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Purpose: Self-assessment is regarded as a complex metacognitive process by scholars. Nevertheless, in the context of English as a Second Language (ESL) speaking, self-assessment practices often rely on assessment criteria and teacher commentaries. However, speaking involves spontaneous expression with limited access to external standards. Therefore, this case study aims to explore the metacognitive strategies that proficient ESL students use during self-assessment in spontaneous speech production contexts. Methodology: Three participants, purposefully selected, participated in two spontaneous group discussions recorded on video. Instances of participants' dysfluency served as prompts in stimulated recall interviews, complemented by video recordings to validate participants' responses. The thematic analysis of interview data utilised a conceptual framework integrating O'Malley and Chamot's (1990) metacognitive strategies and Kormos' (2006) speech production model. Findings: The analysis revealed that participants employed three key metacognitive strategies -- organisational planning, selective attention, and self-monitoring to self-assess their spontaneous speech. Feedback sources, such as their proficiency in the second language (L2) and contextual factors, influenced the application and effectiveness of these strategies during self-assessment (SA). Significance: This study offers insights into how proficient ESL students self-assess their spontaneous speech production, leveraging their available resources. In addition, this study identifies speech challenges the participants encountered and how they applied metacognitive strategies to address them.

COVID-19 pandemic has brought drastic and unprecedented challenges to the medical education and medical students, affecting them physically, mentally and emotionally. While progressing through the post-pandemic recovery phase, it is crucial to comprehensively evaluate the pandemic's consequences and tackle the underlying problems. To investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on medical students' mental health, social well-being, and academic progression. A cross-sectional study was carried out with voluntary sampling of students from both government and private medical schools in Malaysia. A self-administered online survey form containing three validated psychological tools was distributed (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, NIH Toolbox Social Relationship Scales). There were also questions regarding the challenges faced by medical students and their academic performance during COVID-19 pandemic. Scores of each questionnaire were tabulated, analyzed and interpreted according to their specific cut-points. Two hundred and thirteen responses were received. 89.2% (n = 190) were domestic students while 10.8% (n = 23) were international students. Out of 32 medical universities in Malaysia, the participants were from 19 of them (9 public and 10 private universities). About half of the participants had contracted COVID-19 infection during the study period (n = 124, 58.2%). Majority had chosen "Lack of on-campus learning and training session causing incompetency" as the most relevant impact of COVID-19 on their academic progression (n = 85, 39.9%). Above 90% of participants passed their Final Academic Assessment in 2020 (91.5%) and 2021 (93.9%). About half of them (n = 86, 40.4%) were having symptoms considerable of anxiety while only 19.2% (n = 41) were having symptoms considerable of depression. Majority had normal self-esteem (n = 177, 83.1%). For social relationship, around two-third of them had great social support and companionship. However, more than half had social distress. The median for the period of time having absolute online classes, absolute physical classes and hybrid classes were 18, 4, and 9 months, respectively. Having absolute online classes of >18 months was associated significantly with higher perceived hostility (16.49 vs. 14.47, p = 0.012). In addition, being infected with COVID-19 was associated significantly with higher self-esteem (26.88 vs. 25.85, p = 0.009). Large proportion of students were affected by COVID-19 pandemic. Absolute online classes has huge impact on emotions of medical students especially from the aspect of perceived hostility. Hence, implementation of online medical education during COVID-19 era requires modifications and improvements.

It is critical to investigate the major factors that influence the perceived value and satisfaction of international students in Malaysia, as the country has seen a decrease in international students since 2017 and strives to become an international education hub. This research aims to: (1) ascertain the level of satisfaction experienced by international students attending private universities (PrUs) in the Klang Valley; (2) identify factors and present a model that measures their influence on the perceived value and satisfaction of international students; and (3) propose policy recommendations to key stakeholders. An empirical study was conducted using a quantitative research methodology via physical survey using structured questionnaires. A total of 502 surveys from international students were collected from twelve private universities in the Klang Valley. The partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was employed to assess the measurement and structural model in validating the study model. Based on the empirical findings, the external environment, image, academic and non-academic constructs positively influence perceived value, which affects satisfaction. Results also confirm that the post-behavioural intentions of satisfied international students are word-of-mouth recommendations and loyalty. The results provided new perspectives on attracting and retaining international students to study in Malaysia. Theoretical, policy and practical implications are discussed.

Research on academic writer development has focused exclusively on the writing output and other sources of doctoral student professional development. Nevertheless, variations in understanding ongoing development remain unclear given that academic writers involve first-year doctoral students. Hence, the study investigated the ways of understanding first-year doctoral student development as academic writers. A qualitative case study was conducted on four first-year doctoral students during their doctoral research proposal writing process. A case study analysis was conducted on the findings of understanding academic writer development in four ways and represented by four categories: (i) becoming self-assured as an academic writer, (ii) becoming acknowledged as an academic writer, (iii) becoming more productive as an academic writer, and (iv) becoming a deep thinker as an academic writer. The four ways of understanding academic writer development could be linked to the participants' embracing and expanding academic awareness. Specifically, the development represented by later categories includes the earlier categories of academic awareness. Moreover, the later categories represent increasing complexity in academic awareness and different academic writer development aspects. The findings could guide writers such as first-year doctoral students in their development as academic writers.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the relationships between learning opportunities, person-organization fit, self-directedness career attitude and job hopping among generation Y employees in Malaysian small medium enterprise (SME) service sectors. Design/methodology/approach: Research data was gathered from a sample of 203 generation Y employees from SME service sectors in Malaysia. Partial least squares structural equation modelling is used to perform the data analysis in the present study. Findings: The results demonstrated that person-organization fit and self-directedness career attitude correlates significantly with job hopping among generation Y employees. However, there is no significant relationship between learning opportunities and job hopping. Research limitations/implications: This study provides an empirical framework for explaining the job hopping among generation Y employees in SME service based on the review of related careers. Originality/value: This study offers new insights into the predicting factors of job hopping among generation Y employees in the Malaysian context specifically.

