broader range of climate scenarios to develop the most reliable LSM, given the high uncertainty associated with climate change. • Climate change was projected using the SDSM model. • Climate change has more changes under RCP8.5. • Climate change, directly and indirectly, affect slope stability. • LHM was developed using the SVM model under the climate change effect. • Climate change has a significant impact on landslide distribution zoning in LHM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the escalating burden of diabetes in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), there is a pressing concern about the widening disparities in care and outcomes across socioeconomic groups. This paper estimates health poverty measures among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Malaysia. Using data from the National Diabetes Registry between 2009 and 2018, the study linked 932,855 people with T2DM aged 40–75 to death records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the 5-year survival probabilities for each patient, stratified by age and sex, while controlling for comorbidities and area-based indicators of socio-economic status (SES), such as district-level asset-based indices and night-time luminosity. Measures of health poverty, based on the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) measures, were employed to capture excessive risk of premature mortality. Two poverty line thresholds were used, namely a 5% and 10% reduction in survival probability compared to age and sex-adjusted survival probability of the general population. Counterfactual simulations estimated the extent to which comorbidities contribute to health poverty. 43.5% of the sample experienced health poverty using the 5% threshold, and 8.9% were health poor using the 10% threshold. Comorbidities contribute 2.9% for males and 5.4% for females, at the 5% threshold. At the 10% threshold, they contribute 7.4% for males and 3.4% for females. If all patients lived in areas of highest night-light intensity, poverty would fall by 5.8% for males and 4.6% for females at the 5% threshold, and 4.1% for males and 0.8% for females at the 10% threshold. In Malaysia, there is a high incidence of health poverty among people with diabetes, and it is strongly associated with comorbidities and area-based measures of SES. Expanding the application of health poverty measurement, through a combination of clinical registries and open spatial data, can facilitate simulations for health poverty alleviation. • Novel health poverty measures applied to T2DM in Malaysia using early mortality risk. • Administrative dataset comprising 1M adults combined with death records and SES. • Male gender, older age and area deprivation drive health poverty. • Nighttime luminosity reveals regional patterns in health poverty. • Combining luminosity data and medical datasets enhances risk stratification in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a maritime country, Malaysia relies on its diverse marine ecosystems, contributing to 23% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), amounting to USD 63 billion. Anthropogenic activities threaten these ecosystems, impacting both the environment and socio-economics. Environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a crucial role in protecting the marine environment. This paper examines the educational initiatives of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), the oldest environmental NGO in Malaysia which promotes marine conservation. Through document analysis of the society's annual management report from June 2016 to May 2021, three educational strategies emerged: dissemination of knowledge, hands-on activities and application of knowledge. A guideline for implementing effective marine educational programs has been developed to enable other environmental NGOs to adopt these strategies and contribute to the conservation of marine ecosystems. • The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) demonstrates the role of NGOs in the conservation of marine ecosystem through education. employed three educational strategies: dissemination of knowledge, hands-on activities and application of knowledge • MNS employed three educational strategies: dissemination of knowledge, hands-on activities and application of knowledge. • A framework for effective implementation of marine conservation education programs was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of rocks is one of key rock strength parameters. Generally speaking, UCS can be measured directly through uniaxial compression tests, which is often unfeasible, especially when intact rock samples are highly fragile. Alternatively, the UCS of rocks can be estimated indirectly from other easily available rock indices. Note that adequate measurement data is the prerequisite for the accurate estimation of UCS using indirect methods. This may be difficult to achieve due to the limitation of time and budget, especially for small- to medium-sized projects. In this case, it becomes a challenging issue on how to develop a robust and reliable model for UCS estimation using the sparse measurement data. A fully Bayesian Gaussian process regression (fB-GPR) approach with Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) is proposed in this paper to address this problem. A real-life example from Malaysia was used for illustration and validation of proposed method. Results showed that when the synthetic sample size in SMOTE reaches 30 (i.e., optimal synthetic sample