Search

One method for disposing of old, damaged, or misprinted Qur’an pages is to burn them. Recently, there have been cases of al-Quran mushaf disposal management that do not comply with the maqasid of al-Quran text disposal as stipulated in established guidelines. Furthermore, the number of damaged al-Quran manuscripts is growing, making the collection site increasingly limited in capacity. To save money and space, it was discovered that some institutions in charge of disposal have delegated this task to unauthorized parties, such as non-Muslim parties, which disposed of al-Quran text at paper mills. Therefore, this article discusses the perspectives and evaluations of religious scholars on the methods used by Malaysian institutions to dispose of al-Quran text. Document analysis and interviews with the State Muftis of Selangor, Kelantan and Terengganu were used to collect data. It was done through semi-structured interviews and descriptive analysis. According to findings, the Malaysian government has implemented several methods. One method used is to burn it to ashes, bury it, and then wash it into the sea. Many authorised institutions carry out disposal in accordance with the established guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper investigates the traditional Malay silver craft that has existed for two centuries, reflecting the community's culture and heritage. The Srivijaya Kingdom and British colonial rule historically influenced this Malay culture's silver craft, encapsulating beliefs, dreams, and resilience. Originating in Kelantan, Malaysia, the Malay silver craft industry flourished, but recent studies reveal its decline and potential extinction. This paper's primary objective is to comprehensively identify and propose strategies for integrating sustainable practices of silver craft, aligning with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on sustainable industrialization and cultural heritage preservation. The research seeks to preserve and revitalize the craft industry for community benefit, emphasizing its socio-economic impact, potential for job creation, income generation, tourism, and intangible heritage preservation. The paper conducts a literature review, visual research, and focus group discussions employing anthropology, art history, and community development. This research emphasizes the importance of sustaining cultural heritage, fostering community resilience, and empowerment. Influenced by their cultural beliefs, environment, looking at nature, and the natural world, the fine silver craft undergoes artistic expression, subsequently fostering social cohesion and interaction. Following the quadruple helix concept, the Malay silver craft industry revival engaged through collaboration among local artisans, government agencies, community organizations, and academicians. By utilizing thematic analysis based on focus group discussion, this research thoroughly analyses the sustainability of the Malay silver craft domain, interpreting key thematic codes that underpin its ecological and socio-cultural significance within the framework of local craft in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of preliminary study conducted on the collections of traditional pottery in the Kelantan State Museum, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The primary aim of this study is to obtain information on Mambong pottery shapes, types and designs using the morphological analysis method. Also included in this study is a cluster of traditional pottery specimens from Kampung Periok in Tumpat, Kelantan. Among the important morphological features analysed and recorded in this study are pottery height, length, circumference, mouth orifice and decorations on pottery lid, lip, neck and body. The outcome of this study shows the presence of eight (8) types of Mambong pottery decorated with four (4) main forms of decorative motifs namely floral, faunal, cosmos elements and geometrical patterns. Each of these decorative motifs can be further divided into several sub-decorations. The traditional pottery from Kampung Periok, on the other hand, consists only of one type and the decorations used are almost similar to that of Mambong pottery. Overall, this paper has contributed new morphological data and information on traditional pottery in the Kelantan State Museum, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The findings of this study can be used as academic reference by researchers, students and community who are interested in knowing the art and culture of traditional pottery in Kelantan especially in terms of pottery type, shape and decoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voters outside of Kelantan tends to vote for PAS compared to other political parties, even though they live in the Klang Valley. Fundamentally, the people in Klang Valley in the majority do not support PAS as the people in Kelantan. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss the forms of political culture of voters outside of Kelantan which reside around Klang Valley. This research involved 403 Malay voters outside of Kelantan, aged 21 years old and above that reside at Klang Valley but still cast their vote at Kelantan. This research implemented the quantitative approach through the survey method which utilised the feedback forms. The respondents in this research were chosen through purposeful sampling method and snowball sampling method. The data for this research were analysed descriptively and through ANOVA test. The result of this research found that the political culture of voter outside of Kelantan is in the form of subjectivity. This subjective political culture refers to society accepting one sided output only without questioning what, why and how that matters happen. This shows that individual relationship with the political system is passive and behave obediently. This type of society does not questions much and accept the explanation from certain parties without investigating the authenticity of the information involved in the explanation. This type of society is usually hardcore supporters of a political party. The implication of this form of political culture cause the voters to become recklessly obedient, compliant and unable to make decisions rationally until they are considered to be in a captive state of mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kelantan is a Malaysian state renowned for its beautiful jungles and coastal districts. Kelantan, which is susceptible to monsoons and tidal waves, witnessed a tsunami-like inundation that affected its coastline landscape in 2014. This study does a comparative examination of shoreline alterations between 2013 and 2021 using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) technology. The coastline has grown by approximately 4.03 percent, from 62.1 kilometres to 64.6 kilometres, as a result of the implementation of digitalisation procedures. This highlights the increase in coastline areas between 2013 and 2021. Using GIS and satellite data, the study identifies considerable sedimentation in Pantai Geting and Lagun Jubakar, Tumpat, as well as severe erosion in Pantai Kundur and Pantai Cahaya Bulan, Kota Bharu. The analysis of the Shoreline Change Envelope (SCE) and Net Shoreline Movement (NSM) reveals an accretion rate of 728.44 m/year and a negative distance of -281.91 m/year, which indicates erosion. The paper concludes by emphasising Kelantan's shoreline expansion over the previous decade, stressing the significance of monitoring coastal changes for effective environmental management and catastrophe preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective - Economic sustainability of heritage property can be measured through an active property transaction of a prewar shophouse in the study areas. This paper investigates the breakdown of a number of pre-war shophouse transactions in Penang, Malacca, and Kelantan. Methodology/Technique - The documentary method notably the Annual Property Market Report was collected and analysed. Finding - The results demonstrated that in Penang, the pre-war shophouse sub-sector saw mixed movements in the number of transactions while the commercial property-like pre-war shophouse sub-market was generally stable in Malacca and in Kelantan's commercial sub-sector, the pre-war shophouse performed moderately in the review period. Novelty - These patterns of a number of property transactions of a pre-war shophouse in three study areas proved that the heritage property has a sustainable market value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the classic musical instruments used in Kelantanese Makyung performances is the rebab or rabab. It's a stringed or chordophone instrument, played like a violin in a vertical position. The components were assembled together with the very traditional look of Southern Thailand and the Kelantanese. It is very difficult to make 'Kelantan's Rebab' in the modern society. One of the main reasons for this is the difficulty in obtaining raw materials. Production