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This paper is concerned with the relationship between child mortality and the use of health care. We develop a simultaneous model of fetal and postnatal mortality risks and input demand equations for prenatal medical care and institutional delivery. This model is applied to retrospective data from Peninsular Malaysia covering 1950-1988. The results show that prenatal medical care and institutional delivery have strong beneficial effects on child survival probabilities, and that these effects are substantially underestimated when adverse self-selection among users of health care is ignored. The effectiveness of prenatal health care in Malaysia improved until 1980, and then deteriorated. We find that the risk of infant and child mortality is not independent of fetal survival, but show that ignoring selective fetal survival introduces only mild biases in infant and child mortality estimation. Higher infant and child mortality rates among young mothers are partly explained by their lower likelihood of purchasing health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the progress made in Malaysia in implementing Chapter 17 in Agenda 21 since 1992. The progress is measured against the programme areas identified in Chapter 17 and the challenges which are faced by those involved in marine environment management in the country. In summary these challenges are reduction, prevention and elimination of marine pollution, improving the management of Malaysia's coastal areas, conservation of marine and coastal biological diversityand sustainable management of marine resources. As it stands there is no overall programme to implement Chapter 17 in Malaysia, and present activities consist of largely individual initiatives at agency or departmental level. The lack of integration and an overarching policyon marine matters in general, are found to be the main obstacles to marine environment protection. However, efforts are being made to at least identify and define key concepts such as integrated coastal zone management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some observers of agro-industrial development in the Third World recognize the nation state as an important locus for mediation of conflicts between different social forces but fail to analyze the regulatory mechanisms and their effect on the dynamics of particular agro-industries. This paper proposes an analytical model to study agro-industrial regulation in a national framework. The purpose is to investigatethe dynamics between changing forms of state regulation and particular industry governance system in the vegetable oil industry in Malaysia and Zimbabwe. State regulation and industry governance systems differ in a number of ways between the two countries. However, in each country there is a correspondence between the dominant form of state regulation and the industrial governance system. The study confronts some of the basic assumptions within the food regime approach and stress the need to incorporate the properties of the crops in the analysis of (agro-)industry governance systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Straits of Malacca is subjected to a great variety of environmental stresses due to its strategic location as a major international shipping lane and the concentration of agriculture, industry and urbanisation which predominate on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. This paper gives an overview of the study conducted in the Malacca Straits as part of the GEF/UNDP/IMO Regional Programme on the Preventionand Management of Marine Pollution in the East Asian Seas, in particular pertaining to the identification of land and sea-based sources of pollution in Malaysia which contributes to the pollution load in the Straits, as well as the assessment of the relative contribution of each source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on a larger ethnographic study of Bidayuh women who are a group of minority indigenous women in the Malaysian stat of Sarawak. The paper discusses women's entry into paid work and life-course squeezes. As the women earned a mere 39 per cent of their husbands' monthly wages even though they had the same years of schooling if not more than their husbands, the women's views on work and marriage are examined. The paper also explores the feminist question as to whether women's employment increases their personal autonomy and independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the use of merger and separation as a textual construction of a nation. According to the author the history is not neutral. It is rendered ideological by the very act of being conveyed in a narrative form for language is both the purveyer of meaning and the principle locus of ideology. The paper explores the idea of history as discourse, and its deployment in the cultural symbolic construction of Singapore. To this end, the author has chosen to analyze a key moment for Singapore history, the years 1963-65, when Singapore for first merged with the nation of Malaysia and then separated form it. The way that these events are described in official histories is used by the government of Singapore to justify the policy of multiracialism, which also serves as a legimitating device confirming the state in its political and ideological hegemony. The author thus has examined the events through the analysis of local newspapers, to see in what ways their reporting may be helped to mould popular understandings to what was happening.

Transnational processes and imaginings valorise the putative cultural networks, connections and affinities of Malaysia's 'non-Malay' (Indian and Chinese) communities. In this paper, I argue that this signals neither the end of nation building—which naturalised such communal difference in the first place—nor of the nation-state as a social, political and economic actor. Rather, attention is given to discursive practices through which the state seeks to !reposition' Malaysia in/for the 'networked' information economy and society. Multicultural 'rescripting' of the nation/national identity is thus highlighted as part of broader state strategies to negotiate, facilitate and capitalise upon transnational phenomena. Increasing state emphasis on multiculturalism unsettles Malay-centred constructions of post-colonial national identity. However, the paper cautions against a celebration of the high-profile accorded to multiculturalism in 'information age' Malaysia. The Malay !special position' continues and the lowering of ethnic barriers in various domains remains dependent upon domestic political contest. In addition, the socio-economic benefits of less Malay-centred state means of development associated with Malaysia's 'k-economy' push are highly uneven. Non-Malays wooed to the high-tech show- case Multimedia Super Corridor are a highly-skilled professional elite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Malaysia's attempt to join the 'information society' and 'knowledge economy' by embarking on the ambitious Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) is mapped out and analysed. The discussion is framed in the context of globalization, modernity and the situation in other Muslim societies. Notwithstanding the present national skepticism regarding the MSC, the project has been reasonably well designed and launched. But it is, in the final analysis, only a part of the larger structure of national innovation systems that function equally as 'engines of economic growth.