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The objective of this study is to model oil palm yield distributions and investigate the factors that influence oil palm yields in Peninsular Malaysia using remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) techniques. Herein, we investigate six factors that influence oil palm yield in Peninsular Malaysia, including mean annual minimum and maximum temperatures, mean annual rainfall, average number of rainy days per year, average annual relative humidity, and elevation. In order to model oil palm yield in Peninsular Malaysia, a large yield dataset covering Peninsular Malaysia for 37 years (1983 to 2020), as well as related explanatory variables, were collected. Areal interpolation was used to model the average yield distribution across the study area. The findings of this study show that oil palm yields vary across Peninsular Malaysia. Due to favourable climate and elevation, southern and southwestern Peninsular Malaysia, including Johor, Pahang, Melaka, and Selangor, recorded the highest amount of yield.

Grain size statistics, morphometric and petrographic analyses of sediments and pebbles from the Tertiary sedimentary basins in Johor, onshore Peninsular Malaysia were carried out and presented in this article. The objective of the study was to interpret the depositional processes and paleoenvironment of the Tertiary sediments in the Kluang-Niyor, Layang-Layang, and Kampung Durian Chondong basins. Petrographic analysis reveals that the sandstones are mainly arenites and subfeldspathic arenites, based on the relative proportions of quartz, feldspar and lithic fragments. The textural immaturity of the sandstones suggests that the sediments were transported from a close source, and deposited along a passive continental margin. Grain size results indicate that the mean, standard deviation (sorting), skewness and kurtosis values for the sediment samples range from −0.57 Ф to 0.68 Ф (very coarse-grained to coarse-grained sandstones); 1.35 Φ to 2.27 Φ (indicating poorly sorted to very poorly sorted sandstones); 0.00 Ф to 0.36Ф (nearly symmetrical, finely skewed to strongly fine skewed); and 0.71Φ to 1.32Φ (platykurtic, mesokurtic to leptokurtic), respectively. The predominance of very coarse to coarse-grained sediments suggests low energy conditions of deposition and the poor sorting is the result of rapid deposition by strong, fluctuating currents. This, in conjunction with the various bivariate plots employed, including the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) diagrams, has aided in discriminating fluvial from other depositional environments. Using Passega’s diagram, the C-M pattern of these Tertiary sediments indicated that they were transported by rolling and bottom suspension. Moreso, pebble morphometric results show the mean values of the various morphometric parameters as follows: flatness ratio (S/L = 0.49), elongation ratio (I/L = 0.73), maximum projection sphericity (ΨP = 0.69), Oblate-Prolate index (OPI = 0.45), and roundness (50.526). The pebbles of these basins were shaped in a river environment, based on measured and computed morphometric indices. Results of granulometric statistics, morphometric indices and petrography together with bivariate plots, as well as the absence of fossils/trace fossils suggest that these isolated Tertiary basins’ sediments were transported by rolling and bottom suspension (a very short distance of transport), deposited by a high-energy fluvial depositional system, close to the source.

The rise of global surface temperature due to warming climate is expected to increase the intensity and occurrence of extreme precipitation events. Previous studies in Southeast Asia revealed complex variations in changes of precipitation extremes. This study presents a spatial–temporal analysis on changes of precipitation extremes in Peninsular Malaysia by utilizing long‐term daily rainfall records at 64 observed stations during 1989–2018. The modified Mann–Kendall and Sen's slope tests were performed to detect the significance and magnitude of trends in eight extreme precipitation indices recommended by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices. Statistically significant increasing trends are observed for four of these extreme indices in the annual assessment. Spatial analysis demonstrates an obvious contrast between wet and dry regions in patterns of precipitation extremes. Seasonal analysis reveals the intensity and frequency of wet extremes are enhanced significantly during the northeast monsoon season. Significant correlations are found between precipitation extremes and El Niño–Southern Oscillation, particularly in the northern, eastern and southwest regions. Collectively, the evidence presented suggests that the occurrence of precipitation extremes in Peninsular Malaysia tends to be more frequent and intense over the year and is closely associated with the combined effects of tropical monsoon cycles and El Niño–Southern Oscillation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife crime is a major issue for the sustainable conservation and protection of wildlife species. In this study, we report on the statistics of wildlife crimes that occurred in Peninsular Malaysia from 2011 to 2018. Wildlife crime data were extracted from the annual reports of Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia (DWNP) and were classified into eight categories: illegal possession, smuggling, technical offenses, illegal hunting, encroachment, cruelty, business and zoo or exhibition. A total of 7,106 wildlife crime cases were reported within this period, with the highest number of cases being illegal wildlife possession (86.55%). In general, wildlife crimes showed an increasing trend in Peninsular Malaysia, where the highest number of cases were recorded in Selangor, Johor and Kedah. Overall, the enactment of Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 [Act 716] showed a positive impact from the enforcement perspective, but seemed to be less effective in deterring wildlife crime in Peninsular Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geophysical survey techniques were carried out to identify the potential zones of manganese ore in Central Peninsular Malaysia. Electrical resistivity tomography and induced polarization (IP) geoelectrical methods have been used to identify the metal distribution and mineralization zones. Five geoelectrical survey profiles were deployed at the proposed site using pole–dipole array in the W–E direction with lengths of 400 m and 800 m. The results of the resistivity and IP inversion indicate the presence of well‐correlated low resistivity (≤ 200 Ωm) and high chargeability zones (≥ 10 ms) embedded in the varied weathered host rock as massive and disseminated ore bodies. The 3‐D maps generated enabled the delineation of the conductive bodies orientation and mineral of interest distribution. Results of the geochemical analysis contributed to validating the site as a potential mineralized zone with a high concentration of manganese. The study suggests further geophysical investigations in the southern segment of the research area to produce a more consistent image of the subsurface structures, and conclusively identifying the extension of mineral deposits for the purpose of ore prospecting to aid drilling operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia, is a minority population and placed behind in terms of socioeconomy, education and health. The Malaysian government has supported Orang Asli since the second Malaysia Plan in the 1970s, resulting in changes in their living standard, access to health, education and occupation. Hence, this review aims to assess the recent prevalence of diseases among Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) review protocol guided this systematic review. The research question was formulated based on Population, Interest, Comparison and Outcome (PICO). The selected databases include Web of Science, Scopus, Ovid and EBSCOhost. The process of identification, screening and inclusion identified 33 articles. The mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) was then used to rank the quality of the articles. Selangor is the most frequent state involved in this review (12 studies), followed by Perak (10 studies), Pahang (10 studies) and Kedah (one study). We categorised into four categories of diseases, namely neglected tropical disease (n = 20), non-communicable disease (n = 6), nutritional status (n = 5), and hepatic disease (n = 2). The prevalence of diseases among Orang Asli is higher than in the general population, especially for soil-transmitted helminth (STH) and malnutrition. There is increasing research on non-communicable diseases due to an increasing trend in the socioeconomic status and lifestyle of the Orang Asli. Government agencies and private organisations must work together to empower Orang Asli with a healthy lifestyle, improve their socioeconomic status, and enhance food security, all of which will improve Orang Asli's health and reduce the prevalence of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile emissions from 22 bryophyte species from Peninsular Malaysia were collected using a dynamic headspace technique and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Thirty organic compounds (VOCs) from eight different groups were detected in bryophytes from the montane forest in Cameron Highlands and the lowland dipterocarp forest in Lata Belatan. The headspace of bryophytes in Cameron Highlands was dominated by tetradecane, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, decanal, pentanoic acid, 2,2,4-trimethyl-3-carboxyisopropyl, isobutyl ester, D-limonene and naphthalene. On the contrary, in the bryophyte headspace of Lata Belatan, naphthalene and tetradecane were dominant compounds. The elevational pattern detected in VOC composition of bryophytes appears to be an evolutionary feature at the family level that needs verification at other sites. The results also confirmed that the VOC composition of bryophytes is species-specific. The roles of VOCs in bryophytes are presented, including plant–plant communication and plant–insect interaction and as an additional taxonomic character in chemotaxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food habits and behavior of medium and large-sized mammals that visited natural salt-licks in a tropical rainforest of Belum-Temengor Forest Complex, Peninsular Malaysia, were analyzed to understand the purpose of their salt-lick visits. The study was conducted at the wet-type salt-licks, where the animals drink clear water, thus the ingestion of clay particles needed for detoxification of plant secondary compounds, one of the possible purposes of salt-lick visits, seemed very low. Ten herbivorous, seven omnivorous, and four carnivorous species were recorded at the salt-licks. 