This study aims to test the hypothesis that classroom engagement mediates the relationship between students' internal locus of control and academic procrastination. As many as 302 students from a private university between 18 to 26 years of age were recruited to respond to Internal-External Locus of control Scale, Classroom Engagement Inventory, and Academic Procrastination scale. Bootstrapping analyses were conducted by utilizing PROCESS Macro model 4 in SPSS software, and the results showed that the mediator variable fully mediates the link between the predictor and outcome variables. In other words, the direct effect of internal locus of control on academic procrastination was no longer significant when controlling for classroom engagement. Further discussion, implications and suggestions were presented at the end of the article.

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive literature review on the role of employability skills or generic skills in designing, integrating, and assessing curriculum in Malaysian higher education context. This study addresses the issue and challenges of integrating generic skills or employability skills in higher education context. Then the research gap on the lack of integrating generic skills in Malaysian higher education system is highlighted and the past studies which addressed the issue of integrating and assessing generic skills in Malaysian universities are reviewed. The results revealed that some Malaysian universities attempted to integrate generic skills into their curriculum to increase the rate of employability; however, there is an ambiguity regarding the assessment of generic skills in the context of higher education. Further research needs be conducted to investigate the assessment of generic skills.

Massive investments in higher education have witnessed a proliferation of public and private universities in Malaysia. A parallel development of concern is the view that public university graduates are finding it more difficult than their private university counterparts in transiting from university to work. To test the empirical veracity of this widely expressed belief, data from 441 currently employed graduates from three major urban centres were analysed to determine factors that increased the probability of securing permanent employment within six months of graduation, the officially used cut-off period. While the findings indicated that the transition is eased largely by personal endeavours (other than being Chinese) such as mastering English, attaining a high GPA, and participating in extracurricular activities, we also found a negative association between having a public university qualification and the length taken to secure the first permanent job. We discuss the implications of these findings for Malaysian education policy. If a public university degree indeed disadvantages a graduate in transiting to work, it would undermine the role of public universities as avenues for the upward social mobility of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Additionally, the large expenditures on public universities would appear to be misallocated.

Teachers who are reflective are found to be more able to develop themselves professionally. However, pre-service teachers were found to be in need of explicit instructions on reflective practice. This paper presents the results of an investigation on the use of the 5-step Cognition Practice Observation Reflection Action (CoPORA) reflective model among a group of Malaysian ESL pre-service teachers enrolled in an Institute of Teacher Education. A qualitative case study design was utilised, where the model was taught to a group of 13 pre-service ESL teachers who later completed the second phase of their teaching practice. The data for this study comprised the respondents' entries in their practicum reflection forms, reflective video blogs and focus group interviews. Results showed that respondents have moved from engaging in the lower levels of reflection to a higher pedagogical reflection. They also responded favourably to the use of the 5-step CoPORA reflective model for its structured approach. Nevertheless, the respondents lamented their struggles in rationalising issues faced and in suggesting suitable solutions. It is proposed that the pre-service teachers were shown exemplars of critical reflection to help them see the level at which they ought to reflect. Alternatively, teacher educators can explore a dialogic or collaborative approach to reflection so pre-service teachers can work with one another to further develop their reflective practice.

