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Green building (GB) is the foundation of sustainable construction and a part of promoting environmental conservation. Bringing change to the building construction industry requires multiple efforts from various angles especially to overcome any resistances in the form of technology, human aspects, financial and resources. The transition from conventional to sustainable approach consumes time as it requires changes from different facets in the industry ranging from individual, organizational to industry level. In Malaysia, there are various efforts to bring green into the industry but the progress is low moderate. The current review identified the major constraints that hinder a faster progress for green buildings development in Malaysia which include high initial cost, lack of knowledge and awareness among public and industry players, challenges in technology and expertise as well as lack of government enforcement and incentives. The outcomes of this paper will assist in enhancing and improving the sustainable practice in Malaysian's construction industry for the betterment of life for sustainable communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protection against environmental crime is of particularly high importance in protected areas such as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, which are focused on the synergistic relationship between man and environment. This paper explores environmental protection of the Tasik Chini Biosphere Reserve, located in a rural part of the State of Pahang in Malaysia. Tasik Chini was granted the status of the first Malaysian Biosphere Reserve in 2009 and was up for review by UNESCO in 2019. The alarming state of the lake's ecosystem, due to unabated anthropogenic interferences, exposes it to the risk of losing international recognition. This paper aims to examine the condition of Tasik Chini in the legal context, focusing on how the area can be better policed and managed to prevent environmental crime. The paper will firstly describe environmental harm caused (which continues) from logging and mining activities, as well as from agriculture in the reserve, followed by a review of relevant legislation in Malaysia. The study finds that there is no specific Malaysian legislation dedicated to the protection of Biosphere Reserves. However, there are relevant applicable laws, sufficient for conservation of the area and criminalisation of environmental harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Profit maximization is a key priority of construction industry stakeholders but may challenge the stakeholders to look into other aspects. Environmental aspect is one of the sustainability elements that tends to be neglected in the supply chain management. Its impact on project site and living surrounding environment is either taken lightly or ignored by the construction stakeholders. This paper aims to investigate the barriers of the uptake of Green Supply Chain Management during the pre-construction stage of construction project to assist stakeholders with planning in relation to the environmental protection at the earliest stage of a project. Pre-construction is the stage within a project life cycle for decision making on the selection of materials, labours, plants and equipment. Questionnaire survey was distributed to the construction stakeholders, with 44 valid responses returned. The analysis was drawn from the feedback of the architects, contractors, consultants, and engineers. The results revealed that the critical barriers for the GSCM were lack of company’s leadership and support, lack of awareness, and lack of sustainable GSCM practices. This research provides an overview of current GSCM practices in Malaysia and alerts stakeholders to focus on specific organizational strategies in adopting GSCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have explored pro-environmental actions. This paper aims to extend the concept of pro-environmental action in the context of binary themes or perspectives. The extended conceptualisation is drawn from a study that investigates the influence of residential outdoor environmental education courses on Malaysian participants' environmental attitudes and behaviours using a life history approach. Data analysis revealed six binary pro-environmental actions: conforming/transforming action, compulsory/optional action, intentional/unintentional action, public/private sphere action, activist/non-activist action, and biospheric/anthropocentric-oriented action. The binary actions presented in this paper pull together all of the binary themes, both pre-existing ones and those emerging from the current study data. The paper provides recommendations about how one can contribute to environmental quality and positively impact the sustainable development agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the potential of nuclear energy, particularly in the power sector, to solve energy challenges and to address the pertinent issues regarding energy sustainability in Malaysia. The deployment of nuclear energy in various developed and developing countries has conspicuously helped sustaining energy security and sustainability due to its compatibility and protection of the environment. In addition to energy security, nuclear energy also offers significant benefits to socio-economic aspects. Thus, nuclear energy in developing countries, including Malaysia, has the potential to emerge as a new prospect in the energy sector using sophisticated technology and expert personnel to maximize the energy benefits with the least environmental risk. This step would certainly meet future energy demands and help accelerate the country's development with optimum energy generation in the country. Therefore, Malaysia should aim to resort to nuclear power generation whereby the current power sector is mainly generated by traditional means, with only a small fraction of it being renewable energy. With no experience in this field, Malaysia needs to establish collaboration with some country rich with nuclear-resource in order to build, maintain nuclear reactors and treat nuclear wastes. The development of such facility should also comply with the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Moreover, Malaysia has to introduce legislation and policies related to future nuclear energy. Thus, this paper discusses some of the pertinent issues related to the prospects of nuclear power generation in the country towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia is home to a highly diverse flora and fauna. The biodiversity and sustainability of the forest are highly potential to mitigate climate change and its adverse consequences. Although Malaysia is committed to preserve the forest in recognition of the important services, the threat against the forest of degradation and even deforestation for demand of other prevailing interests remain. Bio banking scheme has been one of market-oriented mechanisms which have been suggested to fund towards ensuring the sustainability of the biodiversity in Malaysia. By examining the experience of biobank for forest or environmental conservation, this paper considers issues and challenges in the creation of such biobank in Peninsular Malaysia as proposed in a study. For this, it considers two existing schemes of biobanking, one is implemented in the New South Wales, Australia, and the other is in Sabah, Malaysia, the Malua Biobank. The main features of these two schemes are examined and the issues faced are considered in the context of the Peninsular Malaysia. Creation of such biobank is significant to promote for further efforts in finding alternatives in forest conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate whether higher earnings quality is related to the existence of multiple directorships among corporate boards and whether this relationship varies with the quality of investor protection. Design/methodology/approach: This paper used a dynamic panel data modelling on the sample of 2,090 firm-year observations over the period from 2007 to 2016 in Malaysia. The generalized method of moments estimators were used to deal with endogeneity and other econometric problems. Findings: This study finds that the accumulation of several outside directorships