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Project-based learning (PjBL) is a student-centred approach focusing on experiential learning. The approach has been widely used in the field of sciences and mathematics but not in social sciences, particularly in English writing skills. As PjBL gains popularity as one of the 21st century teaching and learning approaches, there is a need to identify the trends, key authors, significant countries, and findings related to PjBL in writing. This paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) conducted on 17 articles from the year 2018 to 2023 from the Scopus database following the PRISMA guideline. The study focused on PjBL and English writing, employing a systematic literature review to analyse trends, countries, authors, and journals. The analysis reveals dynamic trends of PjBL in the writing field. While the publication output fluctuated over the years, Indonesia emerged as a major contributor, signifying a global interest. A diverse distribution of articles across journals and countries underscores the global impact of PjBL, with notable contributions from Malaysia, China, and Russia. This paper synthesises the key themes from the literature review, emphasising the improvement in writing skills through PjBL and its challenges. The findings underscore PjBL's potential in transforming English writing education, emphasising the importance of addressing challenges for effective integration. The study contributes to the literature through a systematic analysis, providing insights into the trends and recommendations in PjBL in English writing research. Further research should delve into refining PjBL methodologies to maximize its innovative potential in English writing instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil is a very important commodity which will be required well into the future. However, the consequences of growing oil palm (OP) are often detrimental to the environment and contribute to climate change. On the other hand, climate change stress will decrease the production of palm oil by causing mortality and ill health of OP, as well as reducing yields. Genetically modified OP (mOP) may be produced in the future to resist climate change stress, although it will take a long time to develop and introduce, if they are successfully produced at all. It is crucial to understand the benefits mOP may bring for resisting climate change and increasing the sustainability of the palm oil industry. This paper employs modeling of suitable climate for OP using the CLIMEX program in (a) Indonesia and Malaysia, which are the first and second largest growers of OP respectively, and (b) Thailand and Papua New Guinea, which are much smaller growers. It is useful to compare these countries in terms of future palm oil production and what benefits planting mOP may bring. Uniquely, narrative models are used in the current paper to determine how climate change will affect yields of conventional OP and mOP. The effect of climate change on the mortality of mOP is also determined for the first time. The gains from using mOP were moderate, but substantial, if compared to the current production of other continents or countries. This was especially the case for Indonesia and Malaysia. The development of mOP requires a realistic appreciation of what benefits may accrue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of Indonesian migrant workers have sought employment in Malaysia during the last three decades. Many of them are skilled and unskilled laborers, and their incorporation into the host society's labor market has the potential to improve their own quality of life while also contributing significantly to the country's economy. However, Indonesian migrant workers encounter numerous problems in their professional and personal lives. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the intercultural communicative competence (ICC) factors as one of the Indonesian migrant workers' strategies. This is qualitative exploratory research on the factors of ICC in the integration of Indonesian migrant workers into the Malaysian labor market. Focus groups were used to obtain data from 16 Indonesian migrant workers who had already successfully integrated into the Malaysian workforce as well as newcomers who were in the process of integrating into the local culture. In addition, interviews have been conducted with the 13 employers to complement the data from the migrant workers. The data was analyzed using rounds of deductive and inductive coding and analysis based on the five components of Byram's model. The findings suggest that practicing intercultural communication skills can help migrant employees overcome cultural difficulties in the Malaysian labor market. The Indonesian migrant workers and their employers also indicated that they have an advantage in cultural integration due to the cultural similarities. The paper discusses the implications of the findings in terms of ICC training offered to migrant workers themselves (culture and language) and to professionals who work with them, with the goal of facilitating and promoting Indonesian migrant workers' labor market integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional bitumen pavement is no longer suitable for handling increasing loads and weather variations, which cause road deterioration, Thus, the modification of bitumen has been suggested to counter this issue. This study provides a detailed assessment of various additives for modifying natural rubber-modified bitumen used in road construction. This work will focus on the use of additives with cup lump natural rubber (CLNR), which has recently started to gain attention among researchers, especially in rubber-producing countries such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Furthermore, this paper aims to briefly review how the addition of additives or modifiers helps elevate the performance of bitumen by highlighting the significant properties of modified bitumen after the addition of modifiers. Moreover, the amount and method of application of each additive are discussed further to obtain the optimum value for future implementation. On the basis of past studies, this paper will review the utilisation of several types of additives, including polyphosphoric acid, Evotherm, mangosteen powder, trimethyl-quinoline and sulphur, and the application of xylene and toluene to ensure the homogeneity of the rubberised bitumen. Numerous studies were conducted to verify the performance of various types and compositions of additives, particularly in terms of physical and rheological properties. In general, additives enhance the properties of conventional bitumen. Future research should investigate CLNR because studies on its utilisation are limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the significant potential of Malaysia and Indonesia as emerging Southeast Asian retail markets, their nuanced differences in relation to global retailers have not been fully analyzed. Drawing the institutional theory, this study analyzed the institutional environments of Malaysian and Indonesian markets contrasting their similarities and differences in formal (i.e. explicit, regulatory) and informal (i.e. tacit normative and cultural-cognitive) institutions. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis of this exploratory is based on a large number of publicly available sources, including research papers, government documents and reports. The paper triangulated the validity of the data with multiple sources, including scholars, business professionals and government officers at the chamber of commerce in the countries. Findings: Although the two countries adjacently located in Southeast Asia share Islam as a major religion and the Bahasa language, there are significant differences in their formal institutions related to the retail environment, such as openness to foreign investment and retail infrastructure. Based on the analyses, this study provided recommendations for global retail companies targeting or planning to enter the Malaysian and Indonesian markets. Originality/value: This paper was an original application of institutional theory to Malaysia and Indonesia and analyzed the two emerging economies where institutions vary and are less visible to many multinational companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous attempts to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers, the average number of barriers in the agricultural sector, particularly in the palm oil sector, is rising. Non-tariff effects are subjective, which makes them challenging to quantify. A new palm oil trade restrictiveness index that considers each trade barrier imposed on palm oil exports, such as tariff and non-tariff measures, is necessary to facilitate the