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Estimating farmers' willingness to pay for climate change adaptation: the case of the Malaysian agricultural sector

Masud MM, Junsheng H, Akhtar R, Al-Amin AQ, Kari FB

Environ Monit Assess, 2015 Feb;187(2):38.
PMID: 25632900 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-014-4254-z

This paper estimates Malaysian farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for a planned adaptation programme for addressing climate issues in the Malaysian agricultural sector. We used the contingent valuation method (CVM) for a monetary valuation of farmers' preferences for a planned adaptation programme by ascertaining the value attached to address climatic issues in the Malaysian agricultural sector. Structured questionnaires were distributed among the sampled farmers. The study found that 74 % of respondents were willing to pay for a planned adaptation programme and that several socioeconomic and motivation factors have greater influence on their WTP. This paper clearly specifies the steps needed for all institutional bodies to better address issues in climate change. The outcomes of this paper will support policy makers to better design an efficient adaptation framework for adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change.

Matched MeSH terms: Environmental Policy/economics*
[Mental health, public health and public policies: the same but different]

Bernardini-Zambrini DA

Semergen, 2014 May-Jun;40(4):175-6.
PMID: 24656551 DOI: 10.1016/j.semerg.2014.01.008
Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy/legislation & jurisprudence*
Predictors of physical inactivity among elderly malaysians: recommendations for policy planning

Kaur J, Kaur G, Ho BK, Yao WK, Salleh M, Lim KH

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2015 Apr;27(3):314-22.
PMID: 24425796 DOI: 10.1177/1010539513517257

Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Regular moderate-intensity physical activity has significant benefits for health. To determine the socioeconomic predictors of physical inactivity among elderly Malaysian population. A nationwide community-based survey was conducted among 4831 respondents aged ≥60 years with a face-to-face questionnaire. The prevalence of physical inactivity among the elderly was 88.0%, highest in respondents aged older than 80 years (95.4%), females (90.1%), other Bumiputra (92.2%), earning household income less than RM1000 (87.9%), and residing in urban locality (88.4%). In the multivariate model, the predictors of physical inactivity were only sex, ethnicity, locality, and age group (adjusted odds ratio = 1.3-3.6). The predictors of physical inactivity can identify the risk factors to develop policies that will reduce the public health burden of noncommunicable diseases.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy; Policy Making
Fulltext Development and promotion of Malaysian Dietary Guidelines

Tee ES

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr, 2011;20(3):455-61.
PMID: 21859667

Development and promotion of dietary guidelines is one of the key activities outlined in the National Plan of Action for Nutrition of Malaysia for the prevention of nutrition-related disorders. The first official Malaysian Dietary Guidelines (MDG) was published in 1999 and was thoroughly reviewed and launched on 25 March 2010. The new MDG 2010 is a compilation of science-based nutrition and physical activity recommendations. These guidelines form the basis of consistent and scientifically sound nutrition messages for the public. There are 14 key messages and 55 recommendations, covering the whole range of food and nutrition issues, from importance of consuming a variety of foods to guidance on specific food groups, messages to encourage physical activities, consuming safe food and beverages and making effective use of nutrition information on food labels. The MDG also has an updated food pyramid. Various efforts have been made to ensure that the revised MDG is disseminated to all stakeholders. The Ministry of Health has organised a series of workshops for nutritionists and other health care professionals, and the food industry. In collaboration with other professional bodies and the private sector, the Nutrition Society of Malaysia has been promoting the dissemination and usage of the MDG to the public through a variety of formats and channels. These include the publication of a series of leaflets, educational press articles, educational booklets, as well as through educational activities for children. It is imperative to monitor the usage and evaluation of these dietary messages.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Policy*
Occupational rehabilitation in Singapore and Malaysia

Chan KF, Tan CW, Yeo DS, Tan HS, Tan FL, Tan EW, et al.