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia is the major producer of palm oil in the world. It produces 8.5 million tonnes per year (8.5×106 t y−1) of palm oil from 38.6×106 t y−1 of fresh fruit bunches. Palm oil production generates large amounts of process residues such as fibre (5.4×106 t y−1), shell (2.3×106 t y−1), and empty fruit bunches (8.8×106 t y−1). A large fraction of the fibre and much of the shell are used as fuel to generate process steam and electricity in the palm processing mill itself. However, much is wasted by pile burning in the open air with attendant air pollution, dumped in areas adjacent to the mill, or utilized as manure in the palm oil plantation. In this paper, an attempt has been made to convert these residues into solid fuel. The palm shell and fibre is densified into briquettes of diameter 40, 50 and 60 mm under moderate pressure of 5–13.5 MPa in a hydraulic press. Experiments are carried out to determine density, durability, impact and compressive strength of the briquettes. The heating value, burning characteristics, ash and moisture content are other objects of the study. A relationship between press pressure and the briquette density has been established. The produced briquettes have densities between 1100 and 1200 kg m−3. The briquettes properties are quite good with good resistance to mechanical disintegration, and will withstand wetting. The gross calorific value is about 16.4 MJ kg−1 (maf), and the ash content is about 6% and the equilibrium moisture content is about 12%. Further work is required to acquire complete understanding of the densification process before good quality and durable briquettes could be made free from cracks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper outlines the development of renewable energy in Malaysia and the institutional framework to support it. The incentives provided for renewable energy are grouped into two categories. Under the Promotion of Investment Act, the incentives granted are pioneer status, investment tax allowance and reinvestment allowance. Depending on the modality of the investment an investor can opt for any of these incentives. Incentives are also given under the approved service projects such as transportation, communications and utility projects, whereby promoters under this category can enjoy tax exemption under Section 127 and investment allowance under Schedule 7B of the Income Tax Act 1967. The barriers to the promotion of renewable energy technologies and the measures to overcome them are also discussed. The paper finally discusses the source-specific concerns and recommended measures to develop renewable energy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Because of the rapid economic growth in the past, the usage of residential electrical appliances for the last two decades has increased rapidly in Malaysia. Like other developing countries with hot and humid climates, she has been experiencing dramatic growth in the number of air conditioners used from 13,251 units in 1970 to 253,399 in 1991, and it will be about 1,511,276 in the year 2020. In order to reduce energy consumption in the residential sector, the Department of Electricity and Gas Supply, Malaysia, considers implementing energy labels for household electrical appliances, including room air conditioners, sometime in the coming year. The purpose of the energy labels is to provide consumers a guideline to compare the size, features, price and efficiency of the appliance. This paper attempts to propose an energy label for room air conditioners in this country based on survey data. This label is also suitable for other appliances without major modification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As a result of rapid economic growth in the past, the usage of residential electrical appliances for the last two decades has increased rapidly in Malaysia. Like other developing countries with hot and humid climates, she has been experiencing dramatic growth in the number of air conditioners from 13,251 units in 1970 to 253,399 in 1991, and it will be about 1,511,276 in the year 2020. In order to reduce energy consumption in the residential sector, the Department of Electricity and Gas Supply considers implementing energy labels for household electrical appliances, including room air conditioners, sometime in the coming year. The purpose of the energy labels is to provide consumers a guideline to compare the energy efficiency of the appliances. This paper attempts to calculate the potential electricity savings by implementing energy labels for room air conditioners in this country. The potential electricity savings is predicted based on three scenarios, namely, minimum expected, nominal and maximum expected. The study found that in the energy savings view point, introducing energy labels for this appliance is very beneficial in this country. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reports on the results of a short-term observation of CO2 flux above a tropical forest at Pasoh in Peninsular Malaysia, using the eddy covariance method with a closed-path CO2 analyzer, in March 1998. CO2 concentration profiles above and in a canopy were also measured. In the daytime, the time series of fluctuations in CO2 concentration above the forest drew the ramp pattern with a period of 2 min. This suggests that large-scale turbulent motions contribute to CO2 flux in the daytime. We obtained data on the CO2 flux for 6 days and CO2 storage flux under the flux measurement level for 3 days in this observation. The values of the CO2 flux fell within −1.0 to 0.5 mg CO2 m−2 s−1. Net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) was estimated as the sum of the CO2 flux and the CO2 storage flux. Compared with the CO2 flux, the CO2 storage flux was relatively large in the early morning and the nighttime, therefore, the storage flux became important to estimate the NEE in those periods. The daily values of the NEE ranged from −2.08 to −2.74 g C m−2 per day. The results suggest that this tropical forest was a CO2 sink during the period. Although we tired to calculate the mass flow component proposed by Lee [Agric. For. Meteorol. 