Search

The price of not addressing effectively the issues related to consumerism and ‘modern’ lifestyles have resulted very costly to society’s sustainable development, health and wellbeing. This might have, indirectly, detrimental impact on nations’ civic development, prosperity and human happiness. Thus, the importance of considering the effect that consumerism has on community’s health and wellbeing. For example, the rapid economic growth and marked socio-economic advancement in developing countries has resulted in significant changes in the lifestyles and consumer’s habits. An imminent and worrisome problem related to these changes is the increased prevalence of obesity among children and teenagers.

Rural entrepreneurship is recognized as a primary engine of economic growth. The government of Malaysia is trying to increase the number of successful rural Malay herbal entrepreneurs nationwide. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the involvement among rural Malay youth in herbal entrepreneurship in Malaysia. A qualitative approach using case study in-depth interview was used to gather data from ten rural herbal entrepreneurs. This study showed that in general Malay entrepreneurs are increasing gradually but technical based entrepreneurship is very low. It is suggested that the authorities of rural herbal development planners, government-link companies and other authorized agents need to focus on issues related to human capital, technical knowledge know-how and financial resources to increase the involvement of rural Malay youth herbal entrepreneurs.

In Malaysia, youth is defined as anyone who is between 15 and 40 years old. From this age interval are significant in terms of numbers and if translated into a source of energy, youth give positive influence to the nation development in term of the political (the voters), social (cohesion) and economic (human capital) aspects. Malaysian Youth Council (MYC) is a recognized non-governmental organization that represents the voice of Malaysian youth. The objective of the establishment of youth organizations in Malaysia is to provide tools and opportunities for youth development, empowerment and engagement so that young people can contribute towards national building. MYC has three main functions: 1) to implement youth development, 2) to coordinate and organizes activity, service and advocacy, and 3) to serve as a platform for youth delegates in a variety of scope and level. Since the majority of Malaysian population is under 40 years old, the continuing youth development programs and initiatives should involve youth directly. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of MYC in youth development in Malaysia. The results indicate that the Malaysian youth Council (MYC) needs the supports of community members and affiliates to be effective in achieving its goals.

The Malaysian rice industry is carefully monitored by several relevant agencies as it is a major priority in relation to the nation’s food security agenda. Against this backdrop, the current study focused on factors governing Malaysian rice farmers’ decision-making that contributes to their readiness to employ appropriate crop husbandry practices, which are critical for increasing productivity. Structured questionnaires were administrated to 320 respondents from six (6) Integrated Agricultural Development Areas (IADA) in Malaysia. Demographically, a majority of the respondents were aging farmers and were more interested in participating in hands-on extension clinics, rather than attending structured training sessions. The results further revealed the need for the younger generation to get involved in this area, to replace the aging farmers and to revitalize the sector toward becoming more successful in the years to come. Moreover, regression analysis also demonstrated four additional factors promoting higher paddy productivity: farming knowledge, motivational values, farming experience and trust in extension agents’ capabilities. From this combination of five factors, the current study has shed light on how Malaysian paddy farmers make decisions, which can be used to improve productivity within the IADAs. The study forwards potential approaches to making rice farming more attractive to the youth as a critical ingredient for the future health of the paddy industry.

The focus on youth development, the launching of the 6 Youth Development Initiatives which transpire from the National Youth Laboratory and the 1M4U project, provided an impact on the Malaysian youth. The country’s current focus is about empowering youth and unleashing their potentials. The biggest challenge at present is to ensure that they are surrounded by the able youth work professionals who have the capacity and capability to support these efforts and ultimately transform this vision into a reality. This paper will review and address a number of significant points namely, (i) challenges and strategies to develop and retain talents into the youth work sector, (ii) efforts in changing the youth work professionals’ mindset, (iii) indexing relevant knowledge and skills of youth work professionals, (iv) strategizing how both the youth work experts, higher education and research institutions and HRD professionals can collaborate as partners in the human resource development of youth work professionals, and (v) projecting future of and challenges to the HRD in youth work in Malaysia. It is believed that addressing these significant points will help us to engage and empower youth work professionals to ultimately engage and empower Malaysian youths as partners in nation building.

