Many researchers in engineering education have studied the engineering curriculum, employability, industrial training, generic skills and gender issues. From a wide spectrum of study, there is a gap around issues of interpersonal skills and enterprise skills in engineering education that has not been studied. Previous study has shown that there is unemployment amongst graduate engineers in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess whether the suggested lack of interpersonal and enterprise skills competencies cause unemployment amongst engineering graduates in Malaysia. This study also intended to appraise whether engineering undergraduates have received a quality work placement appropriate to their learning, knowledge and employability skills and also to create awareness about interpersonal and enterprise skills competencies amongst engineering undergraduates, higher education educators and employers in Malaysia. This study intended to create awareness about the importance of interpersonal and enterprise skills amongst engineers. A mixed method of questionnaire survey and interview was used to access data from final year engineering students and employers in Malaysia. Results from the study have provided evidence that interpersonal and enterprise skills are not a major contributor to unemployment of engineering graduates in Malaysia. This study has created new awareness of the subject that will allow the enhancement of the engineering education curriculum. This study has demonstrated that when interviewing companies for the purposes of research into curriculum it is necessary to have full awareness of their culture and ways of working.

The overall aim of the research was to produce a validated framework for a Malaysian integrated and distributed telemedicine system. The framework was constructed so that it was capable of being useful in retrieving and storing a patient’s lifetime health record continuously and seamlessly during the downtime of the computer system and the unavailability of a landline telecommunication network. The research methodology suitable for this research was identified including the verification and validation strategies. A case study approach was selected for facilitating the processes and development of this research. The empirical data regarding the Malaysian health system and telemedicine context were gathered through a case study carried out at the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOHM). The telemedicine approach in other countries was also analysed through a literature review and was compared and contrasted with that in the Malaysian context. A critical appraisal of the collated data resulted in the development of the proposed framework (MyTel) — a flexible telemedicine framework for the continuous upkeep of patients’ lifetime health records. Further data were collected through another case study (by way of a structured interview in the outpatient clinics/departments of MOHM) for developing and proposing a lifetime health record (LHR) dataset for supporting the implementation of the MyTel framework. The LHR dataset was developed after having conducted a critical analysis of the findings of the clinical consultation workflow and the usage of patients’ demographic and clinical records in the outpatient clinics. At the end of the analysis, the LHR components, LHR structures and LHR messages were created and proposed. A common LHR dataset may assist in making the proposed framework more flexible and interoperable. The first draft of the framework was validated in the three divisions of MOHM that were involved directly in the development of the National Health ICT project. The division includes the Telehealth Division, Public and Family Health Division and Planning and Development Division. The three divisions are directly involved in managing and developing the telehealth application, the teleprimary care application and the total hospital information system respectively. The feedback and responses from the validation process were analysed. The observations and suggestions made and experiences gained advocated that some modifications were essential for making the MyTel framework more functional, resulting in a revised/final framework. The proposed framework may assist in achieving continual access to a patient’s lifetime health record and for the provision of seamless and continuous care. The lifetime health record, which correlates each episode of care of an individual into a continuous health record, is the central key to delivery of the Malaysian integrated telehealth application. The important consideration, however, is that the lifetime health record should contain not only longitudinal health summary information but also the possibility of on-line retrieval of all of the patient’s health history whenever required, even during the computer system’s downtime and the unavailability of the landline telecommunication network.

