DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF ASBESTOS-FREE BRAKE PADS PRODUCED FROM COSTUS AFER WASTE AND LOCAL GUM ARABIC

This study dealt with the development and evaluation of a new asbestos-free non-carcinogenic brake pads with Costus afer waste (CAW) particle as the base material. Three sets of brake pads with different sieve sizes (90, 100 and 200 µm) were developed, through compression molding from a 55% CAW particles, 22% local gum Arabic as binder, 5% of rubber seed husk and 5% of walnut shell as fillers, 10% iron filling as frictional addictive, 1% of carbon black as friction modifier, 1% of cobalt nepthanate as catalyst and 1% of Methyl ethyl ketone as accelerator. Physico-mechanical test were carried out on the CAW-based brake pad with a Brinell hardness test value of 103HB and density of 1.3 g/cm3 which is far better than the commercial available brake pad upon comparison. These properties were found to increase with a decrease in particle sizes while the water absorption, oil absorption, wear rate, and flame resistance increased with increasing particle sizes due to enhanced porosity. The developed CAW-based brake pad especially with the grain size of 90µm, shows a better wear performance as compared to the control commercial brake pad. The overall results of the evaluation were further compared with similar asbestos-free brake pad in literature. The study can conclude therefore that the CAW-based brake pad stands as a better replacement for the existing commercial asbestos-based brake pads

PEMERKASAAN KEPIMPINAN AKADEMIK DALAM KALANGAN STAF AKADEMIK DI UTEM: SATU TINJAUAN

(Empowering Academic Leadership among UTeM’s Lectures: A Review)ABSTRAK Kepimpinan akademik telah menjadi tumpuan di peringkat kebangsaan, serantau dan global apabila wujudnya ranking yang mengukur tahap kesarjanaan sesebuah universiti. Kehadiran institusi yang mengukur ranking ini telah memberi tekanan kepada agensi dan insitusi pengajian tinggi untuk mengambil langkah yang lebih bersasar untuk meningkatkan kualiti kepimpinan akademik. Pengkaji-pengkaji telah memberi maksud konsep memperkasa kepimpinan akademik dalam pelbagai cara dengan matlamat memenuhi keperluan pemegang taruh dan kaedah pengurusan yang kompleks. Antara maksud kepimpinan akademik yang telah diperolehi ialah membangunkan keupayaan, kecerdasan emosi dan kepimpinan tulen, komunikasi dan pemikiran sistemik. Dalam konteks institusi pengajian tinggi di Malaysia, terdapat empat jenis kepimpinan utama iaitu kepimpinan pengajaran, kepimpinan penyelidikan, kepimpinan awam dan kepimpinan pengurusan. Kata Kunci: kepimpinan akademik, pengurusan, penyelidikan, pengajaran ABSTRACT With the prevalence of ranking system in higher education institutions academic leadership has become a significant issue at national, regional and global level. The pressure created by the presence of ranking bodies have urged higher education institutions to have targeted efforts in raising the standards of academic leadership. Researchers have defined academic leadership empowerment in various ways with the main objectives to fulfill the needs of stakeholders and complex management methods. Among the factors of academic leadership that have been acquired are capacity development, emotional intelligence and true leadership, and systematic communication and thinking skills. In the context of higher education institutions in Malaysia, there are four main types of leadership which are teaching leadership, research leadership, public leadership and management leadership Keywords: academic leadership, management, research, teachin

3D MODELLING OF A RECONDITIONED PISTON OF A SINGLE-CYLINDER FOUR-STROKE DIESEL ENGINE BY USING SOLIDWORKS SOFTWARE

This paper gives the possibility of modelling a reconditioned piston of a single-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine using the ZS1115NM diesel engine specifications. Due to the upsurge of counterfeit spare parts in the market, meeting the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) standards requires a reconditioning process. The reconditioned piston is a thermal barrier coated one with a ceramic material that enables it to withstand high gas combustion temperatures without cracking. A piston converts thermal energy to mechanical energy in an internal combustion engine (ICE). The methodology includes sizing and modelling of the conventional piston, topcoat and bond-coat layers and finally assembling them to get a reconditioned piston using Solidworks Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. The material chosen for the piston is an aluminium alloy designated as A2618, due majorly to its high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) which enables the piston to withstand high thermal stress without cracking or failing. The ceramic material chosen is a 7.5% yttria-stabilized zirconia which is the topcoat with low thermal conductivity and a high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) on a bond-coat metallic material called Nickel Chromium Aluminium Cobalt Yttria which are applied by plasma sprayed method on the crown of the substrate. The chosen thickness from the literature of the topcoat layer is 0.35 mm and that of the bond-coat layer is 0.15 mm. Also, from the literature, the major reason for the thermal barrier-coating (TBC) of a diesel engine piston crown using a ceramic material was to improve its performance.