size), the coefficient of determination (R 2) increases by about 18.92%, and the accuracy of feature selection reaches 98%, compared with the scenario with only sparse measurement data used for fB-GPR model development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Middle–Late Triassic volcanism and contemporary granitoids in East Malaya provide significant insights into the magmatic evolution and geodynamic processes of the Paleotethyan Ocean in SE Asia. This paper presents new zircon ages and whole-rock geochemical data including Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic analyses for newly identified felsic volcanic rocks and granites in SE Peninsular Malaysia. Zircon geochronological data constrain their formation time at 238–235 Ma. All samples have relatively high SiO 2 contents with enrichment in light rare earth elements but have negative anomalies at Nb, Ta, Ti, and Eu on spidergrams. Calculated zircon saturation temperatures are between 840 °C and 957 °C. Samples have (87Sr/86Sr) i ratios between 0.70501 and 0.71014 and ε Nd (t) values ranging from −6.6 to −5.9, with (206Pb/204Pb) i = 18.45–18.77, (207Pb/204Pb) i = 15.68–15.71, and (208Pb/204Pb) i = 38.88–38.97. The zircon in-situ ε Hf (t) values and T DM2 ages range from −5.6 to +4.5 and 1.62 Ga to 0.98 Ga, respectively. The primary melting source which produced these felsic volcanic rocks and granites was Proterozoic crustal rocks with a juvenile middle-lower crustal component. Triassic volcanism in SE Peninsular Malaysia northerly correlates with synchronous volcanic rocks in the Lancangjiang and Chiang Khong-Lampang-Tak volcanic zones. Our data, along with regional observations, indicate that these volcanic rocks and granites formed in a localized extensional setting in response to the Paleotethyan slab breakoff. While the initial collision of Sibumasu with East Malaya may have occurred at ∼237 Ma. [Display omitted] • Felsic volcanic rocks and granites in SE Peninsular Malaysia formed at 238–235 Ma. • Triassic felsic magmatism formed in response to the Paleotethyan slab breakoff. • The initial collision between Sibumasu and East Malaya might occur at ∼237 Ma. • Felsic volcanic rocks in East Malaya can correlate with the LCJ and CLT zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in space technology have enabled the acquisition of reliable marine data, facilitating research on the potential of ocean renewable energy as an alternative source that can reduce dependency on fossil fuels, subsequently mitigating climate change. However, the ocean renewable energy development in Malaysia has not received adequate attention from local authorities and communities due to low resources in this area. Insufficient in-situ data, both in spatial and temporal dimensions, poses challenges in investigating the characteristics of ocean parameters, hindering a thorough study of the potential for ocean renewable energy development. Hence, this paper aims to identify potential ocean renewable energy development locations using the altimetry data and spatial-temporal clustering using the K-means technique. Theoretically, Malaysian seas are suitable for harnessing wind and waves with energy density ranges of up to 104.69 kW/m2 and 4.21 kW/m, respectively. This study enhances the understanding of Malaysian potential for ocean renewable energy, providing valuable information to stakeholders and the government to increase their interest in ocean renewable energy as a sustainable source for electricity generation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to study the determinants that affect sustainability performance in manufacturing companies and the impact of business intelligence and big data analytics capability on performance considering the moderating role of green knowledge management. An online questionnaire survey was conducted with 488 ISO14001-certified manufacturing companies in Malaysia to test the framework developed in this study. Nonprobability sampling was used in this study. A total of 283 responses were received, whereby the data was then analyzed using structural equation modeling via SmartPLS 4 software. The results indicated that the significant factor determining big data analytics capability is business intelligence, and the positive outcome of big data analytics capability is sustainability performance. Big data analytics capability also plays a mediating role in the positive relationship between business intelligence and sustainability performance, whereby green knowledge management does not moderate the relationship between big data analytics capability and sustainability performance. Even though business intelligence has a substantial impact on sustainability performance, the relationship is not stronger when the level of green knowledge management changes. This research provides awareness to manufacturing companies on the critical factors contributing to big data analytics capability and its outcomes on corporate sustainability performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs a partial equilibrium model to investigate the economic and environmental impact of commercial bioethanol production from biomass on the Malaysian agricultural markets. The results show that the palm oil mills can produce bioethanol commercially as the mills utilize the waste biomass created onsite and thus avoid the feedstock and hauling costs. Furthermore, by consuming biomass that recycles carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a large bioethanol industry would help