The Influence of Individual Attributes On Inter-Ethnic Tolerance among Early Youth In Selangor

The development, survival, and continuity of Malaysia lie on the shoulders of young Malaysians. As such, youth should demonstrate a higher level of understanding and greater tolerance in order to maintain peace and harmony. In line with that, the objective of this study is to determine the influence of individual attributes on inter-ethnic tolerance among early youth in Selangor. And, it focused on the influence of cognitive readiness, personality traits and religious personality on attitude, which would in turn, influence how an individual behaved in a multi-cultural situation. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1991) was used to model the relationships among the three selected independent variables that contributed toward inter-ethnic tolerance behavior. As many as 563 secondary school students in Selangor, representing early youth, participated in this study. This study adopted the exploratory design and survey data collection method. Instruments used were the Malay translated NEO PI-R Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R), a self- designed questionnaire on the Inter-ethnic Tolerant Behavior (IETB) and Universal Religious Personality Inventory (URPI). The study found that more than half of the youth possessed high level of cognitive readiness. For Malay and Indian youth, the majority have high level of cognitive readiness, while more female youth tend to have high cognitive readiness compared to male. In terms of attitude, majority of the respondents were found to have high level of positive attitude regarding inter-ethnic relations. Gender, religion and the level of religious practice significantly contribute to youth attitude towards Inter-ethnic Tolerant Behavior (IETB). In terms of the level of IETB, the majority of the Malay and Chinese early youth displayed a moderate level; however, the majority of the Indian youth have a high level of IETB. The findings indicated that cognitive readiness, all personality traits, except for the domain of Neuroticism, and all three types of religious personality (pro-social, ritual and anti-social) significantly influenced the youth’s willingness to accept issues regarding inter-ethnic relations. Specifically, pro-social and ritual behavior influenced youth attitude positively, while the influence of anti-social behavior on attitude was negative. The study improved the proposed model which was based on Theory of Planned behavior (TBP) and confirmed the impact of cognitive readiness, personality traits and religious personality on youth attitude, and the impact of the youth attitude on their behavior on inter-ethnic issues. The study also found that cognitive readiness is the most influential factor to IETB, and that both cognitive readiness and religious personality influenced inter-ethnic tolerant behavior directly and indirectly as well through attitude. Inter-ethnic tolerant behavior (IETB) among students may be improved through enhancing cognitive readiness, pro-social behavior, attitude and openness of the individuals

The relationship between Social Media Addiction, Academic Burnout, and Academic Performance among UKM Undergraduate Students: A preliminary study

The main target of the survey was to identify whether the internal and external factors would affect the student’s academic performance. Specifically, to investigate the relationship between social media (SM) addiction, academic burnout, and academic performance among 166 UKM Undergraduate Students. Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory – Student Survey (MBI-SS) were used to evaluate the SM addiction level and academic burnout level separately. Grade Point Average (GPA) for the latest Semester was used to measure academic performance. Findings indicated that demographic factors (Gender and Year of Study) have an insignificant relationship with SM addiction and academic burnout. Pearson Correlation denoted academic burnout was significantly correlated with SM addiction and academic performance. Sobel Test showed a significant result of Academic Burnout’s mediating effect between SM addiction and academic performance, which means SM addiction level has an indirect and significant relationship with academic performance. Obviously, SM Addiction aggravates the level of academic burnout among UKM students leading them not to have a good mindset to do academic activities, which performed a drop from an academic perspective. We also perceived the mediating effect of academic burnout may enlighten scholars in the future that to focus on other entertainment like extracurricular activities to alleviate the severity of academic burnout or academic performance downturn. It is suggested universities, tertiary institutes encourage undergraduate students to use social media properly to prevent the malignant circle between SM addiction, academic burnout, and academic performance downturn

LANGUAGE CAMP IN MALAYSIA: ASNAF STUDENTS’ NEEDS AND PERCEPTION

Purpose of the study: This study aims to identify Asnaf students’ needs in language learning and their perception of the implementation of the language camp module that had been developed by researchers using the ADDIE model Methodology: In-depth analysis of focus group interviews with Asnaf students was conducted, and the data obtained were analysed thematically according to several categories Main Findings and Novelty: The findings of this study revealed that students believed that their anxiety was lowered when they were given the opportunity to cooperate with their friends in a fully immersive and fun English language learning context Applications of this study: The modules and the findings of this study could be used by any English language educators to conduct English language camps especially to Asnaf children who stay in charity homes

How do mothers nurture love via parenting?