is negatively associated with the firm's earnings quality, as measured by the magnitude of discretionary accruals. More importantly, the findings provide evidence that multiple directors are more efficient in improving earnings quality in healthy investor protection environment. Practical implications: The appointment of directors should be based on market-based and not on a relationship (i.e. financial and industry professionals). Originality/value: The results highlight the importance of interaction between internal and external governance mechanisms to improve the firm's financial performance, investment and market efficiency. High-quality investor protection and law enforcement are significant for enhancing the monitoring role of multiple directorships in improving earnings quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in one of the famous natural and cultural tourist destinations of northern Malaysia, Penang Hill serves as an ideal destination for both local and international tourists. The objective of this study was to understand and explore key stakeholders perspectives to enhance management for the aim of conservation, economic development, and recreation in Penang Hill. Data was collected from three key stakeholders of Penang Hill using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Stakeholders showed robust interests in environmental protection, cultural conservation, economic activities, awareness, and empowerment. This paper concludes by stating that Penang Hill is under strong management, and stakeholders are continuously engaged in the destination. The management authority collaborates with the key stakeholders of Penang Hill and incorporates their interests and viewpoint to ensure the ecotourism process goes smoothly and Penang Hill becomes one of the top ecotourism destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weekly No Plastic Bag Campaign Day comprises of an added charge of MYR 0.20 (USD 0.06) per plastic bag in supermarkets and grocery stores. The objective is to reduce plastic bag consumption and save the environment. However, the campaign has provoked a range of reactions from the public including consumers, policy makers, environmentalists and the plastic industry. Considering consumers as the major consequence, this paper evaluates the impact of the campaign on consumer awareness, knowledge, attitude and behavior and discusses and explores the various implications of the policy. The study gathers a questionnaire survey from 262 households in the State of Johor and employs a semi-structured interview with the relevant stakeholders. A descriptive statistical analysis as well as T test and correlations analysis has been performed using the Statistical Software for Social Science. The T test analysis explains the complex relationship between attitude and behavior. Consumers are more supportive of the plastic bag ban in the supermarkets but not its extension to other types of public markets. The study records the consumers' behavior-changing process in the three types of anti-consumer behavior, listed as (1) fully anti-consumption (67 %), (2) partial anti-consumption (33 %) and (3) no anti-consumption this last group comprising of those who resent and dissatisfy of the No Plastic Bag Campaign. The first type of fully anti-consumption behavior reveals the potential of reusable shopping bag practice to be implemented coupled with the educational Bring Your Own Shopping Bag campaign. The plastic bag levy in Malaysia can be seen as part of the government effort to create a sustainable consumption society; however, it needs a support from the regulatory or legislative framework that will provide clear guidelines and mechanisms for consumers, the retailers, supermarkets and the plastic industry. The implications of plastic bag usage for garbage bin liners as part of the basic requirement of the solid waste management reveal the urgency to look at the plastic bag levy from the solid waste management perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Malaysian government recognises the potential contribution of biotechnology to the national economy. However, ongoing controversy persists regarding its ethical status and no specific ethical guidelines have been published relating to its use. In developing such guidelines, it is important to identify the underlying principles that are acceptable to Malaysian society. This paper discusses the process of determining relevant secular and Islamic ethical principles and establishing their similarities before harmonising them. To achieve this, a series of focus group discussions were conducted with 23 knowledge experts representing various stakeholders in the biotechnology community. Notably, several principles between the secular and Islamic perspectives are indirectly or directly similar. All the experts agreed with the predominant six ethical principles of secular and Islamic philosophy and their importance and relevance in modern biotechnology. These are beneficence and non-maleficence as the main or overarching principles, the preservation of religious and moral values, the preservation of the intellect and the mind, the protection of human safety, the protection of future generations, and protection of the environment and biological diversity. Several adjustments were made to the terminologies and definitions of these six principles to formulate acceptable guiding principles for the ethics of modern biotechnology in Malaysia. These can then be adopted as core values to underpin future national guidelines on modern biotechnology ethics. These principles will be particularly important in guiding the policy makers, enforcers, industries and researchers to streamline their activities. In so doing, modern biotechnology and its products can be properly managed without jeopardising the interests of the Muslim community as well as the general public. Importantly, they are expansive and inclusive enough to embrace the religious sensitivity of diverse quarters of Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the preliminary analysis and trends of traffic pollutant released and assessment results in urban areas in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The outcome indicates that road traffic and its infrastructure are the leading issues of air pollution problems in this study area. However, there exists a lack of research that has verified this assumption, considering real-world data of localized traffic flow. In this study, traffic pollutants data were collected at different street categories and investigated prior to traffic flow data. The concentration level were then compared with several guidelines and related previous studies where NO2 and PM2.5 show considerably high amount of concentration which exceed all of the guidelines provided. The final results reveal that most of the concentration of the traffic-related pollutants measured except for NO2 and CO are significantly different at all type of streets where higher amount of concentration was found at highways and local streets rather than urban streets, attributable to the higher traffic volume associated with the former. The statistical analyses of both the traffic pollutants and its flow data was then conducted, and the spatial analysis using interpolation was finally demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines annual environmental protection disclosures of palm oil companies in Malaysia that have significant implications for the preservation of earth, water and air quality. We found that the location of the environmental disclosures vary among the sample companies. We found that the extent of the disclosures on four key items – environmental policy, measurement systems, targets for improvements and impact on biodiversity – has been very low among the sample companies. The paper concludes that unless the gaps in the knowledge of both palm-oil-producing companies and stakeholders regarding environmental protection are addressed, environmental degradation is likely to continue and the corporate ‘tick-boxing’ trickery would carry on concealing the real picture from stakeholders. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swidden agriculture, commercial logging and plantation development have been considered to be the primary common causes of degradation and loss of tropical rain forests in Southeast Asia. In this paper, I chose a part of northeastern Sarawak, East Malaysia as my case study area to analyze the changes in its land-use characteristics. In the study area, as well as primeval forests, we see that land use began about 100 years ago by a native group called the Iban; commercial logging began in the 1960s, and the development of oil palm plantations began recently. I describe the changes in land use as well as their social and economic causes by referring to aerial photographs, literature surveys, interviews with government officers and the Iban, and observation of land use. My analysis of land use demonstrates that on “state land”, where commercial logging and oil palm plantation development are occurring, large areas of forest have been disturbed in a short period of time. The objective is to benefit economically in response to the social and economic conditions surrounding the study area. On the other hand, in the “Iban territory,” where the Iban practice their land use, land conversion has not occurred on a large scale and in a short period of time, even though the forest has been cut and agricultural fields have been created in response to social and economic conditions as well. They disperse small agricultural fields throughout their forest land. Therefore, the landscape of the “Iban territory” is based on secondary forest, composed of patches of forest in various stages and with several types of agricultural land. Today in Sarawak, monocrop plantations are rapidly expanding and little primeval forest remains. Given these conditions, the land-use practices of natives such as the Iban will be evaluated from the viewpoint of ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. It could play an important role in providing habitats for natural wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Sustainable manufacturing practices are one of the significant environmental initiatives taken by manufacturing industries to preserve the environment and improve the quality of human life while performing manufacturing activities. The emergence of the value creation concept, economic value no longer counts as a single factor for measuring manufacturing performance. Within the sustainability context, the impact of manufacturing activities on the environmental and social aspects should be taken into account as the basis for assessing manufacturing performance, which is called sustainability performance. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of sustainable manufacturing practices with sustainability performance, which considers the environmental, economic and social aspects.Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey is carried out among 443 ISO 14001 certified manufacturing companies in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling is used to evaluate the relationship of sustainable manufacturing practices with sustainability performance.Findings The findings of this study indicate that manufacturing process is the manufacturing stage that gives the most impact on the improvement of sustainability performance. Hence, it is concluded that manufacturing companies in Malaysia are highly focussed on the production bound when implementing sustainable manufacturing practices.Research limitations/implications Although this study indicates a good estimation of the proposed model, additional variables might be added to improve the prediction strength of the proposed model such as considering type of industries, economic scale or ownership. Adding the comparison of sustainable manufacturing practices between different countries also a valuable research to investigated.Practical implications The framework proposed here can also assist manufacturing industries to conduct sustainability assessments by providing elements of sustainability performance and can serve as a guideline to select appropriate sustainable manufacturing practices and to what level the practices need to be improved to leverage companies’ sustainability performance.Originality/value The framework proposed here can also assist manufacturing industries to conduct sustainability assessments by providing elements of sustainability performance and can serve as a guideline to select appropriate sustainable manufacturing practices and to what level the practices need to be improved to leverage companies’ sustainability performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual paper seeks to examine the institutional obstacles that affect rural tourism in Malaysia. Identifying the government institutions involved in the planning and development of rural tourism is itself problematic. The jurisdictions of federal agencies and state agencies may overlap, thus resulting in haphazard planning and mismatched objectives. Studies on this area are limited and have become outmoded due to the shifting governmental landscape in the country. The jurisdictional boundaries of various institutions continue to change, thus causing a gap in the identification of responsible government agencies and their corresponding portfolios. An institutional appraisal of rural tourism in Malaysia is therefore necessary. In this regard, the effectiveness of governmental institutions should be evaluated in terms of (a) the promotion of environmentally sustainable rural tourism; (b) the protection of host community interests; and (c) facilitating the effective enforcement of laws and regulations pertaining to rural tourism. The conceptual framework facilitates the development of a responsible rural tourism institutional framework at local, state and national levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Malaysia, various efforts have been introduced to increase the knowledge, skills and awareness of citizens to the benefit of the environment by means of a variety of programmes. However, uncertainty about the effectiveness of environmental education programmes and the way they contribute to sustainability still exists. This paper reports on an evaluation of the Kelab Pencinta Alam (KPA) (School Nature Clubs) programme organised by the Malaysia Nature Society and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia. The Kellogg Logic Model was used as an evaluative instrument as the impact of the programme had to be determined. This was done through questionnaires to teachers and principals in KPA schools. School visits were also undertaken to evaluate workplace success and to validate the findings from the questionnaires. Overall, the evaluation showed a high level of success for the programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faith factors strongly influence pro-environmental behaviours toward proactively solving environmental problems. This paper investigates different faith traditions and their link to the concept of environmental protection rooted within the major religions in Malaysia. In addition to a systematic literature review, data were collected using a cross-sectional qualitative study based on interviews with religious experts in Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism. The study found that the religions of Islam, Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism strictly prohibit the mismanagement of the environment. These religions dictate that one of the core responsibilities of humans is to act as caretaker of the Earth and its population. These religions are also believed to restore faith in protecting the environment and have the potential to be an effective medium to promote pro-environmental behaviour. This study proposes that the Malaysian Government integrate the element of religion in environmental policies that are used to nurture pro-environmental behaviour. Major mediums, such as education and media that are used to promote environmental awareness, should use religion as an element to heighten pro-environmental behaviour in order to cultivate sustainable communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As well as generally being considered as symbols of national and country identity, gardens fulfill various functions within society such as being aesthetically beautiful, satisfying human needs, and also functioning as places for various activities. In accordance with this, the Malaysian government in her newly