Malaysia reduce its GHG emissions and meet its GHG commitments in the Paris Agreement. With a potential to lead to greater forestation as landowners clear rainforests to enlarge oil palm plantations, such an industry could also be expected to expand the agricultural industry, reduce the agricultural prices, and raise agricultural employment. • Producing bioethanol from waste biomass is economically viable in Malaysia. • Gasoline-bioethanol blends can significantly reduce Malaysia's greenhouse gas emissions. • A commercial bioethanol industry would expand the agricultural sector and hasten deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a detailed target-oriented performance assessment of a 232.5 kWp grid-connected solar PV (GCPV) system installed on a commercial building in Malaysia. Technical and meteorological data for 2019, in 5-min intervals, was retrieved from the solar data logger. The GCPV system generated about 301.5 MWh of energy in 2019, almost achieving the stated target of 305.0 MWh. While most months in 2019 successfully achieved the set monthly target, some did not due to low solar irradiance. The Performance Ratio (PR), Capacity Utilization Factor (CUF), system efficiency, and Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) were found to be 85.4%, 14.85%, 9.15%, and 0.396 MYR/kWh, respectively. The PR of the present GCPV system was higher than other GCPV systems surveyed. Approximately 177 metric tons of CO 2 emissions were saved during the year after installing the GCPV system. In addition, performance models, based on the key factors of solar irradiation and PV module temperature that affect the yield and power output of the GCPV system, were developed and tested statistically. The findings of this study should be of use to solar energy customers and stakeholders. [Display omitted] • A target-oriented performance analysis of grid-connected solar PV (GCPV) system is assessed. • Actual yield of GCPV system achieved about 90% of the set target yield. • The annual PR, CUF, and system efficiency was 85.4%, 14.85%, and 9.15%, respectively. • The payback period and LCOE was ∼8 years and 0.396 MYR/kWh, respectively. • About 177 metric tons of CO 2 was reduced due to GCPV system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PV performance reduces due to high diurnal surface temperatures and nocturnal dew accumulation. • PV/T is proved concept to reduce the PV surface temperature and enhance the PV performance. • Ground heat exchanger is proposed to manage the diurnal and nocturnal problems of PV. • Results show enhanced PV/T performance by integration with ground heat exchanger. • The proposed technique mitigates both, diurnal surface temperatures and nocturnal dew. Solar photovoltaic panels are experiencing lower performance due to two reasons, high diurnal surface temperatures and nocturnal dew accumulation leading to mud formation on the surface of photovoltaic panels. The current paper presents a collective solution for the two problems of elevated cell temperatures and dew formation using a photovoltaic/thermal unit integrated with ground embedded heat exchanger. The proposed technique was assessed experimentally and mathematically. An experimental setup implemented in the solar research site of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS was subjected to a series of measurements under various operational and environmental conditions. A mathematical model of the integrated solution was developed in MATLAB/Simulink environment. With only 6% error in PV surface temperatures, the mathematical model results and experimental measurements were in good agreement. The model determined the daily and annual variation of the PV surface temperature based on two real-time weather data sets: first, the nearly constant tropical climates as in Malaysia and secondly, the transient climatic conditions as in the desert of Qatar. The results show that the suggested idea of integrating a PV/T panel with an underground heat exchanger is able to increase the annual PV efficiency by 9%. This is due to a substantial reduction of diurnal PV cell temperatures and to resolving the setback of nocturnal dew formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Construction industry in Malaysia have been bedevilled by myriads of risk issues. • This manuscript contributes might serve as bench mark towards construction risk management area. • Data was analyzed by using PLS-SEM software. SEM provides complete information regarding the extent to which a model is supported by data. Introduction: The construction industry in Malaysia has been bedevilled by myriads of risk issues that have hampered its smooth operations in recent times. This paper is an empirical assessment that aims to examine the effect of coercive pressure on the relationship between organizational structure and construction risk management among construction industry in Malaysia. Method: Based on the proposed model, a quantitative method was employed to obtain data from G7 construction industry operating within the peninsular Malaysia. Out of the 180 copies of questionnaire, 165 copies were properly filled, returned, and used for the analysis. PLS-SEM was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: The findings of the study affirmed that specialization, centralization, and management of risk by the construction industry had positive correlation. Conclusions : As anticipated, coercive pressure had positive moderating correlation with both formalization and the management of risk