The price of not addressing effectively the issues related to consumerism and ‘modern’ lifestyles have resulted very costly to society’s sustainable development, health and wellbeing. This might have, indirectly, detrimental impact on nations’ civic development, prosperity and human happiness. Thus, the importance of considering the effect that consumerism has on community’s health and wellbeing. For example, the rapid economic growth and marked socio-economic advancement in developing countries has resulted in significant changes in the lifestyles and consumer’s habits. An imminent and worrisome problem related to these changes is the increased prevalence of obesity among children and teenagers.

As we all know the benefits of physical activity (PA) on physical and mental health are well established. However, inactivity among adolescents in Malaysia is still prevalent. This study examined whether emotional intelligence (EI) was one of the underlying psychological mechanisms that may associated with the current low levels of PA adherence. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine whether EI plays a role as the potential underlying mechanism of PA behavior among Malaysian adolescents in secondary schools. A total of 270 sixteen year old students were recruited from a few Malaysian secondary schools. It was found that students with higher physical activity (among those who are school athletes) in a week had better total EI scores and composite subscale scores. The findings of this study provide further support claims that there is a positive relationship between increased levels of EI and physical activity. Thus, the importance of higher emotional intelligence skills is seen to be one of the upmost important agenda that should be looked at in public schools to help on promoting exercise and physical activity participation. It is highly recommended that the programs should be targeted at the maximum level towards individual who were sedentary and low active.

Critical analysis of a wide range of research findings unravels the opposing views that have long been subject of discussion and contention pertaining to the efficacy of martial arts as a vehicle for positive youth development. Review of past and present literatures has highlighted the abundance of benefits associated with martial arts among youth, especially in terms of enhancement of physical health, self-esteem and general improvement in academic achievement. On the other hand, some researchers differ radically as they dismiss the positive benefits of martial arts as something that have not been comprehensively or conclusively researched. An overwhelming amount of attention has also been given to researching the efficacy of specific and non-specific martial arts; i.e. traditional or contemporary martial arts in dealing with youth at risk. Along these lines, scant research has been conducted on the efficacy of a specific Malay martial arts known as ‘Silat’ as a vehicle for positive youth development. Little is known about the extent of how this particular martial art can be used to promote positive, tangible developmental outcomes. The limited research in this area presents a risk such that if palpable conclusions regarding the efficacy of Silat cannot be made known to policy makers, the legendary art of Malay Silat stands to lose its historical significance, lineage and prominence in Malaysia. This review thus aims to explore the efficacy of martial arts -- and Malay Silat in particular – in promoting positive youth development.

According to the available data from the Institute for Public Health (NHMS III 2006) 5.4% of children younger than 18 years old in Malaysia were either overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese has detrimental effects on individual health and wellbeing and serious repercussions in terms of economic and social costs for a young, developing nation such as Malaysia. Children and teens that are overweight or obese face increased health problems; and suffer from social stigmatization, poor self-image, and depression. And as overweight and obese children get older they will be at risk of developing eating disorders, and/or becoming addicted to substance abuse. Thus, the negative impact of overweightness and obesity can spill over to society and derail the country’s economic plans of becoming a fully developed nation. The literature reviewed uncovered queries about the possibility of Malaysian youth being affected by health risks related to obesity and the impact on their quality of life; as well as the question of whether health competency development could contribute towards health promotion and improvement in youth quality of life as well as positively contribute towards Nation development.

The study aimed to (a) assess the difference based on ethnicity and age in financial well-being among Malaysian youth. Methods: Data were obtained from 2011 Youth Index (MYI’ 2011). The MYI’ 2011 provided indicators of the overall health and well-being status of Malaysian youth and was designed to identify potential issues affecting young people’s quality of life and well-being. For this study authors used financial well-being indicators from MYI’2011. Sample: The sample consisted of 5720 young Malaysians between the age range of 18 and 40 years old. Majority of the sample (68.3%) were Malay, 14.2% were Chinese, 7% were Indians and the remaining 10.5% were east Malaysians and other ethnicities. Majority of participants lived in urban areas (56%) and rural areas (46%), while a very small portion of the sample resided in Felda/Felcra communities. Results: There were significant differences regarding financial security indicators among Malaysian youth based on youth’s ethnicity and age groups. Financial security was also found to be significantly associated with security. Implications: The findings indicate that young people’s financial wellbeing might be an aspect that could be enhanced through tailored youth programs.

