Health, Education and Welfare

Farah Ajlaa Julaihi · Asmah Alia Mohamad Bohari · Mohd Azrai Azman · Kuryati Kipli · Sharifah Rahama Amirul ·Pertanika Journal of Social Science and Humanities ·2022

Many countries are witnessing a rise in the ageing population, which has become a global phenomenon that all nations must address. As the population of greying people is expected to increase in Malaysia, the demand for senior citizen accommodation is predicted to have experienced a major rise by 2030. However, although studies related to retirement villages (RV) are highly important to understand how to provide a better ambience for the elderly, research on the development of retirement villages in Malaysia is yet to gather pace fully. Thus, this paper aims to explore the potential of the retirement village in Malaysia by focusing on the push factors for the elderly to move to retirement villages in the local Malaysian context. The outcome of this paper presents the initial findings derived from a literature review and pilot survey. Eight potential push factors were identified after questions were posed to potential respondents through a pilot survey questionnaire. The research revealed that the main potential reason why the elderly relocate to retirement villages was related to social factors, with the elderly preferring better access to healthcare and support due to their unique requirements. The findings of this study are relevant to Chapter 11, as underlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call on all governments to offer access to a secure, green environment for everyone, especially the elderly. Theoretically, this research provides the first findings on the elements that encourage the elderly to relocate to an RV when they retire in Malaysia.

Hylmee Matahir · Chor Foon Tang ·Institutions and Economies ·2018 ·JEL: C33; C51; Z30

This study explores critically major determinants of inbound educational tourism demand in Malaysia between 2002 and 2014 by employing dynamic panel system Generalised Method of Moment (GMM). The study found academic reputation as the main driving factor of educational tourism followed by economic capacity of country of origin and the quality of higher education. The findings of this study provide some insights for the policymakers to plan their promotional strategies to attract a greater number of international students to Malaysia to pursue their higher education.

Tharshini Sivabalan · Faizah Haji Mas’ud · Dolly Paul Carlo ·Pertanika Journal of Social Science and Humanities ·2022

Individuals with disabilities are highly exposed to mate crime victimisation than their non-disabled counterparts. This research aims to identify mate crime victimisation among people with disabilities in Sarawak, Malaysia. Data was quantitatively collected among 151 respondents from various governmental and non-governmental organisations in Kuching, Kota Samarahan, and Asajaya that provide residential care, medical attention, training, work opportunities, basic education, and rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities. It was found that most respondents (females between 18 and 28 years old) experienced mate crime victimisation, particularly financial abuse (F₂‚₁₄₈ = 5.905, p = .003) and sexual abuse (F₂‚₁₄₈ = 10.234, p = .001). It is deemed important to identify mate crime victimisation against such individuals with sufficient proof to enable law enforcement agencies and policymakers to develop optimal approaches and programmes that complement the needs of individuals with disabilities and alleviate potential mate crime victimisations.

Asrul Akmal Shafie · Haarathi Chandriah · Yee Vern Yong · Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh ·Value in Health Regional Issues ·2019

Objective To describe the process and role of health technology assessment (HTA) in the context of drug policy in Malaysia. Methods We summarized the HTA process through review of documents and reports available in the public domain combined with the authors' experience. Results Health technology assessment plays an integral part in prioritizing treatment in public health facilities in Malaysia, particularly for the Ministry of Health Medicines Formulary (MOHMF). The MOHMF is the reference list of drugs allowed to be prescribed in the Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities. There are 2 organizations within the MOH that conduct HTA as their core activities, namely the Malaysian Health Technology Assessment Section and the Formulary Management Branch of Pharmacy Practice & Development Division. The assessment of pharmaceuticals for the purpose of listing medicines into the MOHMF is under the purview of the Formulary Management Branch. The evidence-based assessment focuses on safety, efficacy, effectiveness, and budget impact of the drug. Cost-effectiveness evidence is currently not mandatory but is of interest to the decision makers. The assessment outcomes are considered by the MOH Medicines List Review Panel for formulary decisions. Conclusions Health technology assessment has supported formulary decisions in MOH. Evidence generation needs to progress beyond efficacy or effectiveness, safety, and budget impact to incorporate cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, there are challenges to be met to achieve this. The impact of the HTA process is currently unknown and is yet to be evaluated formally.

Bakri Mat (Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM)) · Ku Nurasyiqin Ku Amir (Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM)) ·International Journal of Supply Chain Management ·2019

Food security is one of the non-traditional security components that forms the basic needs of a nation, households, and individuals. Any problem in food supply or disruption in any of the four key elements of food security will threaten security and well-being of the citizens. In Malaysia, although food availability is ensured through via local production and imports at national level, accessibility and utilization are not yet fulfilled as certain groups and households are still unable to access and utilise adequate food accordingly. Therefore, this research attempts to examine the socioeconomic factors that may contribute towards food insecurity among Malaysian households within communities in Malaysia-Thailand border using human security approach. This study is conducted using qualitative research method to collect and analyse both primary and secondary data. Primary data was obtained through official documents and an in-depth interview with key informants among Malaysian households of the communities near Malaysia-Thailand border, local leaders and academicians. Meanwhile, the secondary source of data was obtained from published materials and online documents such as books, journal articles and reports. The findings indicate that socioeconomic factors were pertinent in contributing towards food insecurity among the households in form of household income, insufficient assistance program, and high living costs. These factors form the main foundation in ensuring the sanctity and wellbeing of the households. In designing state policies, the socioeconomic issues should be prioritized as in ensuring human security of the vulnerable groups, specifically the B40 households. In addition, continuous effort in developing societal empowerment and resilience are vital to achieve citizen wellbeing.

