To review the clinical profile of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) from 2011 until 2017. This was a retrospective single-centre case series. The medical records of the patients presented to Ophthalmology Clinic with RVO from 2011 to 2017 were reviewed. A total of 24 patients (26 eyes) with a diagnosis of RVO in Hospital USM were reviewed. There was 91.6% of our patients were aged more than 45 years old with predominantly affected male gender (58.3%). Majority of the patients were Malays (87.5%). Hypertension (70.8%), hyperlipidemia (70.8%) and diabetes mellitus (54.2%) were the common systemic comorbidities in RVO patients. Majority of the patients (87.5%) were non-smoker. Based on type of RVO, there were 38.5% central RVO, 26.9% branch RVO, 19.2% macular branch RVO, and 15.4% hemivein occlusion. RVO was bilateral in 2 patients (8.4%). Based on fundus fluorescein angiography, 3 patients (11.5%) showed ischaemic features. Reduce vision (91.6%) was the main presenting symptoms of RVO while intraretinal haemorrhage (100%) and macular oedema (96.2%) were the most common ocular signs found in RVO. There were 16 eyes (61.5%) have visual acuity equal or better than 6/60 at presentation. Patient who had visual acuity equal or better than 6/60 showed promising improvement in visual acuity post treatment. Elderly with multiple comorbidities complaining of worsening of vision should have high index suspicion of RVO. Presenting visual acuity is associated with final visual outcome post treatment.
One of the great assets and distinguishing features of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) is the presence of an invaluable special collection of materials encompassing different aspects of the civilisation of Islam in her library, amounting to more than eight thousand (8000) books published between the 17th to early 20th century in more than twenty (20) languages. It makes IKIM Library one of the few libraries in Malaysia and perhaps Southeast Asia with such a collection.The presence of several sets of the world’s leading journal publications in Oriental and Islamic studies is another unique feature of IKIM Library. The consist of eighty five (85) different research societies and institutions of international repute for the last 163 years. The main research themes of such journal collections are general studies on Islamic Civilisation; regional studies of the Arab lands, Iran, Central Asia, South Asia, as well as Southeast Asia; and Semitic Studies. The main goal of this article is to acquaint readers and specialists with this collection of scientific journals and present it as comprehensive historiographical source on the history of Muslim civilisation.
Inflation is not specific to the modern economy. It is argued that low and stable rates of inflation are beneficial in promoting economic growth. It is also attributed to the growing disparity between the economic classes. The 14th–15th Century CE Egyptian historian, Al-Maqrīzī, discussed the causes that worsened the famine and economic crisis of 805–808/1403–1406 of Mamlūk Egypt. He described the population of Egypt during the crisis and emphasised that which had been hit worst. Significantly, he suggested a more stable monetary system to avoid similar situations in the future.
The global increase in young consumer population and purchasing power has created a new demand for halal cosmetics product development. In Malaysia, it is now the trend in the industry of cosmetics for local manufacturers to produce halal cosmetic products. As the market growth is rapid, the manufacturers of cosmetics are eager to dominate the market and come up with many product varieties in order to pursue and satisfy customers. However, most consumers are conscious of the ingredients used in the making of cosmetic products. While the introduction of new products may facilitate companies in gaining competitive advantage, the failure rate of local products is high. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to understand the relationship between product characteristics, social influence and individual innovativeness with halal cosmetics adoption among young consumers in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The sampling of this study comprised 350 respondents using survey questionnaires that were distributed in shopping malls in the Klang Valley. In order to test the model, this study used the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique using partial least squares (PLS) with SmartPLS 3.2.8. The findings of this study show that there is a positive relationship between product characteristics, social influence and individual innovativeness towards halal cosmetics adoption among respondents. This study demonstrates that halal cosmetics adoption is increasing among young consumers. Therefore, cosmetics producers or marketers need to understand the behaviour of young consumers in order to ensure that failure rate can be minimised.
The compatibility between Islam and democracy has become one of the main controversial issues of contemporary Islamic political thought. Rachid Ghannouchi has been recognised for his adherence to the concept of Islamic democracy. The purpose of this article is to examine the views of Rachid Ghannouchi towards Islam and democracy through a range of his writings and statements. As such, the research methodology applied is qualitative with data collection instruments. The article uses textual analysis to study how democracy is understood by Ghannouchi within an Islamic framework, along with his theory on the compatibility of Islam with democracy. The article has shown that he adopts a perspective of harmony between modern political thoughts and the original form of Islam as he proposes principles and characteristics of Islamic democracy. Islamic concepts such as shūrā, ijtihād, maṣāliḥ and values such as justice, freedom, and pluralism are discussed. Ghannouchi’s line of thought and its highlights are not free from critics from both the Islamic quarters as well as non-Islamists. Criticisms towards Ghannouchi as well as his responses are duly discussed.
Ādāb al-Baḥth wa al-Munāẓarah arose as a science in the Islamic world at the end of the 7th/13th century. It is a creative synthesis of logic and juridical dialectics, and was known during the classical period as jadal (dialectic), and in jurisprudence as ʿilm alkhilāf. The aim of a munāẓarah is to arrive at the truth by the means of a regulated disputation, in which a proposition and its proof can be cross-examined by the disputants. This article introduces Risālah Waladiyyah by Sāçaḳlīzāde (d. 1737/42), a manual of Ādāb al-Baḥth wa al-Munāẓarah for beginners.