POSITION TRACKING CONTROL OF DC MOTOR FOR FRONT WHEEL SYSTEMS VIA HILS SIMULATION METHOD

This paper present about position tracking control of DC motor to be used as the actuator controller for the front wheel test rig system. The controller strategy that was developed is based on Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller. It consists of one single closed control loops namely position tracking control loop.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed controller, simulation and experimental studies were performed by using various input demand such as saw tooth, sine and step functions in 5°, 10°, 15° and 20° with the present of steering ratio at 360:20. The results, it is found that the trend between simulation and experimental data are similar with the command position with acceptable level of error which less than 10% for application at hand

THE CONCEPT OF COMPETENCIES IN THE WORKPLACE ACCORDING TO ISLAM

This is a conceptual article meant to look at competencies and how it is working in the workplace. The writing will start with its definition and her concept that fit and suit to the workplace. Then, it continues with its significant toward the employees, employers and organization. Lastly, the article will look further on competencies from the Islamic perspective. The reason is to notify that Islam also acknowledge the importance of competencies in Muslim life as an individual or khalifah, employees, employers and part of Ummah either in the workplace or anywhere. Keywords: competencies, workplace and Isla

WEB ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE TO WCAG 2.0 STANDARD: A CASE OF A MALAYSIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

Most universities now communicate, exchange pertinent information, and facilitate transactions among their stakeholders through their websites. Website accessibility is, therefore, essential to ensure equal access to information from the institution regardless of their physical limitations and other potential restrictions. Based on ACHECKER and WAVE, the objective was to present the features of non-compliance to WCAG 2.0 standard and ways to overcome for a Malaysian public university homepage. The study found a low degree of compliance with the WCAG 2.0, respectively.  Parsing, labels or instruction, headings and labels, link purpose, resize text and information and relationship are some of the aspects that require rapid attention. It is possible to further improve issues with navigation, adaptability, input assistance, compatibility, empty links, and empty headings. An expert’s insights indicated that without proper monitoring from the higher authority of the government body like MAMPU, the web accessibility would remain partially or completely inaccessible to certain sectors of the population. Overall, this study provides insightful information, especially to web designers who can better adhere to the standards when creating their websites. Keywords: ACHECKER, WAVE, a Malaysian public university, WCAG 2.0, web accessibility

PENAWARAN MAKANAN MENERUSI MEDIA SOSIAL OLEH WANITA B40 ((Food Supply Through Social Media by B40 Women))

ABSTRAK Penularan global pandemik Covid-19 sebenarnya telah menggalakkan aktiviti perniagaan dilakukan secara dalam talian. Malah, didapati wanita dari kumpulan B40 juga turut terlibat secara aktif dengan penjualan makanan menerusi media sosial untuk menjana pendapatan bagi menampung kehidupan seharian. Justeru, objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menganalisis bagaimana wanita B40 menggunakan media sosial untuk menjual makanan di Lembah Klang. Menerusi aplikasi analisis faktor, didapati wanita B40 memilih untuk menjual makanan melalui media sosial kerana pemasaran yang tidak terhad, lebih fleksibel dan kurang risiko. Malah, mereka menggunakan lebih dari satu nombor telefon untuk menguruskan akaun media sosial tersebut bagi tujuan perniagaan. Dalam masa yang sama, mereka juga ada mendapatkan nasihat daripada role model yang telah berjaya dan bantuan kewangan daripada kerajaan mampu mempengaruhi kejayaan perniagaan mereka.   Kata Kunci: Penawaran makanan, media sosial, wanita, analisis faktor, Lembah Klang  ABSTRACT The global transmission of the Covid-19 pandemic has actually encouraged business activities to be done online. In fact, it was found that women from the B40 group are also actively involved in selling food through social media to generate income in order to cover their daily lives. Therefore, this study aims to identify factors that influence B40 women doing food business through social media in the Klang Valley. Through the application of factor analysis, it was found that B40 women chose to sell food through social media because of unlimited marketing, more flexibility and less risk. In fact, they use more than one phone number to manage the social media account for business purposes. At the same time, they also seek advice from role models who have been successful and financial assistance from the government can influence their business success. Keywords: Food supply, social media, woman, factor analysis, Klang Valle

A NEW CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS AMONG HIGHER VOCATIONAL STUDENTS BASE ON GROUP WORK INTERVENTIONS

This paper aims to describe a new conceptual framework for enhancing employability skills based on group work interventions. The research design used is an experiential learning design and was conducted through explanatory research, which combines both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Higher vocational students were used as research subjects, and group dynamics theory was used as the theoretical basis. Data were collected using questionnaire surveys, interviews, group work methods, and experimental research. A new conceptual framework for enhancing employability skills was developed by selecting 40 fresh graduates from Jiangmen Polytechnic to participate in a 2-month employability skills promotion group work activity. The new conceptual framework clarifies the variables and characteristics that affect the improvement of employment skills and reveals the relationships between the variables. The findings present a new conceptual framework for improving the employability skills of higher vocational students based on group work interventions and describe the variables and characteristics within this framework. This research significantly contributes to the field, equipping educators and organizers with the knowledge to create tailored programs for enhancing employability skills among higher vocational students.Ultimately, these efforts aim to empower students with the necessary competencies to thrive in the dynamic job market and embark on successful career paths. Keywords: conceptual framework; employability skills; group work interventio