95.3% of all video capture records of animals at the salt-licks were of herbivores, while the records of omnivores and carnivores were only 3.5% and 1.2%, respectively. These results indicated that herbivores visited studied salt-licks much more frequently than other food-habit species. The herbivores also tended to stay longer at the salt-licks than omnivores and carnivores. In addition, water-drinking behaviors were recorded significantly more frequently in herbivores (73% of video captures) than in omnivores (28%) and carnivores (0%). The carnivores showed only resting, passing, and hunting behaviors. The results suggest that the studied salt-licks were mainly used by herbivores and some omnivores, possibly to supplement minerals and/or alleviate gastrointestinal problems by drinking salt-lick water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on long‐term ethnographic study of the Indigenous Mah Meri communities at Carey Island and Orang Seletar communities at Danga Bay, both in Peninsular Malaysia, I critically examine local interpretations and engagement of China‐backed investments promoted under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Although these investments have encroached on their native customary territories and destroyed the natural environment which they depend on for their livelihoods, the Indigenous communities tend to perceive them as acts of land grabbing by the Malaysian political and economic elites, rather than a form of neo‐imperialism by mainland Chinese firms. My study underscores the need to attend to Indigenous politics and alternative forms of imaginaries in understanding the impacts of China‐backed investments. It complicates the dominant literature on the BRI by revealing more intricate nuances of the grounded realities, focusing on the perspectives of the Indigenous people, who hold customary rights to lands and territories under development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio is the most common bacterium associated with diseases in crustaceans. Outbreaks of vibriosis pose a serious threat to shrimp production. Therefore, antibiotics are commonly used as preventative and therapeutic measures. Unfortunately, improper use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance. Nevertheless, information on the occurrence of Vibrio spp. and antibiotic use in shrimp, particularly in Malaysia, is minimal. This study aimed to provide information on the occurrence of Vibrio spp., its status of antibiotic resistance and the plasmid profiles of Vibrio spp. isolated from cultured shrimp in Peninsular Malaysia. Shrimp were sampled from seven farms that were located in different geographical regions of Peninsular Malaysia. According to the observations, 85% of the shrimp were healthy, whereas 15% were unhealthy. Subsequently, 225 presumptive Vibrio isolates were subjected to biochemical tests and molecular detection using the pyrH gene. The isolates were also tested for antibiotic susceptibility against 16 antibiotics and were subjected to plasmid profiling. Eventually, 13 different Vibrio spp. were successfully isolated and characterized using the pyrH gene. They were the following: V. parahaemolyticus (55%), V. communis (9%), V. campbellii (8%), V. owensii (7%), V. rotiferianus (5%), Vibrio spp. (4%), V. alginolyticus (3%), V. brasiliensis (2%), V. natriegens (2%), V. xuii (1%), V. harveyi (1%), V. hepatarius (0.4%) and P. damselae (3%). Antibiotic susceptibility profiles revealed that all isolates were resistant to penicillin G (100%), but susceptible to norfloxacin (96%). Furthermore, 16% of the isolates revealed MAR of less than 0.2, while 84% were greater than 0.2. A total of 125 isolates harbored plasmids with molecular weights between 1.0 and above 10 kb, detected among the resistant isolates. The resistant isolates were mediated by both chromosomal and plasmid factors. These findings support the use of surveillance data on the emerging patterns of antimicrobial-resistance and plasmid profiles of Vibrio spp. in shrimp farms. The findings from this study can be used to develop a better disease management strategy for shrimp farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The short- to long-distance dispersal (SDD and LDD) of propagules is critical for the regeneration of mangrove forests. Mark–recapture experiments are considered to be a good tool for assessing such dispersal patterns. However, dense mangrove roots, exposed mudflats, shallow water, etc. often limit the number of recaptured propagules and their implication studies. Therefore, a combination of hydrodynamic and particle tracking models, together with a mark–recapture experiment, were applied to identify the dispersal behavior of Rhizophora mucronata Lamk. propagules in a coastal lagoon of Setiu Wetlands, Malaysia. The transport trajectories revealed that the dispersal of propagules is leptokurtic, with majority of them confined to very-short-distance dispersal (VSDD; 3–5 m) to SDD (1400 m). While higher obstacle density (e.g., mangrove roots) constrained the propagule dispersal, weaker tidal currents that coupled with less upstream discharge increased their retention time and settlement closer to the point of release. Under this scenario, the chances for propagules to exit from the lagoon mouth and their entry into the open waters for LDD are very limited. These results can explain the abundance of Rhizophora spp. in the northern sector of the Setiu Wetlands and be useful for species-level conservation/management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold-bearing formations are commonly associated with occurrence of chargeability anomalies obtained from induced polarization (IP) methods. However, the gold itself does not significantly contribute to the IP effects, but the sulphide mineralization enhances the chances of the gold minerals being located and detected by these geophysical methods. The results of the geophysical surveys conducted across the selected regions in the Peninsular Malaysian gold belts (PMGB) are presented in this study with applications of a regional-scale geological and geophysical mapping of the study area integrated with a 3D Geographical Information System (GIS) technique. The work allowed a significant reduction in the search areas and identification of new target areas, thus working in partnership on the reduction of costs, time, and risk of mineral exploration. Results obtained showed that significant achievements were made to efficiently understand the geological processes related to the selected PMGB regions with the application of integrated geophysical methods. A gap exists in the subsurface geophysical information concerning the Peninsular Malaysian Central gold belts (PMCGB), which this study seeks to address by bridging the gap with the application of combined electrical resistivity (ER), IP, and 3D GIS methods. The results showed the sulphide mineralized zones as delineated at various points along the survey lines with the massive deposit at greater depths of occurrence at about 200 m ≤ 300 m, with their corresponding values, for a chargeability of about < 45 ms and resistivity of roughly 50 Ωm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the capability of both quantile mapping (QM) bias correction and kriging merging techniques to improve precipitation accuracy of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Integrated Multisatellite Retrievals for the Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) satellite estimations over the Langat River Basin, an important river basin in Malaysia as it is the main source of potable water supply to Kuala Lumpur, in the 5-year period (2014–2018). This analysis also integrates both techniques to investigate whether the estimations can be further improved. Findings show that the estimations that undergo QM first followed by kriging merging (QK-TRMM and QK-IMERG) give significant improvement at almost all aspects of rainfall and streamflow comparison. At point-to-pixel rainfall comparison, around 50% improvement can be seen in both time series– and frequency-based statistics as well as an able to perform with a coefficient of correlation (CC) over 0.80 in terms of areal rainfall. The study performs streamflow simulation by employing the hydrological modeling system (HEC-HMS) to validate the performance of raw and enhanced satellite estimations for the 2014–2015 extreme flood events. Both QK-TRMM and QK-IMERG show a great improvement in the overall streamflow simulation with a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of