sector's exports. Hence, this study aims to calculate the trade restrictiveness index (TRI) of palm oil and analyse its impact on Malaysia's and Indonesia's palm oil exports. This study uses a gravity model with Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood (PPML) estimation to analyse the impact of trade barriers on world palm oil export for a sample of 59 major palm oil importing countries from 2009 to 2019. The study revealed that each importing country imposes different restrictions on Malaysia and Indonesia. The TRI showed a negative and significant relationship influencing palm oil exports in the case of Malaysia, while a positive and significant relationship for Indonesia. The policy implications of this study suggest that policymakers in both Malaysia and Indonesia should take proactive steps to comply with every criterion demanded by the importing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of research is to ascertain the existing situation of STEAM education research over three decades based on the Scopus database. The entire documents are 256 findings globally data shorted by year, region, and highest cited to 100 documents. The analysis technique used VOSViewer, Microsoft Excel and word cloud generator. The result of document type article is ranks first in Global and conference paper rank first in South East Asia. The sources that have published the top cited papers are "Journal of Small Business Management" in global and the "Education Sciences" in South East Asia. Meanwhile, the author with the most citations is Jeon M from the U.S.A. Specifically, the country with the most publications is US with 31 articles and 2553 citations. Whereas the majority of Southeast Asian countries have 9 articles and 10 citations. Supported the visualization analysis, VOSViewer's global region is divided into 4 clusters and 62 keywords to assist with the visualization analysis. A pair of clusters containing 14 keywords each for the South Asia region. The terms program, project, environment, model, and implication are frequently used in STEAM throughout the world. The keyword STEAM education appears in analyses conducted in South-East Asia. The outcome of this research can serve as a resource for scholars interested in STEAM and education. Further research into STEAM education trends can be conducted by focusing on a single region or on more specific issues.

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]

In the era of globalisation, decreasing synthetic resources, especially petroleum, have encouraged global communities to apply biomass waste as a substitute material for green technology development. The development of plastic products from lignocellulosic fibre-reinforced composites has been a hot topic among material scientists and engineers due to their abundance, sustainable in nature, and less toxic towards health. For the Malaysian scenario, sugar palm is a plant found in the wild and locally planted in certain areas in Malaysia and Indonesia. Generally, sugar palm can be harvested for traditional foods, fruits, starch sugar (gula kabung), and alcohol, whereas sugar palm fibre (SPF) is used in conventional products (brushes and brooms). Various researchers are working on the characterisation of fibre and its composites for engineering and packaging products. The main drawback of SPF is its hydrophilic behaviour, which leads to high moisture uptake and inhibits a good bond between the fibre and the matrix. Thus, a solution for this problem is by implementing chemical treatments on the fibre. From the literature review, no comprehensive review paper has been published on the influence of chemical treatment on the mechanical behaviour of SPF-reinforced polymer composites. Thus, the present review examines recent studies on the mechanical properties of sugar palm lignocellulosic fibres with various chemical treatments to evaluate their potential in structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to determine the performance of employees employed at home during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia and Indonesia, also to examine the employee's quality of life affected by COVID-19. The current study is aimed to critically determine the performance of employees employed at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The author has analyzed and reviewed various sources of articles, reports, and documents from previous research and literature. The findings explain that working from home has provided advantages and disadvantages for both the employees and the organization and is responsible for the decrease in employee productivity. In addition, the findings conclude that the fact that working from home is generally not feasible because many areas of work cannot be done from home, although for many employees, working from home has provided a work-life balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strobilanthes crispa (L.) Blume (S. crispa) is a folklore medicinal plant of the genus Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae), traditionally used in Malaysia and Indonesia to treat various diseases such as breast and uterine cancers, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gastrointestinal and kidney diseases, typhoid, jaundice, piles, high cholesterol, and ulcers. Several studies have shown that S. crispa contains a variety of phytochemicals, including terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, sulfur-containing, steroids, chlorophylls, benzofuran, fatty acids, and other simple metabolites. Furthermore, based on its traditional uses, S. crispa has demonstrated a wide range of in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activities. These activities include antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound healing, anticancer, anti-trypanosomal, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-urolithiatic, anti-angiogenic, and vasorelaxant activity. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current understanding of traditional use, toxicity, phytochemicals, and pharmacological studies of S. crispa, thereby validating its ethnopharmacological applications and exploring possible research opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to understand the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study adopts the PRISMA approach to screening the selection of journal articles and review papers according to the research aims and the inclusion criteria. The journal articles and review papers were extracted and stored in Microsoft Excel and Google Scholar, Academic. Microsoft, Semantic Scholar, Elsevier, and Emerald Insight databases searched relevant documents using formulated keywords. A statistical technique was applied using the M.S. Excel analysis tool (PivotTable and an independent t-Test) to analyze data and determine the differences between teachers and students. The review revealed the evidence that the majority of the studies were primarily focused on the individual developing countries and results from other developing countries were not considered. In addition, the foremost challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic were inadequate skills and training, inadequate Internet/Infrastructure, lack of supporting resources and lack of online student engagement and feedback. Finally, the independent t-test reveals there is no statistically significant difference in challenges in the transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both teachers and students encounter similar challenges. The systematic review raised concerns that higher learning needs to effectively implement long term strategies and support teachers and students in getting into online teaching and learning.

It has been argued that successful professional development efforts, especially in assessment-literacy, need to address emotional components and the existence of implicit conceptions in order to raise consciousness and ultimately transform practice (Xu and Brown, 2016: p. 156). Experiential approaches have been shown to be highly effective for adult learning, especially in bringing about and sustaining changes in beliefs and practices. In this paper, I explore the use of an experiential approach in an online language assessment course, describing in depth two formative assessment (FA) activities and the technology tools that were employed. These activities served to (1) develop participants' AL in formative assessment, including online formative assessment; (2) evoke emotions, raise consciousness about conceptions, and prompt a desire for transformation; and (3) bridge the theory-practice gap. This paper offers insights into approaches to FA and teacher development in online settings and seeks to contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the field of assessment education.

