Vol. 16 No. 4(S)I (2024)

The COVID-19 pandemic was characterized as a global phenomenon by the WHO in March 2020. The pandemic had significant effects, short and long-term impacts on healthcare companies and the healthcare industry. Hence, healthcare companies should analyze their financial performance to sustain themselves in this critical period. For that reason, this paper aims to comprehend how selected companies in the healthcare industry utilize all the components in a company’s financial statement to achieve outstanding company performance. Our analysis used market valuation ratios such as earnings per share (EPS) and book value per share (BVPS). To strengthen our analysis, we determine the strengths and weaknesses to assess the healthcare companies’ position in the market. Thus, we will recommend strategies that will aid the company in better performance in the future.

The study aims to assess the perception of the Muslim community towards the general management of Qurban by mosques in Malaysia and to determine whether the Qurban ritual complies with the Shariah principles. Questionnaires were distributed to around 466 Muslims in the Central and Southern regions of Malaysia. Findings revealed that the Muslim community perceived that the Qurban ritual was managed efficiently by the mosques and that the Qurban process complied with the Shariah requirements. Nevertheless, the satisfaction rate of the Muslim community was slightly lower on certain aspects of the management and compliance with the Shariah requirements. The study proposes that the mosques should take the initiative to enhance the internal control system in managing the Qurban by disseminating Qurban distribution reports to the public as well as combatting the risk of misappropriation of Qurban meat.

Task-based activities in L2 classroom settings such as preparing multimedia presentation materials and cooperative presentations can significantly improve L2 learners’ language acquisition, in terms of encouraging self-directed learning, improving students’ confidence and interest in learning, as well as promoting peer interactions. Nevertheless, this kind of language learning activity can be difficult, even for advanced L2 students due to challenges like problems working in a team, presentation anxiety, and cognitive load. Within this context, the present study aimed to explore the perception of L2 learners when learning English grammar through task-based activity. This qualitative study is derived from a conceptual framework from Willis (1996), which comprises three stages of task-based learning (TBL). The sample of this study consists of forty-one English language undergraduates who are studying a communicative English language course in a Malaysian public university. The data was derived through a survey questionnaire based on openended questions. The findings revealed both positive and negative reflections on the TBL, even though they are considered advanced users of the L2 language. The findings are comparable to past studies of different contexts. From these findings, it is suggested that future research should explore participants' perspectives on the potential effectiveness of implementing TBL in pairs.

Effective communication information is essential today. In the field of da'wah management, the mastery and skills of non-verbal communication by the da’i, such as eye contact, facial expressions, and body language management, can enhance the effective delivery of da’wah messages. In the 21st century, among the successful da’i is Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, whose approach integrates both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques to ensure information reaches its intended audience effectively. This study focuses on the three elements of non-verbal communication contained in Badiuzzaman Said Nursi's kenesik communication, and their role in managing information flow within da’wah. Three elements are eye contact, facial expressions, and body language. The study employed a qualitative approach, utilizing document analysis and content analysis to examine Said Nursi’s writings and da’wah strategies. The results reveal that Badiuzzaman Said Nursi’s effective da’wah management through non-verbal communication significantly contributed to the global acceptance of his message, demonstrating that managing non-verbal cues enhances message clarity and audience engagement. These findings provide valuable insights for preachers in both traditional and contemporary settings, emphasizing the importance of synchronizing verbal and non-verbal communication for effective da’wah management.

Malaysia is one of the countries transitioning from the pandemic phase to an endemic phase of Covid19. The spread of Covid-19 had a significant impact on university students, affecting their mental health just as it did for many others. This study investigates depression, anxiety, and stress symptom levels among Malaysian university students and the coping strategies used to prevent or reduce these psychological distress symptoms. A web-based questionnaire was developed using Google Forms to collect data from students who were selected non-randomly from three public universities and one from a private university in Malaysia. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Perceived Stress Scales-10 (PSS-10) were used for measuring depression, anxiety, and stress respectively. The coping strategies were measured using five strategies: seeking social support for emotional reasons, seeking social support for instrumental reasons, acceptance, mental disengagement, and humanitarian. The study findings indicated that 60.7% had depression symptoms, 30.4% had anxiety symptoms, and 86.3% had stress symptoms at moderate-to-severe levels. Acceptance was the most preferred coping strategy among the students while seeking social support for instrumental reasons was the least preferred coping strategy. Students with severe depression levels used mental disengagement coping strategies more than those with mild symptoms. Mental disengagement coping strategy was associated with severe anxiety symptoms compared to mild and minimal symptoms. Seeking social support for emotional reasons was also associated with moderate anxiety symptoms compared to mild anxiety symptoms.