by the construction industry. Similarly, it was also found that in the course of carrying out construction activities, coercive pressure made significant interactive influence on formalization, specialization, and centralization. Practical Applications : Coercive pressure reduced the frequency of accidents among workers in the process of carrying out construction works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MAGDAS PEN was established on 19th September 2019 as one of the MAGDAS observatory arrays located at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) (5.15°, 100.50°). The main objective of the MAGDAS project is to monitor global electromagnetic and the ambient plasma density in the geospace environment. This installation has contributed to a better understanding of the Sun-Earth coupling system. This paper presents the installation process of one of the MAGDAS magnetometers named YU-8 T magnetic sensor and provides a preliminary analysis of geomagnetic HDZ components amplitude-time that was observed at PEN station. A one-month HDZ-geomagnetic field data was processed from 1st November to 30th November 2019. The daily variations with a consistent pattern in delta H geomagnetic field components are observed throughout the day with eastward electric field effects that are observed during solar peak hours. The delta H-component gradually increases around 0700LT and reaches the maximum reading at 1300LT with a range of value ~ 40-70nT. The value slowly decreases that started from 1400LT until the night time. The reading during the night time shows a constant variation with magnitude varies in between −10nT to + 10nT. The average H-component value of the night time is used as the baseline for the observation system. Overall, the observed trends portray a good sign of solar quiet field and Sq with no solar-terrestrial disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper analyses the barriers to the adoption of the triple-bottom line of sustainability of the construction sector within the developing country of Malaysia. Barriers pertaining to sustainable construction (SC) were identified through a thorough review of the literature on the process of SC, which were then contextually customized via a pilot study and presented in the form of a hypothesized model. Primary data was collected via administration of questionnaire surveys to 122 construction stakeholders in Malaysia. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to statistically validate the final model of the barriers to SC. This paper fills the gap in the knowledge by focusing on the quantified contribution of the most significant barriers to the adoption of SC principles throughout the process of SC in the context of Malaysia. Findings of this paper uncover the most significant factors constraining the SC in Malaysia related to government, cost, knowledge and information, workforce, and client and market. The findings revealed that clear and effective legislative process is crucial for the enforcement of the integration of SC materials and practices as well as economics incentives which will ultimately lead to effective implementation of SC initiatives; hence, sustainable economic growth and efficient resource (energy, water and material) utilization. It is hoped that the findings provide guidelines for the government authorities so that they invest their efforts and allocate resources in more efficient way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global depletion of fossil fuels, growing awareness on the effects of carbon emissions and greenhouse gases and, the need for renewable energy, has increased the attention towards biocoke research and active engagement with various research groups and industrial players. Biocoke production and utilisation is crucial as it contributes to the efficient management of agricultural residue and municipal solid waste. The technologies involved in the biocoke production and the viability of Malaysia's agricultural waste as a feedstock was described in this paper. In addition, the paper provided background information about the biocoke characteristics and the feedstocks that dictate quality. Comparisons of commercial coal coke and biocoke production technologies that may be applicable to Malaysia were also addressed. Moreover, the paper demonstrated the challenges towards Malaysia's biocoke commercialisation despite its viability from biomass feedstocks characteristics, availability, and evidence of calorific value estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dengue model with the temperature effect, using integer-order and the fractional-order differential equations is proposed. • The optimal temperature for a maximum dengue transmission is around 32∘C. • The backward bifurcation occurs in the presence of dengueinduced death rate. • The solutions of the aquatic stage of the integer-order model exhibit oscillatory behaviour whenever dengue is endemic. • Fractional-order dengue model provides stable solutions compared to the integer-order model. In this study, a deterministic mathematical model of the dengue transmission is developed by considering the effect of temperature on the transmission dynamics. It has a locally asymptotically stable disease-free equilibrium (DFE) point whenever the basic reproduction number (R 0) is less than unity. This model has shown a possibility of backward bifurcation, where the stable DFE coexists with a stable endemic equilibrium point when R 0 < 1. Using the entomological data of the Aedes