Monetary policy transmission mechanism in Samoa

In recent years, Samoa has emerged to be the most successful economy amongst all Pacific island countries. Its achievements of low inflation and high growth rates were due to sustained fiscal adjustment and appropriate monetary policy measures. This paper undertakes an empirical study of transmission mechanism of monetary policy by adopting a VAR approach and using quarterly data over a 17-year period (1990-2006). The study findings are that money and exchange rate channels are important channels in transmitting monetary impulses to Samoa’s real sector, followed by credit and interest rate channels

Divisia index monetary aggregates : Do they matter for monetary policy in Malaysia?

Divisia for narrowly and broadly defined monetary aggregate of a developing countty, Malavsia, are constructed. Unlike the Divisia for narrowly defined monetary aggregate MI, the Divisia for broader defined monetaty aggregate M2 does show significant differences in both level and growth rates that signified the degree of the important and usefulness of Divisia index in formulating the monetaty policy. We ascertained that there exist long-run relationships between all measures of monetary aggregates in this study with inflations. By constructing dynamic error-correction models for all the alternative measures of monetary aggregates, we performed out-of-sample forecasting for three different periods. Analysis of the forecasting statistics indicates that the Divisia monetary aggregates performed better than their simple-sum counterparts in forecasting ability. We conclude that Divisia monetary aggregate namely Divisia M2, has the best forecast ability among all. As such, Divisia M2 can serve as an excellent candidate as a target or indicator in formulating the monetary policy for Malaysia

Kemahiran Pemikiran Sejarah Melalui Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat Dan Komunikasi (Tmk) Oleh Guru Pelatih

Kajian ini dilakukan untuk mengenal pasti bentuk teknologi yang digunakan oleh guru pelatih dalam mengajar mata pelajaran Sejarah. Kajian ini turut menerokai kategori Kemahiran Pemikiran Sejarah (KPS) yang dilaksanakan oleh guru pelatih dengan menggunakan TMK. Kemahiran Pemikiran Sejarah (KPS) yang terlibat adalah kemahiran mengikut kronologi, menerokai bukti, membuat imaginasi, membuat interpretasi dan membuat rasionalisasi. Kajian ini juga meneliti pandangan guru pelatih tentang kesan melaksanakan KPS dengan menggunakan TMK yang merangkumi cabaran dan cadangan guru pelatih terhadap pelaksanaan KPS melalui penggunaan TMK. Kajian ini menggunakan reka bentuk kajian kes kualitatif dengan menggunakan tiga pendekatan iaitu pemerhatian, temu bual mendalam dan analisis dokumen untuk mengumpulkan data. Peserta kajian terdiri daripada empat orang guru pelatih tahun empat Kursus Ijazah Sarjana Muda Sastera dengan Pendidikan di Universiti Sains Malaysia yang sedang menjalani latihan mengajar di sekolahsekolah sekitar Pulau Pinang. This research is done to identify the kind of technology used by teacher trainees teaching History. This research also explores the Historical Thinking Skills category which was carried out by the trainees using ICT. The Historical Thinking Skills involved are skills needed to follow chronology, explore evidences, imagine, interpret and rationalize. This research also examines the view of the teacher trainees on the effect or outcome of embarking KPS using ICT which includes the challenges and suggestions of the trainees over the KPS implementation using ICT. The research being a qualitative case study uses three data collecting approach namely observation, in depth interview and document analysis to collect data. The participants identified for the research are four teacher trainees who are in year four Bachelor of Arts with education program from University of Sains Malaysia and currently undergoing their practicum in schools around Pulau Pinang

Penerapan pemikiran kritis dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran pensyarah Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG)