is very limited and, in addition to the lack of Kelantan's Rebab player, generally in Malaysia. Another aspect is the emergence of new technology, which produces more consumers than designers or craftsmen in the manufacture of traditional musical instruments. Researchers have identified the need to study alternatives to the Kelantan's Rebab manufacturing process, which is more economical in terms of time, materials and processes. The main objective of the study is to propose a new process for Kelantan's rebab through an industrial design approach. This study was conducted through interviews and observation in order to experience the performance and basic knowledge of Rebab 's components. Finally, this paper shows the spectrum analysis of both original and the developed prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia is committed to preserving heritage buildings into heritage museums for documentation and education. Heritage museums could promote tangible and intangible heritage through its interior appearances and exhibitions. The Jahar Palace of Kelantan is a heritage palace that remains intact, and its space functions are still recognised even after being converted into a museum. This palace promotes intangible heritage and plays the role of the Kelantan Royal Traditions and Customs Museum. Four essential components that need to be focused by heritage museums are preserving the building's history, preserving the authenticity of the historic building, preserving the initial space function, and preserving the exhibition contents of space. This paper aims to raise awareness of the value of tangible and intangible heritage in heritage museums. This paper is qualitative research adapting the case study method. Observation on-site, measured drawings, documents study and site tour, were some of the approaches that have been applied to obtain the data. The photographic mapping technique using the historic photograph, sketches, drawings, books, and journals were applied to investigate the origin of the building space. The data was analysed and presented in table form to differentiate the pattern of findings. The results indicated that the roles of heritage museums are required not only to display historical object but also to communicate the significance of the historic building. In other sense, the display of the building and its contents would indirectly act as an exhibit resource in promoting intangible and tangible heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pronunciation of Malay vowels are taught according to the International Phonetic Association transcription sound chart. The documentation for pronunciations are conducted by describing and distinguishing the vowel's sound through impressionistic. In the last five years, several studies were carried out to quantify the standard Malay vowels pronunciation using formant frequencies. However, only one work was identified that measures Malay vowels using formant frequencies for the Kedah district. Nonetheless, there were contradiction in some of the findings as the spoken vowels were extracted from a read speech, that may not be representative of the natural dialect. Therefore, this paper investigated the Malay vowels variations from three districts (Perlis, Kelantan, and Terengganu) using spontaneous speeches acquired in a natural setting. Eight (8) Malay vowels were collected from local males and females residing in Perlis, Kelantan, and Terengganu. Four formant frequencies (F1-F4) were measured from the vowels extracted from the spontaneous speeches of the locals. Further analysis on the first and second formant suggest that the Malay vowels of Terengganu and Kelantan have a broader range of formants that are located in approximately the same position in the mouth. However, the vowels of the Perlis dialects were closely positioned in a narrower region of the mouth. A Malay vowel diagram was plotted that can be used for future reference in research and as an educational tool for language learning. Furthermore, Kelantan and Terengganu dialects are shown to be similar based on the first and second formants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to determine school leaders' ability to manage underprivileged students' needs, the level of achievement of these students and the relationship between the two variables. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative methodology comprising a questionnaire instrument was utilized to collect data from 239 underprivileged students attending schools in Kelantan, Malaysia. Descriptive statistics comprising mean values and standard deviations were calculated to determine school leaders' ability to manage underprivileged students' needs and the level of achievement of these students. Inferential statistics comprising a Pearson correlation was calculated to determine the relationship between the two variables. Findings: School leaders' ability to manage underprivileged students' needs was high, whereas the achievement of underprivileged students was moderate. A weak positive relationship was observed between the two variables. Research limitations/implications: The sample was limited to 15–16-year-old students in one state in Malaysia. Further research is therefore needed on samples from across Malaysia. This paper enhances knowledge of the relationship between school leaders' ability to manage underprivileged students' needs and the level of achievement of these students. This study also has implications for Maslow's human needs theory. Practical implications: The implications of the findings for school management practices are that an ability to manage underprivileged students' needs can increase the level of achievement of these students. The findings also indicate that adhering to Sustainable Development Goals, the Malaysian Education Blueprint and the Eleventh Malaysian Plan to ensure quality education for underprivileged students is relevant and should be continued. The findings can also be used as input in training school leaders. Social implications: The findings suggest that the community needs to take more responsibility for underprivileged students, especially in managing their needs, in order to increase the achievement. The findings can usefully be employed to reduce the social gap between underprivileged and privileged groups. Originality/value: This is the first study to examine the relationship between school leaders' ability to manage underprivileged students' needs and the students' achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the results of the documentation study carried out on traditional pottery in the collection of Kelantan State Museum Corporation in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Among the potteries recorded were Belangga, Bekas Bara, Periuk Kukusan, Buyung, Geluk and Gunut Beras - all originated from Kampung Mambong in Kuala Krai, Kelantan. One of the unique types of pottery found in this museum was the traditional pottery stove. In terms of decoration, this pottery has similarity with pottery made at Kampung Mambong. However, based on the museum's records and the author's interviews with the museum staff, the pottery stove does not originate from Kampung Mambong. This has given rise to some issues and questions regarding the origin of the pottery stove. Apart from discussion on the documentation of traditional pottery, this paper will recommend several approaches that can be used by researchers in future to determine the origin of traditional pottery stove in Kelantan State Museum Corporation and its relationship with pottery tradition at Kampung Mambong in Kuala Krai, Kelantan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 14th Malaysian Election heralded a new dawn for Malaysian politics and society. The change of government was not predicted by observers of Malaysian politics and came as a surprise for many. Two states in particular stood out in the election as a misnomer, the states of Kelantan and Johor. The cases of Kelantan and Johor are interesting for a number of reasons. First, these states are considered stronghold states of the two Malay based political parties, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). Second, the results in both states were largely unexpected with most observers predicting that UMNO will retain Johor and that PAS will lose Kelantan. Lastly, both states can be described as 'maverick' states. Under Malaysia's current federal system, these states have historically manifested a strong independent streak. In the case of Johor, the bangsa Johor, a kind of state level nationalism that is centred around a Johorean identity can be observed whereas in the case of Kelantan, the conception of Kelantan as an abode of Islam has shaped the Kelantanese identity. This paper examines how both states that demonstrated similar localized election strategies yielded divergent results, with Kelantan continuing to support PAS while Johor abandoned UMNO-BN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research demonstrates