mosquito population and the experimental data of the dengue transmission in Malaysia, R 0 is evaluated at different temperatures, given that at 32∘C, R 0 attain its maximum value. The solutions of the model show an oscillatory behaviour. Although the oscillations are unobservable in the state variable, they are present in the numerical solution. Finally, a fractional analogue of the dengue model is presented, and numerical solutions are performed to make a comparison with the integer-order model. A comparison of the two results reveals that the fractional-order model provides stable solutions as the oscillatory behaviour can be dampened. This paper provides numerical evidence that the dengue virus can spread in temperate areas where it is no longer limited to tropical and subtropical regions, and suggests that the fractional-order approach can be a great alternative in modelling dengue transmission dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Rough set theory and PCA were applied for environmental data modelling. • The similarity assessment of 16 + 1 US EPA PAHs from Sungai Perak is presented. • LMW PAHs were found to be the most prominent in the water. • Variance were equal to 68.47% (Nap) and 27.63% (carbazole) • The LMW PAHs were likely due to incomplete combustion from vehicles. This paper presents application of rough set theory and PCA for modelling of similarity characteristics of PAHs from Perak River: Tanjung Belanja Bridge (TBB, l 1), Water Treatment Plant Parit (WTPP, l 2), Parit Town Discharge (PTD, l 3), Water Treatment Plant Senin (WTPS, l 4), and Water Treatment Plant Kepayang (WTPK, l 5). The clustering involved PAHs as attributes and sampling stations as objects. The l 1 and l 3 were clustered in Sim deg x , y ≥ 0.8. The Sim deg x , y ≥ 0.7 was observed in all attributes (except l 5) forming two sets of clusters. PCA showed that low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs were prominent with variances of 68.47% (naphthalene, Nap) and 27.63% (carbazole). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will present five flash flood cases in Johor and two hailstorms from Kuala Lumpur and Melaka reported during lightning activities to determine the relationship between lightning flash rate and rainfall that occurred from 2013 to 2017. The flash floods were observed based on lightning data obtained from Tenaga Nasional Berhad Research Sdn. Bhd. (TNBR) and rainfall data from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID). On the other hand, storm-producing hails were observed based on the lightning flash rate using electromagnetic field measurements and weather radar for their reflectivity value and cloud structure. The detection of a lightning flash, especially the negative narrow bipolar event (−NBE) and positive cloud-to-ground (+CG), could be a possible indicator of a deeper convective storm that could lead to the production of hails. In the 24-h observation of selected days when a flash flood occurred, lightning strikes correlation with rainfall had r-values ranging from 0.6 to 0.9, where the lightning data may enhance flood forecasting accuracy when combined with rainfall. Meanwhile, during the first hailstorms in Kuala Lumpur, the highest −NBEs flash rate detected during the hails appeared where 16 −NBEs were detected in a span of 5 min with reflectivity value between 53 and 55 dBz and cloud top height of 20 km. During the second hailstorms in Melaka, more + CG flashes rather than −NBE were detected during the appearance of the hail, with 64 +CG flashes and five −NBEs with reflectivity values between 60 and 66 dBz and cloud top height of 18.8 km. Based on the high convective strength, cloud top height, and presence of hailstones, −NBE and +CG flash could be possible indicators of storm severity, especially in Malaysia. • Relationship between lightning events and the severity of convective thunderstorms • The severity of the thunderstorm may not be visible at its earlier stage until the damages occurred • In Malaysia, a severe thunderstorm is not frequently studied as in temperate regions because this phenomenon is unusually formally reported • Investigating the relationship between the occurrence of severe convection with a lightning detection system, the severity of convective thunderstorms may be detected earlier with the pronounced lightning activities and selected flashes trend • Hailstorms and heavy rainfall lead to flash floods are one of the outcomes of the severity of these thunderstorms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing in oil consumption and ridiculous prices has caused the urgency for the main global oil industry players to search new alternative fuels which is biofuels. Biodiesel is better option to replace the crude oil due to its similar characteristics and sustainable. This paper will review the biodiesel produced and implementation from palm oil in Malaysia and current engine research that related to palm oil. Precedency given to the palm oil as it is main raw stock for biodiesel produced in Malaysia. Among scopes of this paper are to discuss current issues related to the palm biodiesel production and specific use in diesel engines. Another issue that arisen for Malaysia is to promote the palm oil as the alternative fuel that meets the stringent regulations and standards in Europe and North America. This paper also briefly covers the continuous global biodiesel consumption trend including the constraints that faced by Malaysia for leading the global biodiesel market with the