more than 0.70. The results reveal that the newly proposed bias correction method (merging of the QM and kriging methods) has significantly contributed to the improvement of precipitation estimation, which is crucial in water resources planning and flood forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the reliability of regional climate downscaling products from the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment-Southeast Asia (CORDEX-SEA) in reproducing the present-day wind at the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (ECPM). A total of five CORDEX-SEA products, namely CNRM-CM5(RegCM4), CSIRO-Mk3-6-0(RegCM4), EC-EARTH(RegCM4), HadGEM2-ES(RegCM4) and MPI-ESM-MR(RegCM4), with a resolution of 25 km, were compared to reference data from the European Centre Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) fifth generation atmospheric reanalysis ERA5 spanning 1980–2005. This study focused on the period of the southwest monsoon, specifically the months of June, July and August (JJA), as wind during this season is known to play an important role in generating upwelling at the ECPM. The results obtained show that only three of the CORDEX-SEA products, CSIRO-Mk3-6-0(RegCM4), HadGEM2-ES(RegCM4) and MPI-ESM-MR(RegCM4), were able to reproduce the wind in terms of wind speed, wind stress curl and wind pattern as effectively as ERA5. An ensemble was made from these three CORDEX-SEA products, and it was found that the ensemble was able to reproduce a value of the Upwelling Index (UI) that was similar to the reference data, albeit with some bias. Hence, only the three stated CORDEX-SEA products and their ensemble are suitable to be used for future climate change studies within the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parametric methods are commonly used to conduct the trend analysis of air pollution. These methods require certain statistical assumptions, such as stationarity and normality of the data. However, such assumptions are usually not applicable to trends in Air pollution index (API). In addition, the change points in the time series have not been taken into consideration by most of the analysis of API. Therefore, this study presents a comprehensive investigation of the trend analysis and change point detection of the mean and maximum of API series in Malaysia. The hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, and annual API data series were considered in the analysis. The finer time intervals were used to detect any significant increasing or decreasing trends of the API series for Malaysia. The API data were collected from 37 air monitoring stations in Peninsular Malaysia. The nonparametric tests, including Mann–Kendall test, Pettitt test, and innovative trend analysis were used to examine the contribution presented herein. Various aspects of API data were studied, including upward trends, downward trends, and change points. Several significant monotonic trends and changing points in some of the API measuring stations were found from the Mann–Kendall test results. Significant increasing trends of the monthly and seasonal mean, as well as maximum API, were found in the years 2013 and 2014 for some stations. In addition, the magnitudes of the increasing trends in maximum API are larger than the mean API. The detection points captured by the Pettitt test are possibly related to the El-Nino events. In general, the results of the study provide comprehensive information on air quality trends and their atmospheric aspects, which can help in developing strategies to address air quality problems and provide meaningful opportunities to mitigate air pollution problems in Peninsular Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlight Research • The Set Net was identified and recorded. • Length and weight of the catch of set net was analyzed. Abstract Set net fisheries are made according to traditional fishing gears method in the coastal waters of Sungai Sembilang, Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. These fisheries system are the passive structure of gear used to catch fish that swim in shallow water with muddy substrate. This study focused on determining the species variety and the possible future of set net fisheries in Sungai Sembilang. Catch composition of set net was investigated based on the catch data during July to December 2020 and continued from January to February 2021. The catch data was recorded by a research assistant on site during fishing season. The data consist of species, length and weight of all catches recorded. Total catch of 60 fish species belonging to 23 families were captured during this study period. Ariidae (31.73%), Clupeidae (11.56%), and Scatophagidae (7.96%) were determined as dominant families caught this set net. The total dominant catch amount of species Plicofollis argyropleuron (18.71%), Nemapteryx caelata (9.96%), and Anodontostoma chacunda (8.92%) compromised 37.6% of the total catch. This type of fishing gear can be used by local fisherman to catch fishes and can prevent trawl net from come closer to the shore. This study would provide some general useful information about the status of set net fisheries as well as the species abundance caught from the set net.

Haemotropic Mycoplasma infection among cattle has not been seriously looked into, despite the fact it is associated with poor weight gain and depression. One thousand and forty-five blood samples from apparently healthy cattle from forty-three farms within the entire Peninsular Malaysia were exa¬mined over a one-year period. Using polymerase chain reaction to amplify the 16S rRNA gene, the presence of “Candidatus Mycoplasma haemobos” as one of the haemotropic Mycoplasma species that affects cattle in the country was detected. Forty-seven percent of the sampled population was positive for “C. M. haemobos”, with the antigen present in all herds sampled. Breed of cattle, gender, age, production type, physiological status, herd size, management system, farm size, farm age, prophylac-tic treatment against blood parasites, presence of ticks, frequency of de-ticking, zone, closeness to forest, closeness to waste area, closeness to human settlement and closeness to body of water were all significantly associated (P

Ce travail rapporte pour la première fois la présence de Mastacembelus notophthalmus Roberts, 1989 (Synbranchiformes Mastacembelidae) sur l'île de Bangka (Indonésie), plus spécifiquement pour la rivière Bumang Kemuja, district de Bangka Induk, province de Bangka Belitung. Ce signalement permet une extension méridionale de la répartition géographique de cette espèce. La nouvelle occurrence est à environ 500 km au sud de la localité la plus proche de la péninsule malaise, à environ 450 km au sud-est de la localité la plus proche à Sumatra et à environ 750 km au sud-ouest de la localité la plus proche à Bornéo. Par conséquent, ce nouveau signalement comble une lacune importante dans la répartition géographique de l'espèce, ainsi que l'enregistrement de l'espèce pour une île supplémentaire. De plus, nous fournissons une carte détaillée et mise à jour sur la répartition géographique de l'espèce, basée à la fois sur les données publiées et sur le matériel examiné. Ce nouveau signalement est basé sur deux spécimens collectés le 22 juillet 2022. Ils ont été identifiés comme M. notophthalmus car ils présentent une barre verticale sombre sous l'oeil ; pas de motif réticulé sur le corps, région dorsale principalement brun foncé avec quelques marques vermiculées irrégulières jaunâtres ; région ventrale jaunâtre avec une bande horizontale brune foncée incomplète ; et les nageoires caudale, dorsale et anale jaunâtres avec des barres verticales brun foncé. De plus, les deux spécimens présentent des caractéristiques méristiques similaires aux données de la littérature pour l'espèce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study assessed the ecological–health risks of potentially toxic arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) in the vegetable Centella asiatica, topsoils, and mangrove sediments sampled from Peninsular Malaysia. The As concentrations ranged from 0.21 to 4.33, 0.18 to 1.83, and 1.32 to 20.8 mg/kg dry weight, for the leaves, stems, and roots of the vegetable, respectively. The ranges of Sb concentrations were 0.31–0.62, 0.12–0.35, and 0.64–1.61 mg/kg dry weight, for leaves, stems, and roots of the vegetable, respectively. The children’s target hazard quotient (THQ) values indicated no non-carcinogenic risks of As and Sb in both leaves and stems, although children’s THQ values were higher than those in adults. The calculated values of estimated weekly intake were lower than established provisional tolerable weekly intake of As and Sb for both children and adult consumers. The carcinogenic risk (CR) values of As for children’s intake of leaves and stems of vegetables showed more public concern than those of adults. The levels of Sb and As in the topsoils were generally higher (although not significantly) than those in the mangrove sediments, resulting in a higher geoaccumulation index, contamination factor and ecological risk, hazard index, THQ, and CR values. This indicated that the anthropogenic sources of Sb and As originated from the land-based activities before reaching the mangrove near the coast. The CR of As signifies a dire need for comprehensive ecological–health risks exposure studies, as dietary intake involves more than just vegetable consumption. Therefore, risk management for As and Sb in Malaysia is highly recommended. The present findings of the ecological–health risks of As and Sb based on 2010–2012 samples can be used as an important baseline for future reference and comparison.