an effective procedure for assessing the impact of ore-controlling factors of orogenic gold. In this paper, ore genesis factors such as heat source, migration pathways and depositional environment were investigated. The procedure subsequently applied the weight of evidence model to weigh and quantify the spatial relationship between the control factors and 30 known gold deposits in Kelantan, Malaysia. The results show a strong correlation pattern between the deposits and the considered factors such as the NE-SW faults, the intrusive rocks and the sedimentary rocks. The NW-SE fault shows a weak correlation pattern with the deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central aim of many transport systems is to improve people's access to goods, services and facilities. Improving transport access can subsequently reduce social isolation. Compared to urban areas, the issue of accessibility is more prominent in rural areas due to its distances from many opportunities. It has been proven in many studies that the provision of rural infrastructure and the improvement of rural transport can upgrade the social well-being of the rural community. The process of improving rural access should always start with the identification of the transportation needs of the community and their mobility patterns. This paper narrates the institutional challenges in implementing rural transport accessibility strategies in Kuala Krai, Kelantan. The district is located in the northeast of Peninsular Malaysia. The qualitative case-study approach used in this study involved 17 respondents; thirteen policymakers from federal, state and local governments, two local transport operators and two rural transport experts. The findings show that among the institutional challenges in the implementation process are poor communication and coordination, lack of transport planning experts and limited financial resources. The findings provide critical inputs for policymakers at various decision-making levels, namely federal, state and local, in planning and designing a more accessible transportation system for the rural population [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is reported by many studies that supertasters are highly sensitive towards strong taste such as bitter, and therefore had a lower preference for those foods. However, whether the findings apply to all cultures is still debated. The study on the Malaysian population regarding their PROP status is scarce. Thus, we carried out a study to determine whether 6-npropylthiouracil (PROP) sensitivity status affects the food preference among university students in Kelantan, Malaysia. PROP taster status was determined using PROP test paper and food preference was determined using a questionnaire. The results indicated that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the food preference between supertasters, medium tasters, and non-tasters except for jelly, dark chocolate, and plain tea. Contrary to popular belief that PROP taster status was negatively associated with a bitter taste, the present study found a positive correlation between PROP scores and few foods from the bitter food group (bitter gourd, dark chocolate, and plain tea) and also sweet food group (chocolate cake and chocolate spread). This indicates that the genetic factor that is associated with PROP sensitivity does not play important role in determining the food preference among Malaysians. Instead, other factors such as culture and environment could be more influential in defining the way Malaysians select their foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resources management in Malaysia has become a crucial issue of concern due to its role in the economic and social development of the country. Kelantan river (Sungai Kelantan) basin is one of the essential catchments as it has a history of flood events. Numerous studies have been conducted in river basin modelling for the prediction of flow and mitigation of flooding events as well as water resource management. This paper presents river flow modelling based on meteorological and weather data in the Sungai Kelantan region using a cascade-forward neural network trained with particle swarm optimization algorithm (CFNNPSO). The result is compared with those trained with the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) and Bayesian Regularization (BR) algorithm. The outcome of this study indicates that there is a strong correlation between river flow and some meteorological and weather variables (weighted rainfall, average evaporation and temperatures). The correlation scores (R) obtained between the target variable (river flow) and the predictor variables were 0.739, −0.544, and −0.662 for weighted rainfall, evaporation, and temperature, respectively. Additionally, the developed nonlinear multivariable regression model using CFNNPSO produced acceptable prediction accuracy during model testing with the regression coefficient (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean of percentage error (MPE) of 0.88, 191.1 cms and 0.09%, respectively. The reliable result and predictive performance of the model is useful for decision makers during water resource planning and river management. The constructed modelling procedure can be adopted for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood is becoming an intensive hydro-climatic issue at the Kelantan River basin in Malaysia. Univariate frequency analysis would be unreliable due to multidimensional behaviour of flood, which often demands multivariate flow exceedance probabilities. The joint distribution analysis of multiple interacting flood characteristics, i.e. flood peak, volume and duration, is very useful for understanding critical hydrologic behaviour at a river basin scale. In this paper, a copula-based methodology is incorporated for multivariate flood frequency analysis for the 50-year annual basis flood characteristics of Kelantan River basin at Guillemard bridge station in Malaysia. Investigation reveals that the Lognormal (2P), Johnson SB-4P and Gamma-3P are selected as marginal distributions for the flood peak flow, volume and duration series. Several bivariate families such as mono-parametric, bi-parametric (i.e. mixed version) and rotated version of Archimedean copulas and also the elliptical copula are introduced to cover a large dependence pattern of flood characteristics. The dependence parameter of bivariate copulas is estimated by the method of moments (MOM) based on the inversion of Kendall's tau and maximum pseudo-likelihood estimator. To analytically validate and recognize most parsimonious copulas, GOF test and Cramer–von Mises distance statistics (Sn) with the parametric bootstrap method are employed. The Gaussian copula is identified as the most justifiable model for joint modelling of the flood peak–volume and peak–duration combination for MOM-based parameter estimation procedure. Similarly, the Frank copula is selected as the best-fitted structure for modelling peak–duration combination based on MPL estimators, but the MOM estimator recognized Gaussian copula as most suitable for peak–volume pair. Furthermore, the best-fitted copulas are used for obtaining the joint and conditional return periods of the flood characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the injuries that can bring serious consequences if medical attention has been delayed. Commonly, analysis of computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is required to determine the severity of a moderate TBI patient. However, due to the rising number of TBI patients these days, employing the CT scan or MRI scan to every potential patient is not only expensive, but also time consuming. