E-Wallet Models: An Appraisal of Shariah Related Issues

This paper aims to evaluate the existing e-wallet business models and to provide a preliminary analysis of Sharia issues, specifically related to the relationship of the involved parties in the contract (operators, customers, and third parties). As e-wallet is also a critical enabler to increase financial inclusion among the different levels of society members (richer and poor), thus there is an increasing need to analyze the existing e-wallet models and their practices. The final aims are to preserve all parties’ rights and support the policymakers to structure e-wallet parameters that comply with Islamic law. This paper adopts qualitative research approaches, specifically content analysis and interviews. The data collection includes, among others, document reviews, interviews, and observations. The paper evaluates four e-wallet models in Malaysia and analyzes arising Sharia issues from those models. In the models, several Sharia issues can be found, which are related to the contracts used, the status of funds held by e-wallet providers, deposits in banks, and revenue generation. Findings from this paper serve as a basis for scholars and policymakers to provide guidelines for Sharia-compliant e-wallets. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi model bisnis dompet elektronik yang ada dan memberikan analisis awal tentang masalah syariah, khususnya terkait dengan hubungan pihak-pihak yang terlibat dalam kontrak (operator, pelanggan dan pihak ketiga). Karena dompet elektronik juga merupakan faktor penting untuk meningkatkan inklusi keuangan di antara berbagai tingkat anggota masyarakat (kaya dan miskin), maka ada peningkatan kebutuhan untuk menganalisis model dompet elektronik yang ada dan praktiknya. Tujuan akhirnya adalah untuk menjaga hak semua pihak dan mendukung pembuat kebijakan untuk menyusun parameter dompet elektronik yang sesuai dengan hukum Islam. Tulisan ini mengadopsi pendekatan penelitian kualitatif, khususnya analisis isi dan wawancara. Pengumpulan data meliputi telaah dokumen, wawancara, dan observasi. Tulisan ini mengevaluasi empat model dompet elektronik di Malaysia dan menganalisis masalah syariah yang muncul dari model tersebut. Ada beberapa masalah syariah yang dapat ditemukan dari model-model tersebut, yaitu terkait dengan akad yang digunakan, status dana yang dipegang oleh penyedia dompet elektronik, status simpanan di bank dan perolehan pendapatan. Temuan dari makalah ini dapat digunakan sebagai dasar bagi para sarjana dan pembuat kebijakan untuk memberikan pedoman dompet elektronik yang sesuai syariah

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

CARBON CRYOGEL MICROSPHERE FOR ETHYL LEVULINATE PRODUCTION: EFFECT OF CARBONIZATION TEMPERATURE AND TIME

The side products of biomass and bio-fuel industry have shown potential in producing carbon catalyst. The carbon cryogel was synthesized from ligninfurfural mixture based on the following details: 1.0 of lignin to furfural (L/F) ratio, 1.0 of lignin to water (L/W) ratio, and 8M of acid concentration. The lignin-furfural sol-gel mixture, initially prepared via polycondensation reaction at 90 °C for 30 min, was followed by freeze drying and carbonization process. Effects of carbonization temperature and time were investigated on the total acidity and surface area of the carbon cryogel. Furthermore, the effects of these parameters were studied on the ethyl levulinate yield through esterification reaction of levulinic acid in ethanol. The esterification reaction was conducted at reflux temperature, 10 h of reaction time, 19 molar ratio of ethanol to levulinic acid, and 15.0 wt.% carbon cryogel loading. Based on the carbonization temperature and time studies, the carbon cryogel carbonized at 500 °C and 4 h exhibited good performance as solid acid catalyst. Large total surface area and acidity significantly influenced the catalytic activity of carbon cryogel with 80.0 wt.% yield of ethyl levulinate. Thus, carbon cryogel is highly potential as acid catalyst for the esterification of levulinic acid with ethanol

Legal Issues in E-Wallet Practices

E-Wallet has been applied in Muslim and non-Muslim jurisdictions in many parts of the world including Malaysia, China, India, and Korea. The application is widely used and has raised questions with regard to legal and shariah issues. This paper aims to analyse specifically, legal issues affecting e-wallet practices. This paper adopted a qualitative research approach. The data collected include document reviews, ethnographical interviews and observations. This study found several legal issues related to e-wallet inter alia, an unclear position on the liability of board directors of e-wallet operators, breach of mandate and exclusion of liability of e-wallet operators. As e-wallet is important as an enabler to increase financial inclusion, it is important to address the legal issues on e-wallet to enhance good governance and best practices of e-wallet in Malaysia. The findings from this paper can be used as a basis for policymakers including scholars in the formulation of guidelines on legal and shariah compliance of e-wallets

ORIGINAL ARTICLES Comparative Analysis on Emergence of Islamic Education in Malaysia

ABSTRACT This paper explores the evolution of Islamic educational arrangement between Malaysia and Bangladesh. It is mainly focused on background, silhouette and prospect prediction of Islamic education in both countries. The point on background explains the way of introduction to Islamic education system before gaining independence from Britain.. Post-independence consequence has also discussed as the second portion of this study. Final discussion focused on the present status of Islamic education in Malaysia and Bangladesh with a comparative analysis on the subject matter

Palm tocotrienol-rich fraction reduced plasma homocysteine and heart oxidative stress in rats fed with a high-methionine diet

Oxidative stress contributes to cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to study the effects of palm tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) on plasma homocysteine and cardiac oxidative stress in rats fed with a high-methionine diet. Forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into six groups. The first group was the control. Groups 2-6 were fed 1 % methionine diet for 10 weeks. From week 6 onward, folate (8 mg/kg diet) or palm TRF (30, 60 and 150 mg/kg diet) was added into the diet of groups 3, 4, 5 and 6. The rats were then killed. Palm TRF at 150 mg/kg and folate supplementation prevented the increase in plasma total homocysteine (4.14 ± 0.33 and 4.30 ± 0.26 vs 5.49 ± 0.25 mmol/L, p < 0.05) induced by a high-methionine diet. The increased heart thiobarbituric acid reactive substance in rats fed with high-methionine diet was also prevented by the supplementations of palm TRF (60 and 150 mg/kg) and folate. The high-methionine group had a lower glutathione peroxidase activity (49 ± 3 vs 69 ± 4 pmol/mg protein/min) than the control group. This reduction was reversed by palm TRF at 60 and 150 mg/kg diet (p < 0.05), but not by folate. Catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were unaffected by both methionine and vitamin supplementations. In conclusion, palm TRF was comparable to folate in reducing high-methionine diet-induced hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress in the rats' hearts. However, palm TRF was more effective than folate in preserving the heart glutathione peroxidase enzyme activity