PERCEIVED USEFULNESS AND ATTITUDE TOWARD INTENTION AND ACCEPTANCE OF E-PAYMENT ZAKAT

Introduction and Background: As people's lifestyles and behaviour toward daily digital activities are changing, a suitable zakat payment option is required to encourage Muslims to fulfil their commitments. Zakat institutions use technology; as a result, to attract more people to pay zakat. The acceptance is, however, dubious due to data misuse and platform security worrisome. Hence, this study aims to investigate Malaysian Muslims’ acceptance of the e-payment zakat system.   Methodology: In this descriptive study, a survey was carried out on 170 zakat payers in Malaysia. Five constructs were examined in the survey, based on Technology Acceptance Model, which are Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Attitude, Intention, and User Acceptability. Data were analysed in linear and logistic regression using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings: Results revealed that Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use significantly impacted Attitude's decision to use electronic payment channels for zakat payments. The correlation between Attitude and Intention for online zakat payment was found to be positive. User acceptability was significantly influenced by the Perceived Usefulness of the e-payment platform and the Intention to pay zakat online.     Contribution: Understanding that User Acceptability is influenced by Perceived Usefulness and Intention would allow the zakat institution to comprehend the user requirement for zakat payment applications. The study findings have implications zakat authorities to enhance the digital platform for zakat payments to ease users by leveraging technology to streamline the donation process and make it more convenient, secure, and transparent.   Keywords: E-payment, zakat, acceptance, technology acceptance model, user acceptability.   Cite as: Hainnuraqma, R., Hamidah, M. I., Nor Balkish, Z., Mohamed Fairooz, A. K., & Sobhani, F. A. (2024). Perceived usefulness and attitude toward intention and acceptance of e-payment zakat. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(1), 320-344. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss1pp320-34

EXAMINING EXEMPLAR ELEMENTS OF SELECTED MALAYSIAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS’ ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY: DOCUMENT ANALYSIS BASED EVIDENCE

Background and Purpose: This study examined the comprehensiveness and sufficiency of academic integrity (AI) policies of selected Malaysian higher education institutions.  The investigation of eight public and private universities’ AI policies were guided by the five core elements of exemplar AI policy framework developed by Bretag, Mahmud, Wallace, Walker, James, Green, East, McGowan and Partridge (2011).   Methodology: This qualitative method research focused on document analysis of purposively selected eight AI policies. The five core elements that guided the document analysis are access, approach, responsibility, detail and support.  The data collected from document analysis was analysed via NVivo 11 software.   Findings: Public universities are educative based and private universities practice punitive approach. All universities provide access of the AI documents to the university community and public, implement ad hoc basis education, awareness campaigns and modules to support the AI agenda and encourage responsibility among the staff and students to curb academic dishonesty.  As for detail, universities differ in terms of amount and type of information provided in the documents.   Contributions: The findings will provide universities evidence to make their existing AI policies more robust and comprehensive.   Keywords: Academic integrity policy, core elements of exemplar, document analysis, Malaysian higher education institutions.   Cite as: Manjet, K., & Phan, J. K. J. (2024). Examining exemplar elements of selected Malaysian higher education institutions’ academic integrity policy: Document analysis based evidence. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(1), 269-293. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss1pp269-29