The article is a preliminary study on the concept of Malay “budi” based on the “language” used by many authors of Malay manuscipts prior to the 18th century. It attempts to clarify the impact of the worldview of Islam on the choice of keywords, formation of compounds and articulation of ideas involving the word “budi” and its network. Some main contentions made by Lim Kim Hui in his PhD dissertation (2003), a pioneering analysis on “budi” based on the Malay proverbs, shall be critically reevaluated with the hope of adding more spectrum and breadth to the present understanding on the conception of “budi.” Hence, it will further enhance the integration and perfection of the old “budi” into the worldview of Islam as practised by the Malays. This would indirectly highlight the true nature and extent of Islamisation, the role of ʿulamāʾ and kitāb tradition in strengthening and perfecting the Malays with a comprehensive understanding of “budi” projecting their new worldview. The article resolves linguistically and etymologically the choice of words, formation of compounds and structure of language used by these authors of early Malay manuscripts which were consciously planned and fashioned to be in line with the prevalent Islamic ethos regarding the nature of man and his character. In short, this article shall shed some light on the nature of Islamisation of the Malay world, especially the way it was carried out through its effective Islamisation of language.
The preliminary discussion of this short essay focuses on some of Islām’s intellectual and civilisational contributions in a historical region of Central Asia called Khurāsān. As a starting point, it mentions a number of hadīths (sayings from the Prophet Muḥammad) and athār (sayings of the Holy Prophet’s Companions and their followers) that impute to this region some eschatological importance as well as matters pertaining to the legal aspect of the religion, especially from Muslim Sunnī perspective. As a preliminary discussion and in a non-exhaustive manner, the writing highlights and evaluates a number of important Muslim figures that have emerged from that region along with their respective intellectual and cultural contributions to human civilisation as materialisation of the religion’s aspirations arising from collective understanding of its worldview.
Financial literacy is the education and understanding of various financial areas including topics related to managing personal finance, money and investing. A financially literate person will be able to manage personal finance matters efficiently, including making appropriate decisions about investing, insurance, real estate, college fees, budgeting, retirement and tax planning. In Malaysia, (1) many are still without the recommended minimum savings of three months salary; while (2) many others take out debt more than the recommended debt service ratio (DSR) of 40 per cent. In fact, more than 100,000 people had been declared bankrupt between 2010 and 2015; and, (3) many others who are not able to make ends meet. Unfortunately, the majority of those affected were Muslims. Hence, one of the ways to help society deal with such a financial problem is to make them financially literate through financial education. One of the institutions with the potential of doing so is the mosque. In Islam, mosques are not only for worship, but also as centres for developing the ummah. Through knowledge-based activities such as talks and lectures, mosques can develop the minds of congregants for their benefit in the worldly life and the Hereafter, including that of financial literacy. Mainly through Friday sermons (Malay: khutbah Jumaat), mosques can start to create awareness among their congregants on personal financial management. However, more can be done to increase the financial literacy of the ummah. This article looks into the state of financial literacy in Malaysia and its implications as well as provides recommendations on how mosques can play their roles in increasing financial literacy.
There is a conception of the Earth, the cosmos, and reality lost sometime in the 17th century (replaced by quantity, rationality, and attacks against the spiritual, the feminine, and the mythical). The present article seeks to view and consider the details of the old conception and their intriguing connections to bits and pieces of new sciences, new physics, and mathematics that deal with a world which does not look like the modern one (and which actually looks quite old).
Sucrose, a simple sugar contributing to quick increase of blood sugar, is not favoured by diabetic patients. Stevia, a sugar substitute, can be used to produce products with lower sugar and it may reduce the amount of available car- bohydrate for digestion. ‘Serikaya’, a popular sweet and delicious spread from coconut, traditionally contains high sugar. This study aimed to develop ‘serikaya’ with lower sugar through substitution of sucrose with stevia as a natural non-caloric sweetener. Five combinations of sugar and stevia were studied and analysed for physical characteristics, sensory acceptability and calculated for nutrient composition.
With its high fibre content, okara has potentials to be used in bakery products, e.g. par-baked frozen bakery. This study aimed to develop frozen par-baked chapatti (Indian flat bread) through substitution of atta flour with okara flour. Six substitution treatments were applied. Samples were analysed for their physical characteristics, sensory acceptance and nutrient content. Up to 15 % substitution gave no significant effects on samples’ texture and colour. Furthermore, it almost tripled the sample’s fibre content without any detrimental effects on its sensory acceptance. Frozen storage up to eight weeks did not significantly affect samples’ characteristics, thus making this product fea- sible.