launched National Landscape Policy put forth a vision to achieve "The Most Beautiful Garden Nation" by the year 2020, reflecting a desire to develop a distinctive landscape identity for the country. Due to this, the National Landscape Department of Malaysia suggested developing a garden identity as an indispensable part of this vision because even though the country has great potential in the development of parks and gardens, an exclusive garden identity is still lacking. This paper aims to justify that the development of a garden identity could enhance national and landscape identities for the country. It is also presumed that such development faces several challenges. Moreover, the study intends to highlight Malaysia's great potential for developing its gardens. A review of existing literature along with Malaysia's new landscape policy was thus undertaken, and findings were then triangulated by conducting face-to-face interviews with Malaysian local landscape architects. Consequently, the importance of creating a unique garden identity corresponding with Malaysia's new landscape policy was confirmed. Furthermore, challenges (which mainly relate to political, social, cultural, and economic viewpoints) and potentials for such development were recognised. The results can ultimately be utilised to contribute to the formation of gardens with distinct Malaysian identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the source paper written in 2006, the Malaysian food industrial sector accounted for about 14% of the total manufacturing energy consumption. As energy costs rapidly increase, alternative energy sources and efficiency improvements become essential to energy planning, cost savings, resource optimization, and environmental protection in these industries. This article focuses on the energy savings, economic benefits, and emission reduction that can be obtained by applying various energy saving options. This study shows that significant power can be saved annually by utilizing energy efficient motors. The cost savings, payback period, and reduction in CO2 emissions are estimated for different motor loads. It is shown that sizeable amounts of energy can be saved using VSD, waste heat recovery, new efficiency lamps (T-5), and repairing leakages. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 777-783, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between general environmental attitude and specific SCUBA diving attitude with responsible behaviour among divers underwater. The empirical data were collected from divers (N = 413) at the five most popular islands for SCUBA diving in Malaysia using the combination of purposeful, quota and convenience sampling. The revised New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale [Dunlap, R.E., Van Liere, K., Mertig, A., & Jones, R. (2000). Measuring endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: A revised NEP scale. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 425–442] was utilised to measure the general environmental concern (attitude) among divers. Measurement of SCUBA diving attitude and underwater responsible behaviour was self-developed based on both literature review and expert opinions. Correlation and regression analyses were employed to examine the relationships among the constructs. Divers are mostly ecocentric and highly responsible underwater and possess a positive SCUBA diving attitude. Divers' behaviour underwater has a direct relationship with both environmental concern and specific SCUBA diving attitude. The latter partially mediates the relationship between environmental concern and responsible behaviour underwater. The cognitive and conative dimensions of specific SCUBA diving attitude are strongly related to skill diving behaviour and safety diving behaviour, respectively. The affective dimension of specific SCUBA diving attitude has a strong relationship with non-contact diving behaviour. Based on the study findings, this paper presents some of its theoretical and managerial contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of green materials is a vital component in tackling problems of environmental protection. At the same time, these materials help solve problems arising from the shortage and undegradable nature of petroleum-based materials. Among the numerous green material sources in Malaysia, the sugar palm tree is a versatile plant that can produce biofibres, biomatrices, and biocomposites for a wide range of applications. This paper focuses mainly on the significance of the unutilised part of sugar fibres, as they are highly durable and easy to process. Besides discussing recent advances in research into sugar palm fibres and their biocomposites, this paper also addresses recent advances in research into the development of new biodegradable polymers derived from sugar palm starch. Fibre surface treatment, product development, and efforts to enhance the properties of sugar palm fibre composites are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The paper analyzes problems in Marine Park management and put forward suggestions for improvement based on differences of social value about Marine Park ecosystem services between Pulau Payar Marine Park (PPMP) in Malaysia and Gili Matra Marine Park (GMMP) in Indonesia. The purpose is to construct the connectivity of ecology, social economy, culture and system, and to study the management of marine protected areas (MPAs) from a broader perspective. The survey method used in this study is similar to that of 'SolVES' method, which aims to assess relative importance of social value for Marine Park and discuss people's attitudes towards the future development of Marine Park and management of Marine Park. We selected purposive sampling survey according to the occupation category, and obtained 109 and 102 valid questionnaires in PPMP and GMMP respectively. In this study, four sets of questions, including familiarity with Marine Park, attitude toward use of Marine Park, understanding of social-value of Marine Park and personal profile, were designed to analyze differences between PPMP in Malaysia and GMMP in Indonesia. For both Marine Parks Biological Diversity Value (B) was scored the highest among all ten social-values. The participation rate of marine education in both Marine Parks are relatively low; both of them are no more than 35%. Compared with locals, tourists value biodiversity more, and while comparison among different occupations, civil servants value biodiversity more than other occupations. Through on-the-spot investigation and sorting out the management problems of marine parks reflected by respondents, we found that: (a) the weakness of basic education and lack of popular science publicity and education activities have caused the level of public's awareness of environmental protection to be not high enough; (b) the relative insufficiency of tourism infrastructure and increase in number of tourists in recent years, might have caused many problems such as destroying coral reef resources and littering. Some suggestions were put forward to solve the problem: (a) promote public awareness of environmental protection through popular science publicity and education; (b) for PPMP, the restriction on the number of tourists will benefit the protection of coral, while improving infrastructure, such as garbage collection, will help improve environmental pollution; (c) for GMMP, strengthening the synergy between local and central governments will help to deal with the relationship between land use and environmental protection and highlight environmental protection functions. Highlights • The cognition of Biological Diversity Value is related to education. • Higher familiarity, more urgent to develop local infrastructure facilities. • Carry out popular science education to improve environmental protection awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental problems and their management, particularly when related to urban ecosystems, are becoming increasingly challenging. The end-of-pipe method which has been practiced in the past, and is manifested in our laws and regulations, has gradually changed towards a more pro-active approach. Industries now recognize that environmental management and pollution control are no longer liabilities, but rather opportunities to