Abstract Peninsular Malaysia is tectonically situated on a stable craton (intraplate) and so far experiences relatively little earthquake activities, thus considered as a region with low seismicity. This study uses earthquake data from 59 events obtained from various sources in the period 1922 to 2020. The overall seismicity in the study area is low as expected due to the general intraplate setting. Earthquakes occurred onshore and offshore of Peninsular Malaysia between latitudes 1° and 7° N and longitudes 99° and 105° E. The seismicity pattern shows that the epicenters are distributed spatially in some parts of the peninsula and in the Malacca Strait with several epicenter zones. Most of earthquakes are associated with several preexisting faults and fault zones indicating that they are the major contributor to the local seismicity. Meanwhile, some further earthquakes were caused by activities related to reservoirs. Magnitudes are ranging from Mw 0.7 to 5.4 with the majority is Mw 1.0 + and 2.0 +. Hypocenters are located in between 1 and 167 km deep (shallow to intermediate earthquakes) with the majority being shallow earthquakes (1–70 km). The deepest earthquake located in the Straits of Malacca can be associated with a slab detachment broken off from the Sumatran Subduction Zone. Finally, this study contributes to the understanding of the intraplate seismicity of Peninsular Malaysia as a basis for seismic hazard and risk assessment. Article Highlights Earthquake assessment over the last 100 year reveals low but clear seismicity with an associated seismic hazard and risk for certain areas. Shallow, low-magnitude earthquakes associated with reservoir activities and preexisting faults reactivated by the nearby subduction zone. A deeper, low-magnitude earthquake can be related to slab detachment from the Sumatran subduction zone toward the east.

To date, documentation of the diversity of orchids from the limestone hills in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia, particularly in the states of Kedah and Perak, is still lacking, with limited literature available. There is indeed an urgent need to fill this knowledge gap, so that proper documentation of the diversity of orchids from this unique karst habitat can be prepared. In this study, a series of 12 months of diversity assessments on five limestone hills in Kedah and Perak has resulted in the discovery of 56 orchid species from 37 genera. From this account, 12 species are new records within Kedah and 2 species are new records within Malaysia, namely Bulbophyllum meson J.J.Verm., Schuit. & de Vogel and Luisia brachystachys (Lindl.) Blume. Three species are endemic to Peninsular Malaysia which are Anoectochilus sanguineus P.T.Ong & P.O’Byrne, Cheirostylis goldschmidtiana Schltr. and Phalaenopsis appendiculata Carr. Findings of two keystone species, the long-lost Cheirostylis goldschmidtiana and the endangered snow-white slipper orchid, Paphiopedilum niveum (Rchb.f.) Stein, have catalyzed the need for a more comprehensive study to unveil the species richness and endemism within a limestone habitat. Heat maps using geographical data produced from ArcGIS software have enabled precise determination of the areas with the highest concentration of orchid diversity. Results from this study have shown that Gunung Fakir Terbang houses the greatest number of orchid species, followed by Gunung Batu Putih and Gunung Baling. Meanwhile, lower species occurrences were recorded from Gunung Pulai and Gunung Pong. However, lack of attention and delayed conservation action on this unique karst habitat would only lead to more habitat loss, leading to the decline of limestone orchid populations. Orchids as well as other plants are threatened by anthropogenic activity such as quarrying and forest clearing for agriculture. Thus, the results of this study will serve as baseline data for future work in documenting and conserving limestone orchids and their karst habitat in northern Peninsular Malaysia.