Providing excellent public transportation in response to the passenger’s complaints and recommendations results in long-term improvements to the service. This study investigates public perceptions of the MRT and LRT rail transportation services within the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System, operated by Rapid KL, through sentiment analysis in X. With 4.4 million users in Malaysia as of January 2022, X (previously Twitter) media social serves as a significant platform for public discourse. However, analyzing these perceptions poses challenges due to the limited platforms for analysis, and seeking from X is even more challenging due to the unstructured and noisy nature of the tweets. Therefore, this study aims to develop a sentiment analysis model that organizes tweets into structured data, utilizing machine learning techniques for sentiment classification into positive, neutral, and negative categories. Following the model implementation, the data are collected, translated, cleaned, labeled, analyzed, and classified using a Support Vector Machine before being deployed in a web system for ease of access. Analysis results revealed that user sentiment is predominantly neutral, with a significant focus on MRT services and topic finding related to scheduling. The model scored good accuracy 80% without a kernel and 84% with a Linear kernel, with evaluation metrics demonstrating strong performance on all three sentiment categories. Future enhancements will include label refining and applying more hyperparameter tuning to improve analysis accuracy.

This study aimed to examine the research on mental health among university students through bibliometric analysis. The study was conducted using the Biblioshiny package in R-Studio. The study employs quantitative techniques and conceptual frameworks in knowledge discovery. On September 30, 2024, the screening process identified all references to "Mental Health," "University Students," and "Academic Performance" in the article titles inside the Web of Science (WOS). The analysis included 172 documents authored by 682 scholars in 133 journals published in the WOS database between 1996 and 2024. There were 476 affiliations between the universities or institutes where the authors served. However, more research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of interventions, such as setting-based strategies, and to identify risk factors and predictors of mental health among university students. By reviewing prior research, bibliometric analysis enables the researcher to identify the most significant author or article within their area of interest. It offers a comprehensive overview of the research field for academics and professionals interested in it. This study's cluster of mental health research will assist in directing future research areas through thematic maps, which serve as a tool for visualizing and categorizing research subjects based on trends in the literature. These maps assist researchers in comprehending the structure, evolution, and trends within the discipline by grouping similar topics, emphasizing main themes, and pinpointing emerging areas of interest. This will refine the selection and concentration of new research avenues with greater potential to advance the field of mental health studies considerably.

This study investigates the interrelationships among job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment, and job satisfaction within the Malaysian public sector. Although these job design elements have been explored in various contexts, their specific interactions within the Malaysian public sector remain under-examined. Employing a non-probability convenience sampling method, the study analyzed data from 180 employees drawn from a total population of 389. A quantitative research methodology was utilized, with data subjected to correlation and multiple regression analyses. The findings indicate significant relationships among job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment, and job satisfaction, with job rotation identified as the most substantial predictor of job satisfaction. These results provide valuable insights for public sector leaders, emphasizing the role of effective job design in enhancing employee satisfaction. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of these variables in shaping positive work experiences and overall job satisfaction among employees in the public sector.

Work-related stress is inevitable especially in the service industry given the operational responsibilities and the nature of their work activities. This study examines the factors of work-related stress on employees’ performance where the three components tested are work overload, role conflict, and monetary rewards. The survey was carried out from a sample of 70 employees from a banking company in Malaysia by using structured questionnaires and other secondary sources. The collected data was then empirically analyzed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 23. The findings revealed that work overload and monetary rewards, two of the three predictive variables, have a significant impact on an employee’s performance. These findings were consistent with earlier studies conducted by several other scholars. Future research should consider including other predictors and investigating them in various industries or sectors.

Big data and social media have become significant factors in shaping our modern society. Social media platforms offer a wealth of data, enabling corporations, scholars, and governments to gain valuable insights into human behavior, market trends, and social dynamics. The convergence of extensive data and social media has given rise to a fresh approach to making informed decisions and analyzing information. This paper explores the integration of big data analytics with social media platforms, focusing on the theoretical foundations, potential applications, and broader implications. By examining the synergy between real-time social media data and the analytical power of big data, this conceptual paper provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how integration can enhance business intelligence, decision-making, and innovation. Key areas of application, ethical considerations, technological challenges and future trends are discussed to offer valuable insights for both academic and practical contexts.