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Abstract: This paper investigates the effect of organizational demographic variables on successful knowledge management (KM) implementation which insofar has not been thoroughly reported in the KM literature. For meaningful results to be generated, four organizational demographic variables, namely functional areas, years of KM involvement, KM development stage, and degree of knowledge intensity were moderated against a comprehensive set of KM activities, which comprise of KM preliminary success factors, KM strategies and KM processes, with organizational performance. The respondents comprised of middle managers working in the telecommunication industry in Malaysia. Based on the data collected from 289 respondents using a set of structured questionnaire, the results reveal that all the four demographic characteristics interacted with the degree of implementation of the KM activities, while three of the characteristics, with exception of functional areas, show significant relationships with organizational performance. The contributions of the paper, along with the implications of the results are discussed and interpreted to provide guidance to organizations for improved business performance through KM implementation success. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Standalone diesel generating system utilized in remote areas has long been practiced in Malaysia. Due to highly fluctuating diesel price, such a system is seemed to be uneconomical, especially in the long run if the supply of electricity for rural areas solely depends on such diesel generating system. This paper would analyze the potential use of hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/diesel energy system in remote locations. National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) HOMER software was used to perform the techno-economic feasibility of hybrid PV/diesel energy system. The investigation demonstrated the impact of PV penetration and battery storage on energy production, cost of energy and number of operational hours of diesel generators for the given hybrid configurations. Emphasis has also been placed on percentage fuel savings and reduction in carbon emissions of different hybrid systems. At the end of this paper, suitability of utilizing hybrid PV/diesel energy system over standalone diesel system would be discussed mainly based on different solar irradiances and diesel prices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Vulnerability assessment and control of a power system is important to power utilities due to the blackouts in recent years in many countries which indicate that power systems today are vulnerable when exposed to unforeseen catastrophic contingencies. A fast and accurate technique to assess the level of system strength or weakness is some of the essential requirements for maintaining security of modern power systems, particularly in competitive energy markets. This paper presents intelligent artificial techniques for vulnerability assessment of Malaysian power system and recommends preventive control measures. Accurate techniques for vulnerability assessment and control of power systems are developed. In vulnerability assessment, power system loss index is used as a vulnerability parameter, neural network weight extraction is employed as the feature extraction method and the generalized regression neural network is used to predict vulnerability of a power system. As for vulnerability control, load shedding is considered by using the neuro-fuzzy technique. Finally, the paper presents and discusses the results from this research with recommendations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Landslide-susceptibility mapping is one of the most critical issues in Malaysia. These landslides can be systematically assessed and mapped through a traditional mapping framework that uses geoinformation technologies (GIT). The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the possible application of an artificial neural network model and its cross-application of weights at three study areas in Malaysia, Penang Island, Cameron Highland and Selangor. Landslide locations were identified in the study areas from the interpretation of aerial photographs, field surveys and inventory reports. A landslide-related spatial database was constructed from topographic, soil, geology, and land-cover maps. For the calculation of the relative weight and importance of each factor to a particular landslide occurrence, an artificial neural network (ANN) method was applied. Landslide susceptibility was analyzed using the landslide occurrence factors provided by the artificial neural network model. Then, the landslide-susceptibility analysis results were validated and cross-validated using the landslide locations as study areas. Different training sites were randomly selected to train the neural network, and nine sets of landslide-susceptibility maps were prepared. The paper then illustrates the verification of those maps using an “area under the curve” (AUC) method. The verification results show that the case of the weight using the same test area showed slightly higher accuracy than the weight used for the cross-applied area. Among the three studied areas, the verification results showed similar accuracy trends while using the weight for the study area itself. Cameron showed the best accuracy and Penang showed the worst accuracy. Generally, the verification results showed satisfactory agreement between the susceptibility map and the existing data on the landslide location. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It has been widely accepted worldwide that global warming is by far the greatest threat and challenge in the new millennium. In order to stop global warming and to promote sustainable development, renewable energy is a perfect solution to achieve both targets. Presently million hectares of land in Malaysia is occupied with oil palm plantation generating huge quantities of biomass. In this context, biomass from oil palm industries appears to be a very promising alternative as a source of raw materials including renewable energy in Malaysia. Thus, this paper aims to present current scenario of biomass in Malaysia covering issues on availability and sustainability of feedstock as well as current and possible utilization of oil palm biomass. This paper will also discuss feasibility of some biomass conversion technologies and some ongoing projects in Malaysia related to utilization of oil palm biomass as a source of renewable energy. Based on the findings presented, it is definitely clear that Malaysia has position herself in the right path to utilize biomass as a source of renewable energy and this can act as an example to other countries in the world that has huge biomass feedstock. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a forecasting study of municipal solid waste generation (MSWG) rate and potential of its recyclable components in Kuala Lumpur (KL), the capital city of Malaysia. The generation rates and composition of solid wastes of various classes such as street cleansing, landscape and garden, industrial and constructional, institutional, residential and commercial are analyzed. The past and present trends are studied and extrapolated for the coming years using Microsoft office 2003 Excel spreadsheet assuming a linear behavior. The study shows that increased solid waste generation of KL is alarming. For instance, the amount of daily residential SWG is found to be about 1.62kg/capita; with the national average at 0.8–0.9kg/capita and is expected to be increasing linearly, reaching to 2.23kg/capita by 2024. This figure seems reasonable for an urban developing area like KL city. It is also found that, food (organic) waste is the major recyclable component followed by mix paper and mix plastics. Along with estimated population growth and their business activities, it has been observed that the city is still lacking in terms of efficient waste treatment technology, sufficient fund, public awareness, maintaining the established norms of industrial waste treatment etc. Hence it is recommended that the concerned authority (DBKL) shall view this issue seriously. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Transnational processes and imaginings valorise the putative cultural networks, connections 1. and affinities of Malaysia's 'non-Malay' (Indian and Chinese) communities. In this paper, I argue that this signals neither the end of nation building—which naturalised such communal difference in the first place—nor of the nation-state as a social. political and economic actor. Rather. attention is given to discursive practices through which the state seeks to 'reposition' Malaysia in/for the 'networked' information economy and society. Multicultural 'rescripting' I of the nation/national identity is thus highlighted as part of broader state strategies to negotiate, facilitate and capitalise upon transnational phenomena. Increasing state emphasis on multiculturalism unsettles Malay-centred constructions of post-colonial national identity. However, the paper cautions against a celebration of the high-profile accorded to multiculturalism in 'information age' Malaysia. The Malay 'special position' continues and the lowering of ethnic barriers in various domains remains dependent upon domestic political contest. In addition, the socio-economic benefits of less Malay-centred state means of development associated with Malaysia's 'k-economy' push are highly uneven. Non-Malays wooed to the high-tech showcase Multimedia Super Corridor are a highly-skilled professional elite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

• Optimal transformer operation modes for different train schedules were identified. • Transformers in parallel mode has lower power losses than that of non-parallel mode. • Single transformer mode has the lowest power losses for a large headway interval. This paper presents an approach to the optimal operations of transformers in railway systems. Railway systems are supplied from bulk supply substations that consist of two transformers that are connected in the main-tie-main configuration. There are three operation modes for these transformers, namely non-parallel mode, parallel mode, and single transformer mode. Due to the fact that the traction loads are inherently dynamic, the optimal operation mode for the transformers requires a thorough simulation by including the train dynamics and train schedules. This paper aims to identify the optimal operation mode of the transformers under different headway intervals. In this study, the railway traction power system of the Mass Rapid Transit 2 (MRT2) in Malaysia is modeled and simulated in ETAP-Etrax Software with the dynamic load flow analysis to achieve an accurate estimation of transformer losses under the three transformer operation modes and different headway intervals. The results show that the parallel mode has lower transformer loss than that of non-parallel mode for all the headway intervals. It is also found that the single transformer mode has the lowest transformer losses for headway intervals of 5 min 48 s and above. Although the percentage of transformer loss reduction and the headway interval margin for optimal operation of single transformer mode may differ, this approach can also be applied to other DC railway systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of new technology, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), entails a growth in digital devices, which could ultimately result in a high amount of electronic trash (e-waste) production if they are not appropriately managed. Apart from that, the regulation on possible "IoT E-waste" generation is yet to be regulated, probably due to the new development and implementation of IoT globally. Hence, this paper proposed a Sustainable IoT E-waste Management guideline for households. This guideline could assist government agencies and policymakers in their strategies, planning, development, and implementation of a sustainable household IoT e-waste management initiatives in Malaysia. This study is an exploratory study that adopts a qualitative case study research method. The guideline was developed based on the Integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM) Model. This guideline contributes to Malaysia's sustainability agenda in reducing carbon emissions intensity towards 2030 by 45 percent. [Display omitted] • To propose Sustainable IoT E-Waste Guideline for Household caters. • To devise a strategy for the development and implementation of IoT projects. • To develope the guideline of Sustainable IoT E-waste Management for Household. • To introduce new phenomenon called "IoT E-waste". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm wastes (OPWs) are important biomass resources, and approximately 127 million tons of OPWs are generated from the oil palm industry annually in Malaysia. The scientific and reasonable utilization of OPWs is essential to economic and environmental sustainability in the country. Pyrolysis is a mature and revolutionary technology that can convert OPWs into biofuel. The conversion of OPWs into biofuel is in accordance with the national conditions of Malaysia and can simultaneously address the problems of fossil fuel shortage and environmental deterioration. Therefore, Malaysia is the most active country in the research of OPWs pyrolysis and has achieved fruitful results. Bio-oil produced from the catalytic co-pyrolysis of OPWs with hydrogen-rich materials exhibits remarkable fuel properties. Biochar generated from OPWs pyrolysis presents huge application potential as an absorbent, catalyst, soil conditioner, and carbon sequestration agent. Consequently, the paper provides a comprehensive review of OPWs pyrolysis and lays the foundation for the exploitation of OPWs resources. [Display omitted] • Malaysia is the most active country in the research of OPWs pyrolysis. • Effects of reactors and conditions on OPWs pyrolysis are detailed. • OPWs-based biochar exhibits great application potential in various fields. • Building a pyrolysis plant near the oil palm mill is a viable and economic method. • OPWs pyrolysis has great commercial potential and economic value in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine the suitable places for a radioactive waste repository in Peninsular Malaysia to