Equity crowdfunding (ECF), also known as crowd-investing or investment crowdfunding, is a way of boosting capital used by start-ups and early-stage companies. Fundamentally, ECF offers the company's securities to potential investors in exchange for their investment. As a result, each investor is authorized to a share in the company proportionate to their financing. This paper discusses the ECF industry regulations in Malaysia and Indonesia in terms of its prospects and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic through doctrinal research using the conventional legal method. Critical and analytical approaches were used to achieve its objectives. The findings showed that ECF has seen a growth of over 170 percent in new accounts registered in Malaysia, with 65 percent of them being retail investors. There is a great demand from individual and retail investors who are looking to invest in various investment products and services made accessible to them. The Capital Markets and Services Act 2007 plays an important role to provide good governance of ECF business in Malaysia. Further, the Guidelines on Recognized Markets (GRM 2020) (Item 1.01 GRM) and section 15 (g) of the Securities Commission Act 1993 clarifies the function of the Securities Commission to regulate ECF activities and protect the interests of the parties involved, especially investors. In Indonesia, the main regulator of ECF is the Financial Services Authority and the new ECF law is the Financial Services Authority Regulation Number 57/POJK.04/2020 concerning Securities Crowdfunding. The regulation aims to extend the scope of the crowdfunding which includes debtbased securities and sukuk. The prospects of ECF business in both countries are great especially in the era of the pandemic because the fintech, which has led to new investment products and services, is a vital force that helps democratize investments and will continue to increase as investors become more educated and informed. In terms of the ECF law, comparatively, it is different in terms of the governance, process and procedure, types of investors, etc. which are applicable in both Malaysia and Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To continue to stay relevant in the era of Industry Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) alongside the unprecedented disruption of COVID-19, the importance of lifelong learning is indisputable though this concept has existed for decades. In this context, open and distance learning (ODL) institutions are urged to re-think and re-design their online learning support systems that inculcate self-regulated lifelong learning (SR3Ls) in their learners to be adaptable and resilient for the post-pandemic economy. The purpose of this paper is to develop a SR3Ls model, namely SR3Ls model by utilising the collective opinions of a panel of experts to determine the key domains and attributes. Design/methodology/approach: A 2-round Delphi consensus study was conducted with 39 experts from five countries. The mean, standard deviation (SD), inter-quartile range (IQR) and the ratio of experts assigned score of 4 or greater were used as the basis of consensus assessment with criteria set at mean = 3.0, SD = 1.5, IQR = 1, ratio on score 4 or greater at = 75%. The questionnaire consisted of 5-point Likert-type scale rating the importance level of each attribute combined with open-ended questions. Findings: This paper presented the findings of the first round of Delphi consensus study. For the first round, the experts were asked to evaluate 31 key attributes of SR3Ls model under five domains. The findings revealed that there were five key attributes to be eliminated from the list, while there were seven attributes identified as the key attributes with highest consensus. There were additional attributes suggested by the Delphi panel to be added in the second round of evaluation. Originality/value: This international consensus-based SR3Ls model serves as an important benchmark for ODL institutions across the regions in developing meaningful and relevant online learning support systems for their learners to adopt SR3Ls attributes in order to meet the dynamic market demands.

The review article presents an analysis of the literature on environmental literacy in sustainable development. By utilizing techniques to examine multiple documents published between 2013 and 2023, including citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, subject area analysis, and keyword analysis, this study aims to provide valuable information and insights into the research landscape surrounding environmental literacy and its contribution to promoting sustainable development. A systematic search was conducted to gather several scientific articles, conference papers, and publications from the Scopus database from 2013 to 2023. The findings of this analysis shed light on authors, influential institutions, and active research groups that contributed to the study of environmental literacy and sustainable development. This comprehensive review offers an understanding of the state of research in this field while identifying areas for further exploration and research gaps. The insights gained from this study can be highly beneficial for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to advance knowledge and take action toward promoting literacy's role in sustainable development. This analysis is a foundation for advancing our understanding of literacy's significance while emphasizing its vital role in sustainable development efforts.