91 (1998) 39], the magnitudes of the mass flow obtained here were, from 5.20 to 12.55 g C m−2 per day, much larger than the magnitudes of the NEE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Looking at crisis responses in the Philippines and Malaysia, this paper will analyse how state-based banking policy elites in both states used the 1997–2000 crisis to radically accelerate pre-crisis policy directions that were opposed by local banking institutions and their peak associations. Drawing on empirical evidence and policy reform theory, the paper will detail how these elites used both their ability to define the nature of the 1997–2000 crisis and the appropriate responses, and their control of the executive to accelerate these directions and minimize the voice of local banking players. In the case of Malaysia, the banking policy direction to be analyzed will be banking sector consolidation, while for the Philippines it will be foreign entry and equity participation in the local banking sector. Moving away from the singular domestic focus of much policy reform literature, this paper will attempt to develop a two-level model for these crisis-driven policy accelerations. To do this, it will look at the use by these state elites of their relationships with the IMF and their banking policy obligations of the GATS as the rationale for acceleration and as the rationale for their overriding of local banking interests. This incorporation of external actors and changes to the international political economy should allow for a more nuanced and well-rounded understanding of these specific elements of the 1997–2000 crisis response, as well as the political economy of policy reform in general for both Malaysia and the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globalisation of economies offers new opportunities to both developed and developing countries in terms of promoting growth, improving income, and reducing poverty and inequality. However, it has also given rise to labour flexibility, wage depression, and eroded important elements of redistribution and weakened social protection systems. The 1997–1998 financial crisis in Southeast and Northeast Asia further exposed important limitations in the ability of such existing systems to cope with the crisis. This paper identifies new forms of economic insecurities generated by the renewed growth of labour flexibility as globalisation weakens the basis of social partnership and tripartism. It examines Malaysia's development experience, the impact of the crisis on workers' economic security, and assesses the adequacy of existing social protection programmes in its response to new types of economic insecurities generated by globalisation. It argues that these issues need to be addressed in formulating policies to ensure equitable social development in Malaysia in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Malaysian economy has grown rapidly in the last two decades. This growth has increased the ownership of household electrical appliances, especially refrigerator-freezers. Almost every house in Malaysia owns a refrigerator-freezer. The Malaysia Energy Center considered implementing a minimum energy efficiency standard for household refrigerator-freezers sometime in the coming year. This paper attempts to predict the amount of energy savings in the residential sector by implementing a minimum energy efficiency standard for household refrigerator-freezers. The calculations are based on the growth of refrigerator-freezer ownership data in Malaysian households. By implementing the programs in 2004, about 8722 GWh will be saved in the year 2013. Therefore, efficiency improvement of this appliance will provide a significant impact in future electricity consumption in Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The recent policy of the Malaysian government to promote use of renewable, especially photovoltaic, energy has warranted a feasibility study on supplementing diesel generation in off-grid sites by solar (photovoltaic) electricity to be done in the Malaysian context. This paper addresses the technical viability and economy of using a photovoltaic (PV) system to supplement an existing diesel generator-based supply in a typical secondary school located at an interior, off-grid and rural site of Sarawak state in East Malaysia. The findings of the present study, would therefore, help the Government with a realistic picture of the techno-economic aspects in implementing its vision regarding renewable energy. Presently, a 150 kW diesel generator supplies electricity to the considered school. The study required simulation of the load sharing pattern of the PV–diesel hybrid system taking into account varied weather and insolation conditions of the chosen site. Also, the purchase price as well as the size of the supplementing PV system that would give the lowest life cycle cost have been determined. The PV system was considered in both forms, i.e. with and without battery back-up. It has been found that if the market price for purchasing a PV system would drop to RM 11.02/WP (Ringgit Malaysia; US$1.00=RM 3.80) i.e. US$2.90/WP, a 35 kWP PV system without battery back-up in conjunction with the diesel generator would be able to supply the selected school’s demand at a marginally lower energy cost than the existing diesel-only system. With continuous research and developments, PV price would keep falling in the near future so that a PV–diesel hybrid system with a higher sized PV is expected to be economically more viable. The reported feasibility study can serve as a guideline for making similar studies in the context of another off-grid site. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Knowledge has been widely recognised as the most important factor of production in a "new economy". The production, dissemination and utilisation of knowledge are therefore essential for development. Some countries, Malaysia among others, have embarked on an ambitious plan to use knowledge as a base for economic development, by-passing earlier stages of industrialisation. Some commentators have, in contrast, asserted "that it is doubtful that the knowledge revolution will let developing countries leapfrog to higher levels of development" as "the knowledge economy will actually expand the gap between rich and poor" (Persaud, 2001:108). The paper discusses this controversy by arguing that the knowledge-gap (k-gap) is in fact a precondition for development. It is, however, no natural phenomenon but it is constructed by experts and governments. Socio-economic indicators are used to show that the existing global knowledge gap is widening between Southeast Asia and the OECD countries and within ASEAN Malaysia, whose government has pursued a vigorous strategy of knowledge development is moving ahead of other ASEAN nations, but falling behind industrialised countries. Factors explaining the situation are outlined in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article highlights the workshop "Women, Youth and Children in Muslim Countries: Between Democracy and War," which was jointly organized by the Academy of Social Sciences and Women's Development Research Center, held at the Universiti Sains Malaysia, on December 23, 2002. The title of the workshop cum seminar captures the dilemma faced by Muslims in a campaign against terror. The exercise of pointing to the shortcomings of Western models of development and shifting from Eurocentric views were the prominent themes of the papers presented in the workshop. Local traditions acquire prominence in the exercise of exposing alternative perspectives. The civilizing role of religion becomes the basis of a dialogue between civilizations. A high priority is given to education as a means to introduce the alternative ways of doing and understanding life and the world. Education, through school and university curricula, becomes interconnected in a project to create a more tolerant society and world. The desire to break away from Eurocentricism and Western knowledge systems is a struggle in many parts of the developing world as the contradictions of capitalist modernity are made obvious.