implement a permanent disposal facility for disposal sealed radioactive sources (DSRS). The sole Malaysia interim waste storage that stores a large proportion of DSRS was expected to be occupied by 2025 fully. Currently, the nation's licensing board promoted the borehole disposal facility to resolve the full capacity dilemma. The potential sites were determined by the geographical information system (GIS) based Weight Linear Combination (WLC) analysis, integrating the improved Analysis Hierarchical Process (improved AHP) and the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) approaches. The sensitivity analysis was applied to identify the main contributing factors for corresponding Peninsular Malaysia selection. Ten parametric criteria and three exclusion criteria are applied to assess the potential areas and screen out the unfavorable regions, respectively. Results indicated the final composite map presents 435 areas of very high suitability class with 17.5% coverage from the total suitability class. The top 5 largest candidates with high potentiality are Jerantut & Ulu Lepar, Bandar Tun Razak, Pertang & Simpang, Pertang, Tanjung Ipoh, and Labis, where come from three provinces: Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Johor. By TOPSIS model, the ranks for these five candidates are Jerantut & Ulu Lepar, Bandar Tun Razak, Tanjung Ipoh, Labis and Simpang Pertang. The model revealed that the suitability ranks is proportional to its area sizes in the approximate values of criteria. The three main contributing factors in Peninsular Malaysia are hydrogeology, seismicity and lithology, which are strongly recommended to involve in other corresponding site selection project. • Top five candidates for radioactive waste disposal site in Malaysia are Jerantut & Ulu Lepar, Bandar Tun Razak, Tanjung Ipoh, Labis and Simpang Pertang. • Three main contributing factors for site selection in Malaysia are hydrogeology, seismicity and lithology. • The suitability index rank is proportional to the area sizes in the consideration of area factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While sustainability in sports centers has recently been clarified to speed up the sustainable societal transitions under the banner of “Sport for Sustainable Development”, it seems relatively small and in need of movement to generate a significant outlook. In pursuit of this aim, the research for this paper was built upon the discussion concerning “Green Human Resource Management” practices, which emerged with the Ability–Motivation–Opportunity theoretical lens to embed sustainability in such centers. It specifies a system of the key practices to implement a cleaner sustainability strategy within the sports center that has multiple effects at the macro, meso, and micro levels of society. In an attempt to address the lack of research on such a system, a novel multi-methods approach was implemented in three sections. The first section led to identifying an initial seven-factor structure based on factor analysis of a pilot study with ninety-seven respondents from the green community of Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Association. Next, interpretive structural modeling was performed using a survey of experts' judgment to develop the initial structure. Finally, structural equation modeling was considered to test the developed model. Upon validation of the proposed model, the results revealed a seven-factor interpretive structural equation model with four levels: “performance management”, and “player involvement and empowerment”; “culture and supportive climate”, and “pay and reward systems”; “attracting and selecting”; and “training and development”, and “union role in player involvement and environmental management”. The analyses indicated that there were strong relationships between these key practices throughout the system. The system highlighted practices toward correlating “performance management”, and “player involvement and empowerment”, which constitute the foundation for implementing the system. The research findings highlighted the importance of this system in making the transition to the notion of “sustainable center” in Johor Darul Ta'zim, as well as for other sports centers throughout Malaysia and other parts of the world. Future research directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blessed with abundant solar radiation, Malaysia has a huge potential for grid-connected PV (photovoltaic) installations, particularly for its fast-growing residential sector. Nevertheless, Malaysia's PV installation capacity is relatively small compared with the global PV capacity. Significantly, the pricing mechanisms for grid-connected PV projects need to be appropriately assessed to build up the public's confidence to invest in PV projects. In this paper, we analyze the effects of component costs, FiTs (feed-in tariffs), and carbon taxes on grid-connected PV systems in Malaysian residential sector using the HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources) software. Results demonstrate that the implementation of grid-connected PV systems is highly feasible with PV array costs of $ 1120/kW or lower. For higher PV array costs up to $ 2320/kW, introducing an FiT rate three times higher ($ 0.30/kWh) than the grid tariff for a 100 kW grid sale capacity will, NPC-wise, prioritize grid-connected PV systems over the utility grid. By implementing the FiT ($ 0.50/kWh) and the carbon tax ($ 36/metric ton) schemes simultaneously, grid-connected PV systems will remain as the optimal systems even for costly PV arrays (up to $ 4000/kW). The findings are of paramount importance as far as PV pricing variability is concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents two grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems (monocrystalline silicon, c-Si; copper–indium–diselenide; CIS) situated on the rooftop of the solar lab building in the National University of Malaysia, southwestern Malaysia. Various parameters were used to analyze the system performance; including array yield, final yield, capacity factor, and performance ratio. The recordings were noted down under the actual climatic conditions for an entire year. The variables of energy cost and payback period were also considered to calculate the economic feasibility of the system. Variations in the final yield of CIS were as low as 2.98 h/day in July to the highest value of 4.31 h/day in March. The final yield for c-Si power plant ranged from 2.92 h/day in July to 4.14 h/day in March. The calculated capacity factors for CIS and c-Si power plants were 15.6% and 14.4%, respectively, in July as the worst value, and 21.12% and 20.2%, respectively, in March as the best value. In the case of CIS power plant, the performance ratio ranges from 63.8 in July to 84.12 in March, and for c-Si power plant, it ranges from 59.92 in July to 79.14 in March. The energy cost and the payback period of the suggested system were evaluated as 0.045 USD/kWh and 28.44 years, respectively. Finally, this study provides valuable information for those who are interested in PV system installation in the tropical zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the vulnerability of