Determinants of directors’ remuneration packages among public listed companies: Malaysian evidence

Studies conducted on the basis of agency theory and the recent developments of the managerial power theory have triggered many issues especially centered on the corporate governance mechanisms. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the effect of key variables - corporate governance structures, corporate performance, pay performance alignment policy and the use of remuneration consultants on directors' remuneration packages. The components of directors' remuneration packages tested are salary, fees, bonus, benefit-in-kind and other emoluments. The study also tests total directors' remuneration to investigate any significant different in the regression results. The study controls the effect of firm size and sector. Fourty one Malaysian public listed companies are selected based on the result from the survey conducted by the Minority Shareholder Watchdog Group (MSWG) and published in the Malaysian Corporate Governance Report. Based on the multiple regression analysis, it is found that corporate governance structures - board size, board and remuneration committee independence and board diversity (gender and nationality) are significantly affect individual component of directors' remuneration packages. However, the impact of board diversity (nationality) on total directors' remuneration is insignificant. Corporate performance does affect the determination of total directors' remuneration for the component of other emoluments. The study also shows that companies that disclose pay performance alignment policy in the annual report do reward their directors according to what they declare with concentration on salary, fees and benefit-in-kind components without significantly affect the total directors' remuneration. The use of remuneration consultants does influence the design of directors' remuneration packages. Finally, the results show that agency theory and managerial power theory is relevant in partially explaining the components of directors' remuneration packages in Malaysi

The difficulties in learning music theory among music students in UiTM / Aeryna Fareez Khasri

This study discusses the difficulties in learning music theory among music students in UiTM. The objectives of this study are to identify the topic of music theory that students are weak in, to find out factors that music students are weak in learning music theory and to identify which method that could enhance their understanding of music theory. The method of instruments used for this study is interview which is in qualitative method. There are 6 students (2 males, 4 females) was selected to involved in these interviews. All the students was from Bachelor Degree in Music Education UiTM Shah Alam from semester 2,3 and 4. The interview consist of 3 section which was the first section require the respondent to answer the simple test of Music theory question. The purpose of the test was to observe student's current knowledge of simple music theory questions. The result shows that none of the respondent are able to answer all question correctly. The data gathered from the interviewed able to prove that students are indeed are having difficulties in learning music theory inside and outside class sessions

A COMPARISON STUDY OF DIFFERENT EMPIRICAL MODELLING METHODS IN PREDICTING CO2 SOLUBILITY IN DIETHANOLAMINE, N-METHYLDIETHANOLAMINE AND THEIR MIXTURES

Acid gas removal from natural gas, synthesis gas and refinery gas stream is very important in plant industry to prevent corrosion in the subsequent piping and as per requirement by various organizations and companies. Because of the corrosiveness of H2S and CO2 the sales gas is required to be sweetened to contain no more than a quarter grain H2S per 100 standard cubic feet ( 4 parts per million) and to have a heating value of no less than 920 to 980 Btu/SCF, depending on the contract. The most widely used process to remove acid gas from natural gas is by using alkanlomines, and of the alkanolamines the most common are nmethyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and diethanolamine (DEA). In this study, data from Khalid Osman et al (2012), A. Benamor et al (2005) and Zhang et al (2002) will be used to simulate the solubility of CO2 in DEA and MDEA mixtures using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and the performance will be compared to show which model is better for CO2 absorption. Furthermore, data from Jou et al (1982) and Lee et al (1972) will be used to study the solubility of CO2 in pure DEA and MDEA aqueous solution and simulation of the models will be compared between the models and the reference research works mentioned earlier. MLR has proved it cannot be used to predict CO2 for pure DEA, MDEA and their mixtures. The results clearly shown that the model is pressure dependent as it has large coefficient compared to other parameters which is very small and becomes dominant in the equation thus neglecting them in predicting the CO2 loading data. ANN proved the model can be used to predict CO2 solubility in the alkanolamines and their mixtures. Developed model for DEA and MDEA mixture has an absolute relative deviation δAAD 10.47 % while for data from Khalid Osman et al (2012), A. Benamor et al (2005) and Zhang et al (2002) are 17.06%, 12.09% and 9.82% respectively. In pure alkanolamines prediction, ANN model of CO2 solubility predicted in pure DEA has δAAD 4.02% while from the experimental data of A. Benamor et al (2005) has absolute relative deviation of 4.72%. As for prediction of CO2 in pure MDEA, the model resulted δAAD of 9.77% compared to the reference paper from A. Benamor et al (2005) with 10.76%

