Malaysia is a tropical country in the heart of South East Asia, at the crossroads of the ancient east-west sea trade routes. Although independent from British colonial rule only in 1957, it has a recorded history dating back to at least the first century CE, when the region was already the source of valuable mineral and forest produce that found markets in China, India and further west.
Of the 92 Codonoboea species that occur in Peninsular Malaysia, 20 are recorded from the state of Terengganu, of which 9 are endemic to Terengganu including three new species, C. norakhirrudiniana Kiew, C. rheophytica Kiew and C. sallehuddiniana C.L.Lim, that are here described and illustrated. A key and checklist to all the Terengganu species are provided. The majority of species grow in lowland rain forest, amongst which C. densifolia and C. rheophytica are rheophytic. Only four grow in montane forest. The flora of Terengganu is still incompletely known, especially in the northern part of the state and in mountainous areas and so, with botanical exploration, more new species can be expected in this speciose genus.
Introduction Tong Nibong is a Bidayuh village located at Sarawak Kalimantan border.
Since the year 2004 to 2009, a total of 537 cases of malaria were recorded in
Serian District of which 14 cases were reported from Kampung Tong
Nibong. Community empowerment programme for malaria infection
prevention showed tremendous improvement in implementation. This
intervention study aims to gauge the effectiveness of community
empowerment approach in malaria elimination programme in Kampung Tong
Nibong Serian.
Methods An intervention study was conducted with pre and post data collection. Data
was collected using validated questionnaire by face to face interview.
Universal sampling method was used to select respondents from head of
household and post data was collected after intervention activities were
carried out within a year of study period.
Results The study showed significant difference on level of knowledge of
respondents on vector of malaria between pre and post data with a P < 0.05.
There was significant difference between pre and post data on practices on
control and prevention of malaria with a P < 0.05. The same goes to level of
positive attitude of respondents towards malaria control.
Conclusions In conclusion, the study can be considered successful because there is
significant difference in knowledge, attitude and practice among the
respondents between pre and post data. This indicates that community
empowerment (voluntary participation) measures can be implemented in high
risk or endemic areas where malaria is a persistent problem to the community
and health institutions faces many limiting factors.
Palm kernel shells (PKS), empty fruit bunches (EFB), and trunks are by-products of the palm oil industry and form approximately 50 wt % of fresh fruit bunch (FFB). In particular, EFB accounts for approximately 20 wt % of FFB. Although large amounts of EFB are generated from palm oil mills every year in Indonesia and Malaysia, EFB is treated as waste because commercial technologies for thermo-chemical conversion of EFB into renewable energy are still under development. A robust conversion method can transform EFB into an appealing renewable energy source. In order to secure this renewable energy source, Korea can import EFB as biomass. This paper investigates literature on the status of utilization of EFB, by-products from palm oil mills in order to identify the best available technological process to use EFB as bio-solid refuse fuels (SRF). Meanwhile, physico-chemical analyses (proximate, elemental, and calorific value analyses), biomass and heavy metal content were measured in order to assess whether EFB would be suitable for use as a bio-SRF, in accordance with the Korean quality standard for SRF. According to the analysis results, EFB showed applicability to use as bio-SRF; main analysis results - moisture (9.63 wt %), ash (5.94 wt %), biomass content (97.82 wt %) and calorific value (3668 kcal kg).
An illustrated key is provided to the economically important Thripinae (Thysanoptera) of Malaysia, together with a checklist and information on hosts and distributions. Information about the diversity and pest status for these Thripinae is provided, together with the prominent character states that are useful for recognising each species.
This paper is about the reduction of the overall size of metal blanking sheet that is being used to form a stamping product or car body panel of a car manufacturer in Malaysia. The current blanking sheet produces extra waste which will be recycled and does not contribute to increase productivity but increases inventory cost. The reduction in the blanking sheet size will lead to the reduction of raw material hence reduced the production cost. However, the reduced size of blanking sheet could affect the yield strength of the product. The study of the yield strength and yield improvement of the product are done by simulating stress analysis by using CATIA software. The results show that the new proposed size of the metal blanking sheet provides accuracy of the product dimension as well as maintaining the yield strength of the product and it reduced a significant amount of metal scrap which is nearly 4% of material weight and save around 10% of inventory cost.