IMPLEMENTING CRITICAL READING TASKS TO IMPROVE READING COMPREHENSION OF THE 11th GRADE STUDENTS OF SMA N 3 BANTUL

IMPLEMENTING CRITICAL READING TASKS TO IMPROVE READING COMPREHENSION OF THE 11th GRADE STUDENTS OF SMA N 3 BANTUL A THESIS By: Rafidah Othman Munawaroh 06202241064 Abstract The objective of this action research is to improve the students’ reading comprehension by implementing critical reading tasks. This study was conducted in Class XI IPA 1 of SMA Negeri 3 Bantul which started on 26th February 2011 and ended on 2nd April 2011. The research members of this study were I myself, the second grade English teacher and the students of Class XI IPA 1. The study was conducted into two cycles each of which consisted of three meetings and comprised four steps: reconnaissance, planning, action and observation, and reflection. During the study, the researcher collected the data through observation, interview and questionnaire. The data were analyzed qualitatively to describe the results and then triangulated through the interview transcripts and questionnaire in order to determine the validation. In reference to the data analysis, the students’ reading comprehension improved through implementing critical reading tasks, despite the fact that there were some actions which considered successful and failed. Making prediction and brainstorming, marking, annotating, summarizing and retelling were confirmed in supporting the students’ reading understanding. While reading without dictionary needed much effort for the students. However, some changes occurred as a result of the implementation of the actions in term of the research members’ ways of thinking and behavior

Penyeludupan senjata api di sempadan Malaysia-Thailand dan ancamannya ke atas keselamatan insan

Rantau Asia Tenggara berhadapan pelbagai konflik bersenjata dan peperangan. Keadaan bertambah buruk dengan lambakan senjata api pasca Perang Dingin. Malaysia tersepit di antara jiran yang berkonflik dengan kedudukannya di laluan perairan perdagangan utama dunia tidak terkecuali daripada menerima tempias aktiviti jenayah rentas sempadan penyeludupan senjata api kecil dan ringan (SKR). Pelaksanaan undang-undang senjata api yang ketat di Malaysia seakan tidak berbisa dengan kemasukan haram SKR secara berterusan melalui sempadan darat dan perairan negara. Objektif artikel ini adalah untuk membincangkan konsep keselamatan insan, faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi aktiviti penyeludupan SKR ke Malaysia serta ancamannya ke atas keselamatan insan. Kajian dijalankan secara kualitatif di mana data primer diperolehi melalui kaedah temubual bersama agensi penguatkuasaan dan keselamatan Malaysia dan Thailand, pesalah senjata api, pemberi maklumat dan organisasi bukan kerajaan, kerja lapangan di dalam negara dan sempadan Malaysia-Thailand, kaedah kepustakaan dan analisis dokumen. Kajian ini mendapati bahawa faktor dalaman dan faktor luar telah mempengaruhi peningkatan penyeludupan SKR dan jenayah berkaitannya yang mampu menggugat keselamatan insan di Malaysia

Pyramid of Maslahah for Social and Economic Welfare:The Case of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad

Islamic financial system is no longer a new phenomenon. The existence of Islamic banking over the past fifty years has proven that Islamic financial system has a stand and desirable by society. Maqasid shari’ah or the higher objective of shari’ah is viewed by the contemporary Muslim bankers and academicians as an alternative tool to emphasize on issues relating to social and economic ends of financial transactions. Instead of over emphasizing on profit maximization in conventional banking, the Maqasid shari’ah mechanism contributes to the reorientation of Islamic finance and banking. This is seen in the social welfare institution process of innovation as promoted by Islamic moral economy. Islamic economy suggested the establishment of Islamic social banking in order to fulfil the social and economic needs of the Muslim. Thus, Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) focus is mainly on the social and economic welfare, benefits, and needs. Moral values is the major mutual concern of the system, neither profit maximization nor competitiveness as practiced by existing finance and banking system. This paper shed light on the prospects of pyramid of maslahah in social and economic welfare area of IFIs such as the practice of charity, waqf, zakat and Takaful. Bank Islam being the pioneer Islamic bank in Malaysia is chosen in assessing their role on promoting social and economic welfare as outlined by maqasid shari’ah. Keywords: Islamic financial system, social and economic welfare, maqasid shari’ah, social bankin

