The Effects of Price-support Programme on Farm Tenancy Patterns and Farm Profitability: Some Evidence from Malaysia

Translog normalised restricted profit function model is specified and estimated for the four rice granary areas, each administered by a local government body, namely, the MIP, the KIP, the NWSP, and the KEIP, in which the price-support programme has some noticeable effects on farm tenancy and farms profitability. So far, there have been no empirical studies that have used this methodological framework to analyse such economic phenomenon in Malaysia. This, in fact, is the main contribution of the present paper. From the estimated function, the shadow values of land and labour are computed, which in turn are used to elucidate the behaviour of rice farmers in Malaysia. Together, the estimated and computed results, to a large extent, are successful in explaining the observed changes in farm tenancy patterns and the way the farmers (comprised of owneroperator, owner-tenant, and tenant-farmer) are “economically” responding to the sum of profits generated from rice farming and, subsequently, from the programme. Further, given the price-support programme, the results also point to the fact that rice farming in Malaysia is as lucrative a job as any other sub-sector outside this, in particular unskilled urban workers and electronics workers, and thus this programme could be pursued further.

The Effects of Price-support Programme on Farm Tenancy Patterns and Farm Profitability: Some Evidence from Malaysia

Translog normalised restricted profit function model is specified and estimated for the four rice granary areas, each administered by a local government body, namely, the MIP, the KIP, the NWSP, and the KEIP, in which the price-support programme has some noticeable effects on farm tenancy and farms profitability. So far, there have been no empirical studies that have used this methodological framework to analyse such economic phenomenon in Malaysia. This, in fact, is the main contribution of the present paper. From the estimated function, the shadow values of land and labour are computed, which in turn are used to elucidate the behaviour of rice farmers in Malaysia. Together, the estimated and computed results, to a large extent, are successful in explaining the observed changes in farm tenancy patterns and the way the farmers (comprised of owneroperator, owner-tenant, and tenant-farmer) are “economically” responding to the sum of profits generated from rice farming and, subsequently, from the programme. Further, given the price-support programme, the results also point to the fact that rice farming in Malaysia is as lucrative a job as any other sub-sector outside this, in particular unskilled urban workers and electronics workers, and thus this programme could be pursued further

Integrated arrangement of advanced power electronics through hybrid smart grid system

As an enabler component for renewable energy integration, power electronics (PE) technology in smart grid system is one of the most important issues of development the electrification, decentralization and information-technology/operation-technology (IT/OT) digitization within the electrical energy transmission and distribution systems. The arrangement of PE may different along the feeder either for grid-connected photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine, fuel cells, wave energy system and battery storage unit, respectively.This is due to the electric voltage that might need to be converted from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) and vice versa. For that reason, this paper proposed a concept of advanced PE as an integrated arrangement of several AC/DC/AC-and DC/AC- converters in such ways that support thepreviously mentioned grid-connected hybrid renewable energy sources and distributed generators (DGs) along the distribution feeder. Additionally, for the system that supported by battery storage unit, then this hybrid smart grid concept might become the answer for future utility needs

Design and Implementation of Substitution Power Supply at Base Transceiver Station (BTS) Using Hybrid Distributed Generator Wind Turbine and Solar Cell Powers

The availability of electric energy source in nature such as wind and solar power have not been explored and used significantly as electric power sources for human need of energy. Base transceiver station (BTS) sets a condition as uninterrupted power supply (UPS), which is currently supplied by the grid (PLN). However, that supplies is guaranteed inconsistent for consumer. Therefore, due to fulfil the need of BTS, the energy can be supplied by a substitution of distributed generator (DG) such as wind turbine and solar cell. This research conducts by designing a hybrid of wind turbine and solar cell energy modules. These modules are able to generate 50 Ampere-hour of electric energy. The result of this research shows that it needs 10.41 and 8 hours to fully charge 50-Ah battery for wind turbine and solar cell modules, respectively. Apparently, it is indicate that the designing of wind turbine and solar cell modules could result 100-Ah energy for 10 hours