NAVIGATING THE PERCEPTION-PRACTICE DILEMMA: AN INQUIRY INTO ASSESSORS’ IMPLEMENTATION OF ORAL PRESENTATION RUBRICS

Background and Purpose: Various factors affect the assessor’s ability to assess an oral presentation and arrive at an accurate assessment of the interconnected skills such as fluency, coherence, syntax, grammar, diction, and task achievement concurrently. The oral presentation rubric aids in achieving consistency in assessing this complex skill. This research investigates assessors’ application and perceptions of the speaking assessment rubric prepared in-house and used in the Foundation Program (FP) English Unit at Dhofar University (DU) for levels 1, 2, and 3 in order to identify the rubric’s possible weakness and ambiguities to provide insights to plug the loopholes and ensure fair, objective and uniform assessment.   Methodology: Data was collected in a 3-phase data collection cycle through a pre-session task (n=18), a hands-on focus groups session (n=16) to explore qualitative data regarding actual application of the rubric, and a questionnaire (n=40) to obtain quantitative data for further investigation of teachers’ perceptions to cross check with implementation. This makes the present study a mixed-methods one in an exploratory sequential design.   Findings: The findings of this research clearly showed the loopholes in the current oral presentation rubric used by the FP for formative and summative assessments. This research has exposed a notable inconsistency in grading practices of the oral presentation using the in-house rubric despite the surprising finding regarding assessors’ confidence in the rubric’s reliability and their level of training. The identified gap between assessors’ perceptions and the application of rubric criteria highlights potential issues in the design of the rubric leading to inconsistencies in the assessment outcomes.   Contributions: This research emphasizes the importance of the regular refinement of assessment rubrics to minimize ambiguity and subjective elements, coupled with comprehensive user training to enhance assessment practices, support professional development, promote clearer learning expectations for students, and mitigate the impact of grading disparities in evaluation processes.   Keywords: Rubric, oral presentation, assessment, discrepancy, raters.   Cite as: Veetil, M., Iqbal, R., & Abugohar, M. (2024). Navigating the perception-practice dilemma: An inquiry into assessors’ implementation of oral presentation rubrics. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 267-296. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp267-29

RESILIENCE, ACADEMIC STRESS, AND HAPPINESS AMONG HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS

Background and Purpose: Happiness is essential in life. Studies showed that people with a high level of happiness could become more productive. Happiness can also be used as a general assessment of someone's life. For students, happiness is important to success in carrying out their roles. Resilience is one of the factors that influence happiness. However, a study on how resilience can influence happiness and academic stress is rarely found. This study aims to measure the influence of resilience on happiness and the influence of resilience on academic stress among higher education students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.   Methodology: Data were generated by collecting used measurements distributed to the subject. The respondents of this study were 253 (53 male or 20.9 %; 200 female or 79.1%) students of private higher education in Jogjakarta, Indonesia, selected using a purposive sampling. Data analyses were carried out using SEM utilizing IBM-SPSS-AMOS.   Findings: The results of this study showed that there is no significant influence of resilience on happiness and academic stress.   Contributions: This study contributes to the literature for the different findings obtained compared to the previous ones.  The study has implications on students and university administrations in understanding the state of happiness in university environments. Keywords: Happiness, resilience, academic stress, higher education students.   Cite as: Fatimah, M., Fitriana, N., & Zaid, S. M. R. (2024). Resilience, academic stress, and happiness among higher education students. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(1), 53-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss1pp53-7

DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF NEWS REPORTS ON PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN MALAYSIAN ONLINE NEWSPAPERS

Background and Purpose: As one of the most common trustworthy sources, online newspapers have been regarded as the primary source of knowledge among the public to obtain reliable and unbiased information. However, in the context of media coverage of people with mental illness, they are often portrayed negatively and regarded as unpredictable and dangerous, resulting in increased stigma and misunderstanding among the public at large. This study examines the discursive strategies used in Malaysian news articles in portraying mental illness and the linguistic devices used to successfully implement these strategies.   Methodology: This study investigated 43 news articles published in popular Malaysian online newspapers to examine how issues related to mental health-related illnesses are discursively constructed and the linguistic elements that were employed to represent the complexities of the cases from a discourse analysis perspective.   Findings: The results show that the local media use nomination, predication and argumentation strategies to legitimise people with mental illness. They are portrayed negatively and through various linguistic elements, primarily as perpetrators and offenders.   Contributions: The study provides media professionals with nuanced information on responsible reporting of mental health issues and uses the media as a platform to destigmatise mental illness among the general public.   Keywords: Discourse analysis, online newspapers, mental illness, media practice, stigma.   Cite as: Mohd Ali, S. M., Wan Fakhruddin, W. F. W., Wan Adnan, W. N. A., & Azizan, E. A. (2024). Discursive construction of news reports on people with mental illness in Malaysian online newspapers.  Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 371-401. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp371-40

INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF AUDIT COMMITTEE ATTRIBUTES ON COMPANY PERFORMANCE: A MALAYSIAN FOCUS