Harriman Samuel Saragih · Peter Jonathan ·Journal of Asia Business Studies ·2019

Purpose Indonesians are known for their unique behaviour and willingness to travel abroad for healthcare treatments. More than half of the healthcare “tourists” who travel to Malaysia come from Indonesia, followed in numbers by those in India, Japan, and China, Libya, the UK, Australia, USA, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Malaysia is also geographically located near two Indonesian main islands, i.e. North Sumatera and North Kalimantan. These reasons contribute to making Indonesia one of the most productive healthcare consumers in Malaysia. This study aims to examine these Indonesian consumers’ through the use of behavioural lenses to examine their medical tourism experiences in Malaysia, its neighbouring country. Design/methodology/approach The theory of planned behaviour is used as the basis of these analyses and hypotheses development. In total, 7 variables and 18 indicators that built both the exogenous and endogenous variables were developed from previous literature. Through a purposive sampling technique, the authors collected 200 samples of individuals where each respondent must at least have been to Malaysia once for medical treatments related to a general check-up, cardiovascular, cancer, orthopaedics, nervous systems or dental problems. A partial least squares – structural equation modelling analysis was carried out to examine both the measurement model and the structural model. Findings Behavioural belief positively affects the attitude of Indonesian patients and their intentions to visit Malaysia for medical treatment, i.e. attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. Results show that as individuals, Indonesians have a strong belief that undergoing medical treatment in Malaysia will be more favourable than having that same medical treatment in Indonesia. The study also shows that people who are considered important to patients, e.g. family members or relatives, significantly influence their intention to visit Malaysian medical institutions. The authors also found that patients’ resources and capabilities – e.g. financial strength, supporting infrastructures and time availability – are essential factors for Indonesian patients to choose medical tourism and to visit Malaysia as their venue for medical services. Research limitations/implications The results of this study are consistent with the previous research, which has shown that attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control positively affect visit intention. The results also suggest new interesting theoretical findings that Indonesia’s medical tourist intention to visit Malaysia is most strongly caused by subjective norms followed by individual attitudes and perceived behavioural control, all reasons that are identical to Japanese medical tourists’ visiting South Korea for similar purposes. Indeed, there are similar behavioural practices and beliefs among both Indonesian and Japanese medical tourists, despite the gap existing in these two countries’ economies. Practical implications The study proposes two managerial implications using its findings. First, this study can be a basis for the Malaysian medical tourism business to better understand Indonesian medical tourists’ behaviour when visiting their country. The study explicitly suggests that it is both collective and individual beliefs that drive Indonesian patients, who have the sufficient resources, to visit Malaysia because of better quality and affordability available there compared to Indonesian medical services. Second, this study raises a fundamental question about Indonesian stakeholders in the medical industry. In the near future, this type of medical tourism behaviour will, without a doubt, affect the Indonesian economy at large. Originality/value The contributions of this study are twofold. First, compared to previous studies that focussed specifically on the developed countries, this study focusses on Indonesian consumers’ point of view as an emerging country towards Malaysia’s medical tourism business. Second, this study provides quantifiable insights on the Indonesia-Malaysia medical tourism phenomenon, which previously has been frequently discussed, but only using a qualitative exploratory approach.

Nur Azura Sanusi · Noor Hayati Akma Shafiee · Nor Ermawati Hussain · Zuha Rosufila Abu Hassan · Mohd Lazim Abdullah · Nor Hayati Sa’at ·Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business ·2021 ·JEL: E47, G17, H52, I123

This study estimates the financial value of return on investment (ROI) of research funds. Four simulation estimations are employed to measure ROI finance value that considers the outputs, outcomes, impacts and total ROI from the allocation input received. Research outputs, outcomes, and impacts can be quantitatively measured based on improvements to existing systems. In terms of input, the Malaysian government has allocated MYR301,350,000 for fundamental research in the 2021 budget compared with 2019, up 9.5 percent from 2019. It brings up the question: To what extent does the input of research funds allocated by the government yield a good return in outputs, outcomes, and impacts to the academic community, society, and country? The result of total ROI shows around MYR7 return is generated by researchers for each Malaysian ringgit channeled by the funder. More specifically, for a research project, it is more difficult to produce impacts and outcomes compared to research outputs. The positive return is evidence that all the allocated funds are beneficial to the stakeholders. The government can apply this approach in calculating ROI for evaluation and fund allocation to universities. Furthermore, the positive financial value of research output, outcome, and impact automatically contribute to a positive innovation environment in Malaysia.