Palm oil is produced on plantations primarily in Indonesia and Malaysia, which, historically, have been responsible for significant tropical deforestation and ecosystem loss. Driven by a shift away from hydrogenated vegetable oils and its high productivity, palm oil is now part of more than half of all packaged consumer products. Given its centrality across many supply chains, certification schemes have sought to improve environmental sustainability in the palm oil industry. Increasingly, there is an intersection between certification schemes and regulatory drivers. The recent 2023 European Union regulation on deforestation-free products has implications for palm oil and many other forest products. Environmental certification schemes, such as the one developed by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, have the potential to play a critical role in the implementation of this recent policy for palm oil and can serve as model for many other commodities subject to the new Directive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Oil palm cultivation thrives as a prominent agricultural endeavor within the southern region of Thailand, where the country ranks third globally in production, following Malaysia and Indonesia. The assessment of oil palm bunch ripeness serves various purposes, notably in determining purchasing prices, pre-harvest evaluations, and evaluating the impacts of disasters or low market prices. Presently, two predominant methods are employed for this assessment, namely human evaluation, and machine learning for ripeness classification. Human assessment, while boasting high accuracy, necessitates the involvement of farmers or experts, resulting in prolonged processing times, especially when dealing with extensive datasets or dispersed fields. Conversely, machine learning, although capable of accurately classifying harvested oil palm bunches, faces limitations concerning its inability to process images of oil palm bunches on trees and the absence of a platform for on-tree ripeness classification. Considering these challenges, this study introduces the development of a classification platform leveraging machine learning (deep learning) in conjunction with geospatial analysis and visualization to ascertain the ripeness of oil palm bunches while they are still on the tree. The research outcomes demonstrate that oil palm bunch ripeness can be accurately and efficiently classified using a mobile device, achieving an impressive accuracy rate of 99.89% with a training dataset comprising 8779 images and a validation accuracy of 96.12% with 1160 images. Furthermore, the proposed platform facilitates the management and processing of spatial data by comparing coordinates derived from images with oil palm plantation data obtained through crowdsourcing and the analysis of cloud or satellite images of oil palm plantations. This comprehensive platform not only provides a robust model for ripeness assessment but also offers potential applications in government management contexts, particularly in scenarios necessitating real-time information on harvesting status and oil palm plantation conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of halal cosmetics has been growing exponentially in the last few years. Numerous studies pertaining to halal cosmetics have been conducted. The main objective of this study is to visualize trends in halal cosmetics research from 2006 to 2020. This encompasses the assessment of halal cosmetics research, collaboration networks, and publication patterns across various fields. We aim to provide a systematic overview and historic context, as well as distinguish future trends in research on consumers’ perception of halal cosmetics. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of research related to halal cosmetics. Data from 2006 to 2020 related to halal cosmetics were extracted from the Scopus database, providing a sample of 104 documents. The documents were then examined using the bibliographic network visualization instrument VOSviewer and R for text mining and the findings were presented in the form of a conceptual structure map and word clouds. We identified the most productive authors, journals, institutions, and countries. The results showed that Malaysia and Indonesia are the overall leaders in publications. These findings will provide scholars a comprehension of the halal cosmetics field and act as a guide for future research. Finally, it enables us to identify the extent of globalization in the field, leading topics, and potential gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to explore the Indonesian tourists' demand for medical tourism services in Malaysia. The study also investigates the Indonesian medical tourists' profiles and their preference for Malaysia for medical treatment services. Methods: This study conducted interviews with 49 potential patients from Indonesia who received cardiac treatment at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Results: The findings indicate that the key motives of Indonesian tourists travelling to Malaysia for medical treatment are their disappointment with medical practices and inadequate expertise in Indonesia. Besides, they are motivated by peer recommendations, medical expertise, transparency, administration and hospitality in Malaysia. The study findings show that Indonesian medical tourists can be acknowledged as an elite group with stable and above-average income. Conclusion: Results from the study enable medical tourism marketers to better target and segments their potential medical tourists and develop a strategic medical tourism marketing roadmap. This study shows that the high demand for medical tourism is related to Malaysia's availability of niche medical services. Besides, this paper expands the understanding of medical tourists' decision-making and argues its implications for Malaysian health policy and healthcare delivery for the medical tourism industry sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omani family historical records have a wealth of cultural and social content. The Omani's maritime heritage is one aspect of the tremendous historical legacy of Arabians in the Gulf territory. 1Unquestionably, the memories of the Omanis regarding navigation and the ocean have a central and gracious role.2 Maritime history, as it has been developed among the Omani people from the ancient civilizations, tends to be written by the sailors for the sailors. Oman exemplifies the model of a state enjoying the various marine activities such as fishing, shipbuilding, trades, and sailing towards the east and west of the surrounding area. The interactivity of land and sea instead of life at sea would seem to be the focus for historians exploring oceanic themes. The Sultanate of Oman could play an important role in the construction of the maritime trade movements from the Arabian Sea to the Indo-Pacific, China, and the Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. The author provides valuable details about the factors that make Omani maritime prominent over all the region since the old generations. This paper seeks to provide and explore the history of Omani maritime, celestial navigation science at Omanis, and the most famous boatswain and trader, and his contributions in maritime science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This study aims to analyse research trends in Islamic fintech through Co-Authorship, Co-Citation, and Cluster Analysis. Method -- This study uses bibliometric analysis techniques on the Scopus database assisted by VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel tools. A total of 220 documents were found to contain the keywords Islamic AND Fintech in the title, abstract, and keywords in the research until July 16, 2023. Result -- The study results show that Islamic Fintech is becoming an interesting topic for researchers from various countries, especially Malaysia, Bahrain and Indonesia, which contribute a significant number of publications. The results of the Co-Authorship analysis show that Hassan, M.K. is the author with the highest collaboration of articles, which also indicates the productivity of article publication in Islamic Fintech. Contribution -- This research is the first to examine Islamic fintech research trends in the Scopus database. The findings from this study can be important information for developing future research directions to advance this field sustainably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Southeast Asia, the increasing availability of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF), including dry or instant cereals (CPCF cereals), has been noted, however, concerns exist around their nutrient profile and labelling practices. This 