J Occup Rehabil, 2011 Mar;21 Suppl 1:S69-76.
PMID: 21328063 DOI: 10.1007/s10926-011-9289-1

INTRODUCTION: Asia is the new and favored magnet of economic attention and foreign investments after it made an almost uneventful rebound from the depths of financial crisis of 2008/2009. Not many Western observers fully understand the diversity that is Asia other than perhaps its 2 growing economic giants of China and India. Indeed many smaller countries like Singapore and Malaysia in South East Asia along with Australia and Hong Kong (a Special Administrative Region within China) look to symbiotic relationships with these two economic giants. The purpose of this discussion paper is to examine the current issues related to the development and provision of occupational rehabilitation services in Singapore and Malaysia with a forward-looking view of how Asia's different developing societies could potentially benefit from better alignment of occupational rehabilitation practices and sharing of expertise through international collaboration and dialogue platforms.
METHODS: Seven therapists and one physician who are frequently involved in occupational rehabilitation services in their home countries critically reviewed the current issues in Singapore and Malaysia which included analysis of the prevalence and cost of occupational injury; overview of workers' compensation system; current practices, obstacles, and challenges in providing occupational rehabilitation and return to work practices. They also offered opinions about how to improve the occupational rehabilitation programs of their two home countries.
CONCLUSION: Even though Malaysia and Singapore are two different countries, in many ways their current provision of occupational rehabilitation services and the problems they face with are very similar. There is a lot of room for systemic improvements that require government support and action. Most prominently, the training of more healthcare professionals in the assessment and rehabilitation of the injured worker should be encouraged. There could be better liaison between the many stakeholders and more funding made available to develop resources and to jump start strategic programs. As these two countries are witnessing rapid economic growth, more resources should be allocated to establish holistic care of the injured workers emphasizing early interventions and prevention of chronic disabilities.

Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy*
From forest landscape to agricultural landscape in the developing tropical country of Malaysia: pattern, process, and their significance on policy

Abdullah SA, Hezri AA

Environ Manage, 2008 Nov;42(5):907-17.
PMID: 18626684 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-008-9178-3

Agricultural expansion and deforestation are spatial processes of land transformation that impact on landscape pattern. In peninsular Malaysia, the conversion of forested areas into two major cash crops--rubber and oil palm plantations--has been identified as driving significant environmental change. To date, there has been insufficient literature studying the link between changes in landscape patterns and land-related development policies. Therefore, this paper examines: (i) the links between development policies and changes in land use/land cover and landscape pattern and (ii) the significance and implications of these links for future development policies. The objective is to generate insights on the changing process of land use/land cover and landscape pattern as a functional response to development policies and their consequences for environmental conditions. Over the last century, the development of cash crops has changed the country from one dominated by natural landscapes to one dominated by agricultural landscapes. But the last decade of the century saw urbanization beginning to impact significantly. This process aligned with the establishment of various development policies, from land development for agriculture between the mid 1950s and the 1970s to an emphasis on manufacturing from the 1980s onward. Based on a case study in Selangor, peninsular Malaysia, a model of landscape pattern change is presented. It contains three stages according to the relative importance of rubber (first stage: 1900--1950s), oil palm (second stage: 1960s--1970s), and urban (third stage: 1980s--1990s) development that influenced landscape fragmentation and heterogeneity. The environmental consequences of this change have been depicted through loss of biodiversity, geohazard incidences, and the spread of vector-borne diseases. The spatial ecological information can be useful to development policy formulation, allowing diagnosis of the country's "health" and sustainability. The final section outlines the usefulness of landscape analysis in the policy-making process to prevent further fragmentation of the landscape and forest loss in Malaysia in the face of rapid economic development.

Matched MeSH terms: Policy Making*
Fulltext Poverty and health development

Yadav H

Med J Malaysia, 2007 Oct;62(4):278-81.
PMID: 18551928 MyJurnal
Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy*
Fulltext Changing approaches in HIV testing

Lee CK

Med J Malaysia, 2007 Mar;62(1):1-2.
PMID: 17682559 MyJurnal

In 1985, when HIV testing first became available, the main goal of such testing was to ensure blood safety. Hemophiliacs and other patients who were transfusion-dependent were the initial patients that needed to be protected as they were exposed to iatrogenic risk. It dawned very quickly to health authorities even then that alternative testing sites had to be quickly established to deter persons from using blood bank facilities for HIV testing purposes. At that time, professional opinion was divided regarding the value of HIV testing and whether HIV testing should be encouraged because no consensus existed regarding whether a positive test predicted transmission to sex partners or from mother to infant. No effective treatment existed then and stigma and discrimination faced by those who were found positive was rampant in many parts of the world. Counseling was designed, in part, to ensure that persons tested were aware of the implications of a positive result and in part, to address the person’s risk behavior to reduce transmission to others.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy*
Sustainability indicator system and policy processes in Malaysia: a framework for utilisation and learning