benefits and drawbacks of palm oil biodiesel as an alternate fuel compared to the other common biodiesel sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate long-run relationship between economic growth and disaggregated energy consumption in Malaysia. Toda-Yamamoto (T-Y), the modified Granger causality test, along with annual disaggregated energy and real GDP growth data from 1971 to 2014 was used in the investigation process. This paper presents several outcomes; firstly, this paper argues that the Malaysian economy is energy dependent and sensitive to energy supply shocks. Secondly, the usage of energy inputs in Malaysian economy is found to be consumed inefficiently meaning that usage of higher energy resources does not contribute the economic growth significantly, rather causes environmental pollution badly. Thirdly, the finding indicates that economic growth and environmental pollution through spreading carbon emissions are responsive to each other. In this circumstance, the Malaysian economy has to find a way to consume the energy inputs efficiently so that economic growth is improved, while negative externality in the environment is reduced. Therefore, the study presents significant policy implications in order to improve the energy efficiency and reduce environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical alluvial soil has distinctive physical characteristics when compared to common sedimentary soils. Ignoring such distinctive characteristics might lead to geotechnical problems that require a thorough re-investigation. Foundation failures have been identified along some river banks of tropical alluvial soil deposits in Sarawak, Malaysia, which were speculated to be due to cyclic loading effects. This paper presents preliminary results on tropical alluvial soil engineering behaviors from simple shear cyclic loading tests. Specimens measuring 50 mm in diameter and 16 mm in height were obtained from three undisturbed samples. They were sheared using an Electro-Mechanical Dynamic Cyclic Simple Shear (EMDCSS) for thirty cycles at three different target displacements. The results showed hysteresis loops, where the shear stress decreases as the cycle increases. Excess pore water pressures develop during shearing, which correspond to the target displacement levels. The damping ratio increases as the shear strain increases but decreases as the cycle increases. The normalized shear modulus decreases as both the shear strain and loading cycle increase. A comparison with previous literature on cohesive soils shows that the tropical alluvial soil has a lower damping ratio and normalized shear modulus, which range from 3.3% to 9% and 0.0004 to 0.01, respectively. The findings indicate that the tropical alluvial soil has a potential reduction in strength when subjected to continuous cyclic loading. The paper provides a better understanding for academics and engineering professionals before conducting design or remedial work in the tropical alluvial soil environment. • Cyclic simple shear tests on tropical alluvial soil showed strength reduction. • Tropical alluvial soil has low normalized shear modulus and damping ratios. • Tropical alluvial soil has distinctive behavior than common sedimentary soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to answer the question of how the sultanates of Malaysia maintained their authority in the current nation-state era as almost all of Indonesia's hundreds of sultanates (except for the Sultanate of Yogyakarta in Java) lost formal power. It proposes three findings. First, Dutch and British colonialism had different legacies in Indonesia and Malaysia, respectively. Second, following their independence, Indonesia and Malaysia adopted different government systems, with the former becoming a unitary republic and the latter becoming a federal state; consequently, the sultanates of Indonesia had to submit themselves to the central government in Indonesia, whereas those in Malaysia were given broader space to exercise their authority within a federal state. Third, the sultanates of Malaysia have a two-layered identity, resulting from the convergence of ethnic Malay and Islamic identities that eventually strengthened the Sultanate's authority and legitimacy in the eyes of the people and the federal state; conversely, convergence between ethnic and religious identity was limited in Indonesia's sultanates, subsequently undermining the sultans' ability to uphold authority and power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research on the adoption of lean manufacturing in the furniture industry in emerging economies is slowly progressing, its implementation has been emphasized by researchers and practitioners. Research on this scope is therefore limited, particularly when compared to the vast amount of scholarly studies contributed to successful implementation of lean in the developed countries. To support the narrow body of knowledge on this under-researched scope, this paper presents the current shortfalls of implementing the lean manufacturing in terms of motives, barriers, challenges, and applications. To address these issues, a methodological approach was implemented in two tiers. Firstly, a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art literature on the issues was performed followed by an analytic approach using a survey on 148 companies in Malaysia to finalize the research. Upon validation of the analyses, the results revealed that most of the lean companies agreed that the reasons for lean