This paper addresses issues on sustainable biomass production for energy in Malaysia. Three biomass demand scenarios, viz. incremental biomass demand, sustainable biomass demand and full biomass demand are introduced. In order to meet these demands, two surplus land availability scenarios (Scenarios I and II) are also introduced. In Scenario I, it is assumed that the area under plantation will remain constant and 100% of surplus land is available for plantation, while Scenario II considers a 25% increase of food production and a reduction of the potential surplus land available by the same proportion. The land area to meet the demands for fuelwood, sawn wood, and industrial wood are estimated and by deducting this area from total surplus land, the land area available for energy plantations are estimated. By subjecting these lands to different forestry and productivity options, sustainable biomass productions for energy are estimated. Each plantation option is also evaluated using the financial viability of the system. By identifying appropriate technologies for electricity generation, the energy potential of biomass produced is estimated. The annual electricity generation potential from incremental biomass demand under land Scenarios I and II are 1.66 and 0.38 TWh yr−1, respectively. There is insufficient surplus land for dedicated energy plantations for both the sustainable biomass demand and full biomass demand scenarios under the two biomass production (land) scenarios. This paper finally discusses the barriers and policy options for energy plantations and recommends some strategies to promote them. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The process of development control involves a technique for the systematic compilation of expert quantitative analysis and qualitative assessment of project land use and property development viability, including its effect on the surrounding area, and the presentation of results in a way that enables the importance of the predicted results, and the scope of modifying or mitigating them to be properly evaluated by the relevant decision making body before a planning permission is rendered. Taking the local authorities in Malaysia as an example, this paper will discuss and demonstrate the development of a GIS database and its integration and application for development and building control. The first part of the paper examines the functions of local authorities particularly in the context of development control. In this study, the procedure involved in granting a planning permission as well as enforcement becomes the main focus because it determines the bulk of the system design. The study identifies seven sub-systems namely planning permission, building control, planning enforcement, geospatial database, information kiosk, document processing and presentation sub-systems. The system is developed using a combination of office automation, CAD, GIS, multimedia and other software packages. This paper will focus on the development of the GIS for the purpose of development control. The components of the GIS database include land information, buildings, existing developments, planning information, development plans, utilities, community facilities, transportation, environment and the socio-economy database. The GIS database will be used at every stage of development control, for example, in initial discussions, registration, invitation of objections, the development control process, the consideration by Technical Committee and the consideration by Planning Committee. It is anticipated that the GIS database could be used by many parties involved in the process as a reference point in evaluating a planning submission. Having access to the database will provide flexibility in assessing a proposed development and deciding on the overall urban growth management programme in the most cost-effective manner. The system will also provide transparency and consistency in the development control procedure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents general equilibrium evaluations of forest sector trade for Southeast Asian exporters. The four scenarios examined range from the 1994 Uruguay Round tariff reductions to a complete liberalisation of forest and agricultural products trade. We find that simultaneous reductions in forest and agricultural sector tariffs make Indonesia and Malaysia worse off. For Indonesia, this is due to the fall in forest rent and agricultural tariff revenues. Malaysia has the highest ratio of agricultural imports to total land-based sector imports, the rise in agricultural prices thus hits Malaysian consumers the hardest.We find that terms of trade effect omitted from the partial equilibrium framework may reduce the welfare calculations for Malaysia and Indonesia in the forest sector trade by as much as 106 and 58%, respectively. This points to the importance of general equilibrium modelling in the logging industry. The same applies to other sector specific analyses where trade is concentrated between few countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Allele frequencies for the 15 STR loci in the AmpFlSTR Identifiler kit were determined and compared for the three main ethnic groups of the Malaysian population comprising 210 Malays, 219 Chinese and 209 Indians. Blood was placed on FTA® paper and DNA was purified in-situ. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper is about predicting the average conventional energy conversion by a photovoltaic system in Malaysia. The calculation is based on average number of days in a month. Average hourly energy flows are estimated based on knowledge of array test parameters, monthly average of hourly ambient temperature and monthly average of daily hemispherical radiation. The monthly average of diffuse component of radiation can be predicted based on hemispherical radiation, by using an appropriate empirical correlation related to the monthly average of diffuse fraction to monthly average of clearness index. The values of hourly average radiation are estimated based on a statistical model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The average amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in Malaysia is 0.5–0.8 kg/person/day and has increased to 1.7 kg/person/day in major cities. This paper highlights the MSW characteristics for the city of Kuala Lumpur. Currently, the waste management approach being employed is landfill, but due to rapid development and lack of space for new landfills, big cities in Malaysia are switching to incineration. A simple evaluation was conducted to establish the amount of energy that would be recovered based on the characteristics of the MSW if it were to be incinerated. From the characterization exercise, the main components of the Malaysian MSW were found to be food, paper and plastic, which made up almost 80% of the waste by weight. The average moisture content of the MSW was about 55%, making incineration a challenging task. The calorific value of the Malaysian MSW ranged between 1500 and 2600 kcal/kg. However, the energy potential from an incineration plant operating based on 1500 ton of MSW/day with an average calorific value of 2200 kcal/kg is assessed to be at 640 kW/day. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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]