Women have overcome many challenges within the labour market, but gender inequality still exists in the form of total employment by categories and states. The higher gender disparity was found in Selangor with the ratio of the men and women employed at 599,200 and this is concentrated in the 30-34 years old. The past findings on the gender discrimination practice in the Malaysian labour market motivated this study to fill the literature gap by providing an upclose analysis on the differences observed within the different states in Malaysia, the difference that can be observed by age group, by the status of employment, by the different sectors of employment and the gender difference as observed in mean and median wages. As context for the finding, an overview of the government policy initiatives to close the gender gap is also provided. One of the proposed recommendations was the balanced responsibility between both genders in household care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) serves as a compensatory intervention approach for individuals with aphasia and is often introduced by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) after outcomes from restorative approaches plateau. Communication partners (i.e., caregivers) have a pivotal role in ensuring the successful use of AAC by adults with aphasia. Despite there being a large body of research on the use of AAC by adults with aphasia little is known about the experience of caregivers of individuals with aphasia who use AAC in supporting its use. Aims: This study conducted in Malaysia was aimed to (a) explore the practices of Malaysian SLPs when introducing AAC to adults with acquired communication disorders (ACD) including aphasia and (b) describe the experience of caregivers regarding the use of AAC by adults with aphasia under their care. Method & Procedures: This mixed-methods study had two phases. In Phase 1, a survey was distributed to 200 SLPs throughout Malaysia. Thirty-seven SLPs who met the inclusion criteria of having a caseload of more than 80% adults and at least 20% adults with aphasia responded to the survey and provided information about their use of AAC. For Phase 2, eight caregivers of adults with aphasia who had been introduced to AAC were interviewed to obtain information about their experience using AAC. Outcomes & Results: Findings from Phase 1 indicated that Malaysian SLPs most often introduced unaided and low-tech AAC to adults with ACD (including aphasia). Most of them felt that they lacked knowledge and skills in the provision of AAC services to adults and hoped for more training. Three themes emerged from the qualitative content analysis conducted on interview transcripts from Phase 2: (a) the positive impact of the use of AAC, (b) challenges faced when using AAC, and (c) hopes for the future. The findings of this study suggest that both SLPs and caregivers recognize the importance of AAC for adults with ACD including aphasia and need to work together closely to promote inclusion of adults with aphasia who use AAC and acceptance of AAC as a form of aphasia rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of technology in mathematics instruction is an important step in the 21st century learning style. At the primary level, some studies have explored how technology could help in mathematics learning. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of using Logo on pupils' learning of the properties of two-dimensional shapes. A total of 36 mixed ability Year 4 pupils from a primary school in Pahang, Malaysia participated in this study using the quasi experimental research design. The experimental group was taught using Logo while the control group was taught with the traditional method. The difference in achievement between the experimental group and control group was measured by pre-test and post-test. Results showed that the experimental group students performed better than the control group. Pupils' perception toward using Logo was measured by using a questionnaire with close-ended items. The findings of this study indicated that using Logo improved pupils' understanding of two-dimensional shapes. In addition, pupils have positive perception toward learning the properties of two-dimensional shapes using Logo.

This article is based on the premise that mandated reading in literature classrooms may be perceived as an imposition and disliked by students. Attempts to address that scenario have suggested that text selection should be given more consideration to promote reading engagement, particularly by choosing texts which are familiar to the lifeworlds of students. Aside from ideas of familiarity and student preferences in reading, this article argues that text selection could also take into account text potentialities, as proposed by Louise Rosenblatt, from which three aspects are discernible; potentiality for participation, potentiality for a sustained reading experience, and potentiality for an enjoyable reading experience. These aspects of potentiality are illustrated and discussed through the literature classroom experiences of two Malaysian pre-university English literature students. This article contends that ideas of text potentiality help us interpret students' responses to mandated texts and informs discussion among curriculum constructors and teachers about text selection in the literature classroom.

Background: This study aimed to compare the nutritional and bone health status between young men with mild-to-moderate intellectual disability and those without intellectual disability and to determine predictors for their bone health status. Method: A total of 95 men (47 men with intellectual disability; 48 men without intellectual disability), aged 20-39 years, participated in this study. Anthropometric profile, dietary intake, physical activity level and calcaneal speed of sound (SOS) were collected. Results: The men with intellectual disability had moderate diet quality whilst the men without intellectual disability had poor diet quality. More participants with intellectual disability (97.9%) were inactive compared with their counterparts (10.4%). The SOS value was similar between groups and was lower than the reference. Increasing age and low physical activity level were negative predictors for bone health status. Conclusion: Both young men with and without intellectual disability have suboptimal nutritional and bone health status. Strategies to improve their nutritional and bone health status are warranted.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of term-time employment among undergraduate students and to identify the factors that affect the number of working hours in term-time employment. The study also aims to explore if students work during term time due to self-development or financial needs. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 400 undergraduates in a public university in Malaysia. A Tobit regression model was used to identify the factors that can significantly explain the varying working hours per week in the student sample. Findings: Only 20.8% of the students in the sample undertook term-time employment, with an average of 16 working hours a week. The financial motivations to work were driven more by the need to sustain a desired lifestyle compared to financing basic living expenses. Students' perceptions towards term-time employment significantly affected their working hours and likelihood of undertaking term-time employment. Practical implications: As students want to excel academically and at the same time gain working experience and skills, universities may want to revisit the higher education curriculum and reconsider the course credit weightage for academic and practical experience. Originality/value: Instead of just documenting the number of working hours among students, the study empirically explores the factors that affect the number of working hours and sheds light on the allocation of time and priorities by students among academics, self-development and social life.