implementation are to increase efficiency, to clean up and organize the workplace, and to increase utilization of space. Non-lean companies believe that issues related to knowledge are the reasons for not undertaking lean implementation. However, lean companies believe that the obstacles are more about employee-related issues including lack of labor resources, lack of implementation know-how, and employee resistance to change. Lean companies also face challenges in the form of technical knowledge, training, and financial resources during the early phase of lean implementation. In addition, only three applications – 5S, employee training, and quality control – were found to be useable in the Malaysian wood and furniture industry. These findings present a critical view of the current shortfalls of lean implementation in the wood and furniture industry throughout Malaysia and other emerging economies. • Key reasons for lean adoption are improving efficiency, organizing the workplace, and increasing the utilization of space. • Knowledge-related issues have been stressed as the main barriers for both lean and non-lean companies. • Knowledge and resources related issues posed serious challenges to lean practitioners. • 5S, employee training, and quality control have often been applied in the Malaysian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The panic wrought by the 1997 Asian financial crisis spurred different mitigative measures. Some states assented to IMF bailout and restructuring, while others enforced capital control. Since then, despite intense academic and regulatory scrutiny of the nuances of the recession, empiric focus on recovery trajectory of affected countries centred chiefly around traditional GDP metrics; an approach that disregards economic performance in a manner congruent with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). In this paper, we adopt a broader SDG-compatible approach by tracking two affected countries' (Korea and Malaysia) recovery via operationalizing an alternative growth indicator GPI (Genuine Progress Indicator). First, we construct a 35-year long GPI index from 1980 to 2014 and employ the Solow Growth Model to measure the impact of the two remedial measures on GDP and GPI of both countries. Employing an ARDL approach, we find external debt to impact significantly the GDP and GPI of Korea. Meanwhile for Malaysia, the controversial capital control failed to register significant impact. Moreover, unemployment rates, trade openness, fixed capital formation and the history of previous crises are found to be influential determinants of GDP and GPI, with credit and exchange rate variables showing ambiguous results. Image 1 • We track recovery paths of South Korea & Malaysia after 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. • Recovery is examined via traditional GDP and sustainable development-oriented GPI. • External debt significantly impacts economic growth in GDP & GPI for South Korea. • Capital control is an insignificant influence on either metric for Malaysia. • Unemployment, trade policy, capital formation and crises are significant determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is recognised as one of the biggest sources of pollution due to its eutrophying nature and methane emitting treatment. Although biogas recovery and utilisation are promoted through government initiatives, the motivation and support from mills still reported low in Malaysia. This paper aims to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of POME utilisation in the palm oil supply chain based on environmental, social and economic concerns to review the favourability of POME elimination. A zero effluent approach is introduced based on POME evaporation technique, undiluted clarification practice and water recycling strategy as an alternative for conventional POME management approaches. An integrated palm oil complex concept is proposed which includes new palm oil processing approach that eliminates POME and provides industrial symbiosis possibilities within palm oil upstream and downstream sectors to promote sustainability of palm oil industry with balanced economic and environmental advantages. A comparative study between POME utilisation (Case 1 and 2) and POME elimination (Case 3) in different perspectives is included in this work. In the economic view, the payback period of Case 3 is shorter (4 y) compared to Case 1 and 2 (4.3–8.3 y). In comparison, POME elimination technology is more environmentally friendly due to smaller water and land footprint, zero methane emission and minimum waste generation. Approximately 0.3% improvement in oil extraction rate can be potentially achieved by the proposed mill configuration in Case 3. One of the challenges in POME elimination implementation is the additional 0.25 kg steam requirement associated with evaporation of 1 kg water. The study provides insights on the feasibility of the proposed sustainable concept in Malaysia with consideration of government policies and programmes. The suggested POME elimination-based complex provides alternative option to mill owners who are uninterested to invest in biogas capturing facilities. • An integrated palm oil complex with POME elimination was proposed. • Comparative study between POME utilisation and POME elimination practices was conducted. • Economic evaluation of three (3) case studies was conducted. • POME elimination is the preferred alternative for sustainable POME management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]