domestic prices against oil price shocks by considering the direct and indirect effects of oil price on consumer price index, which occur through the known channels of the monetary transmission mechanism. We consider interest rate, exchange rate, domestic credit, and share price during the periods before and after the global crisis of 2007–2009 in the ASEAN-4 (Association of Southeast Asian Nations- Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand) countries. Using the structural vector auto regression model and monthly data (2002 month 1–2013 month 4), the results indicate that pre-crisis—with the exception of Indonesia, which is not much influenced by oil prices—there is no indirect influence, but there is a considerable direct effect of oil price on consumer price index for all countries. Post-crisis, the oil price transmits strongly to consumer price index indirectly, although the direct effect of oil price on consumer price index is still extensive. Policymakers can target domestic prices via share prices and exchange rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyber-volunteering behavior through social media is becoming popular among nongovernmental organization (NGO) members. Cyber-volunteering activities have become more aggressive with the availability of social media in recent years. The objective of this paper is to discuss voluntary behavior in fulfilling NGO social missions through social media usage based on affordance theory. There is substantial literature discussing social media affordances in the context of enterprise organization, but there has been less literature discussing the activities of NGOs in social media. Hence, seven key affordances derived from the enterprise organization were used in the context of NGO working behavior, visibility, editability, persistence, virtual collaboration, synthetic representation, individualized, and collective. This research applies a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews with 25 NGO members from seven selected Islamic NGOs in Malaysia that are active in different fields of Islamic education. The interviews focus on social media affordances that have influenced the execution of social missions in the NGOs. Data was analyzed using thematic coding based on the seven identified key social media affordances. The results suggest that the social media affordances related to cyber-volunteering are achieved through promoting, training, fundraising, knowledge sharing, and problem-solving activities. These affordances are highly influenced by cyber-volunteering behavior through work culture and personal privacy. The collective, individualized, and visibility affordances are most associated with cyber-volunteering behavior, followed by persistence, virtual collaboration, and editability, and synthetic representation is found to be the least. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical climatic conditions cause severe weathering to rock masses resulting in thick weathering profiles consisting of different weathering zones with complex characteristics. Feasible geotechnical engineering design requires a detailed understanding of the characteristics of each weathering zone. A typical weathering profile is usually characterized by field-scale observation and geological study. This paper presents the characteristics of weathering zones of various granitic rocks in the south of Malaysia. This region has a tropical climatic condition. The study was carried out in four active quarries located in Johor province, Malaysia, and forty sections were investigated in the study areas. A typical granitic weathering profile was characterized based on the geological and structural parameters (i.e. joint characteristics, corestone occurrence, rock/soil ratio, mass homogeneity, color of rock, and discoloration at joints' surfaces). The profile includes common zones ranging from fresh to residual soil; however, two subzones are introduced based on corestone (boulder) occurrence in the highly weathered and completely weathered zones. This study, based on detailed field observations at the mentioned quarries followed by analysis, presents an amalgamated picture of weathering zones in granitic profiles of a tropical region like Malaysia. Moreover, it is believed that the characterization of the typical weathering profile allows further classification of generally complex weathered rock masses for a specific geotechnical engineering design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the Malaysian government has attempted to develop renewable energy (RE) through newly introduced regulatory supports after 30 years of failure to achieve a greater than one percent non-hydroelectric RE share in the total power mix. The government is currently assessing the onshore wind energy potential in Malaysia to determine the possibility of including wind energy in its FiT scheme. However, wind energy development in this low-energy location is not as straightforward as it would seem. Many previous wind studies in Malaysia have relied on poor data and simplistic or inadequate methodologies, resulting in grossly inaccurate estimates of wind potential. Moreover, two wind turbine generator demonstration projects executed by the government have failed. However, above all, the greatest factor impairing the progress of RE development in Malaysia is the weak and uncertain political support of these efforts. This lack of robust support is particularly true where fossil fuels are still heavily subsidised amid the subsidy reform in 2013. A review of global wind energy development shows that successful projects depend heavily on a sound and robust regulatory framework supported by strong and consistent political will. This dependence is not observed in Malaysia, where the government continues to subsidise private independent fossil fuel power producers but levies taxes on electricity consumers to fund RE development. These levies do not effectively support RE development, given the magnitude of the RE fund compared to fossil fuel subsidies. In the absence of strong and sincere political will, the progress of RE development in Malaysia has been notably slow. As a result, the prospect of wind energy development in Malaysia currently remains vague. This paper discusses the above issues in detail and recommends selected regulatory mechanisms based on the global experience of supporting RE development in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This paper examines the sources of income growth for major ethnic groups in Malaysia. An input–output structural decomposition analysis is extended and applied to the social accounting matrices of 1970 and 2000. The results indicate that the expansion of exports and the changes in the compensation of labor and capital inputs are the main determinants for the income changes. The effects differ largely between rural and urban areas, between skilled and unskilled workers, and between the major ethnic groups. The combination of these two determinants, however, is a dominant factor in explaining the increase in income inequality in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth-to-satellite signals suffer by Earth׳s atmosphere especially by