2021 study assessed the nutrient composition, labelling practices, and micronutrient content of CPCF cereals sold in the capital cities of seven Southeast Asian countries: Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), Bangkok (Thailand), Vientiane (Lao PDR), Hanoi (Vietnam), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The study adapted a nutrient profiling model from the WHO Regional Office for Europe to determine the proportion of products suitable for promotion for older infants and young children. Micronutrient content of fortified CPCF cereals was assessed against fortification levels specified in the Codex Alimentarius guideline for formulated complementary foods. Of the 484 products assessed, 184 (38.0%) met all nutrient composition requirements. Around one‐third of CPCF cereals contained added sugars and/or sweeteners (37.2%) and high levels of sodium (28.9%). None of the CPCF cereals met all labelling requirements, primarily due to the presence of inappropriate claims on the labels. Most fortified CPCF cereals contained adequate amounts of critical micronutrients, such as calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin D. However, rates of fortification varied across the seven countries, and almost a third (30.8%) of CPCF cereals were not fortified with any micronutrients. To support the appropriate promotion of CPCF in the region, Southeast Asian countries need to strengthen and enforce national binding legal measures, including national standards for the composition, labelling, and fortification of CPCF cereals. Key messages: Despite most commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) cereals available in Southeast Asia met the majority of nutrient composition requirements, a considerable number of products contained added sugars/sweeteners (37.2%) and high levels of sodium (28.9%). Regulations that prohibit the use of added sugars/sweeteners and establish an upper limit for sodium in CPCF cereals are a policy priority in the region.None of the 484 CPCF cereals studied met all labelling requirements. Inappropriate claims were the most common. Three‐quarters of the products failed to meet labelling requirements on the protection and promotion of breastfeeding. National regulations on labelling must be strengthened and enforced to protect against inappropriate marketing of CPCF.Approximately two‐thirds or more of fortified CPCF cereals contained adequate amounts of micronutrients critical for older infants and young children (IYC), such as calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin D. Nonetheless, the fortification of CPCF cereals varied greatly by country, and almost a third (30.8%) of CPCF cereals were not fortified with any micronutrients. This is a missed opportunity to provide essential micronutrients to older IYC in contexts where nutrient‐poor diets are common. Future policies that stipulate mandatory minimum micronutrient levels for CPCF cereals are recommended for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complementary feeding period is a critical stage of child development when micronutrient needs are high and challenging to meet. Understanding if specific micronutrient gaps exist during this period is critical for effective programming. A Comprehensive Nutrient Gap Assessment (CONGA) was conducted in seven countries in Southeast Asia to estimate gaps in micronutrients commonly lacking in the diets of children aged 6–23 months and to establish the certainty of available evidence for each identified gap. Sixty‐eight evidence sources were identified during this analysis, and 310 micronutrient‐specific data points were identified across all seven countries. Data points varied in recency, representativeness and evidence type. The CONGA methodology enabled the estimation of a gap burden rating for each micronutrient in each country, as well as a rating of their evidence certainty. Micronutrient gaps were identified in vitamin D, zinc and iron and a potential gap was identified in calcium during the complementary feeding period in the region. Evidence relevant to intake and deficiency of folate, vitamin B12, thiamine, niacin, vitamin C and vitamin B6 was limited across the region. Proven strategies to address these gaps include increasing the availability and consumption of nutrient‐dense foods, micronutrient supplementation, large‐scale fortification of staple foods and condiments and point‐of‐use fortification through multiple micronutrient powders and fortified speciality foods. More recent data on micronutrient availability, intake and deficiency is urgently needed in Southeast Asia. Key messages: Older infants and young children aged 6–23 months experience micronutrient gaps during the complementary feeding period in Southeast Asia. Synthesis of evidence compiled across seven countries in the region identified gaps in vitamin D, zinc and iron and a potential gap in calcium during this critical period.National nutrition policies and programmes should consider multiple strategies to address these micronutrient gaps.Over half of the data points relevant to nutrient deficiency and intake compiled from the seven countries are over a decade old. More recent data on micronutrient availability, intake and deficiency is urgently needed in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governance and regulation of the use of live animals in research and teaching is examined in Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan and India. A comparison of the systems in different countries will enable the determination of best practice and fit-forpurpose regulation. The most comprehensive government regulation of animal welfare in institutions covers a broad range of animals and institutions are required to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, whose membership is specified in guidelines or regulations. The work of the Committees is rigorously overseen by government and facilities that use live animals are audited externally. All countries examined have legislation governing the use of live animals in research, although only Australia and Malaysia have a fully equivalent mandated oversight of teaching. Teaching that uses live animals is partly covered in the Philippines, Japan, Singapore and Thailand This paper thus aims to review the regulation of animal use in different Asian jurisdictions in order to determine best practices that are appropriate to those settings. The most comprehensive oversight is provided in Australia and Malaysia that essentially use the same regulatory framework.

This study aims to analyze the application of good enough governance in considering the citizens' value propositions that shape smart city societies. This paper applied a quantitative method with cross-country comparisons. Survey data were derived from the World Values Survey. Malaysia was chosen as the main study area, and compared with Indonesia and other countries worldwide. The findings revealed that politics is the value of least concern across all samples. In terms of qualities for children to develop, respondents in both Malaysia and Indonesia were less concerned about imagination and unselfishness. As for materialist versus post-materialist, the ratios of Malaysia and Indonesia were slightly higher than the average; the post-materialist value of free speech was the lowest value chosen. In the long term, all countries are experiencing the trend of moving toward post-materialist societies. To be sustained under the Collective and Adaptive System of smart city societies, good enough governance in Malaysia and Indonesia should consider the cultural context of the Muslim majority, prioritize governance content that allows more space for political participation and free speech, and cultivate the imagination and unselfishness of children. The generated insights underline the critical role that smart societies play in establishing smart cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of national defense predominantly refers to the protection of the sovereignty of an independent state. This article addresses such aspect country's power as the inviolability of borders. The report aims to consider the problem of the settlement of border disputes between Indonesia and Malaysia. In this case, the dimensions of national defense are not only determined by the presence of military forces but also by non-military forces such as aspects of economic growth and infrastructure in the borderlands. The methodological basis of the research constitutes a qualitative method, triangulation technique, and purposive techniques (interviews and focus group discussions). The authors draw conclusions that institutions to handle problems at the border already exist, but there are still some