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate the possibility of using electroencephalography (EEG) with computational intelligence as an alternative approach to detect the severity of moderate TBI patients. EEG procedure is much cheaper than CT or MRI. Although EEG does not have high spatial resolutions as compared with CT and MRI, it has high temporal resolutions. The analysis and prediction of moderate TBI from EEG using conventional computational intelligence approaches are tedious as they normally involve complex preprocessing, feature extraction, or feature selection of the signal. Thus, we propose an approach that uses convolutional neural network (CNN) to automatically classify healthy subjects and moderate TBI patients. The input to this computational intelligence system is the resting-state eye-closed EEG, without undergoing preprocessing and feature selection. The EEG dataset used includes 15 healthy volunteers and 15 moderate TBI patients, which is acquired at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia. The performance of the proposed method has been compared with four other existing methods. With the average classification accuracy of 72.46%, the proposed method outperforms the other four methods. This result indicates that the proposed method has the potential to be used as a preliminary screening for moderate TBI, for selection of the patients for further diagnosis and treatment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization in the fishery industry has affected the country's income, fishermen's income and social interaction in Malaysia, especially in the ECER Region. This paper has two objectives, first discussing the development of the fishery industry in the ECER region; Secondly, examine the impression of industrial fisheries development and its relation to the transitional point of the deep-sea fishermen. The study combines primary data and secondary data to get results studies. The study was conducted through a qualitative approach by interviewing 17 informants consisting of deep-sea skipper. Informants are selected through purposive sampling and snowball sampling. The study was conducted in ECER (East Coast Economic Region) which involved four states namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and East Johor. The results of the interview are transcribed in the form of verbatim words which are the words of informants. The verbatim data were analysed using thematic analysis involving the coding process, the categorization and finally the theme output to answer the questionnaire. The analysis of the study found that the development of the fisheries industry affected the transitional process that occurred to deep-sea fishermen. The transition shows that deep-sea fishermen can accept changes in industry fisheries. In fact, the fishery transition process itself affects the social, economic, physical and policy aspects of the fisheries industry. An important discovery is some deep-sea skipper, have become fishery entrepreneurs known as 'juragan-pengusaha' (skipper-entrepreneur). Recognition of skipper as entrepreneurs indirectly impacts strategic policies in the fisheries industry in relation to the national food security assurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are known to be commonly occurring natural disasters in most part of the world. In 2014, the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia was affected by the worst flood ever recorded in history. The worst flood affected area were Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang. The 2014 flood caused physical and monetary losses amounting nearly millions of dollars. Among the worst hit infrastructures in 2014 flood disaster were hospitals. This has led to the realisation of hospital disaster preparedness and management is important which needs to be closely monitored and addressed. This paper investigates the disaster preparedness level of selected hospitals affected by flood disasters in Kelantan. Guided interviews with the flood-affected hospital disaster committees were carried out and summarised in a summary table to give a clear picture of the level of hospital disaster preparedness during the 2014 flood disaster. The results show that despite the existence of disaster action plan and protocols there is no standard disaster preparedness model being used by hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at how a heterogeneous minority group sustains its multiple identities in a politically challenging context. Focusing on the Chinese minority (3.4 per cent) residing in Kelantan, the paper highlights strategies used by the group to retain its rights and identity as a separate cultural community. The peculiarity of this group is attributed to its entity as a non-Muslim minority under orthodox Islamic rule, and secondly, as citizens of a state led by the opposition party. The fact that they are born in Kelantan and possess fluency in the Kelantanese Malay dialect has strengthened their identity asorghe Kelantan(dialect referring to people who were born and grew up in the state). These factors create a sense of “oneness” between the Chinese and other Kelantanese beyond ethnic, religious and class boundaries. This paper demonstrates how the Chinese in Kelantan seek to be accepted through behaviours appropriate to the majority and simultaneously build in-group solidarity. The underlying interplay between essentialism and provincialism is showcased when the Chinese strategise linguistically to maintain theirorghe Kelantanidentification as an exclusive identity. The identity and the distinct dialect spoken have enhanced the “provincial” image of Kelantan in the national political discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Malay Peninsula has been a land of immigration for a long time. Several communities and individuals have left their homeland and migrated there, seeking fortune. Several studies have been conducted on such movements and historical migrations. Some of those migrations are quite well known, but some have attracted less attention from scholars. True, some were not as important in size as the others, but we believe that all communities deserve some kind of historiography. This is the case of the Afghan community which settled in the north-eastern state of Kelantan after World War I; hardly any mention can be found in historical documents either concerning their country of origin or their country of settlement. Hence, this paper tries to unravel the mysterious past of the said community. The paper also presents the reasons for such lack of information as well as a few points regarding the status of the Afghans who came to Kelantan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the cases related to claims of matrimonial property or harta sepencarian are confined to existing personal property which existed or acquired during the marriage prior to the divorce, such as buildings, land, vehicles. However, many modern families are venturing into business either as a principal means of generating income or as an additional measure to generate income. This has resulted in interest in intangible interests such as shares and investments in business (in addition to tangible ones). With the changes in proprietary interest, it is perceived that the scope of claims on matrimonial property shall also be revolutionised to include claims of future earning and intangible interests. This paper analyses cases related to matrimonial property claims in Shari'ah courts in Kelantan, Terengganu and Malacca. The objective is to highlight scope of claims and approaches of the Shari'ah courts in dealing with matrimonial property claims related to intangible interest, such as business interest and future earnings. The research was based on doctrinal and statutory analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Codonoboea caelestis Ridl. (Gesneriaceae), an endemic species to Peninsular Malaysia, is presented here with a new distribution record in Ulu Galas Forest Reserve, Gua Musang, Kelantan. Morphological descriptions, figures and an updated distribution map are provided. Codonoboea caelestis is currently classified as Endangered (EN) according to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I discuss the way in which ethnic and cultural minorities articulate a sense of community through the production and negotiation of historical agency. The Thai Buddhist villagers of Kelantan live in a predominantly Malay and Muslim state along Malaysia's eastern seaboard. Although possessing few myths of common origin, these villagers use a myriad of autonomous reckonings of the past in constructing a sense of cultural distinctiveness in the modern Malaysian nation state. The past is often spoken of by Thai villagers in the guise of anecdotal stories which encapsulate the dizzying array of relationships the community is enmeshed in. My paper shows how these stories are meaning filled texts by which villagers understand their marginal identity. I conclude by arguing that anthropologists should pay close attention to the minutiae of disjunctured histories that permeate the lives of men and women everywhere as a valuable means of making sense of contemporary social realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Malay cultural landscape has become an integral part of examining the cultural significance in Malaysia. Thus, the main objective of the study is to determine the impact of the visual characteristics of the built cultural landscape in conserving and preserving Kota Bharu as an aristocratic area in this modern era. Kota Bharu is one of the Islamic cities in Malaysia. This study embarks into a quantitative study using a mixed-method. A significant implication is to propose a significant model to value the Malay cultural heritage and preserve the culture and spirit among the Kelantanese Malay population who live in the modern era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthenware pottery is one of the common artefacts found during archaeological excavation works. Earthenware pottery is one of the tools used by prehistoric society as a tool for use in daily life. Earthenware pottery found at archaeological sites should be determined whether it was made by the local community or brought in from outside. Therefore, chemical analysis using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and mineralogical analysis using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) methods need to be done to obtain the mineral content and elements of earthenware pottery that can be compared with clay found in the area. This comparison is to ascertain whether the prehistoric pottery was made in the vicinity of the discovery area or brought in from outside. The results of this study found that the pottery discovered during excavations at Gua Jaya was brought in from other areas. Besides, it was also determined that the pottery was burned openly due to the uneven combustion temperature. The content of the pottery element also indicates that the pottery was used as food storage containers and also as appliances for cooking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: This study explores teachers' influence on families' vaccination decisions and the role of schools in health education. It aims to identify factors shaping teachers' attitudes toward vaccines and their decision-making when vaccinating their children. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior, the research examines educators' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control about vaccination choices. It provides insights into the crucial role of schools and teachers in promoting vaccination and enhancing vaccine acceptance in society. Methodology: A quantitative approach was employed to analyze the data in this study. Questionnaires were distributed to teachers in three states in Malaysia, namely Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan. Out of the total 400 questionnaires distributed, only 326 were found suitable for analysis after the screening process. The data were then analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLSSEM) method. Findings: The study reveals a significant link between teachers' attitudes toward vaccinating children and a connection between subjective norms and parents' vaccination intentions. These findings support previous research, underscoring the influence of attitudes and subjective norms on vaccination decisions. However, no significant relationship was found between perceived behavior control and parents' intention to vaccinate, suggesting that parents' beliefs about accessing vaccines or overcoming barriers have a limited impact on their vaccination intentions. In addition, Perceived policy effectiveness positively influenced parents' vaccination intentions. Contributions: This study enhances understanding teachers' vaccination intentions, informing evidence-based policies to promote vaccination and address barriers. Recognizing the factors influencing teachers' decision-making, targeted interventions can enhance vaccination rates and improve public health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines factors responsible for the increase of productivity in traditional Malay wau bulan and wau kucing kite-making, indigenous to the Malaysian state of Kelantan and appropriated by the state as a common biopolitical production and symbolic property. This increase in productivity means increased accessibility of the commons among the community, achieved through state economic support and efforts by the community and state to promote the kite-making craft. Such increased productivity contradicts Michael Hardt's reasoning that property's productivity is usually reduced. Extending Hardt's theory to Ernesto Laclau's ideas on the relationship between the particular and the universal, the essay argues that the symbolic propertization of Kelantan kite making does not reflect a distinction between the kites' qualities as common versus symbolic property. Input from selected authoritative kite-making practitioners and recent cultural memory shows that the Kelantan community benefits economically from the state's appropriation of its traditional kites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Procrastination is a complex psychological and behavioral construct that is strongly influenced by certain personality traits. In mathematics learning, students find it difficult to master the concepts because of less exposure to learning styles. Poor knowledge of mathematical concepts leads to academic procrastination in the subject of Mathematics among students. Therefore, this study aims to identify students' learning styles in Mathematics, identify the stages of students' academic procrastination in Mathematics, and determine whether there is a significant influence of learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) on academic procrastination among secondary school students in Mathematics. Methods: A quantitative approach with a survey was applied. A total of 500 Form Two and Form Four students in five national secondary schools in the Kota Bharu district, Kelantan, were selected using simple random sampling. The duration of data gathering started from 4 October 2022 until 31 January 2023. The Learning Styles Questionnaire and the Academic Procrastination Questionnaire were adapted and verified by eight experts in psychology and counseling. Descriptive and multiple regression tests were carried out using IBM SPSS version 26.0. Results: The results revealed that the visual learning style was the most dominant learning style among students in the subject of Mathematics, followed by auditory and kinesthetic. The level of students' academic procrastination in Mathematics was low. Besides, multiple regression showed that visual and kinesthetic learning styles were significant contributors or predictors, which amounted to 14.1% of the variation in students' academic procrastination in Mathematics. Discussion: The implications of this study highlight the possibility to improve programs in schools by exposing students to suitable learning styles so that they can practice effective learning styles in Mathematics and consequently overcome academic procrastination. Further research can be carried out by identifying other factors that encourage academic procrastination in the subject of Mathematics in order to increase students' motivation and self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is an attempt to investigate climate-induced increases in morbidity rates of food poisoning cases. Monthly food poisoning cases, average monthly meteorological data, and population data from 2004 to 2014 were obtained from the Malaysian Ministry of Health, Malaysian Meteorological Department, and Department of Statistics Malaysia, respectively. Poisson generalised linear models were developed to assess the association between climatic parameters and the number of reported food poisoning cases. The findings revealed that the food poisoning incidence in Malaysia during the 11 years study period was 561 cases per 100 000 population for the whole country. Among the cases, females and the ethnic Malays most frequently experienced food poisoning with incidence rates of 313 cases per 100,000 and 438 cases per 100,000 population over the period of 11 years, respectively. Most of the cases occurred within the active age of 13 to 35 years old. Temperature gave a significant impact on the incidence of food poisoning cases in Selangor (95% CI: 1.033–1.479; p = 0.020), Melaka (95% CI: 1.046–2.080; p = 0.027), Kelantan (95% CI: 1.129–1.958; p = 0.005), and Sabah (95% CI: 1.127–2.690; p = 0.012) while rainfall was a protective factor in Terengganu (95% CI: 0.996–0.999; p = 0.034) at lag 0 month. For a 1.0°C increase in temperature, the excess risk of food poisoning in each state can increase up to 74.1%, whereas for every 50 mm increase in rainfall, the risk of getting food poisoning decreased by almost 10%. The study concludes that climate does affect the distribution of food poisoning cases in Selangor, Melaka, Kelantan, Sabah, and Terengganu. Food poisoning cases in other states are not directly associated with temperature but related to monthly trends and seasonality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to describe the effects of sand mining on the Kelantan River with respect to physical and chemical parameter analyses. Three replicates of water samples were collected from five stations along the Kelantan River (November 2010 until February 2011). The physical parameters included water temperature, water conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity, whereas the chemical parameters included the concentration of nitrogen nutrients such as ammonia, nitrate and nitrite. The Kelantan River case study revealed that TSS, turbidity and nitrate contents exceed the Malaysian Interim National Water Quality Standard (INWQS) range and are significantly different between Station 1 (KK) and Station 3 (TM). Station 1 has the largest variation of TDS, TSS, turbidity and nitrogen nutrients because of sand mining and upstream logging activities. The extremely high content of TSS and the turbidity have caused poor and stressful conditions for the aquatic life in the Kelantan River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper attempts to shed some lights on the relationship