precipitations. It is more severe in tropical climate. A reliable technique named as synthetic storm technique (SST) was proposed to predict the effects of rain on slant path. SST model uses rainfall-rate time series, velocity of wind in storm, effective length, altitude of site, and elevation angle as the main input parameters. SST was developed based on data collected from temperate regions. Since the rainfall characteristics in temperate regions differ considerably from that in tropical regions. This paper presents storm-speed effects on rain-attenuation prediction using SST based on storm speed, rain rate, and attenuation at Ku-band measurement in Malaysia. The predicted rain attenuation by SST highly overestimates for higher values of storm speed but the predicted duration is close to measurement. For lower values of storm speed, the prediction comes closer to measurement, but the duration extends much longer than the measurement. Hence, predicted rain-attenuation as a function of storm-speed variations by SST is not accurate in tropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) to five companies under the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) project has shown that these companies have indeed achieved simultaneous benefits of economic gains and environmental sustainability. This paper highlights the experience of one of the companies, emphasising how one can leverage enablers and also overcome barriers to implementing MFCA in a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in Malaysia. Driven by the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, the case company found most of its enablers within MFCA's own attributes. Additionally other factors such as the team composition, interpersonal communication, and efforts of the change agents were instrumental in the success of the MFCA implementation. However, the company was also constrained by its suppliers. More importantly, it is envisaged that a potential hurdle for MFCA advancement is when performance management issues are not addressed by higher management. Drawing upon the company's experience and the theoretical literature, other barriers that may also be encountered by SMEs in Malaysia are also discussed. These include for example, overcoming the traditionalist view held by most SMEs, persevering the implementation processes on their own without the direct assistance from MPC and several others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we evaluate if REDD + initiatives might be financially viable to be used to achieve a more sustainable balance between timber production and ecosystem health in a mangrove forest area in Malaysia. The focus of our study is on a 40,466 ha mangrove forest in Malaysia known as the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. The Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve has been used for charcoal and pole production for over 100 years and is often described as a good example of a sustainably managed multi-use mangrove forest. However, recent research shows that the health of various components of the ecosystem is in decline (notably some bird species and the blood cockle fishery). We use opportunity cost analysis to determine that the minimum compensation required to offset the production revenue currently derived from timber production in the forest is less than US$0.83 tCO2e. At these relatively low costs we demonstrate that REDD + is financially viable to be strategically used to support the conservation of some parts of the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve which could result in better sustainable outcomes for the forest area and its stakeholders as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes experimental and simulation study results of an air duct system that cools down airflow by using TEMs (thermoelectric modules). This system is designated as TE-AD (thermoelectric air duct) system which consists of twenty four TEMs along with heat sink and fan for circulation of air. Both experimental and simulation results were in good agreement with each other and showed that the TE-AD system reduces room temperature in the range of 1.2–5.3 °C and humidity in the range of 5–31%. The COP (coefficient of performance) of the system ranges from 0.392 to 0.679 under different operating input current for Malaysian weather conditions. By comparing TE-AD system with conventional air conditioning system, energy saving of 38.83% and CO 2 emission mitigation of 38.81% was achieved with additional benefits of high reliability and refrigerant free system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the techno-economic of solar drying system (SDS) with water based solar collector in Malaysia. In Malaysia, SDS has been great potential to be used in drying purpose, which is relevant to the local climate. The design, performance and economic analysis of four types SDSs with water based solar collectors in Malaysia were described, (1) SDS with hybrid PVT-mechanical heat pump, (2) SDS with chemical heat pump, (3) SDS with dehumidification system, and (4) Greenhouse SDS with heat exchanger. Economic indicators such as payback period (PP), net present value (NPV), and life cycle saving (LCS) were presented. In addition, the various performances analysis of SDSs with air based solar collectors was presented. The energy and exergy analysis of SDS with water based collector was presented. Moreover, the energy and exergy analysis of PVT water collector was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Von Willebrand disease (vWD) is the second least common hemostatic disorder in Malaysia, and it has a low prevalence. This study examined the underlying platelet thrombogenicity cascades in the presence of different formulations of chitosan-derivatives in vWD patients. This paper aimed to determine the significant influence of chitosan biomaterial in stimulating the platelet thrombogenicity cascades that involve the von Willebrand factor, Factor 8, Thromboxane A2, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa in vWD. Materials and Methods: Variable chitosan formulations of N,O-Carboxymethylchitosan (NO-CMC) and Oligo-Chitosan (O-C) were tested. Fourteen vWD subjects voluntarily participated in this study after signing informed consent forms. The patient's demographic profiles, family history, type of vWD, clinical symptoms and laboratory profiles were recorded and analyzed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry and Western blot tests were used to determine the level of the chitosan-adhered-platelet-mechanisms. Results: The study revealed that most patients were predominantly affected by vWD type I. The O-C group of chitosan's scaffold pores is sufficient to allow for nutrients and cells. The O-C-stimulated-mediators are capable of initiating the platelet actions and were detected to expedite the blood coagulation processes. The oligo-group of chitosans was capable of amplifying and triggering more platelet activator's pathways via the studied mediators. The present findings suggest that the ability of each type of chitosan to coagulate blood varies depending on its chemical composition. Conclusion: The oligo group of chitosans is potentially capable of