The proliferation of market-based policy instruments for governing the global forest commons has resulted in a proposed internationalization of the institutional arrangements, policy standards, and certification practices for assessing the ‘quality’ of forest management systems worldwide. Yet, like other global environmental governance systems before it, proposals for a universalized approach to forest certification have yet to come to fruition. Drawing on insights provided by Malaysia’s efforts to develop and operationalize the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS), I argue that standardization of forest certification systems worldwide is an unlikely and, more importantly, undesirable approach to forest governance. The central findings of this dissertation are thus as follows: 1) Despite many ‘on paper’ changes, the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) remains the most powerful actor within the MTCS. As an end result of an uneven distribution of rulemaking authority within the MTCS, the quasi state MTCC continues to dominate a distinctively monopolar MTCS institutional environment; 2) The current configuration of organizations involved in the day-to-day operations of the MTCS is reliant on a small, insular and tight knit group of similarly trained individuals who rely upon a single episteme that elevates state-conferred knowledge above all other ways of knowing; and, 3) Despite this state-derived episteme being a central component of the MTCS epistemic community, the audit process is far more ad hoc than planned. Instead of following a bureaucraticallyprescribed checklist approach to auditing, MTCS auditors simultaneously draw on the technical skill set that auditing demands (technê) and a more localized and contingent performance of their expertise (mētis) in order to make informed judgments. In summary, the MTCC and its scheme represent a highly contextualized approach to forest certification that values national priorities and local circumstances over international standards and norms. As a result, the case of Malaysia’s national forest certification scheme simultaneously challenges the state-derived episteme through which forestry experts are professionalized and, more broadly, the notion that forest certification systems can ever be fully standardized.

Human capital development is a prerequisite for a knowledge-based economy and for sustaining economic growth. Capability and capacity in the management of new knowledge and technology is determined by the quality of human capital. With globalization, Malaysia faces ever increasing competition in trade and investment. Therefore, the workforce will have to be equipped with a strong base in education and training. Efforts should, therefore, be made to ensure that the education and training system has the capacity to enhance the quality of intellectual capital as well as expanding the human resource base. In mainstream human capital theory, the basic principle is to measure the quality of human capital through some measure of educational achievement, such as years of schooling. It is generally assumed that more years in schooling improves the quality of human capital. Thus it is assumed by policy makers that an increased level of education will impact directly on labour market productivity. Concomitantly, policy makers argue that increasing the level of schooling will give an impact on wages. One of the obvious methods to assess the impact of investment in education is to calculate the rate of return to education. The overall impact of education on wages for society is described as the social rate of return and for the individual as the private rate of return. The major concern of this thesis is to assess the impact of investment in education on individuals. Thus I use a household income survey to estimate the private rate of return to Malaysian education from 1995 to 2004. A recent important strand in human capital literature is concerned with the role of education in emerging economies. This study is not as well established as in developed economies. Malaysia, as one of the High-Performing Asian Economies (HPAEs) over the past two decades, has experienced a steady growth with continuous improvement in the education system. Data and infonnation collected on Malaysian education and earnings serve to provide an important indicator of the benefits from investment in education for this important economy. Previous data and analysis on returns were hampered by relatively few observations and other data inadequacies. This thesis offers estimates based on a consistent set of household income surveys from 1995 to 2004. Thus, the estimation is more consistent compared with previous fmdings. Moreover, this thesis estimates the returns using both a standard and an alternative approach, i.e. Instrumental Variable (IV) that has never been applied to the Malaysian data. This is important because the latter estimation not only reduces the potential bias but also shows the impact of school reform on the returns. Additionally, returns to education using IV estimation are rarely compared between emerging economies and the developed countries. Such an analysis provides an indication of how important the human capital investment and educational reform have been at the current stage of development. Our results also provide new methodology for developing economies in estimating returns to education. The standard approach to estimating returns is based on homogenous returns to education - everyone gets the same return to the same qualification. Our results from this homogenous returns model shows the private rate of return to education in Malaysia is about the world average. However, endogeneity in schooling, omitted variables and other factors, such as ability will produce potential bias in estimation. The heterogeneous returns model allows for varying returns across individuals. This thesis clarifies differences in returns to different individuals. The exogenous impact in the Malaysian education system. i.e. the schooling reform is used as an instrument. The results reveal that the returns from IV estimation were higher than the standard approach. This result adds to literature by showing that OLS may underestimate the returns to education in the context of a developing country. The literature on rates of return paints a complex picture of the theoretical frameworks, methods and even results of such studies. Many of the benefits of education are not easily measured and are often not even recognized by rate of return studies. It is important for rate of return studies to acknowledge the methodological limitations and explain that rates of return are only an imperfect proxy to education benefits, which should ideally be used in conjunction with other measures of educational results.

