Innovative technologies for industrial wastes

This article is intended to provide several case studies of successful waste management of a few selected industries in their attempts to become “environmental-conscious” firms. In particular, this article examines the innovative waste-reduction and waste reuse processes undertaken by certain firms in the following industries - asphalt cement and concrete, ferrous metals, Portland cement and concrete, and some other that on the face of it somewhat isolated innovative technologies. For each case, the driver, the waste management technology or processes involved, as well as the associated economic benefits of the adjustments was highlighted. It is hoped that the findings of this article will provide the motivation or continue to motivate engineers and scientists to further explore processes that will help towards better management of industrial wastes

Budaya dan warisan negara sebagai pemangkin kepada pelancongan lestari

Elemen budaya, seni dun warisan amat berkait rapat dalam memajukan sektor pelancongan negara. Aktiviti pelancongan budaya ini meliputi lawatan ke muzium, pesta kesenian, kawasan warisan, persembahan budaya dan juga bangunan-bangunan bersejarah. Tarikan budaya yang bersifat autentik (asli) ini mampu mendidik dan meningkatkan pengetahuan di samping memberi hiburan kepada pengunjung. Strategi yang telah diguna pakai di United Kingdom dan Amerika Syarikat telah dikenal pasti melalui pengalaman serta kejayaan institusi budaya dan warisan luar negara menarik lebih banyak pengunjung ke destinasi mereka. Strategi ini turut dimuatkan dalam kertas kerja ini sebagai model kepada pelancongan berasaskan budaya dun warisan. Kertas kerja ini cuba membincangkun budaya dan warisan sebagai pemungkin kepada pelancongan lestari. Ini memandangkan jenis pelancongan ini merupakan segmen yang berkembang pantas dalam pasaran hari ini dan juga permintaan untuknya semakin berkembang. Kajian berkaitan dengan profil pelancongan ke destinasi ini perlu dilakukan untuk memajukan lagi budaya dan warisan sebagai pemangkin kepada pelancongan lestari

Trends and patterns of federal government spending in Malaysia

This paper reviews the growth and composition of Federal Government spending in Malaysia during the Post-New Economic Policy era, with a comprehensive approach and analytical outlook. Between 1970 and 1997 the compound annual growth rate of total government expenditure was estimated at 11.3 percent. During the 1970s and 1980s, a fiscal imbalance in expenditure pattern emerged as a result of excessive growth in operating expenditure against that of developing expenditure. Government spending as percentage of GNP declinedfvom 34.1 percent in 1990 to 20.3 percent in 1997. In a relative sense, this suggests that Malaysia currently has the smallest government involvement, even compared to Japan and the USA's market-oriented mixed economies. The expenditure pattern and policy of the Malaysian government reveals its real concern for the social sector development and eradication of poverty, besides sound fiscal fundamentals contained in surplus budgets in recent years. Our study, however, suggests that economizing in government spending is more important than budgetary curtailment. The government should appoint an advisory Public Expenditure Committee, and publish a 'White Paper' on spending programmes on a regular basis. The fiscal management may further be improved by incorporating 'rolling expenditure programming' in the budgetary implementation. The on-going fiscal reforms should be made more effective to establish a prudent government sector with enhanced efficiency and productivity

Student-organization matching system for practicum placement

Practicum placement is a tedious and time consuming process which involves finding, matching and allocating students to the potential organization. Practicum Center (PPR) has been entrusted with a responsibility to handle and manage practicum programme for Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). Its main role is to handle the practicum placement and to secure the places for students who register for the practicum programme. Currently, the use of computer system in practicum placement process has reduced the cost for managing the record and to a certain extent, speed up the placement process. Nonetheless, there are a few steps during the placement process that require manual execution (e.g. matching students with relevant organizations) that causes delay. Furthermore, the SISPR itself is not a Web-based system and hence cannot be extended to be accessed by organizations that participate in the practicum programme. To deal with this limitation, a research project had been carried out resulting into the development of an innovative Web-based system for the placement process which was called Online Practicum Student Placement System (OPSP). OPSP is a student-organization matching system which acts as a gateway for organizations that participate in the practicum programme to access and browse a list of students based on their requirements. The system also allows the organizations to update their profile,select the potential students, browse students resume, confirm selection and view the final list of cqnfirrned students. Additionally, OPSP provides feedback mechanism during the execution of each phase of the placement process via an automatic notification email which will be sent to both the employers' officer incharge and respective University practicum coordinator. Based on the result of the trial run being conducted for one semester with a few selected organizations, the implementation of this innovative solution certainly contributes towards effective and economical student placement process. Furthermore,the OPSP system also provides a new business opportunity for UUM as the system can be offered to be utilized by other IPTA and IPTS with certain predetermined annual fees. Apart from that, the system can also be used by UUM's Career and Counselling Centre to assist UUM graduates in finding jobs