Hezri AA

J Environ Manage, 2004 Dec;73(4):357-71.
PMID: 15531393

Formulation of effective sustainability indicators for national assessment demands a comprehensive understanding of the utilisation, diffusion and dissemination of information in policy processes. To illustrate the dynamic of sustainability assessment within the context of policy processes, this paper uses a case study of national sustainability indicators development in Malaysia. Subsequently, this paper ascribes the limited achievement of national sustainability assessment in Malaysia to four types of constraints: meta-policy issues; technical capacities; communication concerns; and the inherent knowledge gaps within the indicator developer community vis-a-vis their theoretical limitations. It is proposed that such constraints will be encountered in many countries. Drawing from the literature on public policy, this paper outlines a framework for investigating indicator behaviour within policy processes based on well-established concepts such as knowledge utilisation and policy learning. I conclude this paper by elaborating on the corresponding future challenges that must be addressed before effective integration of sustainability indicators within policy systems can occur.

Matched MeSH terms: Policy Making*
Are Malaysian Children Achieving Dietary Guideline Recommendations?

Koo HC, Poh BK, Lee ST, Chong KH, Bragt MC, Abd Talib R, et al.

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2016 07;28(5 Suppl):8S-20S.
PMID: 27073200 DOI: 10.1177/1010539516641504

A large body of epidemiological data has demonstrated that diet quality follows a sociodemographic gradient. Little is known, however, about food group intake patterns among Malaysian children. This study aimed to assess consumption pattern of 7 food groups, including cereals/grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, fish, meat/poultry, and milk/dairy products, among children 7 to 12 years of age. A total of 1773 children who participated in SEANUTS Malaysia and who completed the Food Frequency Questionnaire were included in this study. A greater proportion of children aged 10 to 12 years have an inadequate intake of cereals/grains, meat/poultry, legumes, and milk/dairy products compared with children 7 to 9 years old. With the exception of meat/poultry, food consumption of Malaysian children did not meet Malaysian Dietary Guidelines recommendations for the other 6 food groups, irrespective of sociodemographic backgrounds. Efforts are needed to promote healthy and balanced dietary habits, particularly for foods that fall short of recommended intake level.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Policy*
An Integrated Systems Approach is Needed to Ensure the Sustainability of Antibiotic Effectiveness for Both Humans and Animals

So AD, Shah TA, Roach S, Ling Chee Y, Nachman KE

J Law Med Ethics, 2015;43 Suppl 3:38-45.
PMID: 26243242 DOI: 10.1111/jlme.12273

The growing demand for animal products and the widespread use of antibiotics in bringing food animals to market have heightened concerns over cross-species transmission of drug resistance. Both the biology and emerging epidemiology strongly support the need for global coordination in stemming the generation and propagation of resistance, and the patchwork of global and country-level regulations still leaves significant gaps. More importantly, discussing such a framework opens the door to taking modular steps towards solving these challenges - for example, beginning among targeted parties rather than all countries, tying accountability to financial and technical support, or taxing antibiotic use in animals to deter low-value usage of these drugs. An international agreement would allow integrating surveillance data collection, monitoring and enforcement, research into antibiotic alternatives and more sustainable approaches to agriculture, technical assistance and capacity building, and financing under the umbrella of a One Health approach.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy*
Redesigning healthcare systems to meet the health challenges associated with climate change in the twenty-first century

Phua KL

J Emerg Manag, 2015;13(3):255-63.
PMID: 26150369 DOI: 10.5055/jem.2015.0239

In the twenty-first century, climate change is emerging as a significant threat to the health and well-being of the public through links to the following: extreme weather events, sea level rise, temperature-related illnesses, air pollution patterns, water security, food security, vector-borne infectious diseases, and mental health effects (as a result of extreme weather events and climate change-induced population displacement). This article discusses how national healthcare systems can be redesigned through changes in its components such as human resources, facilities and technology, health information system, and health policy to meet these challenges.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy*
Gender and communication policy in Asia. Special report

Pandian H

Media Gend Monit, 1997.
PMID: 12178281
Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy*
The Singapore state's response to migration

Yap MT

Sojourn, 1999 Apr;14(1):198-211.
PMID: 12295146
Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy*
The Malaysian state's response to migration

Pillai P

Sojourn, 1999 Apr;14(1):178-97.
PMID: 12295145
Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy*
Fulltext The health of the aging Malaysian: policy implications

