Government Regulation Sub-Factors and Housing Supply: A Conceptual Framework

Government regulation is one of the additional factors when examining the influence of land regulations by local authorities on the housing supply. Specifically, this factor is taken into consideration to investigate the effect of city-specific factors on housing supply elasticities. Some government regulation sub-factors usually proxied by index value obtained from the Wharton Residential Land Use Regulation Index (WRLURI). However, the index value is limited to a specific year and not distributed on short term or long-term basis due to data unavailability. This paper reviews the effect of government regulation sub-factors examined by the previous studies to develop a conceptual framework using time series data when the data is available. The findings of this analysis revealed that new studies should explore times series data for sub-factors such as number of restrictions, number of governing bodies, duration for subdivision approval, and the number of growth management policies

Nutritional status of schoolchildren in Kuantan, Pahang

This study aimed to determine the nutritional status among primary schoolchildren in Kuantan, Pahang and to map the distribution using Geographical Information System (GIS). This community based cross sectional study was conducted in Kuantan, Pahang. Stratified random sampling method was used to select schoolchildren from seven subdivision of Kuantan district. A total of 391 schoolchildren age 7 years old were recruited. Data was collected using a questionnaire consisted of questions on socio demographic and anthropometry measurement. Schools’ coordinate were recorded and Geographical Information System (GIS) software was used to map and visualize the distribution of schoolchildren according to nutritional status. Findings showed that 13.8% (n=54) of the children were having overweight and obesity, 10.5% (n=41) stunting and 9.5% cases of underweight (n=37). The mean for BMI-for-age z score (BMIAZ), height-for-age score (HAZ) and weight-for-age z score (WAZ) were 0.07(1.68), -0.64(1.105), and -0.32(1.68) respectively. There were significant difference of BMIAZ and WAZ between urban and rural area (p=0.016) and (p=0.033). There were no significant difference between the three anthropometric measurements with gender, (p=0.947), (p=0.551) and (p=0.613) respectively. There was a significant association between WAZ with income per capita (p=0.014) but there is no association between BMIAZ, HAZ and WAZ with other socio demographic factors including education, occupation and household size. This study shows that the nutritional status among schoolchildren in this area is a major concern. The results warrant the need for further investigation to identify the root causes of childhood obesity in order to develop informed policy, intervention programs and guidelines

Islamic bank stability - initial evidence / Mohd Afandi Abu Bakar, AP Dr. Mohd Fauzi Mohd Harun and AP Dr. Abdul Malek A Tambi

Stability of the banking sector is one of the most important features that support and contribute to continuous economic expansion and development. It will facilitate and smooth the flow of funds across the economic units more efficiently and effectively. This study examines the stability of Islamic banks. The study employs an unbalanced panel data analysis on the annual growths of 67 Islamic banks from various countries for the period spanning from 1998 to 2009. The finding provides some evidence on the stability of Islamic bank operations. The growth of Islamic bank financing is independent of the growth of business cycle indicators, thus, free from any speculative activities. Hence, the behaviour of the Islamic bank was not that enthusiastic to the movement in economic environment ffuctuaticns. Although the contingency reserve and provision for loan losses are able to control the financing activities from behaving pro-cyclically, the finding also shows that Islamic banks need to observe its management of contingency reserves and provision for loan losses. The amount is still not large enough to manage the earning assets that have a direct influence on the financing volume. This is evidence from the insignificant relationship of financing growth of Islamic bank to the real GDP growth, money supply M2 growth and the CPI growth. Therefore, the policy on contingency reserves and provision for loan losses needs some serious consideration from the Islamic bank management so that it will also be able to confirm the capability of Islamic bank to work as the transmitter mechanism of monetary policy

Food security status and childhood obesity in Kuantan Pahang

Introduction: Food insecurity has become one of the concerning issues in public health. The purpose of this study was to investigate household food security status and its relationship with childhood obesity in Kuantan, Pahang. Methods:This comparative cross sectional study was conducted in Kuantan, Pahang among 128 mothers aged 18 to 55 years with the children aged 7 and 13 years. Data on food security status was collected using Radimer/Cornell hunger and food insecurity instrument through telephone call while children's height and weight as well as socio-demographic data were measured and obtained during schools visits. Results: A total of 23% of the respondents were food secure, while 77% experienced food insecurity. Within food insecure category, 52% were household food insecure, 9% women were individual food insecure and 16% fell into the child hunger category. Income (p=0.04), income per capita (p=0.033), household size (p=0.032) and area of living (p=0.001) were the significant risk factors for household food insecurity. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children were 60.6% in food insecure households which was higher compared to food-secure households (38.4%).However, there were no significant association between childhood obesity and food security status. Conclusion:This study demonstrates that the prevalence of food insecurity and childhood obesity in this Kuantan, Pahang is a major concern. The results warrant the need for further investigation to identify complex interaction between food insecurity and childhood obesity

Exploring the Relationship between Safety and Health Cost Dimensions and Accident Costs to the Employer of Urban Rail Infrastructure Projects

The Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) System is set to be one of the mega projects in Malaysia. Many of the researches have focused on the causes of construction accident occurrences at the site. Whilst, this study focuses on the consequences (i.e., costs) of the occurrences of the accidents for the project. The work injuries create economic issues for our society. The awareness of accident costs is absent because the stakeholders always leave the matters to the insurance company. They are ignorant of the cost of an accident without realising the greatness of its impacts on the industry and the country. Therefore, this study aims to determine the relationship between accident costs and the factors influencing the accident costs of urban rail infrastructure projects to the Employer. All these factors are known as safety and health cost dimensions. For this research, the Employer, also known as a Contractor, is the person who bears the accident costs (direct and indirect costs) of the project. Multiple regression performed on the sixty-two (62) accident cases from the MRT 1 SBK (Sungai Buloh-Kajang) Line Projects. These findings could heighten the importance of the effect of an accident on the Employer’s company’s economics and budgeting