Critical thinking is an intellectual process that occurs actively and in a disciplined manner that requires conceptualizing, applying, analysing and synthesizing skills. The main goal of critical thinking that is accentuated at various levels of educational institutions is to produce students who are competent with future job challenges. Although its role is recognized across disciplines, its importance is still not taken seriously in teacher education. Currently, teacher education programs are widely criticized for being impractical and ineffective in shaping critical thinking generation. This qualitative research aims to explore how critical thinking is applied by lecturers in their teaching practices at one of the teacher education institutes in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. A total of six lecturers who teach Science and Mathematics were selected as participants for this study. The data supporting this research were obtained through interviews, observations of teaching activities as well as from relevant documents. Data were then analysed using Atlas-ti software Version 7.0. The findings indicated that majority of the participants showed a positive disposition towards applying critical thinking in their teaching practices. This is translated in their understanding, willingness, and commitment shown in applying relevant elements in their teaching practices. Meanwhile, in the aspect of teaching practices, the participants were found to apply critical thinking through questioning oriented teaching method, group discussions, explanations, demonstrations and simulations. In general, participants had a positive disposition and were able to apply critical thinking in their teaching practices in their teacher education institution. Among the issues that arise in developing critical thinking in their institution include aspects of cognitive development, teaching practices, professional development, time constraints and standard assessment practices. Critical thinking has to be inculcated, developed and practised systematically by IPG lecturers through active learning strategies such as projects, simulations, oral discourses, concept maps and role-plays which are capable of stimulating critical thinking among students effectivel

Regeneration Potential of the North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest (NSPSF)

Peat Swamp Forest is known for its unique ecosystem and having a high proportion of endemic species. The logging activities in peat swamp forests has significant impacts on residual trees. A study was undertaken to determine the status of regeneration of logged-over forest of a peat swamp forest in Selangor. The study was conducted in the North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest (NSPSF), covering an area of approximately 72,816 hectares. The NSPSF was classified by the Forest Department to 7 categories of Forest Classes based on crown coverage. Based on this forest classification, a forest management inventory was carried out using cluster sampling technique. A total of 550 plots arranged in 110 clusters were randomly located within the seven forest classes. Data on tree species, diameter at breast height, height, quality of poles, etc. were collated. Results show that the number of stems per hectare (sph) for size class 5.0 em diameter at breast height (dbh) and above and size class 5.0-10.0 em dbh are in Forest Class 5. Wlereas for size class 10. 1-14.9 em dbh the highest number of sph is in Forest Class 4. The lowest number of sph for all size classes are in Forest Class 7. It is also found that more than 80% of the inventoried poles in all the Forest Classes are of Quality 1 and 2. As for poles of Quality 3 and 4, the highest percentage is in Forest Class 5 and the lowest in Forest Class 4. The number of seedlings per hectare are generally high with Forest Class 5 recording the highest at 19,621 and the lowest in Forest Class 7 at 7,133. The stocking of dipterocarp seedlings is very small with respect to all Forest Classes i.e. between o per cent in Forest Class 7 to 2.81 per cent in Forest Class 6. The nondipterocarp seedlings seem to dominate all Forest Classes in the NSPSF with an overall percentage of more than 97.0 per cent. The NSPSF suprisingly possess high q-value, calculated at an average of 1.73. The highest being recorded for Forest Class 4 at 1.93 and the lowest for Forest Class 7 at 1.65. The results of this study show that the NSPSF appears to have most of the elements of a forest undergoing regeneration process. Based on the q-value findings, the NSPSF has a good representation of smaller diameter size trees for all Forest Classes, thus further supporting the fact that the NSPSF is in a dynamic stage of recovering from the effect of forest disturbance. The only element which is absent as compared to a natural successional Peat Swamp Forest, is the lacking of sufficient number of high value commercial species for all size classes, which in this case refers to Shorea uliginosa, Gonystylus bancanus, Kompassia malaccensis and Shorea platycalpa. Some suggestions for future management of this type of forest are also highlighted

Repair of Corroded RC beams using Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Laminates

Strengthening of RC beams and Slabs for Flexural, Shear and Buckling is currently a major research task in the construction industry. The main reasons of strengthening structures are to restore and enhanced the load bearing capacity to reduce deflection at service loads, or to limit the width and distribution of cracks in concrete. Use of externally bonded Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Laminate has proved to be one of the solutions to this problem. CFRP is adhesively bonded to surfaces of reinforced concrete beams or slabs to increase their flexural or shear capacity. To determine the flexural capacity of reinforced concrete beam that is reinforced or not reinforced by CFRP test should been done. The result is compared with the control beam and the effectiveness of CFRP as a repair method can be proved

Biodegradation Of Diesel By A Locally Isolated Acinetobacter Sp.