M.A. (Economics) / The purpose of this study was to determine whether the developmental experience pertaining to urbanization in Malaysia and South Korea is applicable to South Africa. Urbanization, urbanization policy and the consequences of urbanization in South Africa are investigated. Urbanization in Malaysia and South Korea, with specific reference to Seoul, is investigated after which the developmental experience in relation to urbanization of these countries is applied to South Africa. Research was also done to determine to what extent urbanization is addressed by the Reconstruction and Development Prograrrune and the White Paper on Reconstruction and Development. From the study, the conclusion can be drawn that from the developmental experience regarding urbanization in Malaysia and South Korea, definite lessons can be learned and solutions found on how to accommodate urbanization in South Africa. The developmental experience regarding urbanization in Malaysia and South Korea has shown that the unequal structuring of the community and economy of Malaysia had given rise to conflict and competition between racial groups which had been counteracted by urbanization. Urbanization in Malaysia was accompanied by industrialization and the upliftment of the rural areas couldn't retard urbanization. Urbanization occurred with continuous economical growth and the New Economic Policy of Malaysia played an important role in the restructuring of the community and the economy of the country. The government played a constructive role in urbanization in Malaysia and followed a non-spatial goal in its strategy for urbanization and industrial settlement. Land ownership complicated urbanization in Malaysia. An enabling process was followed to make ethnic Malaysians part of the urban economy. This led to a negative feeling towards the New Economic Policy amongst the non-Malaysians. Urbanization was very successfully managed in South Korea, with a land redistribution process that accommodated urbanization and established participatory urban service systems. The applicability of the developmental experience regarding urbanization in Malaysia and South Korea on South Africa is vested in the fact that South Africa also has an unequally structured community and economy that has to be restructured and transformed by means of urbanization. The industrial settlement policy of South Africa will have to be adapted to accommodate urbanization. Ethnic polarization must be prevented in the development of the rural areas.

There is a paucity of longitudinal data investigating the role of vitamin D in the maintenance of health in ethnic minority groups. Specifically, little is known about the role of vitamin D on muscle strength, how this affected by emigrating from low to high latitudes. This PhD thesis provides insight into the relationship between vitamin D status and muscle strength in healthy adults migrating from sunny climates (45°N to 45°S to the equator) to higher latitude (Aberdeen, 57°N) (first study) and also sunlight behaviours in both low and high latitudes (second study). A total of 71 people of ethnic minority aged 19-42 years took part in the first study with 56% were seen within 3 months of arriving in Aberdeen (newcomers) and the remainder having been resident for any longer period than this (residents). Participants attended visits every 3 months for 15 months. At each visit, fasted blood samples were collected for analysis of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] by dual tandem-mass spectrometry, parathyroid hormone (PTH), carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX) and N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (P1NP) by electrochemiluminescent immunoassay. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was measured using a Takei digital grip dynamometer (both arms) and a Biodex dynamometer (right knee) for isometric knee extension and isokinetic knee extension and flexion. Mean baseline 25(OH)D concentrations were higher in the newcomers (35.2 nmol/L) than the residents (25.0 nmol/L, p<0.01). After adjusting for the season of measurement at baseline, there was a trend for higher vitamin D status only between newcomers arriving in spring (33.5 nmol/L) and residents (26.8 nmol/L, p=0.09), but not between the newcomers arriving in autumn (36.1 nmol/L) and residents in autumn (35.2 nmol/L, p=0.81). Notably, few newcomers (13%) and residents (7%) had 25OHD concentrations >50 nmol/L. There was a small seasonal variation in 25(OH)D concentration with the difference between zenith (summer/autumn) and nadir (winter/spring) was 5 nmol/L, 6 nmol/L, and 12 nmol/L among the newcomers arriving in spring, autumn and residents, respectively. There was no seasonal variation in bone turnover markers. There was a positive, albeit small, association between vitamin D and knee extensor isometric torque. Mixed modelling predicted that each 1 nmol/L increase in 25(OH)D would increase peak torque by 1 Nm (p=0.04). If extrapolated to higher 25(OH)D, the change in muscle strength would be clinically meaningful. In the second study, 117 Asians in Kuala Lumpur (3°N) and 110 non-Europeans (78% Asians) in Aberdeen were recruited and monitored for one year [every 3 months for participants in Aberdeen and during Southwest monsoon (SWM; July-Sept) and Northeast monsoon (NEM; Nov-Feb) in Kuala Lumpur]. Personal sunlight exposures were assessed by polysulphone film badges and a web-based questionnaire. Asians living in their usual environment (Kuala Lumpur) had similar sunlight behaviours to Asians living in Aberdeen. Sunlight was the major source of vitamin D in Kuala Lumpur during both seasons (median % cutaneous in SWM = 61%; NEM = 59%), but only during summer in Aberdeen (52%). Dietary intakes provided the most source of vitamin D in Aberdeen during autumn (94%), winter (97%) and spring (56%). This thesis has added evidence to the current limited observations on vitamin D and muscle strength, particularly in the cohort of young adults migrating from low to high latitudes. Intervention studies are yet to be conducted with a speculation that an increase in vitamin D status may show a positive impact on muscle strength. The extent of low sunlight behaviour among healthy adults in Kuala Lumpur is of concern.