increase their competitiveness. The general public is increasingly aware of the fact that they have to pay more for management of the environment that is based on the end-of-pipe approach. International agencies and industries world-wide are responding positively with a new paradigm shift towards proactive environmental management through voluntary initiatives. The most challenging task in Malaysia however, is to convince the small and medium scale enterprises to shift from the old to the new management system. While local government agencies remain the key players in the management of urban ecosystems, they still lack human resources and the capacity to handle new challenges. This paper discusses new initiatives towards achieving sustainable urban ecosystem management. It highlights the tools and approaches that are being used as alternatives to the existing end-of-pipe approaches. These tools include, eco-management, wastes minimization, ISO 14000 standardization, design for environment, eco-labeling, life cycle assessment and industrial ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straits of Malacca and South China Sea are vulnerable to oil pollution because of the huge amount of crude oil transported through these waters annually. The present level of oil pollution in these waters is between 150-300 μ g L - 1 in water and 70–100 mg kg - 1 in sediment. Whenever there is an oil spill in the Straits of Malacca, the level of oil in water could be raised to higher than 500 μ g L - 1 . Crude oil, especially the aromatic hydrocarbon fraction, is highly toxic to marine organisms. The index of oil pollution for marine environments is set at 1000 μ g L - 1 oil in water and 100 mg kg - 1 oil in sediment. The non-effect level of oil on organisms is about 50 μ g L - 1 in the tropical sea. Toxicological studies demonstrated that the present level of oil pollution in seawater has some chronic effects on the growth and hatching rate of marine organisms. Thus, technologies are being actively pursued and developed for reducing the oil contamination in water to lower than 50 μ g L - 1 to protect marine organisms. This paper will review the status of hydrocarbon pollution in the Malaysian seas and the impacts on Malaysian marine environments, as well as the techniques used to combat oil spills, and the management strategies in place to secure environmental safety in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, there has been a growing awareness within the global hotel industry of the relevance for environmental protection issues. Hotel corporations are seen to be changing their image by engaging in environmental initiatives. Some hotels even go further to include social responsibility issues in their agenda. Greater awareness on the potential economic and other less direct benefits of environmentally-friendly measures, coupled with the establishment of many "watch dog" and support organizations such as the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA) and Green Hotel Association (GHA) has fueled the rise of "green" and/or responsible hotels in many established tourism destinations. Nevertheless, environmental and social measures are not the traditional core competency of a hotel. Thus, "green" and responsible measures may require. additional investment and organizational change. From a business perspective, additional investments are futile if they do not result in higher market share. Simply put, a hotel's "green" and responsible measures are meaningless if met only with consumer apathy. Therefore, to justify the need for hotels to engage in responsibility measures, one of the questions that must be answered is-do the tourists care about hotels' social and environmental responsibility? Unfortunately, there is still little empirical knowledge of tourists' demand for responsible hotels, particularly within the context of a developing country such as Malaysia. This paper attempts to narrow the gap of information by providing a preliminary outlook on the "demand" of tourists for green and socially responsible hotels in Penang Island, Malaysia. Specifically, it looked at the main criteria tourists use when choosing a hotel, their preferences as well as their attitude, interest and opinion relating to a hotel' s green and socially responsible measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently in Malaysia, cooperatives are seen as a suitable business model in the implementation of rural transformation. However, even after several years of Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) cooperatives in Iskandar Malaysia have been established, they are still faced with various challenges to remain sustainable. This study was conducted to explore and understand the problems and challenges faced by Community-based Ecotourism cooperatives (CBET) as well as the factors that affect the effectiveness of the cooperative's business model towards the sustainability of CBET in Iskandar Malaysia Region (WIM). A qualitative research design with case study and interview methods was used in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 research participants who were involved in CBET activities and the selected cooperatives, namely Koperasi Penduduk Kg. Sg. Melayu Berhad, Koperasi Aami Johor Berhad, and Koperasi Sri Sekawan Kulai Berhad which are located in WIM. The findings of the study show that cooperatives play an important role in making CBET successful in Iskandar Malaysia, especially from the aspect of socio-economic improvement and environmental conservation as well as biological diversity protection. Cooperatives are established and administered by the local community by working with various parties such as government agencies, NGOs, and educational institutions to ensure the sustainability of CBET. It has goals and roles to ensure environmental conservation, socioeconomic development, and empowerment of CBET. However, among the challenges identified to ensure the sustainability of CBET at WIM are sustainable financial management, balancing conservation, and tourism development, ensuring active involvement from the community, as well as ensuring an effective marketing and promotion strategy. CBET's sustainability success factors identified are effective leadership, good collaboration and partnership strategies, diverse capacity building and training programs, ensuring a balance of conservation and tourism development, as well as good marketing and promotion strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike in the Western countries, the media and the environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs) in Malaysia are not truly at liberty in communicating the environmental issues to the public. Concerning the importance of free and independent media and ENGOs, this paper sought to investigate the perspectives of Malaysian media and ENGOs on the importance of freedom in environmental communication, and the challenges faced by them. The result of this study will provide a better understanding of the struggles of Malaysian media and ENGOs as environmental communicators in semi-democratic society. It is hoped that it will serve as a guideline that could assist the improvement of the environmental communication field in Malaysia and (Southeast) Asia regions. For the purpose of this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 interviewees from Utusan Malaysia and The Star, and 11 interviewees from World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Malaysia Nature Society (MNS). The result showed that although some interviewees have enjoyed a certain degree of freedom in environmental communication, others especially from the media side were concerned that Malaysian broadcasters have less freedom to retrieve a variety of environmental information, especially the ones linked to the big names and controversial projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the banking sector does not directly affect the environment, it can pursue environmentally friendly practices and reduce waste. Moreover, it can promote environmentally sustainable investments and encourage businesses to adopt similar practices. Because Islam encourages preservation and prohibits harm to the earth, Islamic banks are expected to follow such practices in pursuit of Sharīʿah compliance. In Malaysia, Islamic