scholarly journals Development of Cabin Fever Scale in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-122
Author(s):  
Chin Wen Cong ◽  
Mohtaram Rabbani
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Emotional Symptoms ◽  
Internal Reliability ◽  
Behavioural Symptoms ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽  
Waking Up ◽  
Control Order

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Malaysian government implemented a movement control order, an emergency policy that instructed all people in the country to stay home. Being confined in a building for a lengthy period exposes individuals to the risk of having a range of symptoms known as cabin fever. Considering the negative impact of cabin fever, it is crucial to assess cabin fever symptoms among Malaysians. However, there is a lack of validated instruments; hence, this study attempts to develop an instrument for Malaysian adults, named Cabin Fever Scale (CFS). A total of 124 adults (75% females; M = 29.3 years) were recruited via the snowball sampling method to participate in an online survey. Exploratory factor analyses showed that the CFS items were pooled into two factors: behavioural symptoms (six items) and emotional symptoms (four items). Findings show that Malaysians viewed cabin fever as both behavioural and emotional symptoms. The behavioural symptoms comprise food craving, decreased motivation, difficulty waking up, and frequent naps, while emotional symptoms include anxiety, lethargy, depression, impatience, hopelessness, and dissatisfaction. Both CFS subscales demonstrated good internal reliability with Cronbach’s Alpha values of .768 (behavioural symptom) and .908 (emotional symptom). The 10-item CFS is deemed a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring cabin fever in Malaysia.

scholarly journals The Role of Digital Marketing in Assisting Small Rural Entrepreneurs Amidst Covid-19 Movement Control Order (MCO): A Case Study in Peninsular Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Siti Masayu Rosliah Abdul Rashid ◽  
Norhafiza Md. Sharif ◽  
Azimah Abd Rahman ◽  
Mohd Amirul Mahamud
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Digital Marketing ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
New Business ◽  
The Government ◽  
Control Order

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is causing a global health crisis, which has inevitably led to a worldwide economic slowdown. In Malaysia, the small business sector is most affected by the movement control order (MCO). The MCO has caused the closure of the retail and transport sectors that has sharply curtailed the daily operations of the majority of small entrepreneurs, leading to a loss in income. However, if small business communities make optimal use of digital applications for their business activities, their income will be less affected by the current Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the everyday use of ICT has the potential to create numerous landscape improvement and business continuity, specifically for small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs). This, in turn, would increase community participation in entrepreneurship.  Therefore, it is crucial to study the role of digital marketing in strengthening new business norms among small entrepreneurs during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is also imperative to identify other factors that can help boost digital business. This research examined the relationship between ICT use in empowering rural entrepreneurs during MCO in Malaysia. The study design consisted of a quantitative form for each research instrument using the Google Form online survey. This study’s sample was selected using a particular sampling method (purposive sampling) and snowball sampling (snowball sampling) involving 158 small rural entrepreneurs in Penang, Malaysia. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 27.0 software. The findings showed that the respondents navigated the Covid-19 pandemic by carrying out business activities on the digital platform and took full advantage of the ICT applications as part of their new business norms. This study can provide input for the government to formulate strategies related to ICT in increasing awareness among rural entrepreneurs. Additionally, the input of this study can offer programs and activities to further enhance the entrepreneurs’ skills in using ICT.   Received: 4 March 2021 / Accepted: 6 May 2021 / Published: 8 July 2021

scholarly journals Understanding the Sociological Aspects Impacting the Business Endeavour Among Bumiputera Graduates

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 213-222
Author(s):  
Nur Liyana Yasmin Mohd Razalli ◽  
Mohd Ali Bahari Abdul Kadir
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Business Development ◽  
Sampling Techniques ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Entrepreneurial Culture ◽  
Control Order

