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Purpose: University research institutes were established in Malaysian Universities to facilitate research activities that do not fit into discipline-oriented departments, including the multi- and inter-disciplinary research that goes beyond the single-disciplinary boundary. This paper aims to report on a case study of one university research institute established in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), known as the institute for environment and development (LESTARI). LESTARI conducts multi-disciplinary research that emphasises research and capacity building on issues related to sustainable development. The aims of this paper are to examine the research evolution undergone at LESTARI, and to ascertain its contribution towards sustainable development goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach: LESTARI was established two years after the Rio Conference held in 1992, with the aims of promoting sustainable development through research and capacity building. This paper uses a qualitative approach to evaluate the research evolution of LESTARI, and a quantitative analysis to ascertain LESTARI's contribution to SDGs. Findings: After almost 30 years of establishment, LESTARI has moved from multi-disciplinary research to inter-disciplinary research. Although the transition was based on respective research areas (e.g. chemicals management and geopark), the research maturity of LESTARI is shown in its transformation from conventional to translational research. LESTARI has proven its capability to conduct multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research, and the research outputs are also contributing to the SDGs. Practical implications: The LESTARI case study has shown that as long as a research institute has a firm and clear research direction, regardless of how it is evaluated and monitored (e.g. evaluated by SDGs), the research institute remains relevant in the context of its establishment. Social implications: The findings from this paper serve to set LESTARI as an example for other university research institutes, whether in Malaysia or in other countries. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this contribution is the first that discusses the transition from multi-disciplinary research to inter-disciplinary research, as well as the contribution to SDGs, among university research institutes in Malaysia.

Evaluation of research performance has significantly increased in importance, particularly in many emerging higher education systems. In Malaysia, the Malaysian Research Assessment (MyRA) was developed to evaluate the research performance of universities and Research Centres of Excellence (RCoEs). This paper reports on a participatory action research approach aimed at developing a new framework for measuring research performance of Malaysian RCoEs. The introduction provides the contexts leading to the development and adoption of the MyRA including the challenges and its appropriateness as a tool for evaluating the research performance of relatively smaller entities namely, RCoEs. A stepwise approach in developing an alternative system of assessment for RCoEs is then described, leading to a list of prioritised components and criteria for the newly proposed tool. Finally, some of the wider implications of the new assessment framework are discussed, including the applicability to other contexts, lessons learned, and the contribution to the literature.

The best way to manage used batteries without causing adverse effects to the environment is through recycling. The objective of this study to identify relations and factors which encourage the recycling of used batteries by understanding the behaviour and awareness among the students using Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). School students in Bangi, Malaysia were selected as case study. A total of 349 respondents from 4 schools located in Bangi (namely SMK Bandar Baru Bangi, SMK Jalan Tiga, SMK Jalan Empat and SMK Dato' Abu Bakar Baginda) had been chosen using cluster sampling method. The study shows that there are a few significant positive relations, which include infrastructure and behavioural control (r = 0.359); responsibility and behavioural control (r = 0.395); attitude and intention (r = 0.182); willingness to pay and behaviour (r = 0.332). By using regression analysis, the social norm factor is the main factor which encourages recycling of used batteries among respondents based on the TPB theory, and followed by the factors of willingness to pay, attitude and behavioural control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes continues to rise globally. This study examined the national prevalence of hypertension among the diabetes population in Malaysia and its associated risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sub -analysis of data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2015 was conducted among 4229 respondents with diabetes. The data was obtained from respondents aged 18 years and above. Diabetes was defined as those who self-reported to have diabetes or had fasting capillary blood glucose of ≥6.1 mmol/L or non-fasting blood glucose of >11.1 mmol/L. Hypertension was defined as one who has systolic and diastolic blood pressure of ≥140 mmHg and ≥90 mmHg, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension among respondents with diabetes was 57.9% (95% CI : 55.8,60.0). The prevalence of hypertension among diabetes was higher among females (58.7%), ≥60 years old (80.1%), Chinese (61.1%), those with primary education (69.6%), widow/widower/divorce (75.4%), not working (67.7%), rural residents (60.6%), nonsmokers (60.1%), non-drinkers (58.1%), those who were obese (66.0%) and with abnormal cholesterol level (63.5%). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that age group, working status, obesity and cholesterol were associated with hypertension among respondents with diabetes. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of hypertension among diabetes population in Malaysia is high. Early detection of hypertension should be an integral part of diabetes management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of intranasal esketamine in patients with treatment-resistant depression from the Asian subgroup of the SUSTAIN-2 study. Methods: SUSTAIN-2 was a phase 3, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study comprising a 4-week screening, 4-week induction, 48-week optimization/maintenance, and 4-week follow-up (upon esketamine discontinuation) phase. Patients with treatment-resistant depression received esketamine plus an oral antidepressant during the treatment period. Results: The incidence of ≤ 1 serious treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) among the 78 subjects from the Asian subgroup (Taiwan: 33, Korea: 26, Malaysia: 19) was 11.5% (n = 9); with no fatal TEAE. 13 Asian patients (16.7%) discontinued esketamine due to TEAEs. The most common TEAEs were dizziness (37.2%), nausea (29.5%), dissociation (28.2%), and headache (21.8%). Most TEAEs were mild to moderate in severity, transient and resolved on the same day. Upon discontinuation of esketamine, no trend in withdrawal symptoms was observed to associate long-term use of esketamine with withdrawal syndrome. There were no reports of drug seeking, abuse, or overdose. Improvements in symptoms, functioning and quality of life, occurred during in the induction phase and were generally maintained through the optimization/maintenance phases of the study. Conclusion: The safety and efficacy of esketamine in the Asian subgroup was generally consistent with the total SUSTAIN-2 population. There was no new safety signal and no indication of a high potential for abuse with the long-term (up to one year) use of esketamine in the Asian subgroup. Most of the benefits of esketamine occurred early during the induction phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil is the world's most-produced vegetable oil that is serving as an important source of food and energy for many developing and underdeveloped countries. The global demand for palm oil will continue to rise, owing to the growing population and economy. Presently, tremendous efforts have been devoted to improving the sustainability of palm oil production. One strategy is to improve the oil extraction rate (OER) during the milling process. The average OER in Malaysia has remained stagnant between 19 and 21% for the past 40 years. Based on the world production of palm oil in 2018, approximately 3 million tonnes of additional palm oil can be produced globally with a 1% increase in OER. In this paper, the current status of the palm oil milling process and the factors affecting the OER are discussed. Subsequently, the methods to improve the OER are reviewed. Furthermore, the importance of producing good quality oil whilst improving the OER is emphasised. In conclusion, some of the methods reviewed have the potential for industrial application and they warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers and challenges faced by chemical industries in Malaysia causing to the low participation in Responsible Care program. Also, this paper aims to propose a solution to address the issues in implementing Responsible Care by introducing a Simplified and Integrated Management System for Responsible Care.Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was distributed to 132 Responsible Care signatory companies in Malaysia, and they were given a week to return it via e-mail. Combining the inputs from the survey and document analysis, a Simplified and Integrated Management System for Responsible Care (SIMS-RC) was proposed.Findings Responsible Care signatory companies faced barriers in implementing product stewardship code and they also faced challenges in getting employees' commitment from all levels. Taking the inputs received from Responsible Care signatory companies and document analysis, an SIMS-RC was proposed as a closed-loop process which consists of quality, environmental, health and safety management system.Research limitations/implications Some of the chemical companies were unable to share their thoughts in the survey due to the companies' confidential reason.Originality/value Abundant literature has discussed about the limitation of Responsible Care that needs to be improved. Therefore, several elements and procedures of the program need to be revised and innovated to help the signatory companies to continuously improve their performances and encourage more participation in Responsible Care program. The findings will add value to the current body of knowledge and Responsible Care signatory companies which seek to improve Responsible Care implementation through an integrated management system approach. The proposed SIMS-RC is a simple, integrated, holistic and process-oriented management system in which it blends Responsible Care into quality, environmental, health and safety management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Malaysia, the Occupational Safety and Health (Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations 1997 (CPL Regulations) were replaced by the Occupational Safety and Health (Classification, Labelling and Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations 2013 (CLASS Regulations) as a step towards the implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Chemical Classification and Hazard Communication (GHS). This paper highlights 10 significant differences between the two regulations in these aspects: (i) the legal status of reference documents; (ii) clarity of chemical classification; (iii) incorporation of environmental hazards; (iv) classification criteria; (v) their labelling presentation; (vi) use of danger symbols and hazard pictograms; (vii) sizes of danger symbols and hazard pictograms; (viii) hazard descriptions; (ix) safety data sheet; and (x) inventory submission. Although both CPL Regulations and CLASS Regulations have similar frameworks, the legal requirements outlined in both regulations differ significantly particularly in chemical classification, labelling and safety data sheet requirements, and inventory submission. The most important step forward is that the CLASS Regulations' requirement for chemicals to be classifiedwith proper documented evidence and comprehensive hazard communication makes the chemical suppliers take greater responsibility for the chemicals they supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Integration of water into deep eutectic solvent enhanced lignin removal. • Better delignification improved xylose recovery via CuCl 2 hydrolysis. • Physical properties of deep eutectic solvents affected delignification. • Various characterization studies verified delignification effects of biomass. The existence of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has improved the process of biomass transformation and valorization due to its ability to break down the recalcitrant structure of biomass via delignification. However, the high viscosity of DES is one of the factors that restraints its effectiveness in delignification of biomass. The addition of water was expected to reduce the viscosity of DES and improve the process consequently. This study investigated the effects of water content in the DES (choline chloride:urea in 1:2 M ratio) on delignification of oil palm fronds (OPF), which are underutilized but available abundantly in Malaysia. The pretreatment was carried out at 120 °C for 4 h using DES at a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:10 (w/v). In terms of lignin removal, 30 vol% of distilled water in DES was determined to achieve the optimal result at 16.31% in delignification of OPF. Delignification of OPF was further confirmed via a series of characterization tests. In comparison with pure DES, the aqueous DES enabled more favorable improvement of lignin removal in a biomass pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seriousness of e-waste problem is down to three realities: exponential increase in total amount, environmental degradation and health complications. A call for sustainable e-waste management is no longer a utopian ambition but an absolute necessity. In accordance to that, this study aims to evaluate e-waste management practices in three Asian countries: Japan, Taiwan, and Malaysia, and consequently propose recommendations and insights for Malaysia on how to manage e-waste in a sustainable manner. The comparative analysis is conducted based on three central aspects comprising governance, infrastructure, and stakeholders' participation. The outcome of this study indicates that e-waste management needs to be initiated by comprehensive regulations that are focussed on proper e-waste handling and stakeholders' accountability. Besides, it has to be accompanied by robust infrastructure where appropriate mechanisms and effective enforcement are taking place. Finally, active participation from relevant stakeholders through involvement, support and compliance is crucial. On the whole, developing a sustainable e-waste management system is not an easy endeavour; it requires sufficient effort, capital, and time while complemented with continuous improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2009, the Department of Environment (DOE) implemented the Environmentally Hazardous Substances (EHS) Notification and Registration Scheme aimed at strengthening upstream chemicals management by first collecting data on chemicals that are either imported to or manufactured in Malaysia. However, we noticed that this voluntary scheme was developed merely to collect data on chemicals and there is no clear roadmap on how the scheme can promote the regulatory framework for upstream chemicals management. As responsible academics concerned about chemicals management, we took the initiative to analyse the EHS Notification and Registration Scheme, and identified the critical features in the regulatory framework that need to be enhanced. In this paper, we elaborate on the EHS definition, and propose the term Environmentally Hazardous Chemicals (EHC) to replace EHS in the context of chemicals management. The intrinsic properties of the EHC that are in line with the GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals) have been identified in this paper. We also propose a systematic approach to regulating chemicals which will also be capable of meeting the demands of chemical related conventions such as the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm and Minamata Conventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates employers' perspective towards employing people with disabilities in the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia. The research also endeavoured to identify factors that promote or hinder gainful employment of people with disabilities in Malaysia. Method: The data were collected through postal questionnaires distributed to several types of industries in the northern region of Malaysia. Results: The results indicated that most of the employers are in favour of employing persons with disabilities. However, very few have such enabling policies, or a mechanism to handle issues related to persons with disabilities, or a built environment which is fully accessible to persons with disabilities. They are also concerned about the ability of workers with disabilities to comprehend and follow orders, as well as the costs involved in employing and training them. These results imply that if employers want to fulfil their intentions of recruiting persons with disabilities, a lot has to be done to employ and sustain them in their jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Palm oil production is one of the major industries in Malaysia and this country ranks one of the largest productions in the world. In Malaysia, the total production of crude palm oil in 2008 was 17,734,441 tonnes. However, the production of this amount of crude palm oil results in even larger amounts of palm oil mill effluent (POME). In the year 2008 alone, at least 44 million tonnes of POME