banks have already embarked on this path, mainly by practising conservation in operational matters; however, other areas of sustainable financing have been less enthusiastically pursued. This study recommends a three-level approach: (1) at the banking level, more proactive steps should be taken, e.g. greening operations, introducing environmentally friendly products and services, complying with environmental regulations, creating awareness and training stakeholders; (2) at the national level, the Central Bank should introduce appropriate policies and guidelines; and (3) at an international level, voluntary principles should be adopted to ensure compliance with global initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Maritime Organization has set a goal to achieve a 50% reduction of total annual greenhouse gas emission related to the international shipping by 2050 compared to the 2008 baseline emissions. Malaysia government has taken an initiative to investigate the assessment (cost-effectiveness) of this International Maritime Organization's short-term measure on Malaysian-registered domestic ships although this measure is only for international merchant ship. To achieve this, this paper collected the ship's data from the shipowners from 25 sample ships. Engine power limitation is the most cost-effective option, but low power limits can lead to substantially increased sailing times. Based on cost-efficiency analysis, it creates for the purpose of compliance with the operational carbon intensity indicator. It found that even if it is possible to bring an asset back into service, it may not be possible to do so in a manner that generates a profit or complies with applicable regulations. In these situations, it may be more prudent to scrap the asset rather than run the risk of having it become a stranded asset. This is especially true for older tankers. Alternatives with lengthy payback periods are not desirable for the domestic tanker fleet that is already in operation. [Display omitted] • International Maritime Organization cut greenhouse gas emissions. • This report collects shipowner data from 25 sample ships. • Low engine power limitation can increase sailing times. • It found that reactivating an asset may not be profitable or compliant. • Instead of risking stranding, it may be better to scrap the asset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsible consumption and production are one of the interlinked global goals in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The environmentally conscious tourists can help planners encourage the sustainable development of recreational areas by assessing their environmental practices. This study aims to examine the role of environmental beliefs and conservation commitment on the environmentally responsible behaviour of tourists in Malaysia. The study used a quantitative approach by distributing the questionnaire to 1000 tourists, and 731 usable questionnaires were utilized for further analysis. The researchers utilized Structural Equation Modelling using Smart PLS version 3.2. The measurement and structural models were assessed and reported in structural equation modelling. The study found that environmental beliefs and conservation commitment significantly influence the environmentally responsible behaviour of tourists in Malaysia. The study posed theoretical and practical implications for future researchers and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective enforcement of environmental legislation is the key to ensure successful environmental protection and pollution control. For cases brought under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, the decision of criminal case tried is derived from the application of the law of evidence, specifically the Evidence Act 1950. In environmental forensics, chemical fingerprinting is one of the tools used to help identify sources of pollution and may form a defensible piece of evidence for prosecutors. The objective of this paper is to examine the position of chemical fingerprint evidence under Section 45 of the Evidence Act 1950. This research can provide an introductory guideline that can be of use to environmental law enforcers, forensic experts and other relevant stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the establishment of Marine Park Areas (MPAs) in Malaysia with specific reference to the Tioman, Redang and Tinggi Islands off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. This study examines the impact of demographic and socio-economic factors on community attitudes towards environmental conservation behaviour. As a means to protect and conserve the vulnerable and threatened marine life, our efforts seek to assess the residents׳ wellbeing and identify major environmental issues associated with MPAs in provision of sustainable and reasonable progress in ways that assist marine life, coastal communities and economies. This paper found that demographic variables like age ( β =0.210), gender ( β =0.276), and socio-economic factors such as education ( β =0.100), occupation ( β =0.141), income ( β =0.177) environmental wellbeing (EWB) ( β =0.366), awareness (AWNS) ( β =0.611), and social issues (SI) ( β =0.389) have positive significant impact on attitudes towards environmental conservation behaviour. This implies that demographic and socio-economic factors influence MPAs communities׳ attitudes towards environmental conservation behaviour. This study is set to assist policy makers to formulate better conservational policies for enhanced conservation of marine resources as well as promote positive socio-economic development among MPAs communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examines the establishment of marine park areas (MPAs) in Malaysia, with specific reference to the Tioman Island off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. This paper investigates livelihood sustainability and environmental issues in MPAs, focussing on socio-economic conditions and the sustainability of communities. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact communities' well-being has on attitudes and conservation behaviour within Malaysian MPAs. Based upon a literature review, seven hypotheses were stated and tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). The major findings of this study indicate that social and physical assets relating to the Tioman Island community's livelihoods have improved, but that the residents lack substantial human capital, and financial and environmental assets. The model shows that human assets (β = 0.361) and environmental assets (β = 0.291) have positive and significant influences on attitudes towards environmental conservation behaviour. It also indicates that human, environmental, social and financial assets have positive effects on environmental conservation behaviour, which is mediated by the islanders' attitudes. It was noticed that MPAs are confronting numerous environmental challenges, such as solid waste and water pollution, the bleaching of coral reefs, tropical storms and floods, prolonged droughts, high tides and disease outbreaks due to climate change. Therefore, this study will help policymakers formulate better policies for conserving marine diversity, as well as improve the socio-economic status of the community. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Currently, around 90% of Malaysia's electricity generation depends on fossil fuels. This reliance, in a long run, is not a secure option. However, renewable energy sources can contribute to a sustainable electricity generation system; but diversifying fuel supply chain is a complex process. Therefore, the aim of this paper is two folds. Firstly, various renewable resources potential are reviewed, and secondly an assessment model is developed for prioritizing renewable options. Four major resources, hydropower, solar, wind, biomass (including biogas and municipal solid waste) are considered. Their electricity generation potential, along with any likely shortcoming is also discussed. Moreover, using a multi-perspective approach based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP), an assessment model is developed. AHP model employs four main criteria, technical, economical, social and environmental aspects, and twelve sub-criteria. From the review it was found that renewable resources seem to have a sufficient potential to develop a sustainable electricity system. Furthermore, AHP model prioritize those resources, revealing that solar is the most favorable resource followed by biomass. Hydropower and wind however, are ranked third and fourth, respectively. The model also shows that each resource is inclined towards a particular criterion; solar towards economical, biomass towards social, hydropower towards technical, and wind towards environmental aspect. Besides reporting AHP model for the first time in Malaysian context, the assessment performed in this study, can serve decision makers to formulate long-term energy policy aiming for sustainability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

