Budaya integriti dalam pengurusan perolehan dan tender kerajaan - satu tinjauan umum

Budaya dilihat sebagai apa sahaja perlakuan, tindakan atau amalan berterusan yang dibuat oleh individu, kelompok atau masyarakat diasaskan pada sistem kepercayaan dan nilai. Para sarjana sebenarnya telah memberikan berbagai takrif mengenai budaya; antara yang terawal oleh E.B. Tylor yang menyatakan ia adalah “suatu keseluruhan komplex yang mengandungi ilmu, kepercayaan,, seni, moral, undang-undang, adat, dan apa jua kebolehan dan tingkahlaku yang diperolehi seseorang sebagai anggota masyarakat” (diakses daripada: ocw.mit.edu/courses/anthropology/21a-01-how-culture-works-fall-2012/readings). Selain itu terdapat lagi definisi klasik diberikan oleh Kroeber dan Kluckhohn (1952) dan juga Talcott Parsons dan Edward Shils (1951) yang memberikan gambaran budaya yang hampir sama. Kemudian sarjana yang agak kontemporari ialah Hofstede yang menggagaskan konsep “budaya nasional” (national cultures) dalam bukunya pada tahun 2001 di mana beliau mengutarakan 8 jenis hubungan sebagai sifat budaya nasional yang terdapat dalam masyarakat-masyarakat yang dikajinya. Dalam kesemua takrifan mengenai budaya tidak dapat diketepikan peri pentingnya elemen kepercayaan dan nilai yang menjadi asas budaya dan di mana kedua-dua elemen ini juga boleh berubah untuk membawa kepada set budaya yang baru. Bagi mempastikan sesuatu budaya itu terus kekal, nilai yang dipegang juga mestilah kekal bagi jangka masa panjang. Ini juga bermakna pemupukan nilai-nilai tertentu dalam budaya sesuatu masyarakat akan turut mempengaruhi budaya masyarakat tersebut dan seterusnya membawa kepada satu cara hidup yang diingini

The performance of students in university subjects at UTM’s

TITAS has been introduced in the university curriculum as one of the general subjects/courses that all students are required to take. At UTM’s franchised centres, it has been discovered that many students have obtained very poor grades for this subject. The reasons for the poor performance had to be determined and this study attempted to discover the main reasons why students performed badly in the subject. The study found that among others it was a problem of attitudes both on the part of the teacher as well as the student besides communication problems between UTM and its franchised centres that contributed to the problem

Phenology of Gonystylus bancanus in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia

A study on the phenology of Gonystylus bancanus (ramin melawis) was conducted in Pekan Forest Reserve, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia, which covers areas of virgin and logged-over forests. Observations revealed that the flowering of G. bancanus was supra-annual. The smallest G. bancanus tree to flower was 29 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh) and was located in a logged-over site. Most trees that flowered had larger dbh of more than 40 cm and were found in logged-over and virgin forests. A total of 71-86 days was recorded for full development from the budding stage to mature fruit formation. The budding phase was quite long, extending for more than a month. However, it took only about two weeks for the flowers to become fruits. The flowers of G. bancanus were pollinated by thrips (Heterothripts sp.) and stingless bees (Trigona canifrons and T. laeviceps), while aphids (Aphis sp.), Prevost's squirrels (Callosciurus prevostii) and plantain squirrels (C. notatus) were identified as predators of G. bancanus flowers and fruits. Gonystylus bancanus seeds were mainly dispersed by gravity but the Malayan flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) was also observed to disperse the fruits. Other fruit bats, namely, Cynopterus sphinx, Megaerops ecaudatus and Penthetor lucasi were also identified as potential seed dispersal agents of G. bancanus

Ammoniacal Nitrogen and COD Removal Using Zeolite-Feldspar Mineral Composite Adsorbent

The vigorous combination of  waste in landfill recognized as potential hazard source, but one distinctive problem associated with landfill is leachate. Zeolite is known as good adsorbent but the cost is relatively high. Feldspar is the most abundant mineral group in the world, forming around 60% of the earth’s crust. Due to its availability, feldspar becomes one of low cost materials.  Feldspar and zeolite is combining as an composite adsorbent in this study where there optimum ratio between this material is determined. The experimentcarried out in a series of 250 mL conical flask with varied amount of media ratio  shaken for 5 hours with 200 rpm shaking speed and at pH 7. The best ratio of feldspar and zeolite  chosen is 1:1 according to the adsorption behavior of organic constituent (COD) and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) to the media. The value of the removal percentage of COD and  NH3-N is  49% and 45% respectively and the  uptake  capacity for both contaminant is 50.14 mg/g  and 8.06mg/g respectively.  The usage of feldspar  will significantly reducing zeolite usage conventionally and consequently decresing the operational cost in leachate treatment