triggering platelet thrombogenicity cascades by activating platelets in vWD patients to form a platelet plug for hemostasis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine renewable energy (MRE) is yet to be included in the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) system in Malaysia. However, the country is surrounded by the Straits of Malacca and South China Sea, making it suitable to harness energy in the water. Financial supports from the government are essential in developing this technology. This paper aimed to suggest appropriate FiT rates of MRE based on Net Present Value (NPV) approach. Meanwhile, the proposed FiT rates were compared with other implemented FiT rates of MRE in United Kingdom, Germany, France, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Korea. The results showed that reasonable FiT rates of MRE in Malaysia should be in the range of €0.06–0.60/kWh depending on the type of MRE technology used. The proposed tariffs were exceedingly higher than the implemented FiT rates of solar photovoltaic ranging from €0.20 to 0.28/kWh due to higher project cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical energy consumption is expected to increase in Malaysia, and illumination is the second largest electric power consumption in Malaysia. Remarkably, the majority of residential illumination is carried out with incandescent lamps which consume a high level of energy in comparison with recent high efficient technologies. Light Emitting Diodes (LED) could possibly be an option to replace incandescent lamps and even fluorescent lamps (FL). This paper outlines the overview of Malaysia׳ energy sector, policy and programs; and calculate possible savings in terms of energy, costs and environmental emissions by using LED lamps in Malaysia. Despite the capital cost of energy-efficient LED lamps, the use of LEDs might make economic sense for households due to the reduction in operational energy (OE) in certain stage. By replacement of incandescent with LED, a significant reduction in annual energy use, electricity bill, CO 2 and other greenhouse gas emission in terms of lighting can be accomplished by each household in Malaysia. It is also suggested that the governments׳ financial support and regulations assist in adopting this energy-efficient technology more rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) is a strategic plan focused on attaining a level of economic growth that will enable the country to attain a developed nation status by 2020. As a result of this ambitious plan, this paper aims to investigate empirically if the nexus between natural gas consumption, exports, capital and labour could provide a clue to the possibilities of reaching this target. The study applied time series data from 1971 to 2012 and used dual structural break tests. To ensure robust result, the Bayer–Hanck cointegration, Johansen cointegration and the ARDL bounds tests were applied. The findings of the study reveal that economic growth does not Granger cause natural gas consumption in Malaysia. However, the results show that capital and export contribute 29.18% and 41.46% to the country׳s GDP after 20.04% and 42.29% of natural gas consumption respectively. Also it suggests that natural gas consumption has an indirect effect to the Malaysian economic growth wherewithal. Labour was on the other hand, found to have a minimal contribution to GDP. The study proposes the efficient exploitation of natural gas reserves of the country, a concerted effort to develop the labour force and ensure a realistic time for the plan among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shaded plantation of cocoa is not only a promise for chocolate and cocoa farmers but also shaded cocoa production can significantly support biodiversity. However, boom and bust of cocoa production systems due to pest and diseases have prompted the farmers to abandon the cocoa cultivation. This paper presents system dynamics model to address the boom and bust of cocoa production systems in Malaysia as a case study. The simulated results indicate that the collapse of cocoa production systems can be avoided through biodiversity conservation and insect control resulting sustainable production systems and implementation of such policy demands adequate subsidy to retain high biodiversity, control pest and disease and attain acceptable yields through extension services through farmers field schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of urbanization on energy consumption by applying the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology (STIRPAT) in case of Malaysia. The study covers the time period of 1970Q1–2011Q4. The unit root test and the ARDL bounds testing approach have been applied to examine integrating properties and long run relationship in the presence of structural breaks. Our results validated the existence of cointegration and exposed that urbanization is a major contributor in energy consumption. Affluence raises energy demand. Capital stock boosts energy consumption. Trade openness leads to affluence and hence increases energy consumption. The causality analysis finds that urbanization Granger causes energy consumption. The feedback effect is found between energy consumption and affluence and, energy consumption and capital. The bidirectional causality exists between trade openness and energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mechanistic modelling of high-pressure membrane contactor under lean and semi-lean operations. • Quantitative prediction of CO 2 absorption flux and membrane wetting. • Quantitative prediction of evaporative solvent losses with treated gas. • Quantitative prediction of absorptive hydrocarbon losses with amine solvent. • Close agreement with experimental data from lab-scale and pilot-scale setups. This paper presents a predictive mathematical model of high-pressure membrane contactor, with a view to developing a plant-wide model of natural gas sweetening including amine regeneration. We build upon an existing model of high-pressure membrane contactor by Quek et al. [ Chem Eng Res Des 132 :1005–1019, 2018], which uses a combination of 1-d and 2-d mass-balance equations to predict the CO 2 absorption flux and membrane wetting under lean solvent operation. For the first time, quantitative predictions of the CO 2 absorption flux can be made under both lean and semi-lean operations. A 1-d energy balance that accounts for the solvent evaporative losses and the exothermic CO 2 absorption into the amine is solved alongside the mass-balance equations, in order to predict the solvent temperature profile inside the contactor. The evaporative losses of water and amines can be quantified separately, as well as the absorptive losses of light hydrocarbons with the amine solvent. The model's predictive capability is tested against data from a lab-scale module and a pilot-scale module that is operated under industrially relevant conditions at a natural gas processing facility in Malaysia. A close agreement between model predictions and measurements of the CO 2 absorption flux, solvent temperature profile, and hydrocarbon loss is observed for a wide range of gas and solvent flowrates and