Reproductive Pattern of Sea Cucumber, Holothuria scabra at Two Different Sites in Sabah, Malaysia

Holothuria scabra is one of valuable sea cucumber in Sabah as it can give a high quality of beche-de-mer that can be source of income for the fisherman. High demand of this species has led to overexploitation and overfishing, thus production in hatchery is crucial to overcome this problem since this species able to be reared in captivity. The presence study was conducted for 14 months started from July 2015 until August 2016 at two places Kudat (N06°49’24.4”, E116°51’42.0”) and Kunak (N04°39’52.05”, E118°15’49.01”) Sabah, Malaysia. Gonad index (GI) and microscopic examinations were used to evaluate monthly variations of gonad maturation. Annual reproductive pattern was observed at Kudat where the highest peak of GI was in July 2015 (1.678 ± 1.079%) and the lowest in July 2016 (0.00 ± 0.00%) whereas in Kunak continuous pattern recorded with the highest peak in September 2015 (3.491 ± 1.699%) and the lowest GI in Feb 2016 (0.184 ± 0.097%). Size at first sexual maturity in Kudat and Kunak were approximately 99 g and 101 g, respectively and in length approximately 174 mm for both places. Keywords: Holothuria scabra, reproductive pattern, gonad index, Kudat, Kuna

Herd immunity in buffaloes after intranasal live gdhA derivative P. multocida B:2 vaccine

The results of a live attenuated gdhA derivative P. multocida B:2 vaccine on immunity in buffalo herds is described. Three groups of 30 to 50 buffaloes selected from a haemorrhagic septicaemia-endemic and non-endemic area were used. Thirty percent of animals in each group were given intranasal 5 ml inoculum 106 cfu/mL live attenuated gdhA derivative P. multocida B:2. After exposure, vaccinated buffaloes were mingled with non-vaccinated animals of the same group. A booster dose was given 10 months after the first exposure. Serum samples were randomly collected from 30% of each group before vaccination and at 2-month intervals for 22 months to determine herd immune status by ELISA. Endemic or non-endemic herd status was compared with 15 non-vaccinated controls. Results revealed high herd antibody levels in endemic and non-endemic areas before vaccination. After vaccination, herd antibody levels in both areas gradually increased to peak values by the 6th month and then started to gradually decline until month 10. Following booster dose at 10th month, antibodies declined to levels similar to those in unvaccinated animal at 12 to 14 months. Antibody levels then recovered at 22-months (end of study). It was concluded that field vaccination using gdhA derivative P. multocida B:2 increased herd immunity for 8 to 10 months before a booster dose was required

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNMENT-SUPPORT PROGRAMMES TOWARD BUSINESS GROWTH

Recognizing the important role played by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the nation’s economic activities, the Government has introduced several assistance programmes and incentives called government-support programmes (GSPs) which consists of financial and credit assistance, marketing and market research, technical and training assistance, extension and advisory services, and infrastructure supports. The GSPs aimed at preparing sustainable growth for SMEs. However, the contribution of GSPs toward business growth in SMEs firms is still questionable. GSPs are seen as lacking and not delivering enough towards developing and strengthening local SMEs. Therefore, the aim of this research is to identify the contribution of GSPs toward business growth among SMEs in Malacca. The aim was achieved through exploring, analyzing and examining the relationship of three dimensions of GSPs namely financial assistance, training assistance and marketing assistance and their importance toward business growth. The research methodology applied for this research is quantitative approach and research design chosen is descriptive study. A sample of 118 respondents of SME’s firm was surveyed using a structured questionnaire as an instrument. The findings of this research show that GSPs have a positive impact toward business growth among SMEs in Malacca. Furthermore, from the results also show that marketing assistance is the most important toward business growth compared to the others two dimensions of GSPs. This research provides some insight into the SME support agencies in order to exploit their potential and thus to increase the effectiveness of the relevant GovernmentSupport Programmes. For policy makers and ministries, the results can be used as the reference in formulating policies or support programmes to help SMEs gain better access to global markets, technology and finance as well as to improve their management capabilities