Distribution, biomass and dynamics of Burseraceae trees in the 50-HA plot at Pasoh Forest Reserve, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Data on Burseraceae in a 50-ha permanent plot at Pasoh Forest Reserve, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia were obtained from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and used to assess the primary productivity and distribution of the family. Four censuses were conducted in 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000 and data analyses were done on the later census, however comparisons were made between censuses of 1985, 1990 and 1995 to determine variabilities. From census in 2000, four genera and 22 species and varieties of Burseraceae were recorded in the plot. A total of 16,535 trees were enumerated of which the most abundant species was Dacryodes rugosa (4,972 trees). Total above ground biomass of the family was estimated at 207.14 tan ha-1, and the highest above ground biomass was represented by Triomma malaccensis, estimated at 34.31 tan ha-1. The biomass estimation for 20 years increased significantly (ANOVA, p<0.05) between the three censuses. The total population of the family had reduced by 5.92% within 20 years. A total of 3,408 (19.56%) trees were found dead, 3,165 (18.23%) trees were new recruits and 726 (4.17%) trees were damaged naturally and by animals. Distribution-wise, soil type is shown as an influential factor as well as the topography

A randomised controlled trial on hypolipidemic effects of Nigella Sativa seeds powder in menopausal women

Background: The risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is increased tremendously among menopausal women, and there is an increasing demand for alternative therapies for managing factors like dyslipidemia that contribute to CVD development. Methods: In this study, Nigella sativa was evaluated for its hypolipidemic effects among menopausal women. In a randomised trial, hyperlipidemic menopausal women were assigned to treatment (n = 19) or placebo groups (n = 18), and given N. sativa or placebo for two months after their informed consents were sought. At baseline, blood samples were taken and at one month intervals thereafter until one month after the end of the study. Results: The results showed that N. sativa significantly improved lipid profiles of menopausal women (decreased total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride, and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol) more than the placebo treatment over 2 months of intervention. One month after cessation of treatment, the lipid profiles in the N. sativa-treated group tended to change towards the pretreatment levels. Conclusions: N. sativa is thought to have multiple mechanisms of action and is cost-effective. Therefore, it could be used by menopausal women to remedy hypercholesterolemia, with likely more benefits than with single pharmacological agents that may cause side effects. The use of N. sativa as an alternative therapy for hypercholesterolemia could have profound impact on the management of CVD among menopausal women especially in countries where it is readily available

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Budaya politik Melayu bandar : kajian kes di Shah Alam

This is a study of political culture. It discusses the political culture of urban Malays as manifested following the sacking of the Deputy Prime Minister who was also deputy UMNO president, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on 2 September 1998. This event gave rise, especially amongst the Malays, to a wave of protest and resistance that went on for a considerable long period - up to and beyond the general election of 1999. The 1999 election exhibited a striking shift in support from UMNO to opposition parties. UMNO faced its worst performance in that election. This study attempts to expose what caused the tremendous decline in support towards UMNO. Political culture here refers to the question of values. This study shows that the values held by the Malays had undergone a transformation to the extent that a wrong interpretation of these values had brought about UMNO's downfall. In the same context, certain values were found to have become more pronounced to the extent that the disregard shown to them had a negative impact upon UMNO. The sacking episode, leading to the people's discontent and the resistance that ensued; all these could be explained by referring to the values in the political culture. Due to the fact that resistance was more evident in the urban areas, specifically where Malay voters made up the majority, the city of Shah Alam therefore was chosen for this case study. The results show that the culture as represented in the values held had influenced the political choice of Malay voters during the 1999 election. In fact, not only were these values manifested through the vote in the election but these same values also explained actions prior to and following the event. The shift in political support away from UMNO is one of the many manifestations of the values held. In view of the fact that this shift is a form of resistance or protest, it follows that other actions taken like holding street demonstrations, distributing published materials or messages of resistance through leaflets or the internet, were all forms of overt resistance. All these forms of resistance are viewed here as resistance by the weak ( society in general) against thepowefil (the government or the authorities). The study therefore not only confirms the shift of support away from a party that all along had been enjoying it, but further shows how a series of resistance by the weak against the powerfkl had been sustained. This shift in support and the resistance that ensued was the result of a particular political culture

Bersih as a manifestation of resistance to authoritarianism and electoral manipulation in Malaysia: an examination of the recently concluded Bersih rally of 2015

The socio-political movement, Bersih, set up in 2006 was originally meant to tackle the issue of electoral manipulation by the Election Commission which is seen as giving the ruling party immense advantage in facing elections. In this respect, the organization galvanized civil society comprising NGOs, civil society groups and Opposition political parties to air their grouses in open rallies or demonstrations of which four major ones have been held since November 2007. The last Bersih rally on 29 and 30 August 2015 saw crowds of over 150,000 converging on the city of Kuala Lumpur for two days not just demanding clean and fair elections but also adding the issue of corruption and mismanagement of the country by those in power, in particular the person of the Prime Minister, to their demands. This article looks at the prospect for change in the political landscape given the scale of resistance to authoritarianism in Malaysia as manifested by the Bersih rallies