Creativity has many benefits, such as workplace performance and life satisfaction. Three studies extended a small body of work to examine whether awe was associated with creative personality, convergent creativity, and everyday creative behaviors (N = 1,844). Study 1 demonstrated that trait awe was associated with a more creative personality among adolescents and adults in the U.S., Iran, and Malaysia. Study 2 showed that trait awe was associated with an increased likelihood of solving the Duncker's Candle Problem. Finally, Study 3 found that on days when participants felt more daily awe than they typically do, they reported having done more everyday creative activities. The effects of awe were independent of amusement (Studies 1–3) and Big Five personality (Study 3). Moreover, we found that daily curiosity explained the link between daily awe and daily creativity in Study 3. These results are the first to demonstrate a consistent link between awe and complementary measures of creativity. The discussion focuses on the limitations of the present work as well as implications of the present results for future research on awe and creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of critical thinking is championed in education, but it is also acknowledged that developing critical thinking is challenging particularly in a context like Malaysia where being critical often comes with negative connotations. This article details an attempt to develop reflective critical thinking in the discipline-specific study of Literature in English for undergraduates and practicing English as a Second Language (ESL) educators in Malaysia. A total of 32 participants attended workshops based on a created-creator module developed by the researchers. Participants went through three dimensions: exploring personal experiences, exploring author intention and exploring personal response to texts. Analysed as a case study, the module proved successful in developing initial responses to a level where participants could choose to accept or challenge identified sources of influence. This article presents empirical evidence that operationalises discipline-specific knowledge and extends critical thinking in reader response for Literature as a subject.

Background: The effect of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir on preventing post-COVID condition (PCC) in the BA4, BA5, and XBB Omicron predominant periods is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to assess how nirmatrelvir/ritonavir treatment affected both PCC and health-related quality of life. Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 2,524 adults aged 18 years and older who were eligible for nirmatrelvir/ritonavir between July 14 to November 14, 2022. All outcomes were observed from the patient's first visit to the primary health clinic, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after testing positive for COVID-19. The primary outcome was the presence of PCC. Secondary outcomes included the effects on health-related quality of life, such as walking, bathing and dressing, activities, cause adverse emotions or signs that prevent individuals from leading normal lives over a 180-day observation period. Results: There were no significant differences observed between the nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and those not administered (control group) in terms of PCC symptoms at 3 months (OR 0.71 95% CI 0.31, 1.64) and 6 months (OR 1.30 95% CI 0.76, 2.21). At 3 months, the use of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir was associated with a 26% reduction in symptoms causing negative emotions (OR 0.74 95% CI 0.60, 0.92) and an increased likelihood of symptoms limiting walking (OR 1.58 95% CI 1.10, 2.27). However, there were no significant differences between the nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and the control group in terms of the impact of PCC on health-related quality of life at 6 months. Conclusions: Our study indicates that the administration of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir does not significantly reduce PCC after 3 months and 6 months in a population with high vaccination coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia, a country with a tropical climate characterized by consistent warmth and year-long high humidity, houses the perfect conditions for mushroom growth. Recently, there has been a surge in back-to-nature activities in Malaysia. However, many participants lack prior knowledge about the local flora and fungi, leading to a rise in mushroom poisoning cases, some of which have been fatal. Despite thorough research, there is a notable lack of identification studies specifically focused on mushroom species in Malaysia. Identifying these species is crucial for medical providers to effectively counteract the toxins from ingested mushrooms and also serves as an important educational tool. This study aims to determine the most suitable architecture for mushroom identification, focusing specifically on mushroom species found in Malaysia. A dataset of these mushrooms was curated, augmented, and processed through multiple variants of Vision Transformers (ViTs) and ResNet models, with uniform hyperparameters to ensure fairness. The results indicate that the ViT-L/16 model achieved the highest accuracy at 90.47%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of the current U.S.–China trade war on Malaysia. Malaysia's neutral stance leaves possibilities open for trade and investments from both sides. Our survey shows that the negative impacts have been minimal so far. The country seeks to capitalize on the trade war by promoting local industries that are substitutable to those from the United States and China. Efforts to improve competitiveness by improving physical and digital infrastructure, facilitating small- and medium-sized enterprises to export, and promoting potential domestic suppliers are being made to ensure favorable conditions to receive foreign direct investment relocating from China or the United States. Malaysia is also cooperating with its regional partners to further mitigate the effects of the trade war. Malaysia may, however, be its own greatest enemy in capitalizing from the trade war because the decline in human capital is making it difficult to harness the benefits from upcoming deglobalization headwinds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the nature, prevalence and impact of educator targeted bullying (ETB) in a sample of 575 Malaysian school teachers. Specifically it was predicted that ethnicity may be related to exposure to ETB; that frequency of exposure would vary by type of ETB; that there would be tenure-related differences in terms of exposure and burnout; and that teaching experience could moderate the exposure-burnout relationship. Results suggest that less severe forms of ETB are more prevalent than physical forms; and that educators with increased teaching experience are less exposed to ETB. ETB exhibits a negative impact on burnout; and is strongest for student-related burnout. Increased experience buffers the ETB-student-related burnout relationship while ethnicity is unrelated to exposure to ETB.