The Effectiveness of Micro-Finance Institutions in Alleviating Poverty: The Case of Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank and BRAC

Microcredit is the most effective and successful way to let the poor having access to credit. Research to study its impact on alleviating poverty among the poor is numerous. However, unlike others, our study examines the effectiveness of Grameen Bank and BRAC, the two major micro-financers in alleviating poverty among the most disadvantaged people in Bangladesh. Hitherto, a study of this nature in which two Bangladesh’s micro-financers operating in four districts are surveyed and appraised side by side is hardly at one’s disposal. As such, this study can be considered as pioneering in its attempt. Our study has revealed the followings: (i) the poor are the direct beneficiary of the existing micro-finance institutions in Bangladesh. Nevertheless, some of them, especially those who have accounts in both banks, are having problem to repay the loans. Therefore, a mechanism has to be devised to limit each person to enjoy one loan at a time. In addition, a high percentage of the poor in Bangladesh is looking forward to making loans from interest-free banks; and, (ii) the services rendered by both micro-financers to the poor are still no better than the conventional banks. In fact, more than 50.0 per cent of the respondents have shown their dissatisfaction with the services extended to them. To address this problem, it is highly recommended for both micro financers to improve their services by way of making it mandatory for their staff to undergo relevant training programs

KOMPETENSI CALON PERAWAT LULUSAN AKPER DI JAWA BARAT1

Penelitian ini bertujuan mempelajari unsur-unsur yang membentuk kompetensi calon perawat profesional pemula, hubungannya dengan orientasi vokasional, orientasi akademik dan motivasi kebutuhan dasar, pada mahasiswa Akademi Perawatan (Akper) tingkat akhir yang dikelola Departemen Kesehatan (Depkes), Pemerintah Kabupaten (Pemkab) dan Yayasan Swasta di Jawa Barat. Pendekatan dan metode penelitian causal comparative dengan analisis statistik model MCA digunakan komputer pada program SPSS. Landasan teoretik yang digunakan berkaitan dengan ilmu administrasi, yaitu: kompetensi, perilaku organisasi, motivasi, kepemimpinan, dan komitmen terhadap pelaksanaan praktik asuhan, diterapkan dalam pendidikan diploma tiga keperawatan. Fokus penelitian ini adalah, kompetensi yang dimiliki calon perawat ditinjau dari prestasi hasil belajar, komitmen terhadap pelaksanaan asuhan, kepemimpinan, dikaitkan dengan orientasi vokasional, orientasi akademik dan motivasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa hubungan antara orientasi vokasional, orientasi akademik, dan motivasi dengan prestasi hasil belajar, serta kepemimpinan adalah lemah dan kurang signifikan (p>0,05). Hubungan antara motivasi dengan komitmen terhadap pelaksanaan praktik asuhan adalah besar dan signifikan (p0,05). Pola hubungan antar variabel orientasi akademik, orientasi vokasional dan motivasi terhadap kompetensi pada mahasiswa Akper Depkes berlaku pula bagi mahasiswa pada Akper Pemkab dan Yayasan Swasta. Pada mahasiswa Akper Pemkab, pengaruh orientasi akademik, orientasi vokasional dan motivasi terhadap komitmen mereka pada nilai-nilai moral dalam praktik adalah signifkan (p0.05) pada Akper Depkes. Angka rata-rata prestasi hasil belajar kumulatif, komitmen terhadap praktik asuhan dan kepemimpinan pada mahasiswa Akper Depkes lebih tinggi dibanding dengan mahasiswa Akper Swasta dan Pemkab. Angka rata-rata ketiga dimensi kompetensi pada mahasiswa Akper Swasta lebih tinggi dibanding dengan angka rata-rata pada Akper Pemerintahan Kabupaten. Manajemen pendidikan diploma tiga yang dikelola Depkes bisa dijadikan model rujukan bagi manajemen pendidikan diploma tiga yang dikelola Swasta dan Pemerintahan Kabupaten. Kata Kunci : Kompetensi, perilaku organisasi, kepemimpinan dan praktik asuhan, Keparawata

