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Factors and values of willingness to pay for improved construction waste management--a perspective of Malaysian contractors

Begum RA, Siwar C, Pereira JJ, Jaafar AH

Waste Manag, 2007;27(12):1902-9.
PMID: 17110094

Malaysia is facing an increase in the generation of waste and of accompanying problems with the disposal of this waste. In the last two decades, extensive building and infrastructure development projects have led to an increase in the generation of construction waste material. The construction industry has a substantial impact on the environment, and its environmental effects are in direct relation to the quality and quantity of the waste it generates. This paper discusses general characteristics of the construction contractors, the contractors' willingness to pay (WTP) for improved construction waste management, determining factors which affect the amount of their willingness to pay, and suggestions and policy implications in the perspective of construction waste management in Malaysia. The data in this study is based on contractors registered with the construction industry development board (CIDB) of Malaysia. Employing the open ended contingent valuation method, the study assessed the contractors' average maximum WTP for improved construction waste management to be RM69.88 (1US$=3.6 RM) per tonne of waste. The result shows that the average maximum WTP is higher for large contractors than for medium and small contractors. The highest average maximum WTP value is RM88.00 for Group A (large contractors) RM78.25 for Group B (medium-size contractors) and RM55.80 for Group C (small contractors). One of the contributions of this study is to highlight the difference of CIDB registration grade in the WTP for improved construction waste management. It is found that contractors' WTP for improved waste collection and disposal services increases with the increase in contractors' current paid up capital. The identified factors and determinants of the WTP will assist the formulation of appropriate policies in addressing the construction waste problem in Malaysia and indirectly improve the quality of construction in the country.
Fulltext Assessing the cost burden of dengue infection to households in Seremban, Malaysia

Mia MS, Begum RA, Er AC, Pereira JJ

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 2016 Nov;47(6):1167-76.
PMID: 29634177

Dengue is endemic in all parts of Malaysia. However, there is limited data regarding the cost burden of this disease at household level. We aimed to
examine the cost of dengue infection at the household level in Seremban District,
Malaysia. This cost assessment can provide an insight to policy-makers about
economic impact of dengue infection in order to guide and prioritize control strategies.
The data were collected via interview. We evaluated120 previous dengue
infection patients registered at the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital, Seremban District,
Malaysia. The average duration of dengue illness was 9.69 days. The average
household days lost was 18.7; students lost an average of 6.3 days of school and
patients and caregivers lost an average of 12.5 days of work. The mean total cost
per case of dengue infection was estimated to be USD365.16 with the indirect
cost being USD327.90 (89.8% of the total cost) and the direct cost being USD37.26
(10.2% of the total cost). Our findings suggest each episode of dengue infection
imposes a significant financial burden at the household level in Seremban District,
Malaysia; most of the burden being indirect cost. This cost needs to be factored
into the overall cost to society of dengue infection. This data can inform policy
makers when allocating resources to manage public health problems in Malaysia.
Impacts of climate change on oil palm production in Malaysia

Sarkar MSK, Begum RA, Pereira JJ

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2020 Mar;27(9):9760-9770.
PMID: 31925690 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-07601-1

Studies reveal that climate change (CC) has higher negative impacts on agricultural production than positive impacts. Therefore, this article attempts to explore the impacts of CC on oil palm production in Malaysia and provides mitigation and adaptation strategies towards reducing such impacts. The multiple regression analysis is applied to assess the impacts of CC on oil palm production by using time series data in the period of 1980 to 2010. A negative and significant relationship is found between annual average temperature and oil palm production. If temperature rises by 1 °C, 2 °C, 3 °C, and 4 °C, production of oil palm can decrease from a range of 10 to 41%. This article has also found a negative impact of sea level rise (SLR) on oil palm production. Findings reveal that if areas under oil palm production decrease by 2%, 4%, and 8% due to SLR of 0.5, 1, and 2 m, oil palm production can decrease by 1.98%, 3.96%, and 7.92%, respectively, indicating that CC has a significant impact on the reduction of oil palm production in Malaysia, ultimately affecting the sustainability of oil palm sector in Malaysia. Finally, this study suggests to practice appropriate mitigation and adaptation strategies, including promotion and development of climate resilient varieties, soil and water conservation, afforestation, insurance and other risk transfer mechanisms, emission reduction technology, protection of coastal flooding for reducing the impacts of CC on oil palm production.
Fulltext Trends of dengue infections in Malaysia, 2000-2010

Mia MS, Begum RA, Er AC, Abidin RD, Pereira JJ

Asian Pac J Trop Med, 2013 Jun;6(6):462-6.
PMID: 23711707 DOI: 10.1016/S1995-7645(13)60075-9

OBJECTIVE: To analyze trends of dengue incidences and deaths in Malaysia from 2000 to 2010 as well as the predominant dengue virus serotypes during the last decade.
METHODS: We used the national data on annual reported cases, deaths, incidence rate, mortality rate, and case fatality rate of dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) as well as dengue virus serotypes prevalent in Malaysia during the last decade. Trend/ regression lines were fitted to investigate the trend of dengue incidences and deaths due to the disease for a 11-year period (2000-2010). For the distribution of national incidence rate, mortality rate, and case fatality rate of DF and DHF, descriptive statistics using mean and 95% confidence intervals (CI 39) for means, and range were applied.
RESULTS: The number of dengue cases and number of deaths have increased, on average, by 14% and 8% per year respectively. The average annual incidence rate of DF per 100 000 populations was higher as compared to that of DHF. Conversely, the yearly mean mortality rate of DHF per 100 000 populations was greater than that of DF. The simultaneous circulation of all four dengue serotypes has been found in Malaysia. But a particular dengue virus serotype predominates for at least two years before it becomes replaced by another serotype.
CONCLUSIONS: The dengue situation in Malaysia has worsened with an increasing number of reported cases and deaths during the last decade. The increasing trend of dengue highlights the need for a more systematic surveillance and reporting of the disease.