In 2020, 202,400 from 5.36 million graduates in Malaysia were unemployed. Although the unemployment may have happened mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic and various Movement Control Order (MCO), 16,000 of them were already unemployed for more than a year. The situation has raised a question as to why they did not become entrepreneurs. Hence, the researcher interviewed seven Bumiputera graduate entrepreneurs to understand the sociological aspects impacting the business endeavours among the graduates. The sampling techniques used were purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The researcher found that the ultimate reason for getting into universities is to be employed, not to do business. Bumiputera also does not have entrepreneurial culture. Instead, they have a culture of working for others. Although most participants were aware that social status is important for social networks that are crucial for business development, some thought that it is not essential for them because they only want to do business just to survive. Their past working experience also played a vital role in leading them to become entrepreneurs.

scholarly journals Cybercrime Threat Landscape amid the Movement Control Order in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1589-1601
Author(s):  
N.K. Tharshini ◽  
Zamri Hassan ◽  
Faizah Haji Mas’ud
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Digital Space ◽  
Shared Experiences ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Almost All

The COVID-19 pandemic has evolved rapidly and affected almost all the world's countries, creating unprecedented chaos on human lives, physical health, mental wellbeing, and the world economy. During this time, digital space has become an indispensable global means of communication, entertainment, and social interaction. However, high reliance on digital tools increases the risk of being prey to cyberattacks. In order to explore the cybercrime threat landscape, empirical research was conducted to examine the shared experiences related to cybercrime threats during the enforcement of the Movement Control Order in Malaysia. Data was collected using an online survey among 332 respondents across Malaysia. The finding stipulated that most of the respondents comprised females aged between 18 and 28 years old. The result also indicated that majority of female became victims of online phishing/malware distribution [(M = 0.58, SD = 0.13); t (113) = 2.24, p = 0.02] and online sexual harassment [(M = 0.56, SD = 0.11); t (107) = 2.38, p = 0.01]. The understanding of cybercrime experiences faced by the public during MCO is essential to help law enforcement agencies to stay vigilant on issues related to public safety and security during unprecedented conditions.

scholarly journals Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice among Malaysian in facing COVID-19 During the Implementation of Movement Control Order

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah ◽  
mahazan muhammad ◽  
Abdul Hadi Sulaiman ◽  
Siti Rahah Harun
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Real Picture

Abstract Background: The rapid acceleration in the number of hospitalizations and deaths of COVID-19 has attracted global attention and caused worldwide fear. In mid-March 2020, Malaysia has recorded the highest COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia. As an immediate response, the Malaysian government has imposed Movement Control Order (MCO) to break the chain of infection and slow down the pandemic widespread. By mid-May 2020, R naught in Malaysia is at 0.3 as compared to 3.55 in mid-March 2020. Understanding the public’s knowledge, awareness, and reaction toward COVID-19 during the outbreak in the general population is paramount to give a real picture of the public’s responses in curbing the COVID-19 widespread. This study aims to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of social distancing among Malaysians during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: This cross-sectional study presents results from 3211 respondents by answering questionnaires through an online survey from 24 - 26 March 2020, one week after MCO was imposed. Responses were summarized using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test (χ²) statistic ware used to test whether the data from two or more groups of categories are associated with social distance practice.Results: Almost half of the respondents have an excellent level of knowledge (47.6%) and a positive attitude (47.4%) towards the COVID-19. Interestingly, more than half of the respondents (67.5%) performed good social distancing practice, while 30% exercised strict social distancing practice. A chi-square test shows that there is a significant association between knowledge and social distancing practice and no significant association between attitudes and social distancing practice. Conclusions: There is no COVID-19 vaccine nor herd immunity obtained yet, therefore the social distancing practice is the effective mechanism adopted to reduce the COVID-19 widespread, and Malaysia has proven it.

scholarly journals PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, RELATIONSHIP QUALITY AND WELL-BEING IN TIME OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC MOVEMENT CONTROL ORDER ENACTMENT AMONG COUPLES IN MALAYSIA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chua Bee Seok ◽  
◽  
Ching Sin Siau ◽  
Low Wah Yun ◽  
Mimi Fitriana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Time Away