STUDY THE EFFECT OF SILICA NANOPARTICLE ON RHEOLOGY IN OIL BASED MUD

Limitations of conventional drilling fluid with macro and micro size are not suitable for extreme environment in drilling or completion operation. Macro and micro type fluid additive is impossible to fulfil challenging drilling and production operation requirement due to their inadequate physical, mechanical, chemical, thermal and environment characteristic. Introduction of nanotechnology in oil and gas industry produce a promising nanoparticle which are able to satisfy the requirements; physically small, chemically and thermally stable to design a smart fluid. This project will determine the effect of silica nanoparticle on rheology in oil based to analysis the changes the rheology properties of drilling fluid with and without silica nanoparticle after and before aging process. The ability of silica nanoparticle as an additive in drilling fluid will be evaluate through a few experiments; rheology and high pressure high temperature (HPHT) fluid loss test. Analysis of experiments results will determine the suitability of silica nanoparticle to be used in oil based mud. As a final result, combination of silica nanoparticle in oil based mud enhances the rheology of oil based mud compare to the oil based mud without silica nanoparticle

The Effect of Straight and Hooked-end Steel Fibers on the Ductility and Performance of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC)

Self-Compacting Concrete is a new technology involving concrete. It behaves similarly as the normal concrete meaning that it has strong compression strength but low in tension and flexural strength. Thus, SCC is a brittle material. In order to transform the SCC into a ductile material, the usage of short steel fibers are used. The effect of steel fibers on the ductility and performance of SCC is the main objective of this research. A straight steel fiber with dimension of 0.25mm in diameter and 25mm in length as well as a hooked-end steel fiber with dimension of 0.35mm in diameter and 30mm in length are used in this research. The result between the two types of the steel fiber will be compared. The volume fraction of the steel fiber to be inserted inside the SCC is 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%. Several cubes, beam and cylinder with similar mix proportion but different fraction of fibers were prepared. The sample were then tested with compression test after 3, 14 and 28 days of curing period while flexural and splitting tensile test were conducted after 28 days of curing period. The results between the two fibers were compared with each other as well as with the sample without any fiber. The addition of fibers inside SCC improved its ductility and performance. Both flexural and splitting tensile strength increase up to 82% depending on the percentage of the fibers inserted. The sample with hooked-end steel fibers showed a better result than the straight fiber in the flexural and splitting tensile tes

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF MAGNETIC RECEIVER FOR SCALE SEA MODEL OF SEA BED LOGGING FACILITIES

Seabed logging, SBL is an application of marine control source electromagnetic, CSEM sounding which can deliver a near perfect direct hydrocarbon indication. Thus, UTP has developed the simplified sea model measurement facility and current source for sea bed logging from their 2008 Final Year Project program; it was found that the receiver was not sensitive enough to pick up magnetic field signal. Therefore, improvement has to be carried out at the receiver to improve data acquisition of the magnetic fields for the scale sea model. By doing so, more reliable magnetic fields signal can be pickup which later will improve overall system in magnetic field measurement specific. This project was carry out with objectives to improved magnetic field receiver sensitivity, to integrate newly develop magnetic receiver to the scale sea model, to map magnetic field in the scale sea model and to analyze received signal from the mapping process. From the calibration process it is observed that the resistivity of magnetic receiver have capability to detect as low as 0.01 micro-Tesla as improvement from mili-Tesla range from previous setup and also magnetic field mapping process has shown promising result in finding buried object