Background and Purpose: This study aims to examine the relationship between selected audit committee attributes (gender diversity, size, meeting, independence, expertise) and company performance that are assessed as return on equity (ROE) and return on asset (ROA). As one of the primary corporate governance mechanisms facilitating corporate efficiency, audit committees positively impact company performance.   Methodology: This quantitative cross-sectional study underpinned the agency theory through the target population: public listed companies under the Bursa Malaysia. Secondary data were gathered from the corporate annual report of 106 companies and Eikon database between 2018 and 2020 and subsequently analyzed with Pearson Correlation and Multiple Linear Regression using SPSS.   Findings: Resultantly, a positive gender diversity-size correlation was identified with company performance as opposed to meeting, independence, and expertise. Furthermore, a significant gender diversity-size relationship was determined with company performance while no substantial counterparts between (i) meeting and independence and (ii) expertise and company performance were identified for the selected public listed companies. In this vein, audit committee attributes (gender diversity and size) could be utilized as a mechanism for high company performance.   Contributions: The study outcomes offer useful insights into optimizing current corporate governance structures and regulations for relevant authorities.   Keywords: Audit committee, corporate governance, company performance, Malaysia.   Cite as: Gregory, V., Yusoff, H., Tapsir, R., & Fauzi, H. (2024). Investigating the impact of audit committee attributes on company performance: a Malaysian focus. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 185-217. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp185-21

AMBIGUITY IN THE TRANSLATION OF QURANIC EUPHEMISMS INTO THE MALAY LANGUAGE

Background and Purpose: Translators encounter significant challenges when dealing with the structures of Quranic euphemisms, particularly in effectively avoiding ambiguity of meanings in the target text. This study aims to investigate ambiguity in the translation of Quranic euphemisms into the Malay language and identify effective approaches to address it.   Methodology: The present study employed a descriptive analysis, adapting Olimat’s (2018) Evaluation Model of Euphemism Translation in the Quran and Newmark’s (1981) Semantic and Communicative Theory. Six samples were meticulously chosen with the purpose of effectively capturing ambiguities in the translation of texts related to the domain of sexuality. This study presents each Quranic euphemism in its original Malay translation and a literal English translation, aiming to enhance comprehension and promote a deeper appreciation of the nuances and subtleties in the translation of Quranic euphemisms.   Findings: The findings revealed notable deficiencies in accurately conveying the intended meaning in certain translations, despite the implementation of parentheses to facilitate explicitation. Additionally, some translations fell short of fulfilling the lexical function of the words, leading to discrepancies and insufficiencies of information in communicating the contextual meaning. Furthermore, certain translations did not align with the target language context. Contributions: Translators need to employ strategies such as contextual analysis, cultural adaptation, and clarification through additional explanatory to minimize ambiguity in the translated text. Overall, five main aspects need to be considered in the translation of Quranic euphemisms: conveying the true meaning, adherence to grammar rules, effectiveness in word selection, preservation of euphemistic style, and appropriateness of translation approaches.  The findings of this study offer valuable insights to Quran translators, specifically those involved in the field of Arabic-Malay translation and pave the way for future advancements.   Keywords: Ambiguity, Quran translation, Quranic euphemisms, translation approach, translation quality.   Cite as: Mohd Saad, M. L. I. H., Ab Halim, Z., Rouyan, N. M., & Zakaria, R. (2024). Ambiguity in the translation of Quranic euphemisms into the Malay language. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(1), 74-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss1pp74-9

FIRST LANGUAGE TRANSFER IN CHINESE UNDERGRADUATES’ USE OF CONNECTORS IN ENGLISH NARRATIVES

Background and Purpose: Connectors are vital tools for cohesive discourse, significantly influencing the writing proficiency of learners. In Chinese educational contexts, many learners grapple with the correct application of connectors, due to potential first language (L1) influence. Previous research primarily delves into lexical and syntactic aspects, overlooking discourse-level considerations. This study aims to assess the frequency and accuracy of connector usage in English narratives among Chinese learners. It also seeks to investigate the extent of language transfer concerning connectors among Chinese learners and discern how this transfer evolves as learners' second language (L2) proficiency advances.   Methodology: To amass data, 150 narratives composed by 30 Chinese learners were analyzed. Initial qualitative analysis was followed by quantitative examination.   Findings: The findings underscore temporal words as the most frequently employed connectors, closely trailed by additives and causal words. Notably, temporal words and adversatives exhibited higher accuracy when compared to other connector types. Positive transfer manifested more frequently than negative transfer. Moreover, positive transfer displayed a noticeable inflectional change across the five-time narratives, whereas little variation was observed in negative transfer.   Contributions: This study suggests that stakeholders, including educators, learners, and policymakers, should leverage positive transfer as a strategic resource when instructing connectors to enhance L2 writing proficiency.   Keywords: First language, language transfer, connector, narratives, Chinese undergraduates.   Cite as: Ma, Y. Q., & Stapa, M. B. (2024). First language transfer in Chinese undergraduates’ use of connectors in English narratives. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 131-159. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp131-15

RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: A REVIEW IN THAILAND AND THE PHILIPPINES’ LAWS AND POLICIES

Background and Purpose: Renewable energy (RE) plays a significant role in providing sustainable and clean energy as well as mitigating climate change. With the increased energy demand to support the growth of the economic sector, Thailand and the Philippines have moved towards improved energy cooperation, where renewable energy is an important subject matter in line with Target 7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thailand and the Philippines have embarked on renewable energy projects and introduced numerous laws and policies to incentivise such an agenda. Nevertheless, the contribution of renewable energy in these countries' energy portfolios remains insignificant. Thus, this study aims to examine the current renewable energy laws and policies in Thailand and the Philippines, in assisting these countries to achieve the SDGs.   Methodology: This study used a library-research methodology including statutory and conceptual approaches that focus on the laws and policies on renewable energy in Thailand and the Philippines. The utility of conceptual analysis is to understand the concepts and relevance of renewable energy and SDGs in the philosophies of environment, sustainability and law.   Findings: Despite the fact RE provides opportunities in respect to socioeconomic development, energy access, energy security, and climate change mitigation, the existence of barriers to RE development leads to obstacles in accelerating RE’s share in the energy mix in Thailand and the Philippines. Comprehensive laws and policies to support renewable energy development are required to address these challenges. Nevertheless, legal frameworks are only one aspect that contributes to RE development. Governments' support through various incentives including financial and economic instruments are critical to navigating the transition toward a cleaner and affordable energy sector.   Contributions: This study enhances the body of knowledge by examining the initiative for renewable energy development, advocating for comprehensive legal frameworks, and emphasizing the societal importance of government support to drive RE's role in sustainable development in Thailand and the Philippines.   Keywords: Renewable energy, legal framework, policy, Thailand, Philippines.   Cite as: Ghazali, F., Abdul Shukor, S. F., & Karim, R. (2024). Renewable energy development towards sustainable development goals: A review in Thailand and the Philippines’ laws and policies. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 1-33. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp1-3

CHALLENGES AND COPING STRATEGIES OF AUTISM PARENTING: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW OF PARENTS’ AUTOETHNOGRAPHIES

Background and Purpose: Parents of autistic children face caregiving challenges, yet there is a dearth of research specifically analysing parents’ autoethnographies. This systematic literature review explores themes of challenges and coping strategies in autism caregiving, guided by the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).   Methodology: Following Kitchenham and Charters’ (2007) guidelines, a systematic literature search of autoethnographies by parents of autistic children was conducted using online databases.  The search was guided by two questions: (1) What are the challenges faced by parents caring for their autistic children?; and (2) What are the coping strategies employed by parents in caring for their autistic children?   Findings: Twelve autoethnographies were analysed.  Themes regarding challenges included parents experiencing fears, feeling despair and facing barriers and stigmatisation.   Coping strategies identified included parents seeking answers, having hopes, and gaining empowerment besides providing support.   Limitations and future research directions were discussed. Contributions: This paper emphasises understanding challenges faced by parents of autistic children. It illuminates emotional and societal aspects of autism parenting, emphasising the necessity for tailored support systems. Additionally, it reveals parents' coping strategies, including empowerment and supporting others, indicating increased understanding of their children's autism and active facilitation of support networks.   Keywords: Well-being, Autism parenting, Autoethnography, challenges, coping.   Cite as: Bakar, R. A., Ghani, K. D. A., Aziz, N. I., & Mohamad, N. H. S. (2024). Challenges and coping strategies of autism parenting: A systematic literature review of parents’ autoethnographies. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 340-370. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp340-37