Analisis faktor kemiskinan Orang Asli : aplikasi model multinomial logit / Prof. Madya Dr. Mohd Fauzi Mohd Harun and Mohd Afandi Abu Bakar

Kemiskinan masih merupakan masalah serius kepada masyarakat Orang Asli. Maklumat rasmi kerajaan serta kajian daripada penyelidik mendapati kadar kemiskinan mereka melebihi lima puluh peratus. Kajian kemiskinan Orang Asli ini hanya tertumpu kepada keadaan kemiskinan mereka iaitu bagi mendapatkan sama ada nilai kadar kemiskinan, jurang kemiskinan mahupun keperitan kemiskinan. Tumpuan tidak diberikan kepada faktor yang menyebabkan kemiskinan mereka. Justeru itu, kajian ini dijalankan bagi mengenalpasti apakah faktor sebenar yang menyumbang kepada kemiskinan tersebut. Keputusan kajian melalui analisis model multinomial logit mendapati kemiskinan masyarakat Orang Asli secara signifikan disumbang oleh tahap pendidikan mereka yang masih rendah, lokasi penempatan di pedalaman, tumpuan kepada bekerja sendiri dari hasil hutan, KIR wanita, KIR yang umur muda serta saiz isi rumah yang kecil. Melalui dapatan ini pihak kerajaan dapat memberi perhatian kepada faktor-faktor tersebut dalam menangani masalah kemiskinan Orang Asli melalui program-program khusus untuk mereka

Stability Analysis of Disc Brake Squeal Considering Temperature Effect

Passenger cars have become one of the main transportations for people travelling from one place to another. Indeed, vehicle quietness and passenger comfort issues are a major concern. One of vehicle components that occasionally generate unwanted vibration and unpleasant noise is the brake system. Brake squeal noise is the most troublesome and irritant one to both car passenger and the environment, and is expensive to brakes and carmakers in terms of warranty costs. Brake squeal has been studied over 20 years ago through experimental, analytical and numerical methods in an attempt to understand, to predict and to prevent squeal occurrence. In recent years, the finite element (FE) method has become the preferred method due to inadequacy of experimental methods in predicting squeal at early stage in the design process. However, the drawbacks of the FE method are over-predictions and missing unstable modes in the squeal frequency range. This paper attempts to improve the drawbacks by considering temperature effect, which is typically neglected by many previous investigators. Prediction of disc brake squeal is performed using complex eigenvalue analysis that available in ABAQUS V6.4. In doing so, a validated and detailed 3-D finite element model of a real disc brake is used. Predicted results are then compared to those obtained in the experimental results with and without the effect of temperature

Nutritional status of schoolchildren and its distribution in Kuantan, Pahang: a preliminary study

To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren in Kuantan Pahang and to map the distribution. This community based cross sectional study was conducted in Kuantan, Pahang. Stratified random sampling method was used to select schoolchildren from seven subdivision of Kuantan district. A total of 253 schoolchildren age 13 years old were included. Data was collected using a questionnaire consisted of questions on socio demographic and anthropometry measurement. Schools’ coordinate were recorded and Geographical Information System (GIS) software was used to map and visualize the distribution of childhood obesity. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among the respondents was 15.8%, while normal and underweight were 75.5% and 8.7% respectively. Overweight and obesity was higher among females (8.7%) compared to males (7.1%). Overweight and obesity was also found higher in urban area (9.1%) compared to rural area (6.7%). However, there were no significant association between body mass index (BMI) with gender (p=0.391) and between urban and rural area (p=0.625). Both urban and rural area had similar percentage of underweight (4.3%). Conclusion: This study shows the prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren in this area as a major concern. The results warrant the need for further investigation to identify the root cause of childhood obesity in order to develop informed policy and guidelines

Muslim dietitian-patient spiritual conversations and its’ challenges: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Introduction: Spirituality is essential in patient care. In dietetics, the patient-centred care approach has a significant role in promoting caring relationships with the patients in dietary counselling. While integrating spirituality in clinical practice influences patients’ ability to cope with illness, there is a paucity of research on spirituality in dietetics. This study aimed to discover the proportion of Muslim dietitians who inquired about patients’ spiritual needs and its association with socio-demographic factors, identify selected conversations on spiritual concern and its challenges. Method: This cross-sectional study adopted selected items from The International NERSH-Cohort questionnaire. A new semi-structured question on responses to patients’ spiritual concerns was also evaluated (4 items; alpha=.79). Data were gathered through an online survey and analysed using descriptive analysis and Pearson chi-square.Results: Out of ninety-eight respondents, only 3% reported always making an attempt to inquire about patients’ spiritual needs, whereas 44% had never made such an inquiry. The duration of practising dietetics was not associated with inquiring spiritual needs practices. When the Muslim patients brought up a discussion on spiritual concern, 38% of the Muslim dietitians had responded that only Allah has the power to heal and grant happiness. This study highlights that Muslim dietitians’ most common obstacles to addressing spiritual concerns during dietary counselling were the fear of offending the patients and insufficient knowledge/training. Conclusion: There are ways for Muslim dietitians to engage in spiritual conversations during dietary counselling, but the existing challenges indicate a calling for formal training