KOMPETENSI KEPIMPINAN STRATEGIK DALAM KALANGAN PENTADBIR PROFESIONAL UNIVERSITI MENGURUSKAN VUCA DI ERA PASCA PANDEMIK: SATU TINJAUAN

(Strategic Leadership Competence among Professional University Administrators in Managing VUCA in the Post-Pandemic Era: A Review)ABSTRAK Pandemik Covid-19 telah mencipta persekitaran yang tidak stabil, tidak pasti, kompleks dan kabur (VUCA) serta memberikan impak yang signifikan kepada perkembangan sektor pendidikan tinggi di Malaysia. Sebagai tindak balas, pentadbir professional universiti perlu memiliki kompetensi dalam kepimpinan strategik untuk mengendalikan dengan jayanya bagi tempoh mencabar. Penulisan ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti kompetensi kepimpinan strategik yang diperlukan oleh pentadbir profesional universiti di Malaysia menguruskan VUCA di era pasca pandemik. Oleh itu, penulisan ini akan menganalisis dapatan kajian lepas yang berkaitan dengan definisi VUCA, cabarannya di universiti dan apakah kompetensi kepimpinan strategik yang diperlukan oleh pentadbir profesional di universiti seperti di UTeM bagi mengurus persekitaran VUCA pasca pandemik. Dapatan penulisan daripada sorotan kajian lepas ini juga akan membantu dalam penyusunan pandangan yang lebih sistematik dan signifikan untuk kajian yang akan datang. Kata Kunci: Kepimpinan strategik, pentadbir profesional, VUCA, pasca pandemik ABSTRACT  The Covid-19 pandemic has created an environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA), and has significantly impacted the development of the higher education sector in Malaysia. In response, professional university administrators need to possess competencies in strategic leadership to effectively navigate through this challenging period. This paper aims to identify the strategic leadership competencies required by professional university administrators in Malaysia to manage VUCA in the post-pandemic era. Therefore, this paper will analyze past research findings related to the definition of VUCA, its challenges in universities, and the strategic leadership competencies needed by professional administrators in universities such as UTeM to manage the post-pandemic VUCA environment. The findings from this review of past research will also contribute to the development of a more systematic and significant framework for future studies. Keywords: Strategic leadership, professional administrators, VUCA, post-                  pandemic

KESEIMBANGAN KERJA KEHIDUPAN BAGI MENINGKATKAN KEPUASAN KERJA AHLI AKADEMIK DI UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA: SOROTAN KAJIAN LEPAS

(Work-Life Balance to Increase the Job Satisfaction of Academic Members at Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka: A Review)ABSTRAK Keseimbangan di antara kerja dan kehidupan adalah penting bagi seseorang pekerja, khususnya dalam kalangan ahli akademik. Pada masa sekarang cabaran dalam menyeimbangi di antara kerja dan kehidupan adalah mencabar. Jika seseorang itu memberikan lebihan perhatian pada suatu sisi samada kerja mahu pun keluarga, satu sisi lagi pasti akan terabai. Apabila permintaan kepada kerja atau urusan peribadi diperlukan ia secara langsung mewujudkan situasi yang tidak seimbang seterusnya membentuk konflik kerja dan keluarga. Konflik keseimbangan antara kerja dan kehidupan akan memberikan kesan negatif kepada pihak lain samada organisasi mahupun kepada keluarga. Kegagalan menguruskan keseimbangan di antara kerja dan kehidupan dengan baik akan memberikan kesan yang negatif antaranya ketidakhadiran kerja, kurang komitmen di tempat kerja, kualiti kerja rendah, produktiviti rendah, kurang kreativiti dan inovasi, tekanan, konflik di dalam keluarga, dan penceraian Oleh itu kajian ini akan menganalisis soroton kajian lepas berkaitan dengan definisi keseimbangan kerja kehidupan dan juga elemen-elemen keseimbangan kerja kehidupan dalam kalangan ahli akademik UTeM. Dapatan kajian daripada soroton kajian lepas ini akan dapat membantu penyusunan idea yang lebih sistematik dan signifikan ke arah kajian yang akan datang. Kata Kunci: keseimbangan kerja kehidupan, kepuasan kerja, ahli akademik                ABSTRACT Work and life balance is important for an employee, especially among academics. Nowadays the challenge of balancing work and life is challenging. If a person gives too much attention to one side, whether it's work or family, another side will definitely be neglected. When demands for work or personal affairs are needed, it directly creates an unbalanced situation and further forms a conflict between work and family. The conflict of balance between work and life will have a negative impact on the other party, whether it is the organization or the family. Failure to manage the balance between work and life well will have negative effects including absenteeism, lack of commitment at work, low work quality, low productivity, lack of creativity and innovation, stress, conflict in the family, and divorce. Therefore, this study will analyze the highlights of previous studies related to the definition of work-life balance and also the elements of work-life balance among UTeM academics. The research findings from the highlights of this past study will be able to help organize more systematic and significant ideas towards future studies. Keywords: work life balance, job satisfaction, academic