The Final Sprint: PhD Candidates Conquer PGRES 2026

The journey toward a doctorate is a marathon of intellectual rigor, and on 17 April 2026, several dedicated researchers reached their final sprint.&nbsp

Scratch Explorers

A project group (OCC 6 – Team 4) from WIX2002 Project Management successfully organized The Scratch Workshop, on Friday, 12 December 2025 at SJK(C) YUK CHAI. 30 primary school students (standard 5) had explored and learned creative visual block programming through the Scratch platform.&nbsp

“梁祝”戏在当代戏曲舞台的传播研究: The Communication Studies of "Liang Zhu" Opera on Contemporary Chinese Opera Stages

As one of the Four Great Folktales of China, the legend of "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai" (Liang Zhu) has been beloved by audiences for thousands of years and adapted by numerous authors. It holds a pivotal position in the history of Chinese literature, folklore, and art. Furthermore, the operatic adaptations of "Liang Zhu" have been recreated across various traditional Chinese opera genres, all achieving remarkable success and acclaim. Its distinctive status in the history of Chinese opera is unparalleled. Therefore, it is essential to conduct a comprehensive sorting and examination of the operatic versions of "Liang Zhu"—a study that carries significant value for promoting the further development of these operas on the contemporary stage in the future

INSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING STUDENT RETENTION AND PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIAN HIGHER EDUCATION: EVIDENCE FROM LEARNING ANALYTICS

This study examines how institutional and organisational factors influence Student Performance in Malaysian higher education institutions (HEIs), with particular emphasis on the role of student retention and its interaction with key moderating variables. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected from 450 students across 14 public and private HEIs in Malaysia using a structured survey instrument. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was applied to examine the direct relationship between student retention and Student Performance, as well as the moderating effects of academic integration, financial integration, social integration, and student motivation. The findings indicate that student retention has a significant positive relationship with Student Performance. Financial integration and student motivation demonstrate strong moderating effects, strengthening the relationship between retention and performance. In contrast, academic and social integration show more limited direct influence but contribute through interaction effects. From a leadership and institutional management perspective, the results highlight the importance of data-driven decision-making in designing targeted strategies that enhance student persistence and academic outcomes. Institutional leaders play a critical role in strengthening financial support systems, fostering inclusive learning environments, and promoting motivational frameworks that support sustained student engagement. The study contributes empirical evidence to the literature on student success in Malaysian higher education, providing practical insights for policymakers and institutional leaders seeking to improve both retention and academic performance through integrated governance and organisational strategies

The Integrity of Emerging Financial Markets: Prioritising Factors through Analytical Hierarchy Process

This study aims to identify and prioritise market integrity factors of emergingmarkets using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The results show that withinthese domains, enforcement system is the most critical factor to ensure market integrityin emerging markets. Protection of investors is the second most important factor withinthe domain of regulatory quality. This study contributes to the literature by presentinga model of integrity focused on ethical behaviour, regulatory quality, and enforcementsystem for emerging Asian markets, given that this region is most susceptible to marketfraud due to weak regulatory and enforcement systems

Corporate Performance Measures and Shareholder Value Creation: Empirical Evidence from the Capital-intensive Sectors of Pakistan

This study aims to investigate the value creation of capital-intensive firms inPakistan. The effect of corporate performance measures, including efficiency, liquidity,financial leverage, and dividend payout, on shareholder value are examined here. Thisstudy incorporates the capital-intensive sectors of Pakistan which are commonly ignoredand have been severely affected by the financial crisis and economic downturn. In thisstudy, panel regression models were used to find the impact of corporate performancemeasures on shareholder value for the oil and gas, chemicals, and cement sectors listedon Pakistan Stock Exchange. Data analysis techniques that were used are descriptivestatistics test, correlation, and fixed effect regression on a sample of 46 companiesgenerated through census sampling for the period of 2013 to 2022. The results revealthat except for financial leverage, a positive relationship between corporate performancemeasures and shareholder value was observed. An increase in total asset turnover,current ratio, quick ratio, and dividend payout ratio, and a decrease in debt-to-equityratio increased shareholder value. This finding show that capital-intensive sectors cancreate more value if they enhance their efficiency, liquidity and dividend payout, andreduce their debts. This will make them more competitive, profitable, and sustainable inthe long run