This article explores some of the complexities involved in the act of localizing English literature as a school subject. Informed by Goodson and Marsh's stages of subject development, I explore the ways in which post-16 English literature was localized in Malaysia from an introduced and mythologized subject entitled "English" to its reconceptualization as "Literature in English" in the year 1998. The main question this article asks is: can a mythologized subject be sustained when it is introduced into another context (i.e., Malaysia)? This question is explored through attempts made to localize it by the subject's governing body in Malaysia, namely the Malaysian Examinations Council. Relevant documents as well as an interview with a subject committee member involved in the subject's reconceptualization form the data of this article. Analysis suggests that not only were acts of localization incoherent in the subject's implementation, the rationale for localization was also not shared by some constituencies within and beyond the education system. This article concludes by highlighting the importance of ensuring that support from relevant constituencies is based upon a shared understanding of a subject's role, aims and conceptualization in order to sustain subject development in an education system.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose (SMBG) intervention package through a subscription model in improving HbA1c and health parameters among type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) individuals in Malaysia. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study involving a total number of 111 individuals with T2DM (mean age 57.0 ± 11.7 years, 61% men) who were assigned to intervention (n = 51) and control (n = 60) groups. The intervention group participants were the subscribers of SugO365 program which provided a personalized care service based on self-recorded blood glucose values. Subscribers received a Contour® Plus One glucometer which can connect to Health2Sync mobile app to capture all blood glucose readings as well as physical and virtual follow up with dietitians, nutritionists, and pharmacists for 6 months. Outcome measures were body weight, body mass index (BMI), random blood glucose (RBG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL, assessed by SF-36 questionnaire). Data were measured at baseline, third and sixth months. Results: Repeated-measure analysis of covariance showed significant improvement in HbA1c level (ƞp2 = 0.045, p = 0.008) in the intervention (baseline mean 7.7% ± 1.1%; end mean 7.3% ± 1.3%) as compared to control (baseline mean 7.7% ± 0.9%; end mean 8.1% ± 1.6%) group. Similar trend was observed for Role Emotional domain of the quality of life (ƞp2 = 0.047, p = 0.023) in the intervention (baseline mean 62.8 ± 35.1, end mean 86.3 ± 21.3) compared to control (baseline mean group 70.5 ± 33.8; end mean 78.4 ± 27.3) group. Negative association was found in HbA1c changes using Z-score and Physical Function domain (r = − 0.217, p = 0.022). Conclusion: A 6 months SMBG intervention package through a subscription model improved blood glucose control as measured by HbA1c and health-related quality of life, particularly the Role Emotional domain. Elevated HbA1c levels are correlated with decreased physical function.There is a need to further examine the efficacy of SMBG intervention package using a larger sample and a longer period of intervention and to determine its cost efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China–Malaysia economic engagement has deepened since the 1990s. The scale and scope of this relationship has also expanded significantly following the 2013 announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative. Offering a context-rich, historically-nuanced perspective, this paper analyses how Malaysian policymakers have engaged with economic opportunities opened up by the burgeoning Chinese market. In particular, it examines how Chinese foreign direct investment has contributed to industrial upgrading trajectories in Malaysia. The paper makes two inter-related arguments. First, it uncovers a correlation between closer Chinese–Malaysian economic integration and services liberalization, which results in Malaysia's lower emphasis on manufacturing and 'proper' industrialization. In other words, structural transformation has occurred, but it is geared towards the services sector. Relatedly, Chinese investment entering Malaysia, notwithstanding its relatively recent status, is composed primarily of service industries. The services-heavy nature of Chinese investment results in a relatively modest economic multiplier effect, potentially exacerbating some societal tensions and inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir was administered orally to manage mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 in adult patients. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the cost-effectiveness of prescribing nirmatrelvir/ritonavir within 5 days of a COVID-19 illness in order to avert hospitalization within a 30-day period in the Malaysia setting; (ii) determine how variations in pricing and hospitalization rates will affect the cost-effectiveness of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. Methods: The 30-day hospitalization related to COVID-19 was determined using 1 to 1 propensity score-matched real-world data in Malaysia from 14 July 2022 to 14 November 2022. To determine the total per-person costs related to COVID-19, we added the cost of drug (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir or control), clinic visits and inpatient care. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per hospitalization averted was calculated. Results: Our cohort included 31,487 patients. The rate of hospitalization within 30 days was found to be 0.35% for the group treated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, and 0.52% for the control group. The nirmatrelvir/ritonavir group cost an additional MYR 1,625.72 (USD 358.88) per patient. This treatment also resulted in a reduction of 0.17% risk for hospitalization, which corresponded to an ICER of MYR 946,801.26 (USD 209,006.90) per hospitalization averted. Conclusion: In Malaysia, where vaccination rates were high, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir has been shown to be beneficial in the outpatient treatment of adults with COVID-19 who have risk factors; however, it was only marginally cost effective against hospitalization for healthy adults during the Omicron period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research project explores the factors influencing consumers' purchase intention via live streaming in Malaysia, including trustworthiness, social influence, perceived ease of use, and attractiveness. The study utilized both primary and secondary data, with questionnaires administered through Google Forms to 207 respondents in the urban areas of Malaysia. This study used Smart PLS software (version 3.0), and the findings suggest that trustworthiness, peer or social influence, and perceived ease of use have a significant relationship with purchase intention via