The perception that better information on environment and development is the determinant of effective rational decision- and policy-making processes provide the impetus for global interest in the use of sustainable development indicators (SDIs). Accordingly, proposals for SDIs are framed either on organisational goals or on disciplinary and multidisciplinary theories—aiming to reduce uncertainties in choosing the best alternative among a set of options concerning sustainability. Despite the fact that many SDI initiatives are explicitly aimed at improving policy-making, it is not apparent that political settings and organisational realities are taken into consideration in designing the framework for sustainability assessment. Ignoring the realities of policy-making dynamics can result in poor institutionalisation of the SDI development process, and therefore reduced impact of indicators. Linkage of SDIs to policy processes must also take into account the complex role of information in policy processes. The importance of societal values, cultural contexts and behaviour of bureaucracies must be understood and used to assist the assessment of progress towards sustainability using SDIs. Essentially, objective knowledge must be tampered with pragmatism in governance. This paper highlights the case of SDI development in the state of Selangor where the notion of instrumental rationality is balanced with the ‘incrementalism’ of the policy process that provided the foundation for institutionalising the reporting and use of SDIs. The ideals and paradoxes of participatory decision-making, the principles of the rational model and decision-making processes within a state government are critically examined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Sustainable ecosystem management of Acacia mangium plantation, the area of which is rapidly increasing in the tropics, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, becomes more and more important. In this context, abundance, biomass and vertical distribution of soil macro-invertebrates were investigated in a mature plantation of A. mangium in Sarawak, Malaysia. In the present paper, in order to reveal the changes in soil macro-fauna caused by conversion of natural forests to A. mangium plantations, the results were compared with those from a nearby primary forest. While total abundance of soil macro-invertebrates was similar, total biomass was much larger in the plantation than in the primary forest. The prominent factor for such a large total biomass in the plantation was the high abundance of earthworms, followed by isopods and harvestmen with much smaller contributions. The common feature of the communities of these three taxa in the plantation was the absolute dominance by single species. The dominant earthworm species was of the endogeic type that was absent from the primary forest and thought to be introduced with A. mangium seedlings from outside. The isopod flushed in the plantation was a pill bug that occurred in the primary forest, too, and might have been pre-adapted to the vegetation change. The dominant harvestman in the plantation was of the life form different from that of the other species found, and was thought to be supported by the explosive increase in biomass of earthworm and/or pill bug. On the other hand, communities of termites, ants, fly larvae, click beetle larvae and other beetle larvae were depressed by the vegetation change. Thus the major consequence of the conversion of natural forest to A. mangium plantation was simplification of community structure in many taxonomic groups. The major points of the simplification in turn were the explosive increase in biomass of the soil processing earthworm and the litter processing pill bug which may accelerate the mineralization processes. The need for a careful monitoring on sustainability of soil fertility was concluded. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Synopsis: In the literature on household gendered work, women are conceptualized as ‘producers’ while men are conceptualized as ‘consumers’ of women''s services. Rather than contest this argument, this paper shows that food may be used for a myriad of purposes, whether to resist, maneuver, change, express, and even reinforce the sexual division of labour. Specifically, conversations with 20 middle-class South Indian women residing in Klang Valley show that they derive personal gains from food production as it facilitates in the construction of gender and class identities. Although women''s attitudes and practices generally reproduce the dominant gender ideology, they do not perceive foodmaking as a form of gender subjugation since this role is coloured by how the ‘self’ is constructed. Furthermore, women view this role to be a significant cultural value, which may be continuously adapted, reproduced, modified, revised, recreated, and elaborated in whichever way they feel befits the situation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents and analyses the possibility of Malaysian e-consumers filing a lawsuit in a Malaysian court for various breaches that might occur in entering and executing e-Commerce transactions. It further considers the jurisdiction of the Malaysian courts in granting judgement and its enforcement. The analytical discussion in this paper requires definitions of civil jurisdiction, relevant laws in Malaysia and other jurisdictional issues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper aims to look mainly into perceived benefits derived from ISO 14001 registrations for firms with in a newly industrialized country like Malaysia. The results of a survey on Malaysian firms registered with ISO 14001 indicate that there were benefits to be gained from implementing ISO 14000 Standards. Generally, the benefits were rather similar to those documented for companies that adopted ISO 14000 in industrialized countries. ISO 14000 implementation was crucial in bringing about effective environmental management, and reduction of damage to the environment, as well as improvement of the company''s image and operations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a geographic information system (GIS)-based multi-criteria decision making approach for forest conservation planning at a landscape scale. This approach enables decision makers to evaluate the relative priorities of conserving forest areas based on a set of preferences, criteria and indicators for the area. Compromise programming techniques are used to integrate the forest conservation priority maps of decision groups where a separation distance is calculated. A clustering analysis was applied to identify potential conservation areas as the basis of delineating potential new protected areas. The study was conducted in the Kinabalu area, Sabah, Malaysia where two polygons neighboring the Kinabalu Park were delineated. A group of 11 polygons totaling 2050 ha has also been detected in the western part of Kinabalu Park. The study recommends the inclusion of a forest polygon (359 ha) neighboring Kinabalu Park and another (4361 ha) to the west of the park as new protected areas. A green corridor linking the potential new protected areas and Kinabalu Park should also be constructed to facilitate animal movement and interaction. This study reveals that riparian vegetation is an important aspect to forest conservation and the legislation to protect riparian zones should be strengthened. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The popularization of 24h pay-TV, interactive video games, web-TV, VCD and DVD in Malaysia are poised to have a large impact on overall TV electricity consumption in the country. With the increasing of overall TV energy consumption, energy efficiency standards are one of highly effective policies for decreasing electricity consumption in the residential sector. Energy efficiency standards are also capable of reducing consumer''s electricity bill and contribute towards positive environmental impacts. This paper attempts to predict the amount of energy that can be saved in the residential sector by implementing minimum energy efficiency standard for television sets in Malaysia. Over the past 30 years, television ownership in Malaysian residents has increased from 186,036units in 1970 to 2,741,640units in 1991. This figure is expected to reach 6,201,316 units in the year 2010. Hence, efficiency improvement for this appliance will have a significant impact on the future of electricity consumption in this country. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Direct competition between full service airlines and no-frills carriers is intensifying across the world. US and European full service airlines have lost a significant proportion of their passengers to low cost carriers, the experience now being repeated in the domestic markets of Asia. This paper attempts to provide answers to a number of critical questions: What are the key drivers of each type of airline''s business model? Is there a difference in passengers’ perceptions between low cost carriers and full service incumbents in a mature European market and in a rapidly developing Asian economy? What are the principle reasons why a passenger chooses a particular airline model? How could a legacy carrier encourage passengers to return and so regain their domestic market share? These questions are addressed using information obtained in passenger surveys that were recently conducted in Europe and Asia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Due to the large capital investment and high risk generally associated with space activities only a limited number of countries have been able to benefit from the use of space technology. Space technology is often seen as an important tool to allow the transition from a developing country to a developed country. As Malaysia''s vision is to be a developed country by 2020, it need to enhance the capability and capacity of its space technology at an accelerated pace. At this stage, Malaysia can be considered as new in space activities, since the first satellite successfully launched into orbit was only in 1997. This paper describes a microsatellite project undertaken in a university environment in Malaysia by the School of Aerospace Engineering from the University of Sains Malaysia (USM) where the students will be participating in the development and operations. Such involvement aim at forming an integral part of the students education extending the traditional way of teaching with practical classes thus providing hands-on experience and offering skills and experience needed by the future Malaysian space workforce, and to expand Malaysian space capacity building. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The marketing of tourism and hospitality product to any country or market segment is associated with the interest generated and/or attitude of buyers. So, why is it that despite proximity and availability of direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Darwin (capital city of the Northern Territory of Australia) very few outbound West Malaysians visit Darwin? This paper draws upon the responses of 675 West Malaysians and attempts to highlight their attitude towards choosing the Northern Territory of Australia for a holiday. The findings show that West Malaysians enjoy mental relaxation and exploration while on holiday. They are mostly very family and relationship building oriented people as evidenced by the responses. The findings of the study also reveal their interest to visit Australia and the Northern Territory. Thus, it is concluded that structural factors may inhibit behaviours in spite of the existence of favourable intentions to visit. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Despite soil piping being increasingly reported from the humid tropics, quantitative assessments of the role of pipeflow in runoff generation and sediment supply in humid tropical catchments remain lacking. This paper assesses pipeflow and streamflow suspended sediment dynamics in small humid tropical rainforest catchments in Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Pipeflow and streamflow in two small catchments were continuously monitored between December 2002 and June 2004 using pressure-transducer probes behind V-notch weirs; suspended sediment was continuously monitored with turbidity probes. Monthly flow and sediment load data show that a single monitored pipe in one catchment accounted for 47.2% of a stream''s discharge and 21.6% of the suspended sediment load over the monitoring period. Anecdotal evidence from unmonitored pipes suggests the total contribution from pipes to streamflow discharge and sediment loads may be much higher. In general, absolute monthly pipe and stream sediment yields increase with monthly rainfall and pipe or stream discharge. Fourteen storm event responses are considered in detail. Pipe and stream discharge-suspended sediment responses to storm events are rapid and are characterised by clockwise hysteresis. An inverse relationship between the percent contribution of sediment to streamflow from a monitored pipe and rainfall intensity was identified, indicating that in large, intense rainstorms other sediment sources (including slopewash and unmonitored pipes) become more important. Mechanisms of pipe discharge and suspended sediment generation are discussed and implications for future runoff, sediment and channel development models are briefly outlined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to describe the evolution and future tasks of occupational health services (OHS) in Malaysia. The initiatives to develop a more systematic and comprehensive OHS have become more prominent after Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 with appointment of competent persons to conduct specific task. Various professional groups have been identified and their roles are clearly outlined in the Guidelines on Occupational Health Services which was recently launched. Collaboration and coordination by all the OHS providers, both government and private agencies is essential to ensure efficient OHS delivery. However, more need to be done to enhance OHS in the country particularly to develop a better system of OHS delivery and participation from the industry and other stakeholders. In conclusion, comprehensive, well designed and accessible occupational health services are important to ensure the health and safety of the workforce. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Construction waste is becoming a serious environmental problem in many large cities in the world. In Malaysia, the construction industry generates lots of construction waste which caused significant impacts on the environment and aroused growing public concern in the local community. Thus, the minimisation of construction wastes has become a pressing issue. This paper is based on a case study which involved construction waste generation and composition as well as reuse and recycling in the site. The case study also analysed the economic feasibility of waste minimisation such as reusing and recycling of construction waste materials by performing a benefit–cost analysis. This study provides an idea of the amount of waste generation, sources and compositions as well as reuse and recycling of materials on the construction sites taking into account the economic dimension. The study shows that waste minimisation is economically feasible and also plays an important role for the improvement of environmental management. In this view, economic instruments for minimising construction waste can be used to raise revenue for environmental policy, encourage prevention efforts, serve to discourage the least desirable disposal practices, as well as to avoid the negative consequences of environmental unfriendly treatment and disposal practices of construction waste materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: For Malaysian adolescents, writing in English covers various forms and serves a range of purposes. Outside the formal school context, students engage in more personalized forms of writing. This paper examines one such form, namely, the writing of short messages, using a sociocultural perspective of literacy as a social discursive practice that implicates identity construction. This paper draws on a larger qualitative study which looked at school and personal writing by a class of Form 4 (Year 10) students in an urban school in Malaysia. Data were taken mainly from student interviews and students’ written products during six months of fieldwork. Findings from the study showed students’ informal writing involved new hybrid forms of English and included the use of a mixture of short forms, “Penang English” and Net English. This study has implications for the English literacy education of Malaysian high school students learning ESL while immersed in a contemporary digital and Internet culture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Depression and erectile dysfunction (ED) are common in aging and the two conditions often co-exist. These conditions have been shown to be associated with hormonal changes in men. This paper examines the association between depression, ED, and hormonal status of men aged above 50 years in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Methods: Five hundred men aged 50 years and above were randomly selected via the electoral roll and invited to participate in a community-based study on men''s health: 351 men responded. Respondents were interviewed individually based on a self-developed questionnaire, which included information on socio-demographic data. Erectile function was measured using the International Index for Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and depression was measured using the 15 item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). Results: Sixty-nine percent of the men were diagnosed with ED. Mean GDS score was 3.33 (SD=3.29). Nineteen percent (n =67) of the men had abnormal levels of testosterone (≤11nmol/l) and this comprised 73% of men with ED (n =49) and 27% of men without ED (n =18). There was no significant association between testosterone level and ED (χ2 =0.68, p =0.41). Significant association was found between depression (GDS≥5) and men with ED (χ2 =6.07, p =0.014). Sex hormone binding globulin and luteinising hormone were negatively correlated with erectile function. Results of the multiple linear regression showed that age and depression are predictors of erectile function. Conclusion: Depression and ED should be screened for when either exists in the male patient and treatment directed accordingly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper compares performance of domestic and foreign banks in Malaysia during the Asian crisis. We find that foreign banks were not a homogeneous group: while banks with a stronger regional focus suffered from the crisis as much as domestic banks, foreign banks not focused on Asia performed significantly better. The key difference appears to be exposure to sectors hurt by the bursting of the asset price bubble. Availability of support from parent banks, likelihood of being bailed out, or political connections do not seem to explain the differences. Theories of managerial herding may explain why non-regional foreign banks were not caught in the financial bubble. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper is an empirical study examining the adequacy of the planning approach and establishment types in developing rural tourism in Malaysia with a focus on rural capacity to absorb tourism. It explores the policy background that encourages the growth of rural tourism and highlights issues and factors hampering the involvement of rural communities in tourism. Three illustrations, which are drawn from Kedah State, involve the investigations of regional planning initiatives, remote resort establishments and a home-stay programme. Views of stakeholders, the planning agencies, tourism industry and communities, concerning their expectations, development initiatives, and responses to address concerns of tourism, are examined. Results indicate that the current development irony arises because of the insufficient attention to local capacity building, reluctance to integrate local settlements and a misplaced notion of professionalism. Insensitivity to cater for cultural and ethnic differences in the encounters of host and guest also impedes meaningful local involvement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: When rain forest is logged, rills and gullies are often initiated on heavily disturbed and compacted terrain components; whether and for how long they continue to enlarge following logging is critical as regards the recovery and sustainability of the regenerating forest. This paper examines