"With the imposition of the Movement Control Order (MCO) or lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are drastic changes in the movement and activity among Malaysians: increased psychological distress due to perception of the COVID-19 as a health threat, increased time spent with families, and decreased time away from home could either intensity relationship problems or draw families closer to each other. This study aimed to examine the perceived psychological distress and relationship quality among couples before and during MCO in Malaysia and factors predictive of participants' well-being. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Perceived Relationship Quality Component Inventory, and the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale were disseminated through the snowball sampling technique. The study found that the participants (N=124) perceived significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress during MCO compared to before MCO. However, no significant differences between the couples were found before and during MCO in relationship quality, except in the trust sub-scale. Trust in the couple was higher during MCO. Multiple regression results showed that depression and stress predicted participants' well-being negatively during MCO. In contrast, total relationship quality, sexual relationship quality, satisfaction and couple’s trust predicted participants' well-being positively."

scholarly journals Unpaid Domestic Work and Gender Inequality in the Time of COVID-19 in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harn Shian Boo
Keyword(s):  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Domestic Work ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Early Results ◽  
Time Availability ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Relative Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic affected how we spend our time in the workplace and at home. Moreover, it caused employed couples to simultaneously work from home and deal with unpaid work due to Malaysia’s Movement Control Order (MCO). What happens to housework and childcare responsibilities when women and men are required to work from home due to an abrupt lockdown? Who is doing the housework and childcare? Who should be responsible for unpaid domestic work? What are the factors that affect men’s share in housework and childcare? This paper reports the early results of an online survey conducted on Malaysian men and women during the nationwide imposed lockdown in May 2020. In addition, it discusses how the pandemic affected unpaid housework and childcare time and responsibilities in Malaysia. The findings suggest that women spend more time on housework and childcare than men and are responsible for most unpaid domestic work during COVID-19. These findings are consistent with those obtained before the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings also suggest that the time availability perspective affects men’s share in housework and that the relative resources perspective affects their share in childcare during COVID-19. Overall, the results call for policy attention to the factors that narrow gender inequality in unpaid domestic work.

scholarly journals THE EFFECT OF THE TEACHING AND LEARNING FROM HOME (PDPR) IMPLEMENTATION ON MALAY LANGUAGE TEACHERS DURING THE MOVEMENT CONTROL ORDER

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (11) ◽  
pp. 24-41
Author(s):  
Intan Nur Syuhada Hamzah ◽  
Zamri Mahamod ◽  
Ugartini Magesvaran ◽  
Irma Mahad ◽  
Nurul Azira Sapian
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Parental Attitudes ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Teachers Attitudes ◽  
Control Order ◽  
The Impact

The implementation of Teaching and Learning from Home (PdPr) has been introduced by the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) as an alternative to the new norms of learning and an approach implemented to replace the conventional face-to-face education system. This study aimed to identify the impact of the PdPr implementation on Malay language teachers during the period of the Movement Control Order (MCO). The impact was divided into three main constructs namely emotional, attitude and health. A qualitative survey was conducted involving 8 Malay language teachers. These teachers were both novice and experienced teachers from primary and secondary schools. The research instrument used was an interview. Interview data were analyzed thematically according to the questions provided. The results of the study found that the implementation of PdPr had the highest negative impact on teachers' attitudes followed by emotions and health levels. The main problems that led to the change in teacher attitudes were the difficulty of establishing two-way communication during the T&L, students not submitting assignments, and parental attitudes. The emotional stress aspect of teachers during PdPr was found to be due to the Ministry's ever-changing instructions while the health aspect was due to stress and depression due to the workload during the PdPr. It was also proposed that further studies be conducted on the initiatives to overcome the problems of Malay language teachers during the implementation of PdPr.