Islamic Banking: The Firewall Against The Global Financial Crisis

The global financial crisis that devastated many of the world’s financial systems in a manner never seen before exposed the glaring weakness in risk management and interest-driven policies. The crisis brought the collapse of several iconic financial institutions once perceived to be too strong to capitulate. The crisis engulfed one economy after another from corporations to eventually bring about the collapse of governments of countries reeling from the impact of the crisis. Asset values plummeted and the crisis clearly demonstrated the fragility of the western capitalist system and the free market economy. The Islamic economic and financial system is anchored on universal honorable values, ideals and morals - honesty, credibility, transparency, co-operation and solidarity. These fundamental values uphold stability, security and safety in any financial transactions. Of paramount consideration is that the Shari’ah prohibits any economic and financial transactions that involve usury, lying, gambling, cheating, unsubstantiated risk or uncertainty (gharar), monopoly, exploitation, greed, unfairness and taking other people’s money unjustly. Another key aspect to the philosophy behind the Islamic financial system is money issued must be fully asset backed. It is impermissible to allow money to be traded for money except at par. Islam is not just the prohibition of riba and zakah (alms); it is a comprehensive system to fulfill society’s basic necessities (food, clothing and shelter). History has demonstrated that Islam has the capacity to deliver and has succeeded in providing a viable economic system

Efficiencies and mechanisms of steel slag with ferric oxides for removing phosphate from wastewater using a column filter system

The current study aimed to investigate the efficiencies and mechanisms of slag filter media for removing phosphorus from synthetic wastewater. The steel slag with high ferric oxides (Fe2O3) was subjected for the electric arc furnace (EAF) and selected as the filter media (HFe). The chemical characteristics of HFe were determined using pH, point of zero charge (PZC) and XRF. The phosphorus removal efficiency was studied in a designed vertical steel slag column rock filters in unaerated HFe (UEF) and aerated HFe (AEF) system. The microstructure of HFe was analyzed by FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDX analysis. The results of XRF revealed that ferric oxide (Fe2O3) ranged from26.1 to 38.2%. PZC for Filter HFe was recorded at pH 10.55 ± 0.27. The highest efficiencies were recorded by UEF and AEF systems at pH 3 and pH 5 (89.97 ± 4.02% and 79.95 ± 6.25% at pH 3 and 72.97 ± 8.38% and 66.00 ± 12.85% at pH 5 for UEF and AEF, respectively). These findings indicated that AEF exhibiting higher removal than UEF systems might be due to presence high Fe concentration in AEF which play important role in the phosphorus removal. The main elements available on the surface of HFe included carbon, oxygen, iron, calcium, magnesium, silicon, platinum, sulphur, manganese, titanium and aluminium. The XRD analysis indicated that the precipitation of orthophosphate as calcium and iron-phosphates was the removal mechanism as confirmed using FT-IR analysis. These findings demonstrated the efficiency of HFe in removing of phosphorus from wastewater

Removal of Phosphate from Wastewater by Steel Slag with High Calcium Oxide Column Filter System; Efficiencies and Mechanisms study

Background: The discharge of wastewater with heavy loads of phosphorus leads to the eutrophication in natural water systems. The current work investigated the removal of phosphorus from synthetic wastewater through the medium of a slag filtration system with a high content of CaO was selected as the filter media (HCa) and subjected to treatment in the electric arc furnace (EAF). The pH, point of zero charge (PZC) and XRF of the HCa filter medium was studied. The removal of phosphorus was investigated in a designed vertical column filters in aerated HCa (AEF) and unaerated HCa (UEF) systems. FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDX analyses was implemented for studying the microstructure of HCa. Results: The results of XRF revealed that CaO ranged from 20.2–49.5%. The PZC for the HCa filter was recorded at pH 17.75. The highest efficiencies recorded were 94.65 ± 3.46% and 96.13 ± 2.75% at pH 3 and 93.70 ± 2.59% and 97.15 ± 1.59% at pH 5 for AEF and UEF, respectively. These findings indicated that AEF performed greater removal than UEF systems might due to presence high Ca concentration in AEF, which plays an important role in the process of phosphorus removal. The main elements on the surface of HCa included oxygen, carbon, magnesium, calcium, aluminium and silicon. XRD analysis indicated that the precipitation of orthophosphate as calcium and Ca-phosphates was the removal mechanism, which was confirmed using the FT-IR analysis. Conclusion: These findings demonstrated the efficiency of HCa in removing phosphorus from wastewater