live streaming among consumers in Malaysia, whereas attractiveness does not support this hypothesis. The findings of this study can assist new startups and entrepreneurs in gaining a better understanding of the livestreaming selling concept using the Source Credibility Theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was well documented that racial minorities struggle with discrimination that jeopardizes their mental well-being. However, the interaction between cultural identification (CI) and mother tongue (MT) on perceived discrimination among minority communities was unclear. This study adopted a cross-sectional survey to investigate how different Chinese in Malaysia (CIM) groups experience in-group versus out-group discrimination based on their MT, and its impact on well-being. We hypothesized that (1) different CIM-MT groups would differ in their in-group discriminations; (2) there would be a pathway from CI to discrimination and to mental well-being; (3) MT would have a moderation effect on the pathway. A standardized online survey measuring CI (national vs. ethnic), perceived discrimination (in-group vs. out-group), and mental well-being (life satisfaction vs. mental distress) was administered to CIM college students. Analysis using ANCOVA and PLS-SEM (N = 288) showed that the English-MT group reported higher in-group discrimination than the Chinese-MT group. Moreover, the PLS-SEM analysis showed that ethnic identity, not national identity, displayed a significant negative association with in-group discrimination, which then significantly predicted mental distress in general. Furthermore, MT was a significant moderator between national identity and out-group discrimination. The findings confirmed that MT could predispose CIM to different exposure of racial dynamics and contexts. In lieu of the detrimental effect of both forms of racial discrimination, we advocate for culturally responsive mental health services for ethnic minorities around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines 20-year data on the relationship between proximity to transit stations and early-stage gentrification in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The early-stage gentrification from 1990 to 2010 was measured using the college graduate ratio to clarify when the relationship may occur if mass rapid transit (MRT) is developed based on pre-existing conventional railways. Empirical results profile the time of occurrence of transit-related gentrification. In a city that is developing MRT in the early stage, in which station densities are gradually increasing, transit-related gentrification may occur along MRT corridors. This process may occur before the MRT station opening if the development is by upgrading pre-existing conventional railways, but is insignificant when an MRT is developed in the late stage, in which station densities are already high or have evidently stopped increasing. The profile guides local administrations to determine an effective schedule for implementing countermeasures to gentrification along MRT corridors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A High Court recently ordered the Malaysian government to make public the investigation report on a plane crash accident in 1976 that killed 11 people. In granting the mandamus order, the court recognised that although not expressly provided for in the Federal Constitution, freedom of information ("FOI") necessarily flows from the free speech clause in the constitution. While the court's decision in acknowledging the existence of FOI in Malaysia is welcomed, this note argues that the implication of this decision seems minimal in advancing FOI in Malaysia. It is, therefore, suggested that an FOI legislative framework together with a consistent recognition, especially by the higher courts, of FOI in Malaysia would provide more systematic access to official information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of BMC Geriatrics is the property of BioMed Central and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Youth's aspirations are a key influence on their decision-making process but may perpetuate poverty traps among marginalised and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. We aim to examine the complex formation of female youth aspirations and geographical demographic differences. We recruited 56 16-year-old Malaysian female students from one urban (n = 24) and two rural schools in Malaysia (n = 32). A mixed-design approach was utilised by (1) quantitatively assessing their aspirations from drawings of future selves and (2) qualitatively complementing the drawings with semi-structured interviews (n = 28, 14/14). Results showed that youth aspirations are socially produced, primarily by family members but also by internal factors (e.g., domain passion and self-efficacy). While there were similar rural-urban aspiration levels, rural youth demonstrated more self-blaming tendencies (resulting in them choosing careers of lower occupational prestige) and frequently mentioned resorting to part-time entrepreneurship to supplement employment their income. Our study has implications for interventions targeted at driving social mobility for rural and/or low-income young women and emphasises the importance of a multifaceted capacity-building approach while also addressing structural constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Familial hypomagnesemia with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis (FHHNC) is a rare genetic disorder. There are few descriptions of phenotype and genotype in pediatric patients, especially from Asia. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 11 patients who were diagnosed with FHHNC due to a common homozygous mutation in CLDN19, the gene encoding claudin 19, in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. Results: Eleven patients from eight families, predominantly of Iban descent, were diagnosed with FHHNC at a median age of 7 years. These patients had an identical novel homozygous pathogenic variant in CLDN19, c427del. Seven patients (63.7%) had ocular abnormalities. All patients had nephrocalcinosis; hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia were seen in 10 and 6 cases, respectively. One patient was asymptomatic at diagnosis. Progression to kidney failure was seen in two patients, at 7 and 15 years of age. Conclusions: The finding of a common novel mutation in non consanguineous families from the Iban population across different regions in the Sarawak state suggests a founder effect, underscoring the importance of genetic screening in children from this region presenting with unexplained ocular symptoms or electrolyte abnormalities associated with nephrocalcinosis, to facilitate early diagnosis and management of FHHNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective - Studies related to the distribution of income are very important for national development as they are related to efforts to reduce the gender earnings disparity. Women have overcome many challenges within the labour market, but gender income differentials persist in Malaysia. Methodology/Technique--Reducing