The study is undertaken on the premise that the technological advancement of blogs has not only accorded a novel platform for communication, but has also democratised the right to exercise political expression in Malaysia. Blogs have on numerous occasions outpaced restrictive laws that were enacted to curtail the exercise of this fundamental right and have caused great challenges in applying the existing specific media laws to online content in the blogosphere. The main purpose of the study is to resolve the legal uncertainties faced by bloggers in disseminating political speech under the existing laws of the country and to analyse the legal position in the United Kingdom as a comparative model or reference to the issue. In so doing, the study examines the general principles and restrictive laws to freedom of expression and the application of these rules to political blogs, scrutinises the statutory rules and regulations that are currently being employed to govern the traditional media and the Internet as well as other relevant general legislation, in particular the law of defamation, that has been commonly employed to regulate blog entries and comments by readers in both countries. The study concludes that although offline and online content should not be treated differently and certain regulatory controls are undoubtedly necessary to prevent misuse of political blogs by unscrupulous persons, any legal measures to be adopted by the Malaysian government to govern political blogs should take into account the rapid development of various forms of Internet based communications and be proportionate in light of current needs and the local circumstances of the society.

As increased mobility of workers challenges the ability of the traditional labour movement to protect workers’ rights, global union federations such as Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) attempt to organize migrant workers across borders. The construction sector in Malaysia is one example of a domestic industry reliant upon the labour of migrant workers. Through surveys with migrant construction workers and interviews conducted at BWI’s Asia-Pacific office, the exploitation of migrant construction workers and the effectiveness of BWI’s advocacy work are examined. Factors identified as facilitating the exploitation of migrant workers include the historic legacy of colonialism and post-colonial transformation, and the obstructive impact of Malaysia’s contemporary laws and policies. As a global actor, BWI’s strategies for incorporating migrant workers within transnational advocacy initiatives include the development of migrant support groups, SMS helplines, and local capacity building for migrant workers. / Graduate

In a dualistic labor market, self-employment is classified as the informal sector because its members are usually unable to find formal jobs. In big cities throughout the world it has been reported that the urban self-employed are often faced with highly restrictive government regulations in the belief that they do not contribute very much to the output. This thesis studies the factors that can explain the successes of these self-employed such as the extent of their capital, entrepreneurial experience, and education. The discriminant analysis is used throughout the study.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01