compositions, thereby validating the modeling assumptions. The contactor model is combined in a plant-wide model of natural gas sweetening in the companion paper, where it is used for process integration and analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Prediction of plant-wide performance indicators to support process integration and scale-up. • Plant-wide model development in commercial process simulator gPROMS. • Plant-wide model verification against experimental data from pilot-scale setup. • Comparison with new semi-lean process with low-pressure flash drum for solvent regeneration. • Semi-lean process outperforming conventional amine treating processes for bulk CO2 removal. This paper presents a model-based assessment of a natural gas sweetening process combining high-pressure membrane contactor with conventional amine regeneration. The analysis builds on a mathematical model of the membrane contactor developed in the companion paper, which is capable of quantitative predictions of the CO 2 and hydrocarbon absorption in the amine solvent and the solvent evaporative losses to the treated gas. The predictive capability of the plant-wide model is tested against data from a pilot plant operated under industrially relevant conditions at a natural gas processing facility in Malaysia, showing a close agreement of the predictions with the CO 2 outlet purity and the energy consumption at various CO 2 loading in the amine solvent. This enables a model-based analysis of various operational decisions on the plant-wide solvent losses and hydrocarbon recovery from the rich amine. A new semi-lean process configuration that replaces the energy-intensive stripper column by a simple flash separator is shown to reduce the overall energy consumption significantly while still meeting sales gas specification. This new configuration forms the basis for the scale-up of a commercial natural gas sweetening process, which shows a high intensification potential in terms of volume footprint and energy duty compared to conventional amine treating plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Implementation of large Chinese projects overseas is uneven, with the dynamic more complex than often portrayed. • Projects are rolled out more expeditiously in host states with a highly centralized political structure and vice versa. • Malaysia's power concentration has facilitated elite consensus and quickened the East Coast Rail Link's rollout. • Indonesia's implementation of the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Rail has been checked by multiple influential stakeholders. • This paper's findings have important implications for future South-South cooperation in railway development. This paper focuses on two of the most prominent Chinese railway projects in Southeast Asia since the 2013 inception of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – Malaysia's East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and Indonesia's Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Rail (HSR). Adding non-economic considerations and political contestation between central state organs into Sinha's (2005) framework on central-state/province interactions and their impact on economic development, it argues that the implementation of large, capital-intensive BRI projects is more complex than often portrayed. The ECRL is implemented considerably faster than the HSR primarily because, relative to Indonesia, Malaysia possesses a more centralized political structure. Malaysia's power concentration at two levels – between central and subnational players and amongst central players – has facilitated elite consensus and accelerated the ECRL's rollout. In contrast, Indonesia's decentralization exercise since the late 1990s, both at the spatial level and within the executive arm of the central government, has encouraged plurality of opinions and complicated project implementation. Despite President Joko Widodo's clear intentions to expedite the Jakarta-Bandung HSR, he has been checked by multiple influential stakeholders, resulting in delays. The Indonesians, relative to the Malaysians, appear to have negotiated a somewhat better deal from the Chinese railway consortium. However, these tentative gains are offset by the HSR's slow implementation, which in turn is undergirded by Indonesia's fragmented institutional arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an effective computing framework for Short-Term Load Forecasting (STLF). The proposed technique copes with the stochastic variations of the load demand using a stacked generalization approach. This approach combines three models, namely, Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), eXtreme Gradient Boosting machine (XGB), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP). The inner mechanism of Stacked XGB-LGBM-MLP model consists of generating a meta-data from XGB and LGBM models to compute the final predictions using MLP network. The performance of the proposed Stacked XGB-LGBM-MLP model is validated using two datasets from different locations: Malaysia and New England. The main contributions of this paper are: 1) A novel stacking ensemble-based algorithm is proposed; 2) An effective STLF technique is introduced; 3) A critical multi-study analysis for hyperparameter optimization with five techniques is comprehensively performed; 4) A performance comparative study using two datasets and reference models is conducted. Several case studies have been carried out to prove the performance superiority of the proposed model compared to both existing benchmark techniques and hybrid models. • A novel Stacked XGB-LGBM-MLP model is proposed to improve the overall regression performance. • A novel STLF technique is explored and developed in this study. • A comparative analysis of five hyperparameter optimization algorithms was comprehensively presented for STLF. • An assessment of the proposed technique is conducted using two real datasets. • A comparative study with the recent benchmark techniques is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is well-known as the King of Spice. It is widely used for culinary purposes, especially for the growing pre-treatment food business. • Crop improvement aims in black pepper are mainly focusing on resistance to diseases; enhancing the quality and yield as well as resilience to climate change. • Extensive studies of genetic markers in black pepper were employed in breeding and variety identification and were reviewed in this study especially on the pepper diseases resistance. • Gradually increasing information on transcriptome profiling in many economical attributes of black pepper has revealed mechanisms and target genes for future crop improvement. This review thoroughly addressed the information. • The review explored the application of current advances in genome-editing technology for targeted genome editing to accelerate black pepper breeding for elite traits. • Integrating speed breeding with genome editing and genomic selection will result in a fast generation advance to homozygosity, increasing genetic gain for desired characteristics, and therefore greatly boosting cultivar production and it may be beneficial and suitable for future