Psychological Distress, Relationship Quality, and Well-Being Among Malaysian Couples During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952110143
Author(s):  
Bee Seok Chua ◽  
Ching Sin Siau ◽  
Mimi Fitriana ◽  
Wah-Yun Low ◽  
Rahmattullah Khan bin Abdul Wahab Khan
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Time Away

With the imposition of the Movement Control Order (MCO) or lockdown due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there are drastic changes in the movement and activity among Malaysians: increased psychological distress due to perception of COVID-19 as a health threat, increased time spent with families, and decreased time away from home could either intensify relationship problems or draw families closer to each other. This study aimed to examine the perceived psychological distress and relationship quality among couples before and during MCO in Malaysia and factors predictive of participants’ well-being. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Perceived Relationship Quality Component Inventory, and the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale were disseminated through the snowball sampling technique. The study found that the participants (N = 124) perceived significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress during MCO compared with before MCO. However, no significant differences between the couples were found before and during MCO in relationship quality, except in the trust subscale. Trust on the couple was higher during MCO. Multiple regression results showed that depression and stress predicted participants’ well-being negatively during MCO. In contrast, total relationship quality, sexual relationship quality, satisfaction, and trust predicted participants’ well-being positively.

scholarly journals The Impact of Technostress on Student Satisfaction and Performance Expectancy

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 538
Author(s):  
Nurul Nadia Abd Aziz ◽  
Mohd Aidil Riduan Awang Kader ◽  
Roslilee Ab Halim
Keyword(s):  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Performance Expectancy ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Control Order ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract: Technostress can be seen as a relevant factor that may affect student satisfaction and student performance. However, a lack of research has been carried out to analyse the simultaneous effect of the four technostress dimensions, namely techno-overload, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, and techno-uncertainty on student satisfaction and performance expectancy. Performance expectancy is appropriate to use as an endogenous construct since this research was carried out during open and distance learning (ODL) implementation and before the final examination. Hence, this study aims to investigate the association between the four technostress dimensions towards student satisfaction. This research also seeks to examine the relationship between student satisfaction and performance expectancy among undergraduates. A total of 500 self-administered questionnaires were distributed but 458 valid questionnaires were found. All of the respondents were at the diploma level from UiTM Pahang Branch Campus. An online survey questionnaire was used since all respondents were in their hometowns due to the Malaysian government's Movement Control Order (MCO). In this study, SEM-AMOS was conducted to evaluate the measurement model and to test the hypotheses. This study found that techno-complexity displays a more significant contribution to student satisfaction and performance expectancy than techno-uncertainty. However, the results explicitly imply that the influence of techno-overload and techno-insecurity on students' satisfaction and performance expectancy is not significant.  Keywords: Performance expectancy; student satisfaction; technostress; university students

scholarly journals Escalating progression of mental health disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from a nationwide survey

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248916
Author(s):  
Li Ping Wong ◽  
Haridah Alias ◽  
Afiqah Alyaa Md Fuzi ◽  
Intan Sofia Omar ◽  
Azmawaty Mohamad Nor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Health Perception ◽  
Perceived Health Status ◽  
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Control Order

Since the first nationwide movement control order was implemented on 18 March 2020 in Malaysia to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, to what extent the uncertainty and continuous containment measures have imposed psychological burdens on the population is unknown. This study aimed to measure the level of mental health of the Malaysian public approximately 2 months after the pandemic’s onset. Between 12 May and 5 September 2020, an anonymous online survey was conducted. The target group included all members of the Malaysian population aged 18 years and above. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to assess mental health. There were increased depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms throughout the study period, with the depression rates showing the greatest increase. During the end of the data collection period (4 August–5 September 2020), there were high percentages of reported depressive (59.2%) and anxiety (55.1%) symptoms compared with stress (30.6%) symptoms. Perceived health status was the strongest significant predictor for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Individuals with a poorer health perception had higher odds of developing depression (odds ratio [OR] = 5.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.81–8.47) and anxiety (OR = 3.50; 95%CI 2.37–5.17) compared with those with a higher health perception. By demographics, young people–particularly students, females and people with poor financial conditions–were more vulnerable to mental health symptoms. These findings provide an urgent call for increased attention to detect and provide intervention strategies to combat the increasing rate of mental health problems in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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