Chen PCY

Med J Malaysia, 1987 Sep;42(3):146-55.
PMID: 3506636

In Malaysia, the elderly are still a relatively neglected group of people in that little priority is given to the important health issues associated with an aging population. This paper examines some of the relevant findings obtained during a survey which was carried out in 1984/1985. These findings have serious policy implications concerning family support, work, income, retirement, community involvement, social network, transport, and housing as pertaining to the elderly. There is an urgent need, as the population ages and social changes occur in society, for health planners, politicians and policy-makers to scrutinise the existing policies and develop new policies so as to retain those traditional practices that support, improve and maintain the psychological and social well-being of the elderly; and to develop new policies and programmes thus promoting a better lease of life for this small but important group to whom we owe so much.

Matched MeSH terms: Health Policy*
Environmental pollution and population policies

Bul Keluarga, 1980 Apr.
PMID: 12262045
Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy*
Penang

Hanna WA

Rep Am Univ Field Staff, 1979.
PMID: 12179857
Matched MeSH terms: Public Policy*
BIA-Obesity (Business Impact Assessment-Obesity and population-level nutrition): A tool and process to assess food company policies and commitments related to obesity prevention and population nutrition at the national level

Sacks G, Vanderlee L, Robinson E, Vandevijvere S, Cameron AJ, Ni Mhurchu C, et al.

Obes Rev, 2019 11;20 Suppl 2:78-89.
PMID: 31317645 DOI: 10.1111/obr.12878

Addressing obesity and improving the diets of populations requires a comprehensive societal response. The need for broad-based action has led to a focus on accountability of the key factors that influence food environments, including the food and beverage industry. This paper describes the Business Impact Assessment-Obesity and population-level nutrition (BIA-Obesity) tool and process for benchmarking food and beverage company policies and practices related to obesity and population-level nutrition at the national level. The methods for BIA-Obesity draw largely from relevant components of the Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI), with specific assessment criteria developed for food and nonalcoholic beverage manufacturers, supermarkets, and chain restaurants, based on international recommendations and evidence of best practices related to each sector. The process for implementing the BIA-Obesity tool involves independent civil society organisations selecting the most prominent food and beverage companies in each country, engaging with the companies to understand their policies and practices, and assessing each company's policies and practices across six domains. The domains include: "corporate strategy," "product formulation," "nutrition labelling," "product and brand promotion," "product accessibility," and "relationships with other organisations." Assessment of company policies is based on their level of transparency, comprehensiveness, and specificity, with reference to best practice.

Matched MeSH terms: Nutrition Policy*
Fulltext Combating insolvency and business recovery problems in the oil industry: proposal for improvement in Nigeria's insolvency and bankruptcy legal framework

Olujobi OJ

Heliyon, 2021 Feb;7(2):e06123.
PMID: 33659729 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06123

Insolvency and business recovery laws in Nigeria have not evolved to incorporate reorganisation, reforming insolvent oil firms' operations to boost commercial oil firms' steadiness and economic suitability like other moderately developed countries. In Nigeria, liquidation is understood by many as the panacea to indebtedness. The research evaluates the Nigerian insolvency and business recovery legal regime to sustain indebted oil firms from economic shocks due to the global decline in the oil price to avert imminent business failures due to insufficient cash flows. The aim is to fill the gaps in Nigeria's insolvency and business recovery laws by recommending a model for the sustenance of oil firms and to suggest the reform of the gaps identified in the existing laws and the extant literature on the subject. The paper opted for conceptual legal review, comparative legal and policies analyses of solvency and business recovery legislations in Nigeria, Malaysia, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. These nations were designated for this study because their insolvency and business recovery legal regime are business rescued driven, not winding up centred. The study is library research-based to address some of the flaws in Nigeria's insolvency and business recovery laws. The study finds that Nigerian legislation on insolvency is flawed in oil firms' salvage, improvement and rearrangement. It ends that, statutory bodies in the designated case study nations are efficient than those in Nigeria due to the strong political will of their governments in supporting insolvent oil firms for successful financial recovery, to safeguard jobs, to protect creditors and to enhance the wealth of their nations through sound business recovery policies and laws. The study, advocates, remodel of Nigeria's insolvency and business recovery legislations and policies in compliance with the international standards on insolvent oil firms salvaged and creditors focused policies for a robust economy. The study concludes with the recommendation for further study to consider quantitative analysis research methodology to project further scholarship on the subject.

Matched MeSH terms: Policy Making; Policy

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