When the inevitable generation of waste is considered as hazardous to health, damaging ecosystem to our environment, it is important to develop an innovative technologies to remediate pollutant sources for the safety and environmental protection. The development of adsorption technique for the reduction of extremely effective pollutants in this regard. Green mussel and zeolite mixing media were investigated for the reduction of the concentration of organic constituents (COD) and ammoniacal nitrogen from leachate. The leachate treatability was analyzed under various stages of treatment parameter, namely mixing ratio, shaking speed, contact time, and pH. Both adsorbent were sieve values in between 2.00–3.35 mm particle size. The optimum pH, shaking speed, contact time, and mixing ratio were determined. Leachate samples were collected from influent untreated detention pond at Simpang Renggam landfill site in Johor, Malaysia. The result of leachate characterization properties revealed that non-biodegradability leachate with higher concentrations of COD (1829 mg/L), ammoniacal nitrogen (406.68 mg/L) and biodegradability value (0.08) respectively. The optimal reduction condition of COD and ammoniacal nitrogen was obtained at 200 rpm shaken speed, 120 minute shaken time, optimum green mussel and zeolite mix ratio was 2.0:2.0, and pH 7. The isothermic study of adsorption shows that Langmuir is best suited for experimental results in terms of Freundlich model. The mixing media also provided promising results to treating leachate. This would be greatly applicable in conventionally minimizing zeolite use and thereby lowering the operating cost of leachate treatment.Implications: The concentration of organic constituents (COD) and ammoniacal nitrogen in stabilized landfill leachate have significant strong influences of human health and environmental. The combination of mixing media green mussel and zeolite adsorbent COD and ammoniacal nitrogen reduction efficiency from leachate. This would be greatly applicable in future research era as well as conventionally minimizing high cost materials like zeolite use and thereby lowering the operating cost of leachate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The stormwater management in construction site is an important, complicate and time-consuming task that relates to huge amount of information, data, domain law, and expert knowledge and experience in terms of environmental protection, soil erosion, and receiving water protection. This paper presents an expert system “RP3CA” that is used to mitigate stormwater pollution during construction activities. A most important function of the RP3CA is its user interface, which utilizes Geographic Information System functions as a supportive component to display spatial maps. Decision tables and trees are used to acquire expert knowledge and experience. Certainty Factor is used for measuring the expert belief or disbelief of the system rules. Opinion integration of multiple experts is obtained by application of Expert Choice software where various alternatives are available. Assessment suggestions and results are derived utilizing a forward chaining inference mechanism. Unit testing, integrated testing, system testing, two test cases, comparison of system results, internal experts, and external experts, reviewers feedback by system application, and validation of system reasoning are used to demonstrate the proposed RP3CA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Optimism in the power of religion to create large-scale and deep-seated ecological transformation plus the strong religious socio-demographics of the country has encouraged policy ideas in enhancing the role of religious communities in the adoption of environmental practices in Malaysia. However, these are mostly discussed at the theoretical and conceptual level with little systematic empirical observation on the ground. Moreover, discussion on the role of religious communities in municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is extremely limited in the mainstream literature, with only a few exceptions. This paper is aimed at reducing this gap by providing early empirical evidence on the potential role of religious communities in enhancing public adoption of recycling as a form of environmental practice. From a set of successful cases in Malaysia, it was observed that the advantages such communities possess can be viewed in several ways: the systematic way in which they operate, their ability to conduct long-term recycling programmes, the advantages of using their institutional structure as a conducive platform for recycling activities, their multiple motivational drivers for recycling and their collective potential to expand their programmes to the broader community. Hence, the findings have shown that the potential role of religious communities in environmental practices, such as recycling, has to go beyond general idealism on the positive influence of religious values/ethics on environmental protection – but due emphasis also needs to be given to the characteristics of each religious community, and how these can be useful in supporting different aspects of a recycling programme. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper aims to present Malaysia''s green developments, focusing on the National Green Technology Policy and Green Building Index which have been introduced since 2009. Various green initiatives and their progresses to date will be discussed as well as the key implementing green agencies. The benefits of going green to the country and incentives being offered by the Malaysian Government are also presented. The prospect of a green future in Malaysia, spurred by the worldwide outlook towards sustainable development and environmental preservation is very bright. Pursuing green technology in economic and social developments not only helps sustain the non-renewable fuels, safeguards and minimises the environmental degradation due to carbon emissions, it also creates a strong green economy and industry, inline with the country''s vision as well as the rest of the world economies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

After the 1970s, Malaysia''s economy diversified from agriculture into manufacturing. The manufacturing sector''s contribution grew from a mere 13.4% of the total GDP in 1970, to 30.3% of the GDP in 2007. Realising that increasing industrialisation causes threats to the environment, Malaysia has always emphasised environmental protection. The 2008 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) study carried out by Yale University and Columbia University ranked Malaysia 26th out of 149 countries that participated in the study. However, there are still a number of challenges that need immediate attention, particularly issues pertaining to chemical management. Several initiatives pertaining to chemical management are currently carried out by various agencies across government, private sector and civil society but these initiatives take a sectoral approach. Several structures are suggested towards the establishment of a sound chemical management system (CMS) in Malaysia, namely the gazetting of a Chemical Act, the establishment of a designated Chemical Authority and the development of a Malaysian Chemical Database (MyCD). A set of economic policy instruments is also prescribed in this paper to aid the appropriate authorities in their efforts to materialize a sound chemical management system in Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Understanding