Gang membership among juveniles has become a major issue over the past few years in the country. Hence, the aim of this study is to identify the factors that encourage youth to be involved into gangs and gangsterism. A qualitative approach using observation, open-ended interview, focus group, semi structured interview and narratives were carried out to obtain the data. The findings revealed a number of pull factors that contribute to youth involvement into gangs and gangsterism. It is recommended that a holistic approach involving parents, school and the public are important in curbing gangsterism among youth.

Rural entrepreneurship is recognized as a primary engine of economic growth. The government of Malaysia is trying to increase the number of successful rural Malay herbal entrepreneurs nationwide. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the involvement among rural Malay youth in herbal entrepreneurship in Malaysia. A qualitative approach using case study in-depth interview was used to gather data from ten rural herbal entrepreneurs. This study showed that in general Malay entrepreneurs are increasing gradually but technical based entrepreneurship is very low. It is suggested that the authorities of rural herbal development planners, government-link companies and other authorized agents need to focus on issues related to human capital, technical knowledge know-how and financial resources to increase the involvement of rural Malay youth herbal entrepreneurs.

As we all know the benefits of physical activity (PA) on physical and mental health are well established. However, inactivity among adolescents in Malaysia is still prevalent. This study examined whether emotional intelligence (EI) was one of the underlying psychological mechanisms that may associated with the current low levels of PA adherence. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine whether EI plays a role as the potential underlying mechanism of PA behavior among Malaysian adolescents in secondary schools. A total of 270 sixteen year old students were recruited from a few Malaysian secondary schools. It was found that students with higher physical activity (among those who are school athletes) in a week had better total EI scores and composite subscale scores. The findings of this study provide further support claims that there is a positive relationship between increased levels of EI and physical activity. Thus, the importance of higher emotional intelligence skills is seen to be one of the upmost important agenda that should be looked at in public schools to help on promoting exercise and physical activity participation. It is highly recommended that the programs should be targeted at the maximum level towards individual who were sedentary and low active.

According to the available data from the Institute for Public Health (NHMS III 2006) 5.4% of children younger than 18 years old in Malaysia were either overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese has detrimental effects on individual health and wellbeing and serious repercussions in terms of economic and social costs for a young, developing nation such as Malaysia. Children and teens that are overweight or obese face increased health problems; and suffer from social stigmatization, poor self-image, and depression. And as overweight and obese children get older they will be at risk of developing eating disorders, and/or becoming addicted to substance abuse. Thus, the negative impact of overweightness and obesity can spill over to society and derail the country’s economic plans of becoming a fully developed nation. The literature reviewed uncovered queries about the possibility of Malaysian youth being affected by health risks related to obesity and the impact on their quality of life; as well as the question of whether health competency development could contribute towards health promotion and improvement in youth quality of life as well as positively contribute towards Nation development.

Critical analysis of a wide range of research findings unravels the opposing views that have long been subject of discussion and contention pertaining to the efficacy of martial arts as a vehicle for positive youth development. Review of past and present literatures has highlighted the abundance of benefits associated with martial arts among youth, especially in terms of enhancement of physical health, self-esteem and general improvement in academic achievement. On the other hand, some researchers differ radically as they dismiss the positive benefits of martial arts as something that have not been comprehensively or conclusively researched. An overwhelming amount of attention has also been given to researching the efficacy of specific and non-specific martial arts; i.e. traditional or contemporary martial arts in dealing with youth at risk. Along these lines, scant research has been conducted on the efficacy of a specific Malay martial arts known as ‘Silat’ as a vehicle for positive youth development. Little is known about the extent of how this particular martial art can be used to promote positive, tangible developmental outcomes. The limited research in this area presents a risk such that if palpable conclusions regarding the efficacy of Silat cannot be made known to policy makers, the legendary art of Malay Silat stands to lose its historical significance, lineage and prominence in Malaysia. This review thus aims to explore the efficacy of martial arts -- and Malay Silat in particular – in promoting positive youth development.