was generated in Malaysia. Currently, the ponding system is the most common treatment method for POME but other processes such as aerobic and anaerobic digestion, physicochemical treatment and membrane filtration may also provide the palm oil industries with possible insights into the improvement of POME treatment processes. Generally, open ponding offers low capital and operating costs but this conventional method is becoming less attractive because the methane produced is wasted to the atmosphere and the system can not be certified for Carbon Emission Reduction trading. On the other hand, anaerobic digestion of POME provides the fastest payback of investment because the treatment enables biogas recovery for heat generation and treated effluent for land application. Lastly, it is proposed herewith that wastewater management based on the promotion of cleaner production and environmentally sound biotechnologies should be prioritized and included as a part of the POME management in Malaysia for attaining sustainable development. This paper thus discusses and compares state-of-the-art POME treatment methods as well as their individual performances. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: During the last century, a great deal of research and development as well as applications has been devoted to waste. These include waste minimization and treatment, the environmental assessment of waste, minimization of environmental impact, life cycle assessment and others. The major reason for such huge efforts is that waste generation constitutes one of the major environmental problems where production industries are concerned. Until now, an increasing pressure has been put on finding methods of reusing waste, for instance through cleaner production, thus mirroring rapid changes in environmental policies. The palm oil industry is one of the leading industries in Malaysia with a yearly production of more than 13 million tons of crude palm oil and plantations covering 11% of the Malaysian land area. However, the production of such amounts of crude palm oil result in even larger amounts of palm oil mill effluent (POME), estimated at nearly three times the quantity of crude palm oil. Normally, POME is treated using end-of-pipe processes, but it is worth considering the potential value of POME prior to its treatment through introduction of a cleaner production. It is envisaged that POME can be sustainably reused as a fermentation substrate in the production of various metabolites, fertilizers and animal feeds through biotechnological advances. The present paper thus discusses various technically feasible and economically beneficial means of transforming the POME into low or preferably high value added products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Prolonged persistence of toxic cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb) in the aquatic environment are due to its nonbiodegradable characteristic. A few studies have reported higher concentrations of these metals in the transboundary Langat River, Malaysia. This study determined the spatial and temporal distributions of Cd, Cr and Pb concentrations (2005–2015) in the Langat River along with assessing the status of these metals in the drinking water supply chain at the basin. Water samples were collected once in 2015 from the drinking water supply chain, i.e., from the river, treated water at plants, taps and filtration water at households. Determined mean concentrations of Cd, Cr and Pb by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in the Langat River were within the drinking water quality standard of Malaysia and the WHO, except for the Pb (9.99 ± 1.40 µg/L) concentration, which was at the maximum limit, 10 µg/L. The spatial and temporal distribution of these metals' concentrations indicate dilution of it downstream, along with the increasing trend in rainfall and water flow, especially during the northeast monsoon. Significant correlation and regression analysis of the Cd, Cr and Pb concentrations also indicate that the sources of this metal pollution are mainly the natural weathering of minerals along with anthropogenic activities in the basin. The determined overall water quality of the Langat River is categorized Class IIA (i.e., clean), which requires conventional treatment before drinking; however, the maximum removal efficiency of these metals by the plants at the basin was about 90.17%. Therefore, the proactive leadership roles of the local authorities will be appropriate to reduce the pollution of this river as well as introducing a two-layer water filtration system at the Langat River Basin to accelerate the achievement of a sustainable drinking water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-discrimination legislations and employment rights for People with Disabilities (PWDs) have moved to the central of policy in developed countries. The emerging importance of the role and future of PWDs in society is necessitated by a paradigm shift from a 'charity' to a 'human rights' approach. According to the 'human rights' approach, the universal (human) rights to a better quality of life should not be the sole exclusivity of able-bodied citizens only; but a privilege extended to PWDs too. In Malaysia, the 'human rights' approach is slowly permeating into the country's politico-institutional mechanisms reflected in national agendas such as the Vision 2020 blueprint that advocates a sustainable, caring and socially-inclusive Malaysian society. In this regard, the adoption of the 'human rights' approach is timely and considered as a key prerequisite and milestone to enable and qualify Malaysia to be a developed nation by 2020. To this end, several policies for PWDs have since been formulated. However, this paper argues that these policies have failed to deliver in terms of establishing an equitable, socially-inclusive and discrimination-free working environment for Malaysian PWDs. More significantly, this paper provides valuable empirical evidences that highlight the inadequacies of these