gender income differentials is one ingredient for sustained economic growth. This article examines the gender income distribution in several submarkets within the Malaysian labour market and discusses some initiatives to reduce income disparities therein. The data used here were drawn from the Department of Statistics and cover the 10-year period from 2010 to 2019. Findings - Data show evidence that there exists gender earning disparity in Malaysia along the lines of education, specifically tertiary education, and ethnicity, specifically in Indian and Chinese communities. Novelty - This paper proposed a few policy recommendations with the hope that they will aid in the effort of reducing gender income differentials, which are a critical share of the country's human capital development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Perception is an essential factor influencing smoking among adolescents. Thus, a valid tool for measuring perception is a requisite in smoking studies. This study further establishes the validity and reliability of a Malay language version of the Perception Towards Smoking Questionnaire (BMPTSQ) for assessing the perception of smoking among secondary school-going adolescents in Malaysia. METHODS We administered the BM-PTSQ to 669 secondary school students selected through multistage sampling; 60% of respondents were male (n=398), and 69.9% (n=463) were from rural areas. Respondents were aged 13--16 years, 36.4% (n=241) were 13 years, 40.0% (n=265) were 14 years, and 23.6% (n=156) were 16 years old. We used parallel and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine the domains of the questionnaire. In addition, we also employed EFA, confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and Cronbach's alpha to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the BM-PTSQ. RESULTS EFA and parallel analysis identified two domains in the BM-PTSQ that accounted for 62.9% of the observed variance, and CFA confirmed the two-domain structure. The two domains' internal consistency scores ranged from 0.702 to 0.80, which suggested adequate reliability. CONCLUSIONS The BM-PTSQ has acceptable psychometric validity and is appropriate for assessing smoking perception and intention among Malaysian secondary school-aged youth. Researchers should further evaluate this tool's applicability in a more sociodemographically diverse population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SINERGI: Journal of Strategic Studies & International Affairs is the property of SINERGI: Journal of Strategic Studies & International Affairs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Water quality index (WQI) has been utilised in many countries and regions as a numeric representation of the condition of water resources. However, the computation of the WQI involves a host of water quality variables. Although machine learning models are proven to be a promising tool to estimate WQI with lesser inputs, sufficient data or samples must be collected so that the machine learning models can be trained well. This exhibits a great challenge in places where there has been a lack of data collection infrastructure to meet the needs of machine learning models. Data scarcity is a major issue to be tackled. This study covered two major rivers that served as water intakes in Peninsular Malaysia (Selangor River and Skudai River), where four synthetic data generation methods, namely the conditional tabular generative adversarial network (CTGAN), the tabular variational autoencoder (TVAE), the Gaussian copula (GC) and the copula generative adversarial network (CopulaGAN), were used to synthesise datasets based on the real dataset. By using the pairwise correlation difference (PCD), Kullback-Leibler divergence (KLD) and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test, the best synthetic datasets were selected for the two rivers. The CopulaGAN1 and the CopulaGAN2 yielded the best small and large synthetic datasets at Selangor River, scoring the lowest PCD, KLD and KS statistics. For the Skudai River, the TVAE1 and TVAE2 were chosen. The real and synthetic datasets were used to train the back-propagation neural network (BPNN) for the WQI estimation. Based on the various evaluation metrics, it was proven that increasing the size of training data using the synthetic data method had a positive impact on the performance of the BPNN. The BPNN trained with the CopulaGAN2 (at Selangor River) and the TVAE2 (at Skudai River) yielded more accurate estimations compared to those derived from the actual and smaller datasets. Highlights: Data were insufficient to train machine learning model well in developing regions. Synthetic data methods can overcome the data scarcity issue in Malaysia. CopulaGAN and TVAE outperformed other methods at Selangor River and Skudai River. BPNN trained with synthetic datasets estimated WQI with higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational videos and other multimedia materials are frequently employed to enhance clinical undergraduate learning. The acceptability and use of a fall prevention training videos by Malaysian clinical students are examined in this study. The use of multimedia in the classroom offers numerous advantages, but it is important to understand the needs, preferences, and feedback of the students regarding its usefulness and efficacy. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the acceptability and usability of the fall prevention instructional videos among clinical undergraduates in Malaysia through quantitative and qualitative study methods. This study looks at the acceptability and usage of fall prevention videos among clinical undergraduates in Malaysia. A quantitative and qualitative study of 53 clinical undergraduate students in Malaysia was conducted. The System Usability Scale (SUS) was adapted for our study to incorporate two open-ended questions regarding educational video continuity and practicality, feedback sections, and closed-ended questions addressing video flaws. The educational video on fall prevention has an excellent usability score of 73.26 ± 13.32. Most of the feedback suggested trimming the videos because 15 participants (28 %) felt it was too long. Many participants said that the educational videos were essential for practical sessions and future learning. The consensus was that educational videos should be kept up to date for future learning and usefulness, but more improvements are required to make the learning process better for the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication applications and social media sites serve as a platform for users to distribute information and connect to other users, potentially allowing perpetrators to perform antisocial behaviors. The current study examined the relationship between Dark Tetrad of personality (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, sadism) and antisocial cyber-behaviors (i.e., cyberbullying, cybertrolling) by surveying young Malaysians (n = 323) aged from 18 to 26. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed that Machiavellianism was not related to cyberbullying and cybertrolling, while narcissism was positively related to cyberbullying but not related to cybertrolling. Meanwhile, psychopathy and sadism were positively related to cyberbullying and cybertrolling. The results of this study contribute to the cyber-behaviors literature, knowledge about the antisocial cyber-behaviors in Malaysia, supports sadism as a dark personality and the study acts as a reference to minimize these behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high burden of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales worldwide, especially in the densely populated South East Asia poses a significant threat to the global transmission of antibiotic resistance. Molecular surveillance of ESBL-producing pathogens in this region is vital for understanding the local epidemiology, informing treatment choices, and addressing the regional and global implications of antibiotic resistance. Methods: Therefore, an inventory surveillance of the ESBL-Escherichia coli (ESBLEC) isolates responsible for infections in Malaysian hospitals was conducted. Additionally, the in vitro efficacy of flomoxef and other established antibiotics against ESBL-EC was evaluated. Results: A total of 127 non-repetitive ESBL-EC strains isolated from clinical samples were collected during a multicentre study performed in five representative Malaysian hospitals. Of all the isolates, 33.9% were isolated from surgical site infections and 85.8% were hospital-acquired infections. High rates of resistance to cefotaxime (100%), cefepime (100%), aztreonam (100%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (100%) were observed based on the broth microdilution test. Carbapenems remained the most effective antibiotics against the ESBL-EC, followed by flomoxef. Antibiotic resistance genes were identified by PCR. The blaCTX-M-1 was the most prevalent ESBL gene, with 28 isolates (22%) harbouring blaCTX-M-1 only, 27 isolates (21.3%) co-harbouring blaCTX-M-1 and blaTEM, and ten isolates (7.9%) co-harbouring blaCTX-M-1, blaTEM and blaSHV. A generalised linear model showed significant antibacterial activity of imipenem against different types of infection. Besides carbapenems, this study also demonstrated a satisfactory antibacterial activity of flomoxef (81.9%) on ESBL-EC, regardless of the types of ESBL genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polypharmacy and the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are prevalent among older patients admitted to hospitals, posing a heightened risk of adverse drug events. This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacist-led deprescribing intervention in reducing medications, PIM and improving clinical outcomes, using the locally developed Malaysian Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing Screening tool in Older Adults (MALPIP). Methods: This is an 18-month cluster-randomized, open-label, parallel-arm controlled trial conducted at 14 public hospitals in the Perak state of Malaysia. Patients aged 60 and above, who have at least one medication and one comorbidity are eligible. A stratified-cluster randomization design is employed, with 7 hospitals assigned to the control arm and 7 hospitals assigned to the intervention arm. The MALPIP screening tool will be used in the intervention group to review the medications. If PIM is detected, the pharmacists will discuss with doctors and decide whether to stop or reduce the dose. The primary outcomes of this trial are the total number of medications and number of PIM. The secondary outcomes include fall, emergency department visits, readmissions, quality of life and mortality. Outcomes will be measured during enrolment, discharge, 6, 12, and 18 months. Discussion: This REVMED trial aims to test the hypothesis that a pharmacist-led deprescribing intervention initiated in the hospital will reduce the total number of medications and PIM 18 months after hospital discharge, reducing fall, emergency department visits, readmissions, mortality and lead to improvement in quality of life. Trial findings will quantify the clinical outcomes associated with reducing medications and PIM for hospitalized older adults with polypharmacy. Trial registration number: This trial was prospectively registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05875623) on the 25th of May 2023. NCT05875623 Clinicaltrials.gov URL: NCT05875623 registered on 25th July 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Malaysian population grows, there is a high demand for rice, the main staple food in this region. This has caused the overuse of agrochemicals that contain heavy metals and the utilization of contaminated groundwater to increase paddy yield, posing a risk to humans. This study reviewed the accumulated heavy metals in paddy fields of Malaysia's Selangor, Kedah and Sabah states and further calculated the consumption risks of rice grains from the selected areas. The study revealed that paddy soil in Ranau Valley (Sabah), Kota Marudu (Sabah) and Tanjung Karang (Selangor) showed presences of Cu and Cd in high concentration, respectively, creating higher potential to be uptake by paddy roots. These findings also revealed that Ranau Valley (Sabah) paddy grains contained high Cu and Cd concentrations, while Sabak Bernam (Selangor) contained high Pb concentrations. Further, a higher Cd concentration was reported from the Ranau Valley (Sabah), while the higher Pb concentrations were reported from the samples collected from Sabak Bernam (Selangor), Tanjung Karang (Selangor) and Kubang Pasu (Kedah). Based on the health risk indices calculation in this study, carcinogenic and non- carcinogenic health risks in all study areas except in Kubang Pasu (Kedah) and Langkawi (Kedah) are likely to occur due to Cu mining activities, ultrabasic soil contamination, utilization of contaminated groundwater and rock phosphate fertilizer and vehicular emission. Regular assessment of heavy metal content and consumption risks of paddy is essential to ensure the paddy field is free from contamination and will help protect the ecosystem and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the attitudes that Malaysians of different backgrounds hold towards the English language in Malaysia, as well as how they perceive 'Standard Malaysian English' and 'Colloquial Malaysian English', in terms of status and solidarity. The study administered an online questionnaire, which included an embedded matched‐guise experiment, to 77 Malaysian respondents in Malaysia and Australia. Findings indicated a range of divergent and at times contradictory views of Malaysian English, illuminating how Malaysians are in different stages of acceptance of Malaysian English as a legitimate variety of English. Through an examination of individual participant responses, the study also shows that Malaysians are attuned to and hold certain stereotypes towards 'ethnic' varieties or 'ethnolects' of Malaysian English, providing insight into how issues of race and ethnicity, embedded within the broader socio‐political context and language ecology of the nation, have influenced contemporary language attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]