obstacles at the technical level; for example, centers and regions have problems with their coordination. Furthermore, today when solving border issues, it is also necessary to pay attention to economic well-being and the threat of transnational crime, if the last is considered from a non-traditional security perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring gender equality and empowering women is crucial, as they play a significant role in driving economic and societal development. This study examines women's empowerment levels in Malaysia and Indonesia, two neighbouring countries with a predominantly Muslim population. Data were obtained from the Fifth Malaysian Population and Family Survey 2014 and the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey 2017. A total of 5,175 Malaysian and 34,467 Indonesian married women aged 15--49 were selected for this study. The variables used include women's autonomy in household decision-making (a proxy for women's empowerment), educational level, work status, place of residence, number of children, and women's age. Findings reveal that Malaysia has a higher proportion of women with tertiary education than Indonesia (25.2% versus 14.7%). However, the proportion of women who were employed was lower in Malaysia than in Indonesia (45.4% versus 57.0%). Concerning household decision-making participation, approximately 46% of Malaysian women participated in all household decisions, as compared to 73% among Indonesian women. Binary logistic regression analysis indicates that all selected independent variables, except the place of residence, were significantly associated with women's autonomy in household decision-making in both countries at the multivariate level. Women's socio-economic characteristics greatly influence their status in the household and decisionmaking autonomy. Enhancing women's education and employability can empower them and strengthen their decision-making autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the presence of the "month of the year effect" in the six emerging Asian stock markets (India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, and South Korea) for the period January, 1991 to November, 2020 using GARCH (1, 1), EGARCH (1, 1) and TGARCH (1, 1) models. The empirical results indicate the existence of "month of the year effects" on stock returns and volatility of all the emerging Asian stock markets except Japan. The study reveals a positive and significant January effect for each country except Japan. February, April and July effects are positive and significant only in the case of Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia respectively. The findings confirm the persistence of ARCH and GARCH effects in the monthly return series. Moreover, the asymmetric GARCH models show that the emerging Asian stock market returns exhibit asymmetric (leverage) effect. The seasonal or monthly effect in stock markets in Emerging Asian countries poses an important research question as Emerging Asia's economic footprint has been growing significantly. The findings of the study have important implications for active and profitable trading strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shariah Authority plays an essential role in confirming that the products and services of Islamic finance companies comply with Shariah principles. The Shariah Advisory Board and the National Shariah Council are the highest authorities for determining Islamic law for Islamic financial transactions in Malaysia and Indonesia, respectively -the Shariah Advisory Board of Malaysia reports to the Central Bank of Malaysia. At the same time, the National Shariah Council of Indonesia was part of the Indonesian Ulema Council, a non-governmental organisation. The latter is thus part of the regulatory framework and complements the financial system. As the two councils are different in nature, the rulings have different implications for the community. This article aims to analyse the status of the Shariah Authority in terms of the establishment and procedures for deriving the rulings. The research is qualitative and uses content analysis by looking at the legislation that governs these institutions. The research findings show that the Shariah authority in both countries has the same function in the industry but differs in terms of the creation of the rulings, the procedures and the attachment to the Islamic financial institutions, courts and arbitrators. In conclusion, the article proposes several improvements by the relevant agencies to strengthen the framework of the Shariah authority in Malaysia and Indonesia, leading to accountable administration to the industry, the community and the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cosmos caudatus (Asteraceae), is known as Ulam raja in Malaysia or kenikir in Indonesia also sometimes referred to as "King's salad." It is usually consumed as a salad and the leaves have been widely used as a traditional medicine due to their pharmacological activities and beneficial effects on human health. The leaves have been reported to contain several phytoconstituents such as flavonoids and their derivatives, other phenolics, and essential oil, while the roots only contain non-flavonoids. Furthermore, the leaves have been reported to contain a high total phenolic content (TPC) which is attributable for various activities including antidiabetes, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-osteoporosis, anti-hyperlipidemic, anticancer, antihypertensive, anti-hepatoprotective, and to manage fertility problems. However, further research needs to be done in order to determine whether C. caudatus is effective in treating thrombolytic and leishmanial disorder. Clinical study regarding the use of C. caudatus as an antidiabetic agent has been reported as a supplement to improve insulin resistance and sensitivity in type 2 diabetes patients [NCT02322268]. The findings of the toxicity tests revealed that the leaves are nontoxic and that they can be taken without risk. It is still need to conduct an additional in vitro and in vivo investigations to confirm various traditional claims about the therapeutic potential of this plant in the treatment of various ailments. This traditional medicinal plant's genuine medicinal benefit will be further confirmed by additional clinical trials and toxicity assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether conventional bank lending rates influence Islamic bank financing rates in Indonesia and Malaysia that apply the dual-banking system. We employ the ARDL, the non-linear ARDL (NARDL) model, and the Pooled Mean Group (PMG). Evidence of the long-run link between Islamic financing rate and conventional lending rate is found. However, instead of symmetry, the link between them is asymmetry. The asymmetric pricing of the Islamic financing rate and some specific contracts such as Mudharaba and Murabaha rates in Indonesia strongly follow the decrease in conventional lending rate, but it is sticky against the increase in conventional lending rate. The asymmetric pricing of the Islamic financing rate in Malaysia is obviously pegged to the conventional lending rate. The PMG results strengthen the asymmetric findings where the effect of a reduction in the conventional lending rate is larger than the effect of an increase in the conventional lending rate on the Islamic financing rate. These findings imply that Islamic bank borrowers are profit-driven borrowers in a dual-banking system. Accordingly, the Islamic financing rate is pushed to follow the conventional lending rate due to the uncompetitive Islamic financing rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil is one of the most traded vegetable oils in the global market due to its versatile usage and having a lower price than competitor products. Trade is related to logistics performance as it connects the exporter and importer countries; thus, improving the indicators of logistics also improves the performance of trade, especially in agricultural export. Currently, no study has revealed the effect of logistics performance on palm oil export by considering all the indicators. This study investigates the impact of all the indicators of the logistics performance index on palm oil and palm-based products. Using a panel data regression approach, the extended gravity model is applied in this study to examine Indonesia and Malaysia as the leading exporters of palm oil and palm-based products. The results reveal that all the Logistics Performance Index indicators affect palm oil and palm-based products export in Indonesia and Malaysia. The critical indicators of the Logistics Performance Index in Indonesia are timeliness and tracking and tracing. However, competence