between the fiscal balance of state governments in Malaysia and their decision concerning their revenue and expenditure. In particular, the paper seeks to examine whether the fiscal situation of the Malaysian state governments can be explained by the way decision process regarding expenditure and revenue collection is made. For the purpose of this study, we choose to focus on two states governments namely Penang and Kelantan. The choice of these two states was made based on the significant difference in term of their fiscal situation. This study employs ARDL or bound test procedure proposed by Pesaran and Shin (1996), Pesaran and Pesaran (1997) and Pesaran et al (2001) to test for the cointegration relationships. Our results show that in the short- run, the causality seems to run from state government expenditure to state government revenue of Kelantan. This finding is consistent with the spend-and-tax hypothesis. In other words, the state government of Kelantan decides on its expenditure first before it decides on its revenue. As for Penang, the finding seems to point to an institutional separation as no causality is found between its revenue and its expenditure in the short run. In the case of long- run causality, Kelantan is found to have a negative sign of error correction model (ECM) in the revenue equation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores the water quality status of the Kelantan River from the middle to lower reaches of the basin, during the dry and wet seasons, in order to provide a scientific reference for protecting local aquatic environments and managing river basin development in the future. Although studies shows that this river basin is fell in Class I under Malaysian National Water Quality Standard in term of heavy metals, the river was overall classified as slightly polluted, based on the Malaysian Department of Environment-Water Quality Index (DOE-WQI), with total suspended solids (up to 291 mg/L) reaching the allowable threshold limit established by DOE. Field data suggests that the decomposition of organic matter could have resulted in lowering the dissolved oxygen levels in the water column. With regards to heavy metals, it was found that they mainly originated from natural sources, but with an increasing level of contribution from anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the status of the national language of Malaysia has been consolidated in the Constitution, the Malay language remains commonly associated with a specific segment of Malaysian society, i.e., the Malays. The language is often seen as a distinct marker for Malayness whereas the non-Malay ethnic groups, particularly in Peninsular Malaysia, are not widely associated with the language. The Chinese as the largest minority ethnic group in the Peninsular, are often stereotypically depicted as relatively less fluent or knowledgeable in Malay language, at times not beyond the colloquial 'bahasa pasar'. Such a scenario suggests that language-wise, Malaysian society remains divided along ethnic lines. This paper seeks to highlight Malay language use among Peranakan Chinese youth in Kelantan. While their higher level of Malay language proficiency vis-à-vis mainstream Chinese is readily acknowledged, findings from content analyses of qualitative data collected in a focus group discussion also suggest that such proficiency in Malay language is achieved due to it being pivotal to the continuity of their identity as both Kelantan Peranakan Chinese and Kelantanese. In short, the Kelantan Peranakan Chinese community is a good example that proficiency in Malay language as national language can exist in tandem with the group's mother tongue language, and thus should be celebrated and supported towards building a common identity as part of nation-building in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many different Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) models of flood have been developed for forecast updating. However, the model performance, and error prediction in which forecast outputs are adjusted directly based on models calibrated to the time series of differences between observed and forecast values, are very interesting and challenging task. This paper presents an improved lead time flood forecasting using Non-linear Auto Regressive Exogenous Neural Network (NARXNN), which shows better performance in term of forecast precision and produces minimum error compared to neural network method using Radial Basis Function (RBF) in examined 12-hour ahead of time. First, RBF forecasting model was employed to predict the flood water level of Kelantan River at Kuala Krai, Kelantan, Malaysia. The model is tested for 1-hour and 7-hour ahead of time water level at flood location. The same analysis has also been taken by NARXNN method. Then, a non-linear neural network model with exogenous input promoted with enhancing a forecast lead time to 12-hour. Both about the performance comparison has briefly been analyzed. The result verified the precision of error prediction of the presented flood forecasting model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most oral healthcare data in the Ministry of Health were collected by primary oral healthcare clinics distributed nationwide. High-quality oral healthcare data is critical for programme monitoring, continuous assessment and reporting. However, the burden of data collection increases with increased demand for progress reporting due to new programmes and activities in the primary clinics. With the increment of workload, multiple challenges have arisen and potentially impact the quality of the data collected. As of today, no study has been conducted to understand these profound changes. This study intended to explore the challenges in routine healthcare data collection done by public oral healthcare personnel in Kelantan, Malaysia. This institution-based phenomenology study was conducted within the primary oral healthcare service in public oral health facilities. Eighty (80) oral healthcare personnel that include dentists, dental therapists, dental technicians and dental surgery assistants from four (4) districts in Kelantan (Kota Bharu, Pasir Putih, Tanah Merah and Jeli were purposively invited to participate in the study. A specific focus group discussion (FGD) was developed based on the Interview Refinement Protocol Framework. Eight (8) focus group discussions (FGDs) and fifty-two (52) hours of researcher-participant observation were initiated to collect the desired data. The obtained data were then analysed using the thematic analysis assisted by ATLAS.ti software version 8.0. The themes and subthemes related to the challenges were identified using a combination of inductive and deductive coding techniques. In this study, a total of seventy-three (73) participants consented to participate. The result encompassed evidence across all groups of personnel. The process of collecting oral healthcare data is paper-based within each facility and further aggregated at the district and state level before submission through an online system or email. The data collected at primary care clinics were inclusive of routine clinical data from various patient target groups, data for programme monitoring and performance indicators and data collection based on ad-hoc data requests such as research data requests and administrative data. Three themes emerged from the data analysis. These were: (1) individual, personal or human challenges, (2) organisational challenges, and (3) technical challenges in data collection. Twelve sub-themes were grouped within the themes identified. The sub-themes from the human challenges were; (1) knowledge (2) understanding of the work process (3) personnel age (4) personnel attitude (5) work experience, and (6) interest. The organisational sub-themes were: (7) facilities (8) workload, and (9) human resources allocation. The last sub-themes generated from the data were the technical ones: (10) challenges during training (11) work process, and (12) computer skills. In conclusion, this study illustrates the complex challenges in routine health data collection experienced by the oral health personnel. The challenges should be taken into account as key factors for promoting changes, improvement in the data collection process or implementation of new data collection. This study provides evidence to the stakeholder on the challenges faced at the implementer level. Based on the evidence, policy adaptation or changes by the management can offer a long-lasting and effective solution to the challenges faced by the implementer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the behavioral factors which could influence the tax compliance intention among self-employed registered taxpayers in Kelantan. The current study applied the three components of behavioral elements under the Theory of Planned Behavior which are attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Questionnaires were distributed to the respondents around various cities in Kelantan. Analyses