black pepper crop development. This paper reviews prior breeding work by black pepper breeders and highlights the significance of molecular breeding in enhancing black pepper generation. It is critical to develop elite varieties with desired characteristics in order to assure sustainable long-term production of black pepper. As molecular biology and plant breeding progress, two important approaches, marker-assisted selection (MAS) and gene editing are gaining prominence. In the disciplines of germplasm evaluation, genetic mapping, map-based gene identification, and marker-assisted plant breeding in black pepper and related species, molecular markers have been widely studied. With the advancement of sequencing technology, cutting-edge genome editing tools, especially CRISPR/Cas technology, are becoming available. Genome editing has the potential to transform the plant genome in a more precise, efficient, and time-efficient manner. These plant genome engineering approaches have been widely employed to respond to rapidly changing environmental circumstances when varietal improvement is required in a shorter timeframe. With the availability of genomic resources in black pepper, new molecular technologies made crop development more viable. In this review, we summarised the progress in black pepper breeding and the application of molecular breeding technologies in black pepper for crop sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Green diesel explored as a potential replacement for conventional diesel fuel. • Less environmental impact with compatible specifications as fuel is observed. • Advancement of technology is required for green diesel production in Malaysia. • Wide range of potential feedstocks in Malaysia can be used to produce green diesel. Researchers worldwide are always in search of sustainable and clean energy to ensure the lowest environmental impact and continuous energy supply. The population increment, severe environmental pollution with the rapid depletion of fossil fuels, and the application of biodiesel as a fuel additive have urged the community to discover cleaner energy in substituting the current conventional fuels. The discovery of renewable diesel has brought new hopes to society in replacing fossil fuels. The processing of various feedstocks remains a challenge for utilizing sustainable feedstock compared to non-renewable feedstock. Although various routes are feasible to produce renewable diesel, the quality of the end product requires optimization to meet international standards such as ASTM and EN. In this review, the literature studies from both industrial reports and scholarly papers are included to perform a complete review via different perspectives, specifically from Malaysia. The current status of the potential feedstock to commercialize renewable diesel production in Malaysia is evaluated. Malaysia is a country blessed with an abundance of natural resources and can contribute its part to a greener environment by addressing the possible challenges faced in clean energy production. The potentiality of renewable diesel in substituting fossil fuels is convincing, but more investigation and studies are required to compromise the expensive cost and technology immaturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the causal relationship between energy consumption and economic productivity in Malaysia at both aggregated and disaggregated levels. The investigation utilises total and sectoral (industrial and manufacturing) productivity growth during the 1971–2012 period using the modified Granger causality test proposed by Toda and Yamamoto [1] within a multivariate framework. The economy of Malaysia was found to be energy dependent at aggregated and disaggregated levels of national and sectoral economic growth. However, at disaggregate level, inefficient energy use is particularly identified with electricity and coal consumption patterns and their Granger caused negative effects upon GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and manufacturing growth. These findings suggest that policies should focus more on improving energy efficiency and energy saving. Furthermore, since emissions are found to have a close relationship to economic output at national and sectoral levels green technologies are of a highest necessity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationally, strategic use of digital media has successfully united activists with voters on a number of social issues. One such issue is the case of Lynas, an Australian rare earth mining company, wanting to set up a refinery in Malaysia prompting Malaysian NGOs to share, collaborate and communicate online with various stakeholders, international NGOs and the public to ensure a slowdown on the operations of Lynas in Malaysia. This paper examines how anti-Lynas public sentiment was successfully created through social media for an activist campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palm oil industries have been significantly contributing towards the economic growth and increase standard of living among the South East Asian countries. However, it has also been identified as the major contributor for discharging the largest pollution load in the form of Palm Oil Mills Effluent (POME) throughout these regions. This paper will focus on the successful running of POME zero discharge Pilot plant based on 5 m 3 POME h −1 built at MPOB Experimental Palm Oil Mill, Labu, Malaysia. This piolt study is a cutting edge as no greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere, no discharge of wastewater; low capital investment and low operating cost compared to other existing systems. After a whole year's experiment, the percentage of BOD reading after BioAX treatment below 20 mg/L was 80.76%, and about 30 m 3 biogas was produced per m 3 of raw POME in AnaEG bioreactors, among which, 57% (v/v) was methane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar photovoltaic has shown a significant rise in terms of worldwide installation. One of the main reason is due to the introduction of the FiT (feed-in tariff) policy by the governments. This paper aims to evaluate FiT policy in promoting solar PV (photovoltaic) investments in Malaysia by using a dynamic systems approach. The assessment model captures the complexities arising from the interaction of FiT rate dynamics, construction delays, and investors’ and technology learning dynamics in an integrated framework. The model provides total operational PV capacity, amount of finances needed to support the policy, and the cost of environmental savings, as output. Computer simulations, based on twelve scenarios, were used as a means to study the model behaviour. For the most favourable scenario, a total capacity of about 16 GW PV by 2050 can be expected, while for the least favourable scenario, expectations would be only about 10 GW. On the expenditure side, the most favourable scenario can cost up to MYR (Malaysia Ringgit) 15 billion, whereas, for the least favourable ones, the cost can be as low as MYR2 billion. The maximum cost of CO 2 abatement can vary from MYR 0.05 per kg-CO 2 to the lowest value of MYR 0.02 per kg-CO 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]