and quality of trade infrastructure are the main indicators of Malaysia's palm oil and palm-based products. The future direction of this research is to explore other agricultural commodities and extend the period of the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires are well known as annual disasters in Indonesia. More than 3 million ha was burned in the last 5 years. During an extreme event such as in 2019, carbon emissions can cause smog disasters in neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. Though difficult to predict, many hotspots that appear can be used to indicate the emergence of large-scale wildfires. The objective of this research is to provide suggestions in terms of used variables when analyzing fire event indication (hotspot), fire event scale (burned area), and fire event impact (carbon emissions). This research provides a spatio-temporal analysis and dependency between drought (precipitation and its derivative variables) and fire indicators (hotspot, burned area, and carbon emission). This research provides the different characteristics of each indicator when used to find joint patterns of burned areas, hotspots, and carbon emissions. Overall, using potential evapotranspiration and precipitation to calculate climate water balance gives great results in all analysis. Precipitation anomalies give the best joint spatial pattern to describe wildfire events in the area with monsoonal rainfall. Meanwhile, precipitation gives better results by capturing more wildfire events in a temporal pattern, even on robust analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the education sectors globally. The sudden shift from traditional face to face learning to online teaching and learning brings various challenges to English teachers, particularly in tertiary institutions in Malaysia and Indonesia. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the online teaching and learning challenges faced by teachers teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in Islamic tertiary institutions in Malaysia and teachers teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Indonesia during the Covid-19 pandemic. The qualitative research design used in this study was a case study using focus group interviews (FGI), individual open-ended responses via Google Form and a discussion thread via Whatsapp. Purposive sampling was used, and 10 English teachers from Islamic tertiary institutions in Malaysia and Indonesia were chosen as the participants in this study. The data in this study was analysed through NVIVO applications and categorized according to themes. The findings revealed that among the challenges English teachers faced in ESL/EFL online teaching and learning are a lack of technological skills to teach online, constraints in terms of internet accessibility and devices used for teaching and learning, and effective interaction in online teaching and learning. The findings from this study could potentially be utilised to plan strategies and produce practical solutions to overcome the challenges in conducting online teaching and learning among English teachers in any tertiary learning institutions in Malaysia and Indonesia in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is common for ethnic Malay in Indonesia and Malaysia to use Nepenthes ampullaria as food containers. However, the use of Nepenthes as part of a cultural tradition has been found only in Kerinci Regency, Jambi. This study explores the local wisdom in utilizing and maintaining the presence of N. ampullaria in Kerinci. Data collection through open-ended and deep interviews through participatory observation methods. Data analysis and presentation are delivered descriptively. Lemang is a compulsory item to be served in traditional ceremonies of kenduri sko. There are two types of lemang in Kerinci, lemang bamboo and lemang kancung beruk. The latter is found only during the kenduri sko tradition in Kecamatan Gunung Raya and Bukit Kerman. Therefore, the existence of lemang kancung beruk in these two sub-districts has become obligatory and has no other comparable substitute. In Gunung Raya and Bukit Kerman, the Kenduri sko is held four times a year. The need for N. ampullaria for kenduri sko in these two sub-districts is enormous. For the event, each household needs at least 500 to 2000 pitchers of N. ampullaria. The people of Kerinci harvest N. ampullaria directly from the wild to fulfill the need. The population of N. ampullaria that still survives in its natural habitat is evidence of the success of the local community in maintaining the existence of N. ampullaria in Kerinci. Method and schedule arrangements can allow the population of N. ampullaria to recover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia and Malaysia generally have the same Islamic character and history, so the development of Islamic law also has the same roots. Then there were differences in the development of Islamic law, including the law on waqf, which was caused by differences in colonial history. The Dutch colonized Indonesia, and Malaysia was colonized by the British. Therefore, they have different systems and state administrations. This study aims to explain how much support for positive legal products that regulate waqf impacts the development of productive waqf instruments in Indonesia and Malaysia, although with different legal systems. This research is literature research with a juridical-normative approach with a qualitative model. Analysis of the data used is the interactive analysis model of Miles and Huberman. The study results in show that in Indonesia and Malaysia, waqf legal products have existed since the sultanate era, colonial era, and independence era. Waqf legal products in Indonesia regulate more about waqf of immovable objects, which are regulated in different legal products. However, since the birth of the Waqf Law in 2004, waqf has not only focused on immovable objects but also movable and productive objects following the development of the financial world. And business. Likewise, in Malaysia, the legal product of waqf is included in family law which is regulated in the law in each different country, including the territory of the alliance. Productive waqf has also penetrated productive economic efforts by the purpose of waqf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptocarya densiflora Blume (Lauraceae) is an evergreen tree widely distributed throughout the hills and mountain forests up to 1500 m in Malaysia and Indonesia. The plant has been reported to contain phenanthroindolizidine-type of alkaloids. In the present work, a new phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid named (R)-13a α -densiindolizidine, was isolated from the dichloromethane (DCM) extract of the leaves. The structure of the alkaloid was established based on 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry-ion trap-time of flight (LCMS-IT-TOF) analysis. (R)-13a α -densiindolizidine displayed binding interactions with crucial amino acid residues in the active sites of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Mpro (SARS-CoV-2 Mpro) and RNA-dependent protease (RdRp) in silico, whilst fulfilling the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) criteria and Lipinsky's rule, thus revealing its potential as a lead compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is not simple to control the border between Indonesia and Malaysia. Through the National Border Management Agency, the central government has managed the border regions (BNPP). Still, the agency's performance has not effectively met the needs of the border regions notably for the district's/small city's outermost islands. The local governments of Indonesia and Malaysia face difficulties in managing the border. The study aims to assess the provincial government's capacities and develop a conceptual model of government capacity building in border management. This study employs a mixed-methods design that combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. The evaluation instruments included document analysis, FGD, PROSE, and OCAT. Due to a lack of institutional commitment and systematic policies, the research reveals that the local government has adopted occasional efforts to manage the border areas, with sporadic success. Local government capacity-building methods are sustainable and integrated into a cycle that begins with outlining the concerns and necessary actions to consider in the capacity. The construction procedure and guidance on essential tools and techniques. The primary levels assess ability, strategy, plan, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. These findings are limited to the North Kalimantan Province border region and cannot be