This article discusses archaeological research of shipwrecks as a form of underwater cultural heritage with special reference to ancient shipwrecks and their cargoes discovered in Peninsular Malaysia from 1907 to 2019. The discussion will include the formation process of underwater cultural heritage, especially the discoveries of shipwreck sites and cargoes which have connections as well as trade, cultural and political relationships with early maritime kingdoms in Southeast Asia. The significance of shipwreck sites in the development of archaeological shipwrecks in Peninsular Malaysia will also be discussed in the contexts of research and education of our national history. This is important for the early development of maritime archaeology's potential, particularly on shipwrecks from the 1990s to the early first decade of the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of Indigenous peoples’ rights has always been fought for both internationally and domestically. This writing focuses on implementing the principle of “Free, Prior, and Informed Consent” (FPIC) in the affairs of the Orang Asli in Semenanjung Malaysia. Article 3 of the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DHOA) 2007 recognise the FPIC principle which entails the spirit of the right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination. The principles of IMABT and consultation are key aspects of the right to self-determination that allow the Indigenous community of a country to be involved in the decision-making process on matters that may affect them. Malaysia has not prepared any guidelines for implementing the FPIC principle despite agreeing with the adoption of the DHOA. Therefore, this paper presents a proposal to implement on FPIC guideline which is practical and suitable for Orang Asli in Malaysia. For this purpose, the Philippines will be used as a reference country to see how this principle is implemented in the country. If this principle is successfully implemented, it will be a great starting point that recognizes the rights of Orang Asli and will also be able to improve their socio-economic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive species can spread rapidly at local and national scales, resulting in significant environmental and economic impacts. Rapid urbanisation and deforestation can accelerate the spread of invasive species and depress populations of native species. We studied the pattern of spread of the Javan myna Acridotheres javanicus, an introduced species in Peninsular Malaysia that has benefited greatly from urbanisation over the past 40 years (1981–2020). We used the online database eBird–a citizen science project–to build a species distribution model using data collected by birdwatchers from discrete locations and visits. We show that the invasive Javan myna range has drastically increased in Peninsular Malaysia over the past 40 years following the escape and release of captive individuals. The number of mynas continued to increase over four 10-year observation phases. Notably, there was a particularly drastic increase in 2011–2020 period, with 56,201 Javan myna observations. The cumulative Javan myna range across Peninsular Malaysia was 28,855 km2 in 2011–2020, with the majority of this distribution occurring in two major metropolitan cities: greater Kuala Lumpur (including the suburban area, Selangor) and Johor. In urban areas of Peninsular Malaysia, the Javan myna spread rate increased by approximately 44.4% from the 2001–2010 period to the 2011–2020 period. A species distribution model applied to the entirety of Peninsular Malaysia showed that urban land use was related to the model. The generalised linear model showed a significant positive relationship between urban area expansion and Javan myna abundance. We effectively map the spread of the highly invasive Javan myna and highlight the need for an improved management plan that includes a risk prediction analysis and management strategies for this species. Such dynamic mapping and analyses is crucial for better understanding of the mechanisms that lead to the persistence of urban biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It becomes imperative to understand the eco-climatic predictors and know the suitable habitat for Porphyrio porphyrio indicus and Amaurornis phoenicurus in the urban wetlands to prevent their local extinction. The study explored the habitat suitability for Porphyrio porphyrio indicus and Amaurornis phoenicurus in Paya Indah wetlands and Putrajaya wetlands of Peninsular Malaysia. Porphyrio porphyrio indicus and Amaurornis phoenicurus surveyed using the point count technique, and a stratified random design. The maximum entropy modelling (MEM) approach and geographic information systems employed to determine the influence of 17 eco-climatic factors on the suitable habitats for the species. Water at a minimum depth (44.30%) and rainfall (74.20%) contributed to the availability of suitable habitats for Porphyrio porphyrio indicus in Paya Indah and Putrajaya wetlands. Also, dissolved oxygen (56.60%) and salinity (43.50%) contributed to habitat suitability for Amaurornis phoenicurus in Paya Indah and Putrajaya wetlands. Large portions of the two urban wetlands were unsuitable for the Porphyrio porphyrio indicus and Amaurornis phoenicurus populations because of several eco-climatic factors. Thus, the models as management tools with a robust population monitoring database and framework would enhance the management effectiveness of the two species and urban wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the ability of 20 model simulations which contributed to the CMIP6 HighResMIP to simulate precipitation in different monsoon seasons and extreme precipitation events over Peninsular Malaysia. The model experiments utilize common forcing but are run with different horizontal and vertical resolutions. The impact of resolution on the models' abilities to simulate precipitation and associated environmental fields is assessed by comparing multi-model ensembles at different resolutions with three observed precipitation datasets and four climate reanalyses. Model simulations with relatively high horizontal and vertical resolution exhibit better performance in simulating the annual cycle of precipitation and extreme precipitation over Peninsular Malaysia and the coastal regions. Improvements associated with the increase in horizontal and vertical resolutions are also found in the statistical relationship between precipitation and monsoon intensity in different seasons. However, the increase in vertical resolution can lead to a reduction of annual mean precipitation compared to that from the models with low vertical resolutions, associated with an overestimation of moisture divergence and underestimation of lower-tropospheric vertical ascent in the different monsoon seasons. This limits any improvement in the simulation of precipitation in the high vertical resolution experiments, particularly for the Southwest monsoon season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media engagement has contributed to the rise of cyberbullying, which has recently triggered tragic suicides among adolescents. The objective of this cross-sectional study is to determine the prevalence of cyberbullying, suicidal behaviour, and their association among adolescents in Peninsular Malaysia. The study was conducted among 1290 secondary school adolescents aged between 13 and 17 years old in Peninsular Malaysia using a self-administered and anonymous online questionnaire. Our findings reveal that the prevalence of cyberbullying victimization and perpetrator is 13.7% and 3.8%, respectively. The prevalence of suicidal behaviour among adolescents is 17.1%, in which 11.9% had suicidal thoughts, 10.2% had a suicide plan, and 8.4% had made a suicide attempt. Multiple logistic regression shows that adolescents experiencing cyberbullying victimization is a significant risk factor (p < 0.001) for suicidal behaviour after adjusting for other confounders. An alarming number of adolescents in Peninsular Malaysia found to be involved in cyberbullying and its significant association with suicidal behaviour warrant the need to strengthen current interventions. Since the study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, our findings make an important contribution in reporting current trends in cyberbullying and suicide among adolescents, especially when they are becoming ever-more present in cyberspaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The linear polar coordinate shallow water model of Ismail et al. (2006) is used to simulate Tsunami effect along North Sumatra and Penang Islands allied with Indonesian tsunami of 2004. The study of Ismail et al (2006) was based on the assumption that the primary displacement of the water surface at the source zone in the form of sea level rise and fall is equal to the stationary move of the sea floor deformation in the rupture region, which is not completely precise. The dynamics of seafloor displacement over a short period of time was ignored in that study. The major factor, which determines the initial amount of a tsunami, is the amount of vertical sea floor deformation (Iguchi, 2011). The properties of Indonesian tsunami 2004 are related to the scale of the bottom displacement (Kowalik et al. 2005). In this paper, a reassessment of the initial tsunami source of 2004 Indonesian tsunami taking the amount of vertical sea floor deformation and the dynamics of seafloor displacement over a short period is considered as the initial condition of tsunami generation. The computed maximum water levels along the coastal belts of Sumatra and Penang in Peninsular Malaysia compare well with the observed water level data obtained through post tsunami surveys. The results of this study suggest that a linear cylindrical polar coordinate shallow water model can be applied to simulate different aspects of tsunami.