VISUAL-SPATIAL INTEGRATED CURRICULUM FOR SPEECH DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

This study examines the curriculum and teaching implications derived from the Visual-Spatial Ability Mediated Model of Speech Fluency in Autism Spectrum Disorder (VSA-MSF-ASD) for special education settings in Malaysia. The empirical foundations of this framework were previously established through a cross-sectional quantitative study involving 356 respondents comprising special education teachers and caregivers across Klang Valley and Kuching, Sarawak; the present paper focuses on translating those empirical findings into a practical curriculum design framework with actionable teaching strategies. The original study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and revealed that visual-spatial abilities function as a central hub influencing both cognitive factors (executive functions, β = 0.656; prior knowledge, β = 0.794) and affective factors (self-efficacy, β = 0.796; attitude, β = 0.728), with the integrated model explaining 48.7% of variance in speech utterance achievement. Based on these findings, this paper develops a curriculum design framework comprising four integrated domains: visual-semantic knowledge building, visual-executive scaffolding, affective engagement through visual modalities, and systematic speech output facilitation. Practical teaching strategies aligned with each domain are proposed, with implications for curriculum reform in special education programmes in Malaysia and the broader Asia Pacific region. A key limitation is that the proposed framework has not yet been experimentally validated in classroom settings; future intervention studies are needed to assess its practical effectiveness. The study aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013–2025

A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE REVIEW OF AI IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH ISLAMIC PRINCIPLES IN EDUCATION, FINANCIAL SERVICES, AND LAW

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is profoundly reshaping global sectors, necessitating its examination within diverse cultural and ethical frameworks, particularly the Islamic worldview. This review investigates AI’s integration into Islamic education, finance, and law, analyzing its transformative potential and inherent challenges. Through a qualitative literature review, we explore AI’s capacity to personalize religious learning, enhance Shariah compliance in finance, and modernize legal processes, including fatwa issuance. However, significant ethical dilemmas like algorithmic bias and data privacy, alongside practical barriers such as infrastructural deficits and the need for robust regulatory frameworks, demand careful consideration. This paper argues for a collaborative approach—uniting technologists, Islamic scholars, and policymakers—to ensure AI aligns with core Islamic values like justice and transparency. It highlights the critical need for ongoing dialogue and research to ethically navigate AI’s development, ensuring it contributes to societal betterment in harmony with Islamic principles

The Effectiveness of Digital Accounting Practices on Goal Achievement for Thai Industrial Plants

Manuscript type: Research paperResearch aims: This research examines the effects of digital accountingpractices efficiency on goal achievement at Thai industrial plants.Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative survey was conductedusing a structured questionnaire with 132 respondents. Data analysisemployed descriptive statistics and the PROCESS macro for SPSS.Research findings: The findings revealed that digital accounting practiceefficiency significantly enhances organisations value enhancement andfinancial information usefulness. These improvements, in turn, positivelyaffect goal achievement. Furthermore, organisational value enhancementand financial information usefulness serve as mediators in the relationshipbetween digital accounting efficiency and goal achievement.Theoretical contribution/Originality: Empirical evidence supports theresource-based theory, with relevance to Thai industrial plants.Practitioner/Policy implications: These findings underscore theimportance of digital accounting practice efficiency, organisational valueenhancement, and financial information usefulness in goal achievementfor industrial plants.Research limitation: The study’s focus on industrial plants in Thailand,which may restrict the generalizability of the findings

Fostering Dialogue, Tolerance, and Religious Harmony in Indonesia through the Local Tradition of ‘Bersih Desa’

This study elucidates the purpose and practices of the Sukodadi bersih desa tradition as a means of fostering dialogue and strengthening tolerance and harmony among religious communities. The researcher employs ethnography with a thick descriptive approach to interpret the meaning and explain the behavior of the bersih desa tradition as it unfolds. The research was conducted over four months, beginning before the tradition was practiced and ending after it was completed. The researcher interviewed village officials, interfaith leaders, cultural activists, and community members. This research aligns with Pierre Bourdieu’s theory that the bersih desa tradition serves as social capital in creating a path for interfaith dialogue without any party dominating, as stakeholders and social structures play equal and interdependent roles. Interreligious dialogue through the bersih desa tradition involves environmental cleansing, offerings at sacred sites, interfaith prayers, processions with mountain-shaped structures, and wayang performances. Its essence is to connect with God, ancestors, fellow humans, and nature. This practice strengthens its adherents while fostering the idea of shared ownership, as per Clifford Geertz’s theory, through religious rituals, art, and culture. Its contributions lie in strengthening tolerance and harmony among religious communities by forming emotional bonds and eliminating religious symbols