applied to other areas. Even though the study contributes to the proposal of a model for border areas administered by the central government in collaboration with local governments, it is not comprehensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm plantations have expanded rapidly in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. A lot of products, including food and other edible products, oleo-chemicals, cosmetics, personal and household care, pharmaceutical products, and biodiesels are derived from palm oil, thus making them one of the most economically important plants. After 25–30 years of age, the palms are felled and replaced due to declining oil production. Oil palm trunks (OPT) are considered significant waste products. The trunks remain on the plantation site for nutrient recycling or burning. This increases insect and fungi populations causing environmental problems for the new palm generation or air pollution due to the fire. Up till now, OPT has received less attention in research studies. Therefore, this review summarizes the utilization of OPT into products made of oil palm fibers mainly derived from OPT and its application as the substitution of wood panel products. Some research works have been carried out on oil palm fibers that are derived from OPT for exploiting their potential as raw material of composite panel products, which is the objective of this review. Areas of development are processed into various conventional composite panel products such as plywood and laminated board which are usually predominantly made of wood and bonded by synthetic resins, particleboard with binder, or binderless and cement board which is arranged with wood as a minor component. All of the products have been presented and described technically according to best knowledge of the authors and literature review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in Indonesian forest fires has infuriated Malaysia and Indonesia, where residents are inhaling smoke from peat and trees burned hundreds of miles away. The global COVID-19 lockdowns caused carbon monoxide (CO) emissions decreased seen over Malaysia and Indonesia regions. The main objective of this study is to investigate the CO distribution over Malaysia and Indonesia, within the period of January 2011 to December 2021. The impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 to CO concentration over Malaysia and Indonesia also was reviewed. This study utilizes MERRA-2 dataset provided by Giovanni interface. Five areas were found to be affected the most during the study period which is Kuala Lumpur, Jambi, Riau, Palembang, and Jakarta. Carbon monoxide concentration over the studied region exhibits a strong seasonality showing maximum value in dry season (July to October). September 2019 is found to have the highest trend of CO concentration affected Jambi region. As COVID-19 pandemic hit the whole world by end of year 2019, all the studied regions shown the decreasing trend after September 2019 and no high peak was observed during dry season (July to October) in 2020 and 2021. This is the combined effect of wetter dry season and an impact of lockdown implemented by government of Malaysia and Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulasan (Nephelium mutabile Blume) is an underutilized fruit native to tropical countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. To date, the medicinal potential of pulasan remains unexplored, although this fruit shares the same genus with the well-known rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum). Therefore, the current study aims to examine the antioxidant properties of different parts of pulasan (flesh, rind, and kernel) and investigate the bioactive profile, anti-hypertensive and hypoglycemic properties of pulasan rind. Pulasan were extracted using different solvents, including distilled water, methanol, and ethanol. The antioxidant capacity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and the antioxidant component was identified by total flavonoid content (TFC) and total phenolic content (TPC). The bioactive profile of pulasan rind was characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The anti-hypertensive and hypoglycemic properties of pulasan rind were determined with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) assay and alpha-amylase inhibition assay, respectively. Emerging findings revealed that pulasan rind exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity (DPPH, TEAC, and FRAP) in all extraction solvents and antioxidant components (TPC and TFC) in ethanolic extract. The ethanolic extracts of pulasan rind also had higher ACE and alpha-amylase inhibition activities than the distilled water extracts. Geraniin, chlorogenic acid, catechin, corilagin, syringic acid, and naringenin of pulasan rind may function as anti-hypertensive agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discussed and analysed relations between Indonesia and Malaysia from the relational dynamism between people and the state. Theoretically, the relations can be narrated through identity formation approach in the context of 'authoritative-defined social reality' and 'everyday-defined social reality'. The reality of Indonesia-Malaysia relations in the last twenty-five years was very much defined by authoritative or elitist views, which have dominated and controlled the everyday discourses. However, elitist groups' reality-defined perspective does not paint the whole picture of relations. This article argued that it is crucial to analyse the relations in the context of 'everyday-defined social reality', especially from the common people's perspective, such as workers, traders, activists, novelists, religious groups, artists, and families, who experience the reality of the relations. This 'social reality' can be observed in the dynamism of cross-border relation between people-to-people, as shown in the case studies, in the border areas of Kalimantan Barat and Sarawak as well as Kalimantan Utara-Sabah. It indicated complex but generally positive pictures in understanding relations between two countries. It is therefore expected that the awareness and understanding of this 'everyday-reality' can contribute to a better understanding of relations between the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast Asia is a vast economic region with a total population more than 600 million. The region provides a huge market and opportunity for countries in the region to achieve economic growth. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been proposed by China PDR in 2013 where some of Southeast Asian countries are the recipient of the investment projects including Malaysia and Indonesia. Together with Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC), both BRI and MPAC projects aim to improve physical connectivity, institutional connectivity and empowered people-to-people connectivity. This study examines how Malaysia and Indonesia have responded and participated in the BRI and MPAC in the aspect of their maritime connectivity and the development of related infrastructure. The early findings indicated that in comparison with Malaysia, Indonesia has been slow and cautious in embracing the BRI due to inefficiency in infrastructure development, various red tape and long-time anti-Chinese sentiments. The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that has been going back since December 2019 has severely hindered the progress of the maritime connectivity projects in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syzygium polyanthum is a herb widely used in Malaysia and Indonesia in cuisines. Traditionally, the herbal decoction of S. polyanthum (daun salam) leaves is often used by diabetic patients in Indonesia. Therefore, our objective is to evaluate the scientific evidence available for S. polyanthum in lowering blood glucose levels (BGL). We systematically searched Pubmed, Google Scholar, Scopus, CENTRAL. LILAC and clinicaltrials.gov databases up to 23rd October 2020 using the keywords “Syzygium polyanthum” and “antidiabetic”. From the selected 413 articles, eight studies involving rodents were included. All results showed a significant effect in lowering BGL without any adverse effects. The possible underlying mechanism of action is attributed to inhibiting intestinal glucose absorption and enhancing glucose uptake by the muscles. Chemical families responsible for the effect were determined as flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenoids. Thus, S. polyanthum leaves showed potential antidiabetic properties, but further research is required to identify the active compounds followed by the safety evaluation of this compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]