Southern River Terrapin, Batagur affinis, is a freshwater turtle listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000. Many studies suggest that faecal DNA metabarcoding can shield light on the host-associated microbial communities that play important roles in host health. Thus, this study aimed to characterise and compare the faecal bacterial community between captive and wild B. affinis using metabarcoding approaches. A total of seven faeces samples were collected from captive (N D 5) and wild (N D 2) adult B. affinis aseptically, crossing the East and West coast of peninsular Malaysia. TheDNAwas extracted from the faeces samples, and the 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplicon was further analysed using SILVA andDADA2pipelines. In total, 297 bacterial communities taxonomic profile (phylum to genus) were determined. Three phyla were found in high abundance in all faeces samples, namely Firmicutes (38.69%), Bacteroidetes (24.52%), and Fusobacteria (6.95%). Proteobacteria were detected in all faeces samples (39.63%), except the wild sample, KBW3. Under genus level, Cetobacteriumwas found as the most abundant genus (67.79%), followed by Bacteroides (24.56%) and Parabacteroides (21.78%). The uncultured genus had the highest abundance (88.51%) even though not detected in the BK31 and KBW2 samples. The potential probiotic genera (75.00%) were discovered to be more dominant in B. affinis faeces samples. Results demonstrated that the captive B. affinis faeces samples have a greater bacterial variety and richness than wild B. affinis faeces samples. This study has established a starting point for future investigation of the gut microbiota of B. affinis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Blood group antigens are immunogenic polymorphic molecules presented on the surface of RBCs. This study aimed to determine extended blood group profiles (ABO, Rhesus, Kell, Kidd, Duffy, MNS, Cartwright, Dombrock, Colton, Lutheran, and Vel) in Malays, Chinese, and Indians in Peninsular Malaysia. Results Here, ABO Type O, DCCee, MNs, and Fy (a+b−) were the most frequent major blood group phenotypes in all three ethnic groups. Other minor blood group systems distributed differently across these ethnic groups, except for the Kell, Lutheran, Cartwright, and Vel blood group systems, where only K+k−, Lu (8+14), Yt (a+b−), and Vel (+) phenotypes were observed. Exact tests of population differentiation generally showed no significant differences between Malays included in the present study vs. other ethnically similar datasets from previous surveys. However, many significant differences were recorded in comparison between blood group datasets from ethnically unrelated populations (Malays vs. Chinese vs. Indians) especially for Rhesus, Kidd, and Duffy blood group systems. A Principal component analysis (PCA) plot showed that population groups from the Peninsular Malaysia map closely together as compared with population groups from other geographical regions. Conclusions Overall, our present study has successfully provided an extended blood group profiles for Malays, Chinese, and Indians in Peninsular Malaysia. These new blood group datasets can be used as guidelines for donor recruitment and as reference standards for studying diseases associated with blood group systems.

The following new synonymy is established: Massirachys mariae J. Thomson, 1878 = Massicus subregularis Schwarzer, 1931, syn. n. On the basis of this synonymy, the former species, hitherto known only from Borneo, is being recorded from Sumatra for the first time. The record of the large male of Massicus (with a body length of 70 mm), very similar to the holotype male of Massicus valentinae Miroshnikov, 2017, but differing from it by some features, is presented. It is assumed that these differences lie within the limits of the individual variability of M. valentinae, therefore the large male is preliminarily assigned to this species. Previously unknown differences between Massicus regius Miroshnikov, 2019 and a very similar M. pascoei (J. Thomson, 1867), with which it has been confused for a long time, are discovered. The critical remarks on the recent M. Lazarev’s publication about some representatives of the tribe Cerambycini are presented. The previously established synonymy Neocerambyx J. Thomson, 1861 = Bulbocerambyx Lazarev, 2019 is confirmed. The insolvency and contradictions of the findings and conclusions of this author are shown. Serious doubts about the differences between Neocerambyx vitalisi Pic, 1923 and Neocerambyx elenae Lazarev, 2019 are confirmed.

The current study will provide sedimentary and geochemical characteristics of turbidites bearing part of the Triassic Semanggol Formation (SgF) from NW Peninsular Malaysia. Six localities have been studied for detailed lithofacies analysis around Taiping, north Perak, Bukit Merah, north Perak and Kampung Badak, north Kedah, whereas 12 representative samples have been selected for geochemical analysis. A total of nine lithofacies (Fsg1-Fsg9) have been identified which categorized into four facies groups: I-Conglomerate dominate facies (Fsg1-Fsg2), II-Sand dominate facies (Fsg3-Fsg6), III-Chaotic unit of shale/mudstone-siltstone dominate facies (Fsg7), and IV-Mud dominate facies (Fsg8-Fsg9). Sedimentary facies analysis has resulted in recognition of four major genetic units: (1) Channel-fill complex, (2) Levee or over-bank deposits, (3) Distal lobes, and (4) Mass transport complexes (MTCs). These four genetic units were deposited within three proposed laterally contiguous depositional environments which are: (1) inner-fan channel-fill complex, (2) mid-fan levees or over bank complex, and (3) outer-fan distal lobes. The Semanggol Formation turbidites system is considered as a multiple-sourced, shelf-fed, Type III, low efficiency, mixed sand-mud rich depositional system. Multiple geochemical indicators (V/(V+Ni),V/(V+Cr),V/Cr, Sr/Cu, Ce∗, Eu∗ etc) have been utilized which show geochemical anomalies trend increases stratigraphically from bottom to top and corresponds to an upward deepening of depositional environment.

Southern River Terrapin, Batagur affinis, is a freshwater turtle listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2000. Many studies suggest that faecal DNA metabarcoding can shield light on the host-associated microbial communities that play important roles in host health. Thus, this study aimed to characterise and compare the faecal bacterial community between captive and wild B. affinis using metabarcoding approaches. A total of seven faeces samples were collected from captive (N = 5) and wild (N = 2) adult B. affinis aseptically, crossing the East and West coast of peninsular Malaysia. The DNA was extracted from the faeces samples, and the 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplicon was further analysed using SILVA and DADA2 pipelines. In total, 297 bacterial communities taxonomic profile (phylum to genus) were determined. Three phyla were found in high abundance in all faeces samples, namely Firmicutes (38.69%), Bacteroidetes (24.52%), and Fusobacteria (6.95%). Proteobacteria were detected in all faeces samples (39.63%), except the wild sample, KBW3. Under genus level, Cetobacteriumwas found as the most abundant genus (67.79%), followed by Bacteroides (24.56%) and Parabacteroides (21.78%). The uncultured genus had the highest abundance (88.51%) even though not detected in the BK31 and KBW2 samples. The potential probiotic genera (75.00%) were discovered to be more dominant in B. affinis faeces samples. Results demonstrated that the captive B. affinis faeces samples have a greater bacterial variety and richness than wild B. affinis faeces samples. This study has established a starting point for future investigation of the gut microbiota of B. affinis.