Local bacteria isolated from oil-contaminated soils from various locations in Malaysia were screened for their ability to degrade commercial diesel fuel. Enrichment culture from soil samples yielded several isolates capable of degrading diesel. Of these, Isolate 1 was selected for further studies based on its best growth performance compared to the other isolates. Biodegradation studies were conducted using head-space solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME: 110°C, 10 min, 7 μm PDMS fiber and 25% NaCl) coupled to gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The isolate was identified as Acinetobacter sp. (1470 bp) (98% sequence homology) using 16s rRNA molecular phylogenetic analysis. Isolate 1 exhibited optimum growth at 37°C in media containing 4% (v/v) diesel, and is able to degrade 51.7% of diesel in 6 days. Isolate 1 was grown on various nitrogen sources such as NH4Cl, NH4SO4, NaNO3, and KNO3. The best nitrogen source is potassium nitrate (KNO3) at 0.9% (v/v). Its optimized optimum pH for growth is pH 7.5. Five different diesel-degrading enzymes were detected: alkane-oxidizing enzyme (0.2.8 μmol min-1 ml-1), alcohol dehydrogenase (9.0956 μmol min-1 ml-1), aldehyde dehydrogenase (4.234 μmol min-1 ml-1), pyridine nucleotide-independent dehydrogenase (4.229 μmol min-1 ml-1) and aldehyde reductase (8.126 μmol min-1 ml-1

Drainage Network Analysis: Implication to Tectonic Interpretation of Sarawak

Landforms in Sarawak are results of a complex tectonic evolution. The tectonics in this region has greatly influenced the drainage system. Sarawak which is made up of complex geological and structural settings due to the multiple tectonic events is an ideal study area to investigate the tectonic activities that shaped the landforms of Sarawak besides the fact that there has been lack of regional scale study conducted in the area because of the dense forest. Digital elevation model (DEM) of Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) is the primary data that is used to perform the analysis. Based on the stream order analysis, the drainage networks in Sarawak are characterized into the first until the sixth order, based on the Horton-Strahler scheme. Watershed basin analysis is performed by identifying the area drained by a stream section and its tributaries and a total of 97 watershed basins are characterized. Based on the results from watershed analysis, drainage basin area which refers to the area of a given watershed is calculated. The density of the drainage basin is also calculated to study the sum of the drainage lengths divided by basin area. The tectonic interpretation is performed by generating profiles of certain drainage networks. The irregularities and anomalies identified on the drainage longitudinal profiles give the information required to study the tectonic processes that occurred in Sarawak. The findings from the profiles are further supported by more analysis and evidences obtained from the cross section of the drainage network as well as from field observations

THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION: EVIDENCE ON ASEAN-5 COUNTRIES

The ASEAN Charter has been ratified by the ten member countries of ASEAN in 2008. This is to reaffirm the commitment of the member countries to the establishment of the ASEAN free trade area by 2015. The ASEAN members must prepare themselves with the economic and non economics aspects to be ready facing this era. Nevertheless, the global financial crisis could be a major hindrance to the implementation of the ASEAN free tradearea. In this study, we attempt to determine how the global financial crisis could possibly affect the creation of the regional economic integration among ASEAN countries.The study based on Newtonian paradigm on economic regional or namely the gravity model. Gravity model explored the economic relation of the many regions or countries.The core properties of gravity model are export, GDP, population and distance inters countries. This followed by the analysis of the possibility of the economics integrationusing the core gravity model. Next, we will incorporate the Exchange Market Pressure (EMP) as the financial crisis index to the core gravity model, to determine the influence offinancial crisis in ASEAN-5’s economic integration. We will use the panel data method to execute the model. The result indicates EMP giving negative effect on ASEAN-5’seconomic integration. In overall result reported here indicate that economic integration is possible to implement on ASEAN-5 countries. But, the global financial crisis will be threat implementation of the economic integration.Keywords: economic integration, gravity model, global financial crisis