were carried out based on the 90 survey data. Cronbach's alpha test was used to check the reliability of the data set while a regression model was conducted to test the hypotheses. The findings confirmed that attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control have significant influence on tax compliance. The findings of the study implied that the intention to comply with tax compliance emerges from a positive attitude of taxpayers to comply with the tax obligations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This content analysis aims to investigate how the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework can be used in the field of business management. The selected articles were confined within TOE framework, social media adoption as the mediator and small and medium sized-enterprises' (SMEs) performance in Kelantan, Malaysia. A total of 15 articles were regarded as fitting the scope. The articles were analysed using the QSR NVivo 10 software in which coding and categorisation of the attributes according to the list of nodes were performed. As a result, the content analysis suggests that technological, organizational and environmental context sub-dimensions could be considered for the TOE framework in future research. Apart from that, future researchers could refer to the frequency analysis performed on those 15 articles in providing practical recommendations and guidelines for SME managers to effectively leverage social media platforms to enhance performance within the TOE framework. Overall, this research provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to studying the impact of social media adoption on SMEs' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly aims to predict socioeconomic indicators of matured and older rural females (MORF) in Kuala Krai, Kelantan from B40 group of household income (B40) category. The respondents involve in three types of value chain activities in fisheries economic sector (FES) - trader, processor, and operator. The data consist of n=223, and 31.39 percent MORF respondents in B40 category. Three significant (p<0.05) predictors were obtained - academic background, types of FES, and marital status. The 'not schooling and primary education', married status, and trader FES predict 6.19-time, 2.96-time, and explain less 98.7 percent likelihood respectively of MORF in B40 category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pristine tropical river systems are coming under increasing pressure from the development of economic resources such as forestry and mining for valuable elements. The Lebir catchment, north eastern Malaysia, is now under development as a result of unregulated tree felling and mining for essential and rare metals. Two sediment cores, one in the upstream reaches and the other from the downstream reaches, were taken from flood prone area of the Lebir River, Malaysia, and analysed for their elemental composition by XRF, specifically Al, Si, Fe, Ca, K, Mg, Mn, V, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr, Zn, As, Th and U. Activities of fallout radionuclides, 137Cs and 210Pb were also determined to from a geochronological context. The elemental concentrations in the soils were assessed in terms of their enrichment factor and Si, Ca, K, Mg, Mn, V, Cu, Ni and Zn were found not to be enriched, whereas As, Th and U had elevated enrichment factors. The Th and U were particularly enriched in the downstream core indicating inputs from a tributary that drains a catchment with known deposits of Th and possibly U. The results suggest that the growth in economic development is fostering the transport of contaminants by the major rivers which, in turn, is contaminating the riverine floodplains. This points to the need for a more integrated and holistic approach to river basin management to maintain the environmental quality of these fragile aquatic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing is an essential tool for gathering vital information for the mining industry. With the latest advances in the field of remote sensing and the invention of software such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems), it is now the task of researchers to come up with different approaches of finding minerals that can reduce the cost of exploration. This research applied remote sensing techniques to Landsat 8 satellite imagery to extract geological information in southern Kelantan, Malaysia. The results produced images such as single band combination (RGB 6,5,2 and 5,4,2), band ratio (RGB 4/2, 6/7, 6/5) and principal component analysis (RBG from PC 123). The spatial survey revealed that the NE-SW line patterns and igneous rock distributions controlled the occurrence of the gold deposits. The generated map highlighted 2.40% of the total area as high potential zones recommended for further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out in an area cultivated with durian in Gua Musang, Kelantan with a soil series of Rengam-Jerangau. The objective of this study was to determine the physicochemical properties of soil cultivated with durian at different elevations and samplings. The soil composite sampling was determined at three elevations (top, middle and bottom elevation) marked using GPS coordinate with two different depths (0-15 cm and 15-30 cm). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) of the soil texture is clay with bulk density ranging between 0.98 to 1.11 g/cm3. Significant parameters at alpha value of 95% include total carbon content (0.903% until 1.389%), total sulphur content (0.059% to 0.100%), exchangeable bases calcium, potassium and sodium at 3.520 cmolc/kg to 5.582 cmolc/kg, 0.380 to 0.581 cmolc/kg and 0.101 to 0.155 cmolc/kg respectively. From the significant parameters, only exchangeable potassium was affected by the by both elevation and depth of the sampling while the other parameters were only affected by the elevation. As some of the nutrients had been classified as low, extensive measures need to be done for healthy growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major public health threats globally. This challenge has been aggravated with the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in food animals and humans. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Extended-Spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes in Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from broiler chickens in Kelantan, Malaysia. A total of 320 cloacal swabs were collected from farms in different districts of Kelantan and were analyzed using routine bacteriology, antimicrobial susceptibility test, and molecular techniques for further identification and characterization of ESBL encoding genes. Based on PCR detection for the E. coli species-specific Pho gene, 30.3% (97/320) of isolates were confirmed as E. coli, and 84.5% (82/97) of the isolates were positive for at least one ESBL gene. Majority of the isolates, 62.9% (61/97) were harboring blaCTX-M followed by 45.4% (44/97) of blaTEM genes, while 16.5% (16/97) of the isolates were positive for both mcr-1 and ESBL genes. Overall, 93.8% (90/97) of the E. coli were resistant to three or more antimicrobials; indicating that the isolates were multi-drug resistance. 90.7% of multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index value greater than 0.2, would also suggest the isolates were from high-risk sources of contamination. The MLST result shows that the isolates are widely diverse. Our findings provide insight into the alarmingly high distribution of antimicrobial resistant bacteria, mainly ESBL producing E. coli in apparently healthy chickens indicating the role of food animals in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, and the potential public health threats it may pose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria remains a public health problem in many parts of the world. In Malaysia, the significant progress towards the national elimination programme and effective disease notification on malaria has resulted in zero indigenous human malaria cases since 2018. However, the country still needs to determine the extent of malaria exposure and transmission patterns, particularly in high-risk populations. In this study, a serological method was used to measure transmission levels of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax among indigenous Orang Asli communities in Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in three Orang Asli communities (i.e., Pos Bihai, Pos Gob, and Pos Kuala Betis) in Kelantan from June to July 2019. Antibody responses to malaria were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using two P. falciparum (PfAMA-1 and PfMSP-119) and two P. vivax (PvAMA-1 and PvMSP-119) antigens. Age-adjusted antibody responses were analysed using a reversible catalytic model to calculate seroconversion rates (SCRs). Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with malaria exposure. The overall malaria seroprevalence was 38.8% for PfAMA-1, 36.4% for PfMSP-119, 2.2% for PvAMA-1, and 9.3% for PvMSP-119. Between study areas, the proportion of seropositivity for any P. falciparum and P. vivax antigens was significantly highest in Pos Kuala Betis with 34.7% (p < 0.001) and 13.6% (p < 0.001), respectively. For all parasite antigens except for PvAMA-1, the proportion of seropositive individuals significantly increased with age (all p < 0.001). Based on the SCR, there was a higher level of P. falciparum transmission than P. vivax in the study area. Multivariate regression analyses showed that living in Pos Kuala Betis was associated with both P. falciparum (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5.6, p < 0.001) and P. vivax (aOR 2.1, p < 0.001) seropositivities. Significant associations were also found between age and seropositivity to P. falciparum and P. vivax antigens. Analysis of community-based serological data helps describe the level of transmission, heterogeneity, and factors associated with malaria exposure among indigenous communities in Peninsular Malaysia. This approach could be an important adjunct tool for malaria monitoring and surveillance in low malaria transmission settings in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gua Kelew is one of the newly discovered caves by archaeological researchers in Malaysia. This cave has the potential to become one of Malaysia's prehistoric sites from the findings from site surveys and archaeological excavations. Among the artifacts that were found are stone tools, earthenware, ceramics, snail shells, cave paintings and animal bones. The discovered earthenwares were analyzed for their mineral content in order to determine whether they were made locally around the cave or brought from elsewhere. The outcome of this analysis is vital as the data would provide proof that the community living in the cave or the surrounding area had its own technology for manufacturing the earthenwares. However, if the earthenwares were brought from elsewhere, it is believed that trade or the exchange of goods between communities living inland and near the coast had occurred. Composition of the earthenware samples was obtained by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis for mineral content and also X-Ray Flouresence (XRF) analysis for major, minor and trace elements. Findings from the XRD analysis show that the mineral content in the earthenware samples are quartz, calcite and anorthoclase, while the XRF analysis shows a high content of silica and aluminium. The analysis also discovered that all of the earthenwares found in Gua Kelew used the same raw materials obtained from the same area. Based on the graph plot analysis, the data exhibits differences in the elements between the earthenware samples and the surrounding area's clay samples. Hence, it is suggested that the earthenwares found in Gua Kelew were not produced in the Hulu Kelantan area. This also indicates that the earthenwares may have been brought from another location to the area through trade deal between the local and foreign communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis that has been linked to hydrometeorological variability. Hydrometeorological averages and extremes have been used before as drivers in the statistical prediction of disease. However, their importance and predictive capacity are still little known. In this study, the use of a random forest classifier was explored to analyze the relative importance of hydrometeorological indices in developing the leptospirosis model and to evaluate the performance of models based on the type of indices used, using case data from three districts in Kelantan, Malaysia, that experience annual monsoonal rainfall and flooding. First, hydrometeorological data including rainfall, streamflow, water level, relative humidity, and temperature were transformed into 164 weekly average and extreme indices in accordance with the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI). Then, weekly case occurrences were classified into binary classes "high" and "low" based on an average threshold. Seventeen models based on "average," "extreme," and "mixed" indices were trained by optimizing the feature subsets based on the model computed mean decrease Gini (MDG) scores. The variable importance was assessed through cross-correlation analysis and the MDG score. The average and extreme models showed similar prediction accuracy ranges (61.5–76.1% and 72.3–77.0%) while the mixed models showed an improvement (71.7–82.6% prediction accuracy). An extreme model was the most sensitive while an average model was the most specific. The time lag associated with the driving indices agreed with the seasonality of the monsoon. The rainfall variable (extreme) was the most important in classifying the leptospirosis occurrence while streamflow was the least important despite showing higher correlations with leptospirosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orang Asli or indigenous peoples are peoples with unique languages, knowledge systems and beliefs; can be separated into three main groups; Senoi, Proto-Malay and Negrito. In this article focusing on discussion about human capital among Orang Asli (aborigines) from that three main groups. This article focusing on the level of human capital ownership, physical skills, experience and participation in workshops/courses and formal education, social skills, as well as values, beliefs, and attitude towards changes and development. Human capital in the Orang Asli communities known as familiar studies in their development. Human capital that focuses more on formal education should also be expanded in the aspect of informal education, especially in the knowledge and skills of the traditional Orang Asli community as balancing of community development in their context. The importance of the study is to give general picture about their strength which comprises of knowledge and skills that they possess. Community development planning to uplift the human capital can be done based on human capital ownership (strength) of the respective ethnicity. The quality of Orang Asli's life can be indirectly improved with the uplifting of the human capital. This study using a cross sectional survey that provides explanations on the level of human capital ownership in the Orang Asli communities. Data for this research is collected by distributing questionnaires. This study involves all head of family of Orang Asli in six villages in Pahang, and three villages in Kelantan. A total of 319 respondents involved in this study. Data collection was done by according to area and district. In general, this study shows that the level of human capital for all three groups are moderate, based on the minimum value which leads by Negrito, followed by Senoi and Proto-Malay. This proves that the level of human capital among Orang Asli needs improvisation which directly needs efforts for awareness. Orang Asli community need to be exposure in the form of development (planning, implementation, and evaluation) that can create a community to achieve community development. Due to that, Orang Asli with high human capital ownership can encourage towards capacity building and strength in community members and contribute to nation development as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kampung Mambong in Kuala Krai, Kelantan was the only place in Peninsular Malaysia that had been involved in the making of traditional earthenware cooking stove. However, its history and manufacturing perspectives have never been studied in detail in prior studies. The present study was conducted to unravel the history, manufacturing tradition and challenges faced by the potters at Kampung Mambong in preserving the production of earthenware cooking stove. This study was carried out using the qualitative method involving ethnography fieldwork and a library survey. The findings of the study showed that the production of traditional earthenware cooking stove or locally known as Tuku was inherited by Che Bunga and her ancestors at Kampung Mambong since the 1850s. Like other potteries at Kampung Mambong, Tuku is made using traditional methods without incorporating modern techniques. In the 1930s, however, the manufacturing of Tuku began to dwindle, and its entire production halted by the end of the 1940s. The lack of experts and interest among the younger generations to learn and continue the making of Tuku are two main reasons why the production diminished in the 1930s and 1940s. Apart from that, the invasion of the Japanese military in Sungai Galas in the early 1940s had indirectly caused the production to cease. Overall, this study has successfully contributed new insights into the history, manufacturing tradition and factors that caused extinction to the production of Tuku at Kampung Mambong in the late 1940s. Therefore, essential proactive steps need to be taken to revive the manufacturing of Tuku because it is one of the unique heritage crafts of the Malay potters in Sungai Galas, Kelantan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]