As part of the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia Project, a species checklist of the genus Capparis in Peninsular Malaysia is presented here with a total of 11 species, two subspecies and four varieties. A new species and two varieties, endemic to Peninsular Malaysia, are described and illustrated: Capparis kenaboiensis, C. scortechinii var. ruthiae and C. trinervia var. chungiana. Capparis kenaboiensis is known from a single site in Negeri Sembilan and is assessed as Vulnerable (VU); C. scortechinii var. ruthiae from Pahang is Vulnerable (VU); and Capparis trinervia var. chungiana is known from Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Selangor and its conservation status is assessed as Near Threatened (NT). A checklist and updated key to the genus in Peninsular Malaysia are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several lots of unidentified crabs assigned to Potamidae, Gecarcinucidae, and Sesarmidae from the Malay Peninsula and Northern Borneo were examined from material deposited in the reference collections of the Natural History Museum, London. While most of the species have been reported elsewhere, there are some new locality records, and surprisingly, two undescribed species of Isolapotamon Bott, 1968, a relatively well-studied Bornean-Philippine endemic potamid genus. These freshwater crabs are documented, the new taxa described, and notes are provided on the various collectors associated with this material, some of which date to the late 1800s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant freshwater stingray Urogymnus polylepis (Bleeker, 1852) (family Dasyatidae) is an endemic species in the Southeast Asian region, but comprehensive records of the distribution of this species within local river systems and their biology are still lacking. We reviewed current information for this species based on media reports, published literature as well as field observations. Two direct encounters of this species in Mukah, Sarawak, and in Sandakan, Sabah, confirmed recent occurrences of this species in Malaysian Borneo with the finding of an adult female with four pups. Public wildlife sighting information also provided additional 29 novel sightings of this species in Malaysia, out of which four were first records at the locations of Kukup and Sungai Sembrong in Johor, Pulau Bruit in Sarawak, and Tanjung Batu Laut in Sabah. These records suggested relatively high capture rates by trawlers in coastal areas and that the animals are closely associated with clean river systems. Genetic analysis showed paraphyly in U. polylepis with the formation of two major clades; one from the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysian Borneo, and the other from the Andaman Sea region and Indonesia. Threats to U. polylepis due to their own biological uniqueness, rarity of their occurrence, increasing level of river pollution, and potentially isolated populations highlight the urgent need for formal protection of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bugis community in Malaysia has to adapt to a more dominant local language, namely Malay language, for survival. The objective of this study is, (1) to identify the languages used by the community, (2) to analyse the language choice used in the primary domains that have been identified, namely family and employment domains, and (3) to discuss the factors involved in the language choice used in this community. The research methods utilized in this study are fieldworks, questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and observations. Data collection was carried out in Pontian and Pasir Gudang, Johor as well as in Pandamaran, Selangor. A total of 200 informants who were randomly selected from the Bugis community participated in this study. Data analysis was carried out based on the Fishman’s (1972) domain analysis. The results of the study reveal that most of the bilingual Bugis community prioritize Malay as the main language in their daily communication. This study provides information on the language choice of the bilingual Bugis community in Peninsular Malaysia, which has adapted to the local language. This study might be beneficial to nation building through the mastery and use of Malay language among minority communities in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study determines the bulk surface water (BSW) dissolved inorganic nutrients of nitrogen (DINi) and phosphate (DIP) during the upwelling season off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, South China Sea. BSW samples were analysed for DINi and DIP by using a standard automated colorimetric method. BSW DINi and DIP concentrations varied between 0.11 and 2.55 μM (mean 1.12 ± 0.63 μM), and below detection limit, and 0.29 μM (mean 0.11 ± 0.08 μM), respectively. The spatial distribution of higher concentrations between DINi and DIP was distinct. However, the highest concentrations of DINi and DIP were mostly recorded in the month of peak upwelling (July and August), where colder BSW temperatures were also encountered during field sampling. This study provides new evidence on the presence of BSW nutrients of DINi and DIP during upwelling season peak in July and August before their decline in September. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is an emerging arthropod-borne pathogen of domestic and wild ruminants responsible for devasting economic losses in European countries with a potential for spreading across boundaries. Three hundred sixty-two (362) serum samples were randomly collected from 7 selected sheep and goat farms from January to October 2019 to investigate the seroprevalence of SBV among small ruminants in Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu states. Seroprevalence of SBV was determined using commercial ID vet® SBV multispecies cELISA test. The farmers completed a structured questionnaire to furnish farm management data to evaluate the risk factors associated with the seroprevalence of SBV among individual animals. A Chi-square test was performed to determine the association between seroprevalence of SBV and putative risk factors of individual animals. Based on the ELISA test, a total of 78 individual animals were seropositive with an overall prevalence of 21.5% and the true prevalence of 22.1% (95% CI:18.06-26.71). Multivariable logistic regression analysis further revealed that Negeri Sembilan state (p<0.001; OR=14.290; 95% CI=5.384-37.930), Breed: Malin sheep (p<0.001; OR=20.453; 95% CI=4.807-87.022), Barbados Black Belly sheep (p<0.01; OR=69.947; 95% CI=16.819-290.901), Boer goat (p<0.001; OR=9.108; 95% CI=3.191-25.997) and crossbred goat (p=0.001; OR=4.964; 95% CI=1.905-12.934) are risk factors of SBV among individual animals. This study highlights the prevalence of a new transboundary disease among small ruminants in Malaysia. The result obtained here provides preliminary data that could guide livestock producers and policy makers in designing suitable prevention and control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Re-delimitation of rainfall regions plays an important role in determining the rainfall pattern of an area. This study aims to reconstruct the delimitation of rainfall regions for the western region of Peninsular Malaysia. This study involved only the collection of rainfall data at 133 stations from 1960 to 2010. These data were obtained from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Malaysia. The analysis methods applied include kriging, contouring and topology using a geographical information system. The results showed that the new delimitation of the western region has been formed with an area reduction of 10% compared to the original western region found by Dale. This is due to some areas in the western region have not received rainfall between 2540 and 2794 mm. The area that getting the rainfall between 2540 and 2794 mm is 46,413.6 km², in contrast to the sized of Dale's western region of 51,596.2 km². The area that frequently getting rainfall of between 2540 and 2794 during 1960s to 2010 are Parit Buntar, Taiping, Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, Teluk Intan, Tanjong Malim, Batang Kali, Cameron Highlands, Subang, Petaling Jaya, Klang, Kajang and Bangi. The new delimitation formed through this study can be used as a guide by the agencies that manage water resources in Perak, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan in planning a more efficient water supply system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clay fractions of the hypogene kaolin deposits from Ipoh granite and Jerai pegmatite are composed of kaolinite, while the greenish kaolin horizon of Ipoh area comprises of illite and kaolinite. Al2O3 and SiO2 are the main constituents in the studied kaolins with very low concentrations of other oxides. K2O occurs in relatively high contents in the illite-rich kaolin that formed by hydrothermal alteration of biotite-granite of the greenish kaolin horizon of Ipoh area. The higher contents of Ba, Cr, Cs, Ga, Rb, Sc, and Sn in the illite-rich horizon are inherited from its source rock. The relative enrichment of light rare earth elements (LREE) over heavy rare earth elements (HREE) as indicated from the high (La/Yb)n ratios and positive correlations between ΣREE and P2O5 in the studied kaolins suggest the occurrence of REE as authigenic florencite, churchite and/or rhabdophane and, therefore, reflect the kaolinitization process rather than the parent rocks. δH and δO values are similar in both Ipoh and Jerai kaolins with dH values range from −84 to −99‰ and positive δO values varying between 0.95 and 5.47%. H- and O-isotopes data fall close to the left side of the kaolinite line in equilibrium with meteoric water at temperatures of > 100 °C. The pronounced negative Eu anomalies, absence of positive Ce anomaly and high crystallization temperature (94–113 °C) indicate the hydrothermal (hypogene) origin of the studied kaolins as a result