these two issues in logged rain forest in northeastern Borneo. Results are presented of an investigation into how soil erosion rates and surface topography varies in selectively logged forests at different stages of regeneration (up to 15 years after logging) in Danum Valley, eastern Sabah, Malaysia. Measurements were made of changes in ground level and surface roughness at over 100 transect sites over periods of 1–15 years using the erosion bridge (microprofiler) technique. In the complex mosaic of the post-logging regenerating forest, attention focused on key features, notably abandoned logging tracks, gullies, heavily disturbed or compacted areas and road-related landslides and comparisons are made with primary forest terrain. The role of extreme rainstorms in controlling the temporal pattern of post-logging erosion in both regenerating and primary forest is demonstrated. The different situations in which rills and gullies initiated during or following logging enlarge or disappear in post-logging terrain are highlighted. The implications of the results for slope evolution and sustainable rain-forest management policies are briefly considered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Why has Australian offshore higher education become the educational investment of choice for many students? What benefits do students anticipate from this education? What is the relationship between educational goals and educational experience? To address these questions, this paper draws on findings from empirical research conducted with students studying at an offshore campus of an Australian university in Malaysia. It was found that students typically chose to enroll with the Australian university to receive an international education. Reasons offered for seeking an international education effectively delineated two groups of students. For Malaysian nationals, an international education was valued largely as a passport to employment with (Western) multinational corporations operating in Malaysia. Generally the Malaysian students made positional investments in Australian offshore higher education. For non-Malaysian students an international education was typically selected as an aid to procuring a new identity. These students chose an international education with the hope of expunging provincial outlooks. From international education, they wanted new ways of viewing the world, new habits of thinking and new skills and approaches. They sought a personal metamorphosis. These students, therefore, typically made self-transformative investments in international education. The paper further shows that investment choices influenced the way students experienced their education. Of the two populations distinguished by investment type, students who made self-transformative investments were more likely to respond positively to challenging education experiences associated with studying at the campus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Human body response intelligently to different climate conditions by acclimatization and adaptation. The different thermal comfort behavior of human need for people in different climate condition and also for different season clearly shows that the design strategy for building must comply with the locality of the building. Intelligent system may be used for the purpose of compliance to thermal comfort. This paper describes typical strategies to naturally improve comfort in a climate which is hot and humid without air conditioning. Hot and humid countries like Malaysia usually require air conditioning but for residential buildings, the dependence for thermal comfort through air conditioning may be minimized. The prospect for not using air conditioning in rural area is relatively high when good design was adopted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the politics and practice of education in Malaysia within the context of ethnicity and nation building. Public education in Malaysia—particularly, but not exclusively, at the pre-university level—is promoted as a nation-building tool, seeking to inculcate a sense of Malaysian-ness and patriotism. Simultaneously, however, public education—particularly, but not exclusively, at the university level—is used as a tool for the promotion of ethnic Malay interests. These two objectives are not necessarily contradictory; indeed the assertion that a vital ingredient in the creation of a ‘Malaysian nation’ is the eradication of inter-ethnic economic disparities has been at the heart of the Malaysian regime''s discourse on nation building since the ethnic riots of May 1969. Hence, in this view, preferential policies for the economically disadvantaged but numerically dominant Malays are a necessary component of the nation-building project. Nonetheless, there are at least clear tensions between these two functions of education—tensions, which, I shall argue, help explain both the particularly sensitive politics of education in Malaysia, and the discursive stance the Malaysian regime has adopted within the educational field. Through an analysis of the dynamics of the politics of education, I argue that non-Malay educationalist activism has been characterised by a broad acceptance of the regime''s strategic objectives, whilst simultaneously seeking to ensure that educational opportunities for non-Malays do not suffer as a result of these policies. I argue that whilst the expansion of private tertiary education during the 1990s has largely ameliorated non-Malay concerns on this level, pre-university schooling remains a politically sensitive issue on all fronts that continues to threaten precisely the inter-ethnic harmony it seeks to promote. Here, I argue that the Malaysian regime has sought to resolve the tensions between nation-building and ethnicity through a didactic and pedagogical approach to educational development, which promotes a concept of nationhood that, rather than transcending ethnic alligiances, is explicitly based on ethnic stratification. I argue that these ‘ethnic citizens’ are encouraged to participate in the Malaysian nation uncritically through the virtual worship of development symbols and unquestioning deference to political leadership. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: With the increase in awareness of environmental issues, the level of environmental disclosure and stakeholder demands for environmental information is increasing. New developments in the ISO 14000 standards also make it more evident that a company''s environmental performance as well as its environmental reporting should be considered as strategic issues in business strategy. Especially for a developing country like Malaysia, many companies are under external pressures to improve their environmental performance. In this study, a review on the image and environmental disclosure, together with the challenges in environmental information management and a short case study are presented. Subsequently, the paper explores some of the strategic implications of environmental reporting as an important tool for improved environmental management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]