youth environmental volunteering participation is a crucial strategy for building a citizenry that can contribute to environmental conservation efforts. Thus, this research investigated the environmental volunteering values orientation held by Malay Muslim youths in Malaysia that motivated them to engage in environmental volunteering programmes. This study started with semi-structured interviews which were then followed by a survey. The interviews were conducted with 10 participants who are environmental volunteers. Based on the interview findings, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to 267 Malay Muslim environmental volunteers. The results revealed there are four values highly held by the Malay Muslim environmental volunteers that motivated them to participate in environmental volunteering, namely religious, biospheric, altruistic, and egoistic values, in that order. For this reason, there is a need to integrate religious values in environmental volunteering program to encourage communities to jointly engage in environmental conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental damage and climate change consequences are affecting the health and well-being of many people throughout the world. However as compared to adults, children are more susceptible to environmental hazards because of their unique physiological, developmental and metabolic needs causing them to face a greater risk if exposed to pollution. While imperative actions are persistently being taken by countries globally to address environmental and climate change concerns, confronting these issues in the era of COVID-19 could be more complex due to implications and unprecedented challenges associated with the pandemic. In relation to children, while they are not a category at risk from a medical viewpoint, they are nevertheless not standing on an equal footing in facing environmental consequences of the pandemic effects. In responding to the interlinkages of COVID-19 crisis, environmental degradation, and children's protection, the article examines provisions of the Child Act 2001 which is the most important legislation in Malaysia on children. The article then examines related policies and international law which provide the foundation of the objectives of the Act. It is imperative that, during the time when new threats to children's wellbeing keep occurring, policies and international law principles are revisited and comprehended to support the law in securing protective actions for children and in constructing a new normal for the purpose of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the sustainable transport policy framework in the case of railway development in Klang Valley, Malaysia. It is guided by the main principle that sustainable transport policy is a result of the integration of broad policy instruments that range from infrastructure provision and management, technological improvements, regulation, information, awareness, education, and pricing and taxation. Although this study is mainly qualitative, performance data available at the ASEAN Statistics Division, World Bank Open Data and Global Competitiveness Reports. This is followed by in-person interviews with experts who have vast knowledge, experience, and direct participation in sustainable railway development in Malaysia, especially those related to the Klang Valley development. The main findings have indicated that the current framework in Malaysia meets the criteria of sustainable development policy framework, which are essentially constituted within environmental protection. It also constitutes the pursuance of long-term growth in terms of economic and societal needs. Nonetheless, the rail-based transit system in Malaysia is highly driven by the Government and there is no clear sign indicating that the public is shifting from the road and private transport to rail-based services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia is locked in a huge battle over how it should manage the creeping trend of plastic waste dumps in the country. Huge tonnes of waste dumped on its soil have led to the formation of plastic trash mountains in some parts of the country. The setting often orchestrated by illegal waste factories seems far from the safe and secure haven the authorities are keen to portray. The study explores how this trend has been allowed to fester. It aims at the state of environmental governance in the country and addresses the pertinent issues confronting the country and the Southeast Asia region as a whole. The study finds that the lack of or inadequacy of collaborative efforts in monitoring and reporting detrimental activities on the environment as a basis for the present predicament of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As in many nations, air pollution linked to rapid industrialization is a public health and environmental concern in Malaysia, especially in cities. Understanding awareness of air pollution and support for environmental protection from the general public is essential for informing governmental approaches to dealing with this problem. This study presents a cross-sectional survey conducted in the Klang Valley and Iskandar conurbations to examine urban Malaysians’ perception, awareness and opinions of air pollution. The survey was conducted in two languages, English and Malay, and administered through the online survey research software, Qualtrics. The survey consisted of three sections, where we collected sociodemographic information, information on the public perception of air quality and the causes of air pollution, information on public awareness of air pollution and its related impacts, and information on attitudes towards environmental protection. Of 214 respondents, over 60% were positive towards the air quality at both study sites despite the presence of harmful levels of air pollution. The air in the Klang Valley was perceived to be slightly more polluted and causing greater health issues. Overall, the majority of respondents were aware that motor vehicles represent the primary pollution source, yet private transport was still the preferred choice of transportation mode. A generally positive approach towards environmental protection emerged from the data. However, participants showed stronger agreement with protection actions that do not involve individual effort. Nonetheless, we found that certain segments of the sample (people owning more than three vehicles per household and those with relatives who suffered from respiratory diseases) were significantly more willing to personally pay for environmental protection compared to others. Implications point to the need for actions for spreading awareness of air pollution to the overall population, especially with regards to its health risks, as well as strategies for increasing the perception of behavioural control, especially with regards to motor vehicles’ usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Threat posed by the heavy metals has been increasing globally rendering many water bodies unfit for human consumption. This could be due to the increase in concentrations of these metals above natural background. This article reviews the literature data on variation of water quality in rivers, lakes, and ex-mining ponds in Malaysia and other selected countries. World Health Organization (WHO), United States Environmental Protection Agency, and Malaysian water quality standards (INWQS) are used as the baseline for the pollution and health risk assessments. It illustrates that concentrations of Pb, Cd, and As in lakes and ex-mining ponds, and Mn, Cd and Pb in rivers exceed permissible limits for direct consumption. The levels of dissolved oxygen, TSS, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) are not within WHO and INWQS limits, pH of lakes and ex-mining ponds are lower than reference standards while that of rivers are high. Principal component analysis reveals that TSS, COD, BOD, Pb, and As are highly associated with ex-mining ponds. Cluster analysis shows similarity in pollution source between lake and ex-mining ponds. Risk assessment revealed that high chronic daily intake and metal index were beyond acceptable limit indicating high risk and exposure to toxic metals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]