Effect of oral supplementation of palm oil tocotrienol-rich fraction on oocytes and reproductive organ of female rats / Mohd Fareez Faisal Saad@Asri

Infertility is a biological inability of an individual to conceive and many cases are related to female infertility. Palm oil tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) was demonstrated to have a potential antioxidant to provide protection against adverse effect of oxidative stress related to female reproductive system. This was performed to investigate the effect of oral supplementation of palm oil TRF on oocyte and reproductive organ of female rat model. 30 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg and 90 mg/kg of palm oil TRF were prepared from Gold Tri.E™. Thirty (30) adult female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=6). Control negative group was administered with distilled water (ad libitum, Gl), control positive group was administered orally with com oil (0.1 ml, G2) and treatment groups were administered orally with com oil and palm oil TRF at doses of 30 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg and 90 mg/kg (G3-G5). After seven consecutive days of treatment, blood collection was performed by using a guillotine with a sharp blade to cut neck close to the head for biochemical analysis. Oviducts were collected for oocyte analysis. Results of oocyte count and grading of cumulusoocyte- complexes (COCs) showed no significant different between treatment groups and control groups. Oocyte count was increased in rats treated with 60 mg/kg of palm oil TRF compared to other groups. Grading of COCs also showed increment of normal COCs in rat treated with 60 mg/kg of palm oil TRF. Assessment of hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity evaluated that hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity effects of high dose group (G5). Histopathological finding has revealed significantly increase of ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) height in high dose group (G5). This study suggested that lower and higher doses of oral supplementation of palm oil TRF may increase quality of oocyte and also may cause adverse effects on liver and kidney, respectively. Further studies should be carried out to explore precisely on the effect of different doses of oral supplementation of palm oil TRF especially in female reproductive system

Enhancing and creating a community Park Cova Lake of Kota Damansara toward improving natural habitats, landscape ecological and environment as quality of life for healthier ecosystem

Cova Lake is a wetland habitats is in Malaysia are relatively scarce and few attract the number or variety of waterbirds that have been recorded at Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya. Cova Lake Kota Damansara are located a line between Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam, Selangor. This Cova Lake the potential of community park and urban wetland at Kota Damansara. This study also shows that Cova Lake has the strength of the uniqueness of the wetland through their waterbird habitat and open space. The urban wetland become a product of waterbird environment. Preservation from local communities with this wetland environment will benefit the local economy. The main idea in ecological is to enhancing the Cova Lake of Kota Damansara town, to promote the community park and to reach waterbird habitat benefits

Integration of cellular network and wireless LAN

This study discusses the significant problems accommodated in the integration of cellular networks and WLANs to the service providers, end-users, etc. This study aims about the current complications, current challenges, substantial significance, future implementations, and the future challenges related to the integration of cellular networks and WLANs. We are performing the research to specifically identify the issues of the integration and how to eliminate these problems to produce a network that delivers higher productivity to users in terms of bandwidth, coverage area, etc. The integration of networks is now in high demand as a diverse range of mobile devices, applications requires the network to be integrated in order to utilize the service anywhere, anytime, and at a reasonable cost. The crucial component in integration is the handoff process that takes place when the user moves from one network to another without experiencing any interruption. Some issues must be considered in all the layers of the protocol stack in order to contribute a breath-taking performance to the end-users who are central to the networks. This study is carried out by referring to past written articles, documents, records, by other researches. This study identifies the problems and issues related to the protocol stack, provides the readers with the importance of integration, and the discussion about this integration of the network

Parking Spaces in Taylor’s University: Problems and solutions

Parking is an essential component of the transportation system. Insufficient parking spaces provided brings many problems to the campus society as well as to the environment such as congestion, high accident rate; shortage of parking spaces, low air quality and high maintenance cost to maintain the transportation infrastructure and facilities. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the satisfaction of the parking facilities provided by Taylor's University hence proposing a solution to the issue. The outcome of this research is to benefit the student and staff that are driving and park their vehicles at Taylors University parking facilities.Keywords: parking; sustainability; facilities managementeISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.203