Banana peel flour is high in dietary fibre and can be used in bakery products; however, it often results in low consum- er acceptance due to poor sensory properties. This study aimed to produce wholemeal bread which included banana peel flour with improved sensory characteristics. Six treatments were employed: control, increased sugar, increased fat, increased water, prolonged fermentation time, and use of food conditioner. Two treatments yielding bread with the most optimum physical characteristics were increased water and prolonged fermentation time. Wholemeal bread produced with prolonged fermentation time resulted in satisfactory sensory acceptance without detrimental effects on its fibre content.
Maternal obesity is significantly associated with less intention to breastfeed, low breastfeeding self-efficacy, and poor breastfeeding outcomes. This cross sectional study investigates the determinants of breastfeeding self-efficacy among overweight and obese pregnant mothers using self-administered validated questionnaires. There were 44.9% of overweight and obese from 200 recruited mothers. They had low breastfeeding self-efficacy and less intended to breastfeed as compared to normal-weight mothers. Past breastfeeding experience and exclusive breastfeeding inten- tion are predictors of breastfeeding self-efficacy among overweight and obese pregnant mothers. Effective strategies should be conducted targeting this population with regards to low self-efficacy and intention to breastfeed.
Existing research recognizes the critical role of vocabulary in the acquisition of a second (L2)
or foreign language. In the context of L2 writing, it has been established that as vocabulary
size increases, so does the ability to write more effective texts. The purpose of this study
was to investigate the relationship between vocabulary size and ESL students’ written
performance. The participants were 69 Malaysian university students whose writing skills
were assessed as part of their English course requirement. Vocabulary size was measured
using Laufer and Nation (1990) Vocabulary Level Test (VLT). Performance on the VLT
was correlated with writing scores as a measure of written performance. Findings indicated
that a majority of participants achieved a mastery level of the 2000-word test but had
difficulty in the 3000-word and 5000-word level. Participants’ vocabulary size was also
found to be strongly associated with their written performance. These results elucidate the
importance of vocabulary knowledge in L2 writing. The pedagogical implication of the
current work calls for the integration of vocabulary in writing classrooms.
Several studies have indicated education inequality between rural students and urban students. In language learning, students in rural areas have lower proficiency in English than those in urban areas. The aims of the present study were to investigate the perceptions, instructional knowledge and classroom practices of English teachers in teaching reading in rural areas in Sabah. An online survey was conducted on a sample of 20 secondary English teachers in a teacher professional development programme in Kudat, Sabah. The implications of these findings for future practice in rural high schools are discussed.
Electromyography (EMG) is a random biological signal that depends on the electrode
placement and the physiology of the individual. Currently, EMG control is practically limited
by this individualistic nature and requires per session training. This study investigates the
EMG signals based on six locations on the lower forearm during contraction. Gesture
classification was performed en-bloc across 20 subjects without retraining with the objective
of determining the most classifiable gestures based on the similarity of their resultant EMG
signals. Principle component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were the
principal tools for analysis. The results showed that many gesture pairs could be accurately
classified per channel with accuracies of over 85%. However, classification rates dropped to
unreliable levels when up to nine gestures were classified over the single channels. The
classification results show universal classification based on a common EMG database is
possible without retraining for limited gestures.
This study explores how laboratory activity with the argumentative approach could promote
students' conceptual understanding in the Hess' law energy cycle through laboratory work.
Laboratory work with an argument-based inquiry instructional strategy was set up to 15 preuniversity
students from one of the Form 6 Centre at the West Coast Division of Sabah,
Malaysia. The laboratory work consists of a guided inquiry-based instruction with an
argumentative approach in the topic of thermochemistry. The students' understanding of the
energy processes was analyzed with a qualitative method using a semi-structured interview
and triangulated with conversation analysis. The data collected from students' conversation
during the activity was then triangulated with reflective writing at the end of the laboratory
lesson. The study shows the students' prior knowledge and argumentation discourse
significantly influences the development of conceptual understanding. This study emphasizes
argument-based inquiry (ABIIS) in laboratory work to enhance their conceptual knowledge in
the laboratory.
This paper focuses on the implications of a longhouse fire on its survivors. It also presents the assistance that survivors received during post-disaster and the implications on the social work practice. It draws on qualitative research based on in-depth interviews with survivors selected through purposive sampling. The data of the study were analysed based thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the survivors faced both short-term and long-term implications after the fire disaster. The assistance received was mainly focused on responding to the short-term implications and was less focused on long-term implications. In the scheme of things, these implications bear on the social work practices as well as on the conditions of the fire disaster survivors.
New history is created in Malaysia. After over six decades of Federal rule, the Barisan Nasional (BN) government has been replaced by a coalition of opposition parties, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the most recent general election. PH also managed to form several state governments traditionally held by BN in Peninsular Malaysia. This study aims to seek the perception of the Malays in West Malaysia in accepting the return of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad into power. It focuses on the so-called political comeback of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad – the first leader to be appointed Prime Minister twice considering this rarely happens in Malaysia. This study was conducted in West Malaysia involving eighty-eight respondents using the 5-point Likert-scale survey questionnaire. Respondents were given an option to answer the questionnaire in Bahasa Malaysia or English. The general result showed that perception towards political issues in Malaysia, especially with regard to Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s comeback drew mixed reactions. On the same note, it showed that people could have lost their hopes and direction of Malaysian politics.