Love and compassion are two of the most persuasive emotional attachments in the family. Mothers’ true love empowers children’s survival in the world and hereafter. Thus, this research aims to understand on how the Malaysian award winners for exemplary mothers category (Ibu Mithālī) show their love and mercy to their children in order to develop parent-child attachment. To answer the research question, research was done using Grounded Theory approach. As a result, three main themes have emerged: physical touch, emotional touch and spiritual touch. Love and mercy from mothers are pertinent in child development. Therefore, mothers should nurture their children with love and compassion to balance firm discipline and strict rules in the family

Relationship of exposure to public affairs news with cognitive, attitudinal and behavioural dimensions of ethnic tolerance among Malaysian youths

This study examined the relationship and contribution of exposure to public affairs news vis-à-vis the cognitive, and attitudinal components and the behavioural component of ethnic tolerance among Malaysian youths aged between 15 to 25 years. The survey data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. A total of 2,906 youths voluntarily participated in a survey. The results of regression analyses showed that when exposed to public affairs news, the cognitive and attitudinal components of ethnic tolerance were significant predictors and accounted for 16.5% of the variance in the behavioural component of ethnic tolerance. The cognitive component of ethnic tolerance was a better predictor, followed by the attitudinal component and exposure to public affairs news

News media socialisation and ethnic tolerance among Malaysian youth

Youth which make up a substantial portion of the Malaysian multiethnic population are increasing confronted with contentious interethnic relations issues. Hence, it is very pertinent to ask their level of ethnic tolerance. Strengthening ethnic tolerance among the youth involves educating them with the cultural differences and issues of interethnic relations through the mainstream news media. The fact that the youth are heavy consumer of media and the news media are important sources of information, it is also imperative to know the level of exposure and attention to news of public affairs among the youth. Drawing on the media effect assumption, it is predicted that exposure and attention to public affairs news in the mainstream news media would sensitize the youth to the complexity and challenges of living in a multiethnic, multicultural society and accordingly enhance their level of ethnic tolerance. But the relationship of exposure to public affair news in the local news media and ethnic tolerance has not been adequately studied

Pembentukan model toleransi beragama belia pelbagai etnik di Malaysia

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji pembentukan model toleransi beragama belia pelbagai etnik di Malaysia. Beberapa konstruk dalam membentuk model toleransi beragama dikenalpasti melalui teori dan kajian-kajian lepas. Seramai 500 orang belia dari etnik Melayu, Cina dan India dari negeri Selangor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Perak dan Johor dipilih sebagai responden kajian. Data dikumpul melalui edaran soal selidik dengan menggunakan soal selidik Toleransi Sosio-Agama dan pembentukan model berasaskan kepada teori tingkahlaku terancang. Kesahan dan kebolehpercayaan data ditentukan oleh ujian rintis dan nilai Cronbach Alpha bagi setiap item dan konstruk. Data dianalisis secara deskriptif dan statistik inferensi, iaitu Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) digunakan dalam membentuk model toleransi beragama yang sepadan. Data kajian turut menjalani proses Confirmation Factor Analysis (CFA) untuk memastikan data yang digunakan mempunyai kebolehpercayaan yang memenuhi syarat dan boleh digunakan untuk pengukuran dan penstrukturan model. Hasil dapatan menunjukkan bahawa model toleransi beragama mencapai tahap kesepadanan apabila beberapa konstruk dan item dibuang dan konstruk yang sepadan adalah sikap dan persepsi menyumbang kepada tingkahlaku toleransi beragama. Namun, kedua-dua faktor ini hanya menyumbang sebanyak 41% sahaja dalam tingkahlaku responden terhadap toleransi beragama. Ini bermakna, selain daripada sikap dan persepsi, beberapa faktor lain perlu dikaji dalam memberi pengaruh kepada tingkahlaku toleransi beragama. Implikasi daripada kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa golongan belia perlu sentiasa didedahkan dengan pergaulan dan interaksi dengan kaum yang berbeza agar tingkahlaku toleransi antara penganut yang berbeza dapat dikekalkan. Sikap-sikap negatif seperti prasangka buruk, sterotaip negatif, prejudis, rasisme, diskriminasi dan etnosentrisma perlu dijauhi dan dielakkan agar keharmonian dalam perbezaan dapat dikekalkan