of the Triassic post-magmatic hydrothermal activities in Peninsular Malaysia. Mineralogical and geochemical variations among the studied deposits although they formed by the same kaolinitization process, suggest a significant role of parent rocks in their compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deforestation is a major threat to terrestrial tropical ecosystems, particularly in Southeast Asia where human activities have dramatic consequences for the survival of many species. However, responses of species to anthropogenic impact are highly variable. In order to establish effective conservation strategies, it is critical to determine a species' ability to persist in degraded habitats. Here, we used camera trapping data to provide the first insights into the temporal and spatial distribution of southern pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina, listed as 'Vulnerable' by the IUCN) across intact and degraded forest habitats in Peninsular Malaysia, with a particular focus on the effects of clear-cutting and selective logging on macaque occupancy. Specifically, we found a 10% decline in macaque site occupancy in the highly degraded Pasoh Forest Reserve from 2013 to 2017. This may be strongly linked to the macaques' sensitivity to intensive disturbance through clear-cutting, which significantly increased the probability that M. nemestrina became locally extinct at a previously occupied site. However, we found no clear relationship between moderate disturbance, i.e., selective logging, and the macaques' local extinction probability or site occupancy in the Pasoh Forest Reserve and Belum-Temengor Forest Complex. Further, an identical age and sex structure of macaques in selectively logged and completely undisturbed habitat types within the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex indicated that the macaques did not show increased mortality or declining birth rates when exposed to selective logging. Overall, this suggests that low to moderately disturbed forests may still constitute valuable habitats that support viable populations of M. nemestrina, and thus need to be protected against further degradation. Our results emphasize the significance of population monitoring through camera trapping for understanding the ability of threatened species to cope with anthropogenic disturbance. This can inform species management plans and facilitate the development of effective conservation measures to protect biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical rainfall thresholds for the purpose of shallow landslide forecasting are proposed for Peninsular Malaysia where numerous slope failures are reported due to the intense rainfall in conjunction with the humid tropical climate. Thirty-seven cases of landslide-triggering-rainfall were selected from 1993 to 2018 to identify the correlation between rainfall and shallow landslide through the analysis of specific rainfall events. The derived rainfall parameters were applied to establish two rainfall thresholds of (Imean-D) and (Imax-D) via practical methods. For the identical range of event duration 1 < D < 263 h, the (Imean-D) threshold formula was expressed as I = 17.5 D−0.722, while the (Imax-D) threshold was defined as I = 37.8 D−0.114. Both thresholds performed different functionalities with a primary goal of predicting shallow landslides. When both (Imean-D) and (Imax-D) thresholds were compared with the thresholds proposed by various studies worldwide, both dominated the upper positions. More rainfall is required for land sliding due to the high thickness of the Malaysian soil that is associated with the abundant tropical downpour. From the perspective of the antecedent, the period of prolonged precipitation or short heavy rainfall from 1 to 10 days can result in shallow landslides for Peninsular Malaysia. In the context of geology, the igneous rock type of granite has the highest susceptibility to the shallow landslide at 65%, despite other rock types of sedimentary and metamorphic. The threshold validation depicted all True Positive events for the (Imax-D) threshold, and one Negative False event for the (Imean-D) threshold. The (Imean-D) threshold was revised to acquire the new value, but it needed to deal with the possibility of False Alarm and the (Imax-D) threshold seemed to be more credible to represent the rainfall-induced shallow landslide threshold for Peninsular Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blackwater fish species endemic to the peat swamp is economically and ecologically important in Southeast Asia, notably Malaysia. This report is the first peat swamp fish species of Kampung Yak Yah, Kemaman, Terengganu, (KYYKT), west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, aimed to document the fish species richness and update the provisional fish checklist in Malaysia. All species were collected from several stagnant blackwater peat swamps. A total of 14 species of freshwater fish from six families were recorded, and the most dominant family recorded was Cyprinidae (n=7), followed by Osphronaemidae, comprised of four species. Meanwhile, other families of Anabantidae, Siluridae, and Zenarchopteridae contributed at least one species each. Hence, more species may be recorded in future studies applying other sampling methods, such as the electrofishing technique, and believably be able to add a few more fish species to the checklist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia includes fourteen species that can be found from the sea-level to over 1000 m in the mountains. Our observation indicated that Nepenthes can be found in five major habitat types: specifically in tropical lowland evergreen rain forest, heath forest, peat swamp forest, montane forest, and limestone forest. Their leaves have several anatomical characters that remain underexplored. There were specific differences between species that could be potential identification characters. The following anatomical characteristics were explored for their diagnostic value and comprised of ten distinct anatomical characteristics in Nepenthes, viz., density and stomatal index (SI), hypodermis cell – cell layers, occurrence of fiber groups mixed with the hypodermis cells, adaxial cuticle thickness, vascular bundle arrangement, midrib outline shape, venation plasticity, druses appearance and appendage/trichome type.

Plasmodium knowlesi has emerged as an important zoonotic parasite that causes persistent symptomatic malaria in humans. The signs and symptoms of malaria are attributed to the blood stages of the parasites, which start from the invasion of erythrocytes by the blood stage merozoites. The apical membrane protein 1 (AMA-1) plays an important role in the invasion. In this study, we constructed and expressed recombinant PkAMA-1 domain II (PkAMA-1-DII) representing the predominant haplotypes from Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo and raised specific antibodies against the recombinant proteins in rabbits. Despite the minor amino acid sequence variation, antibodies raised against haplotypes from Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo demonstrated different invasion inhibition (46.81% and 39.45%, respectively) to P. knowlesi A1-H.1, a reference strain derived from Peninsular Malaysia. Here, we demonstrated how a minor variation in a conserved parasite protein could cast a significant impact on parasite invasion biology, suggesting a complex host-switching of P. knowlesi from different locations. This may challenge the implementation of a standardized One Health approach against the transmission of knowlesi malaria.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease also known as COVID-19 in Malaysia were reported on the 25th January 2020 until present. There were several factors that influence the distribution of COVID-19 events. The objectives of this study are to explore the association between population density and the spread on early wave of COVID-19 in Peninsular Malaysia. Methods: The clusters of districts with the largest numbers of COVID-19 infected cases and population densities were described by using cluster analysis. Then, correlation analysis where calculated to define the strength between two parameters. Results: Findings of this study showed, there was a clear positive association between population density and COVID-19 infections in Peninsular Malaysia. During the study period, it was estimated that population density has a positive impact on the spread of early stage COVID-19 in Peninsular Malaysia (r= 0.752). Findings also showed there were a weak correlation between population density and COVID-19 cases in Southern region (r=0.370), Northern region (r=0.264) and East Coast region (r=0.248) as compared to Central region (r=0.917) where it have strong correlation between two variables. Conclusion: This study concluded the spread of COVID-19 in Peninsular Malaysia is increasing as the population density increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia includes fourteen species that can be found from the sea-level to over 1000 m in the mountains. Our observation indicated that Nepenthes can be found in five major habitat types: specifically in tropical lowland evergreen rain forest, heath forest, peat swamp forest, montane forest, and limestone forest. Their leaves have several anatomical characters that remain underexplored. There were specific differences between species that could be potential identification characters. The following anatomical characteristics were explored for their diagnostic value and comprised of ten distinct anatomical characteristics in Nepenthes, viz., density and stomatal index (SI), hypodermis cell -- cell layers, occurrence of fiber groups mixed with the hypodermis cells, adaxial cuticle thickness, vascular bundle arrangement, midrib outline shape, venation plasticity, druses appearance and appendage/trichome type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]