Measuring student performance in job market through industrial training: A study at Universiti Utara Malaysia

There is a lack of studies that investigate the impact of industrial training on university students. To fill this gap, a study was carried out to investigate and consequently measure the performance of students of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) who are undertaking their industrial training in various organisations of different industrial backgrounds. Five skills are measured including students’ knowledge on basic knowledge, communication skills, attitude and discipline, hands-on skills and leadership. Questionnaire was sent to all organisations which participate in UUM’s industrial training programme and a total of 438 responded.The initial feedback indicated that industrial training is viewed by the respondents as essential and would benefit both university and the industry.The performances showed by the students are satisfactory and, in general, fulfil the organisations’ needs. The respondents also forwarded some interesting suggestions and ideas on how to improvise efforts to strengthen students’ skills

Penilaian terhadap prestasi pelajar dan pengurusan program praktikum Universiti Utara Malaysia

Purpose – The main focus of this study is to obtain the feedback from organisations with regards to the performance of UUM’s practicum students and practicum programme management. Method – A total of 438 organisations from different industrial backgrounds participated in this study. Data collection was carried out by using a uestionnaire which consists of five main components measuring respondents’ profile, students’ performance, practicum programme management, performances comparison with other universities, and the suitability of the practicum programme. Findings – The feedback obtaimed indicates that the participating organisations are satisfi ed with the performance of UUM students in preparing themselves for real work environment.The practicum management system that is practised by Centre for University-Industry Link (UIL) is also considered well organised and efficient. In addition, this study shows that there is no obvious difference between UUM students’ performance and students of other universities. Value – Several suggestions to improve students’ skills and practicum management system are identified.Information gathered can provide important insights from the perspective of organizations which can be valuable in improving the industrial training/practicum programmes as well as the overall academic programmes for future professionals and managers

Rumah kos rendah: Keperluan dan masalah

Given that over 60% of Malaysian households earn less than $600 monthly, the provision of low cost houses becomes crucial in solving housing problems today. Inadequate supply of low cost houses has contributed to the increase of squatter populations and an increase in speculation,resulting in higher prices. High input prices thus lower profit margins have also discouraged the private sector from playing a more active role in increasing supply

Endogeneity of money supply: Evidence from Malaysia

Money is the blood of modern free-enterprise economies. Correspondently, the quantity and velocity of money circulated in such an economy would determine its health. Expressed differently, the levels of economic activities, production and money supply in an economy are interrelated. The central issue then is, does the quantity of money supply determine the levels of economic activities and production? Or, on the contraly, are economic activities and production the variables that actually determine the level of money supply in an economy? Indeed the endogeneity/exogeneity of money supply is still an unsettled issue. While nobody can still say for sure whether the supply of money is endogenously or exogenously determined, this issue is crucial for a proper formulation of macroeconomic theory and policy. Since, as previously noted, the economic health of a countv would depend heavily on its money supply. Having said this, if we were to obtain some valuable insights into efective and efficient management of an economy, this issue needs to be examined and analyzed rigorously. In much of the mainstream macroeconomic literature money supply is assumed to be exogenously determined by the central bank. This view is put forward by a group of economists known as the Monetarists based on the argument that money supply equals the money multiplier times the monetaly base. Since the central bank can change this base, it can control the supply of money in the economy. On the other side of the debate, another group of economists known as Post Keynesian Economists maintain that money supply is endogeneity, in nature. Whereas, there are a number of different views of the concept of money supply endogeneity, the core argument of this school of monetary economic thought is that bank lending creates deposits and hence money supply. Given such opposing views on exogeneity/endogeneity of money supply, the central issue at this juncture is: does loan cause money supply or does money supply cause loan? Accordingly, our study will examine this issue by using cointegration test and vector error correction model developed by Johansen. The results of this study have enabled us to claim convincingly that lending is an essential (endogenous) determinant of money supply in Malaysia. Findings of the study clearly corroborates Horizontalist view of money supply endogeneity that in Malaysia, loan causes monetary aggregates (i.e.,M0, M1, M2, and M3)