Adapting KOLB’S Experiential Learning Cycle in enhancing attitude and skills among undergraduates through volunteerism

Previous studies show that most undergraduates do not participate in volunteering work and hence reduces the opportunity to gain essential skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. The challenge to develop future-ready graduates is to equip them with the right set of skills and inculcate the right set of attitude. In doing so, experiential learning in a community based-setting would create a distinctive learning environment to achieve the latter. The objective of this research is to identify whether attitude and skills can be enhanced through volunteerism and service. In Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), LMCR1102 Volunteerism and Service Course is offered as an elective subject to all undergraduates. In this course student participates in experiential learning, execute community projects and explore the theories related. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle was adapted as the framework in the development of the curriculum content and approach. This research employs a questionnaire survey which comprises of three sections, and 129 undergraduate participated by purposive sampling. Reflective writings at the end of the course were also analysed, and the results were triangulated with the survey results. From the analysis, there are seven attitudes which students gained during the volunteering work completed in the course which are nobility, responsibility, concern, sincerity, empathy, encouraging others, and sustainability. Among the skills that they acquired are communications skills, collaboration skills and managing diversity. In summary, essential attitude and skills that are pivotal for undergraduates can be gained through volunteering work. This study also highlights that students will continue to participate in volunteer work and community development after graduating

Konsep cinta Muslim, personaliti dan akhlak percintaan dalam kalangan belia Muslim

Berpunca daripada penyelewengan dan ketidakfahaman terhadap erti percintaan sebenar, masalah pembuangan bayi dan gejala sosial kian bertambah. Oleh itu, kajian ini dilakukan bertujuan untuk meninjau hubungan personaliti dan akhlak percintaan di dalam kalangan belia Muslim. Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk mengenal pasti hubungan di antara Konsep Cinta Muslim, Personaliti dan Akhlak Percintaan dalam kalangan belia Muslim. Reka bentuk kajian ini adalah kajian tinjauan yang menggunakan kaedah soal selidik yang telah diuji rintis dan digunapakai semula. Kajian utama menggunakan persampelan secara rawak mudah yang melibatkan 497 orang pelajar di SMK, SMKA dan Tahfiz yang berumur 16 hingga 20 tahun di negeri Selangor. Berdasarkan ujian ANOVA yang telah dijalankan menunjukkan bahawa terdapat perbezaan skor min yang signifikan (P=-0.122; P=-0.188, p<0.05) dalam kefahaman konsep cinta dalam Islam serta terdapat perbezaan skor min yang signifikan pada trait personaliti dengan (P=0.001, p<0.05) domain Opennes, (P=0.002, p<0.05) domain Agreeableness, dan (P=0.031, p<0.05) domain Conscientiousness. Terdapat juga perbezaan skor min yang signifikan (P=0.000, p<0.05) akhlak percintaan berdasarkan kategori sekolah yang berbeza. Analisis korelasi menunjukkan wujud hubungan tinggi, sederhana dan lemah di antara dimensi-dimensi konsep cinta dalam Islam dengan domain personaliti, Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness dan Conscientiousness (-0.08--0.19), (0.12-0.21), (0.14-0.29), (0.8-0.16) dan (0.31-0.49), serta wujud hubungan signifikan yang tinggi, sederhana dan lemah di antara dimensi-dimensi konsep cinta dalam Islam terhadap sikap akhlak percintaan dan praktis akhlak percintaan dengan julat (0.17-0.32) dan (-0.07-0.28). Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa domain Conscientiousness dalam personaliti seseorang itu penting di dalam pembentukan akhlak percintaan yang sebenar. Ini kerana akhlak percintaan yang sempurna perlu kepada sifat pengawalan nafsu sebagai benteng daripada perkara-perkara maksiat