REVISITING THE CONCEPT OF LEGAL GUARANTEE IN ISLAMIC LAW FOR STRUCTURING ISLAMIC FINANCIAL PRODUCTS

Purpose of Study: In the modern Islamic financial products and services, legal guarantee is becoming increasing important in the structuring of products, particularly those used in the investments. As a result of the increasing importance of the concept of guarantee, this paper specifically revisits the conceptual analyses of legal guarantee in Islamic law with a view to providing the basis for the use of this concept in structuring relevant Shari‘ah-compliant products. Methodology: The study adopts a comparative legal analysis of the views of classical Muslim jurists. The researchers examine the principles relating to guarantee, such as the meaning of guarantee, its authority, its pillars and conditions. Other principles include modes of guarantee and its objective.  The paper also examines the principles and terms of guarantee necessitates an assessment of the effect of the guarantee contract on the contracting parties, particularly whether the guarantor has the right of recourse to the guaranteed person for a refund. The researchers adopt qualitative research methodology to analyse and examine the data. Results: It was found that although guarantee is permissible in Islamic law, it is not absolute. In fact, to make it more Islamically acceptable or Shari’ah compliant there are other terms and conditions that the contract has to fulfil especially by the guarantor, guaranteed person as well as guaranteed asset. Results: Legal Guarantee is permissible in Islamic law to prevent harm that may happen to the traders and investors, and protect the public interest.  Classical and contemporary Muslim scholars’ views are that guarantee is not limited to guarantee for debt, but extended to the guarantee for other commercial transactions like guarantee of future liability and physical punishment.  Guarantee has its own pillars and conditions, which should be met in order for a guarantee contract to be a valid one. The researchers suggest to conduct empirical research in order to have a clear picture on the concept of legal guarantee for structuring Islamic financial products

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN KOMITMEN KANDIDAT PERAWAT PROFESIONAL PEMULA TERHADAP NILAI-NILAI MORAL DALAM PRAKTIK

Penelitian ini bertujuan mempelajari hubungan antara motivasi, prestasi hasil belajar, ciri-ciri kepemimpinan dengan komitmen terhadap nilai-nilai moral dalam praktik pada kandidat perawat profesional pemula dan aspek-aspek sosiodemografi yang melatar belakanginya. Pendekatan penelitian yang digunakan ialah kuantitatif dan metode causal comparative, analisis statistik multiple classification analysis dengan bantuan komputer pada program SPSS. Kompetensi calon perawat yang diukur dari prestasi hasil belajar, komitmen mahasiswa terhadap nilai-nilai moral dalam praktik, dan ciri-ciri kepemimpinan efektif, dikaitkan dengan motivasi vokasional, motivasi akademik dan motivasi kebutuhan dasar, serta pengaruh aspek-aspek sosiodemografi, khususnya: jenis kelamin, besarnya jumlah anggota keluarga dan asal daerah tempat tinggal. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa hubungan antara motivasi vokasional, motivasi akademik, dan motivasi kebutuhan dasar dengan prestasi hasil belajar, serta ciriciri kepemimpinan efektif calon perawat adalah lemah dan kurang signifikan (p>0.05). Hubungan antara motivasi vokasional, motivasi akademik dan motivasi kebutuhan dasar dengan komitmen mereka terhadap nilai-nilai moral dalam praktik adalah besar dan signifikan (p0.05). Prestasi hasil belajar dan komitmen dipengaruhi oleh perbedaan asal daerah tempat tinggal antara desa dengan kota. Ciri-ciri kepemimpinan dipengaruhi oleh interaksi jenis kelamin, besarnya jumlah anggota keluarga dan asal daerah tempat tinggal. Kata Kunci : motivasi, komitmen, prestasi hasil belajar, kepemiminan, sosiodemograf