policies to address and overcome issues of discrimination that are on-going and continue to persist in Malaysian workplaces. This paper contends that Malaysia's aspiration to be a caring and socially-inclusive society by 2020 is being challenged and at stake, if, issues of workplace discrimination against Malaysian PWDs are not resolved in a timely manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the Malaysian chemicals industry has been progressively growing over the past few decades, the industry associations had not been actively engaged with one another. The Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia was established to form a stronger and more cohesive representation from other sub-sectors of the industry such as oleochemicals, industrial gases, petrochemicals, paints, coating resins, fertilizers, biodiesel and pesticides, as well as their respective chemical traders, distributors and other service providers. Among its initiatives is the Responsible Care programme which has proven to be a very useful tool in promoting responsible practices among signatory companies that protect the environment, human health and safety. While the chemicals industry and related industries have adopted most of the responsible best practices to reduce their environmental impact, participation from small and medium enterprises has been low. This paper aims to provide an overview of the initiatives of the Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia, and assess its current position with regard to providing environmental, health and safety services to its members in view of the expanding global chemicals sector and the challenges it poses. It will also identify the main challenges faced by the chemicals industry, and propose measures to overcome them for the future competitiveness and sustainability of the chemicals industry at both regional and international levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current work, the photocatalytic treatment of palm oil mill effluent over tungsten oxides photocatalyst under ultraviolet-irradiation was evaluated. Characterization of fresh and used tungsten oxides photocatalyst was accomplished via X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis, Ultraviolet–Visible Light Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy, and Fourier Transformed-Infrared Spectroscopy. Photocatalytic treatment of palm oil mill effluent was conducted to determine the effects of catalyst loading, longevity, and recyclability of the tungsten oxides photocatalyst, as well as the effect of pH alteration on palm oil mill effluent. During the photocatalytic reaction, the collected liquid sample was tested for chemical oxygen demand, pH, and colour intensity while the gaseous sample was analyzed via gas chromatography. The optimum catalyst loading was 0.5 g/L, corresponds to highest photocatalytic degradation (51.15%) and decolourization (96.21%). The pH alteration on palm oil mill effluent has negligible effect on its photocatalytic degradation with UV/WO 3 system. For longevity study, the optimum reaction time was 16 h, which achieved 84.70% photocatalytic degradation and 98.28% photocatalytic decolourization. From the recyclability study, it can be concluded that the tungsten oxides photocatalyst is suitable for photocatalytic decolourization of palm oil mill effluent, but not suitable for photocatalytic degradation. In addition, analysis of the gaseous product showed that the photocatalytic treatment has successfully degraded the organic pollutants in the liquid effluent into methane and carbon dioxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition that predisposes patients to substantially increased risk of early-onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. FH risks can be minimized through regular participation in three self-management. physical activity, healthy eating, and taking cholesterol lowering medication. The present study tested the effectiveness of an integrated social cognition model in predicting intention to participate in the self-management behaviors in FH patients from seven countries. Consecutive patients in FH clinics from Australia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, and UK (total N = 726) completed measures of social cognitive beliefs about illness from the common sense model of self-regulation, beliefs about behaviors from the theory of planned behavior, and past behavior for the three self-management behaviors. Structural equation models indicated that beliefs about behaviors from the theory of planned behavior, namely, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, were consistent predictors of intention across samples and behaviors. By comparison, effects of beliefs about illness from the common sense model were smaller and trivial in size. Beliefs partially mediated past behavior effects on intention, although indirect effects of past behavior on intention were larger for physical activity relative to taking medication and healthy eating. Model constructs did not fully account for past behavior effects on intentions. Variability in the strength of the beliefs about behaviors was observed across samples and behaviors. Current findings outline the importance of beliefs about behaviors as predictors of FH self-management behaviors. Variability in the relative contribution of the beliefs across samples and behaviors highlights the imperative of identifying sample- and behavior-specific correlates of FH self-management behaviors. • Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic condition linked to cardiovascular disease risk. • This study aimed to predict FH patients' intentions to perform self-management behaviors. • An integrated social cognition model was tested in FH patients from seven countries. • Attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control predicted intentions across behaviors and countries. • Illness beliefs did not consistently predict self-management behavioral intentions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]