The study aimed to (a) assess the difference based on ethnicity and age in financial well-being among Malaysian youth. Methods: Data were obtained from 2011 Youth Index (MYI’ 2011). The MYI’ 2011 provided indicators of the overall health and well-being status of Malaysian youth and was designed to identify potential issues affecting young people’s quality of life and well-being. For this study authors used financial well-being indicators from MYI’2011. Sample: The sample consisted of 5720 young Malaysians between the age range of 18 and 40 years old. Majority of the sample (68.3%) were Malay, 14.2% were Chinese, 7% were Indians and the remaining 10.5% were east Malaysians and other ethnicities. Majority of participants lived in urban areas (56%) and rural areas (46%), while a very small portion of the sample resided in Felda/Felcra communities. Results: There were significant differences regarding financial security indicators among Malaysian youth based on youth’s ethnicity and age groups. Financial security was also found to be significantly associated with security. Implications: The findings indicate that young people’s financial wellbeing might be an aspect that could be enhanced through tailored youth programs.

In Malaysia, youth is defined as anyone who is between 15 and 40 years old. From this age interval are significant in terms of numbers and if translated into a source of energy, youth give positive influence to the nation development in term of the political (the voters), social (cohesion) and economic (human capital) aspects. Malaysian Youth Council (MYC) is a recognized non-governmental organization that represents the voice of Malaysian youth. The objective of the establishment of youth organizations in Malaysia is to provide tools and opportunities for youth development, empowerment and engagement so that young people can contribute towards national building. MYC has three main functions: 1) to implement youth development, 2) to coordinate and organizes activity, service and advocacy, and 3) to serve as a platform for youth delegates in a variety of scope and level. Since the majority of Malaysian population is under 40 years old, the continuing youth development programs and initiatives should involve youth directly. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of MYC in youth development in Malaysia. The results indicate that the Malaysian youth Council (MYC) needs the supports of community members and affiliates to be effective in achieving its goals.

The focus on youth development, the launching of the 6 Youth Development Initiatives which transpire from the National Youth Laboratory and the 1M4U project, provided an impact on the Malaysian youth. The country’s current focus is about empowering youth and unleashing their potentials. The biggest challenge at present is to ensure that they are surrounded by the able youth work professionals who have the capacity and capability to support these efforts and ultimately transform this vision into a reality. This paper will review and address a number of significant points namely, (i) challenges and strategies to develop and retain talents into the youth work sector, (ii) efforts in changing the youth work professionals’ mindset, (iii) indexing relevant knowledge and skills of youth work professionals, (iv) strategizing how both the youth work experts, higher education and research institutions and HRD professionals can collaborate as partners in the human resource development of youth work professionals, and (v) projecting future of and challenges to the HRD in youth work in Malaysia. It is believed that addressing these significant points will help us to engage and empower youth work professionals to ultimately engage and empower Malaysian youths as partners in nation building.

The Malaysian rice industry is carefully monitored by several relevant agencies as it is a major priority in relation to the nation’s food security agenda. Against this backdrop, the current study focused on factors governing Malaysian rice farmers’ decision-making that contributes to their readiness to employ appropriate crop husbandry practices, which are critical for increasing productivity. Structured questionnaires were administrated to 320 respondents from six (6) Integrated Agricultural Development Areas (IADA) in Malaysia. Demographically, a majority of the respondents were aging farmers and were more interested in participating in hands-on extension clinics, rather than attending structured training sessions. The results further revealed the need for the younger generation to get involved in this area, to replace the aging farmers and to revitalize the sector toward becoming more successful in the years to come. Moreover, regression analysis also demonstrated four additional factors promoting higher paddy productivity: farming knowledge, motivational values, farming experience and trust in extension agents’ capabilities. From this combination of five factors, the current study has shed light on how Malaysian paddy farmers make decisions, which can be used to improve productivity within the IADAs. The study forwards potential approaches to making rice farming more attractive to the youth as a critical ingredient for the future health of the paddy industry.