https://ptsldigital.ukm.my/jspui/handle/123456789/388941 2026-08-03T13:56:29Z https://ptsldigital.ukm.my/jspui/handle/123456789/784102 Title: Sustainability governance framework for Malaysia-China palm oil supply chain under the Green Belt and Road Initiative Authors: Wang Rui Abstract: Palm oil, extensively used across industries, is central to global agricultural trade, yet it faces growing sustainability concerns and scrutiny over its environmental and social impacts. As a major importer, China plays a crucial role in shaping the sustainability agenda for palm oil. This study explores the role of the palm oil supply chain within the green supply chain system of the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to enhance the flow of sustainable palm oil into China by examining the performance of rules, roles and organisations in this agenda. The research objectives, aligned with the aforementioned purposes, are as follows: (i) to identify the issues and challenges in implementing sustainable palm oil within the Malaysia-China supply chain; (ii) to analyse the rules, roles and organisations involved in palm oil sustainability governance within the Malaysia-China supply chain and (iii) to formulate a sustainability governance framework for the Malaysia-China palm oil supply chain under the Green Belt and Road Initiative. This study adopted a qualitative research approach to investigate challenges related to sustainable palm oil in China, including weak enforcement of standards, fragmented institutions and limited stakeholder collaboration. These findings were obtained based on: firstly, these issues were identified through document content analysis of government policies, institutional frameworks, third-party studies, NGO surveys, ESG reports, palm oil sustainability certification standards and China’s Green Supply Chain Certification Guidelines. Secondly, interviews were conducted to analyse the positioning of rules, roles and organisations in palm oil sustainability governance, with participants both inside and outside the supply chain serving as informants, thereby enhancing the credibility of the findings. Thirdly, a focus group discussion was conducted to gather insights towards the formulation of the sustainability governance framework, with recommendations from discussants guiding the exploration of this study. Participants in interviews and focus group discussions were primarily based in China, with staff members from certain foreign organisations operating within China also being invited. These comprised industry stakeholders, government bodies, think tanks, international institutions and non-governmental organisations. The data acquired was subjected to thematic analysis using Atlas.ti. Applying Institutional Theory, specifically coercive, mimetic and normative isomorphism, this study examines the root causes of these challenges and proposes strategies to address them. Meanwhile, the perspectives of path dependence, interdependence and resilience from Evolutionary Governance Theory complement the institutional analysis and contribute to the overall governance agenda. Hence, this study proposes a governance framework aligned with the Green Belt and Road Initiative, integrating national, regional and international institutions as layered and interconnected governance systems rather than as isolated regulatory bodies. This offers a novel governance pathway for palm oil sustainability, providing insights into the adaptive regulatory and institutional mechanisms required to align sustainability objectives with global trade practices. 2026-01-23T00:00:00Z https://ptsldigital.ukm.my/jspui/handle/123456789/784101 Title: The impact of urbanization on the sustainability of tea industry in Sichuan Province Authors: Wang Jue Abstract: With the acceleration of urbanization, the tea industry in Sichuan faces a series of challenges and opportunities. This study aims to assess the impact of urbanization on the sustainability of the tea industry in Sichuan, with a particular focus on how changes in market demand, resource utilization, ecological environmental protection, and sociocultural factors affect the tea industry. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Using theories of planned behavior, urbanization, and sustainable development, the study explores the role of urbanization in driving the economic, cultural, and ecological development of the tea industry. In the research process, binary logistic regression and multiple regression models are used to empirically analyze the key factors influencing consumers’ purchase intentions, exploring the impact of personal characteristics, behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Through semi- structured interviews with 12 industry experts and scenario-based discussions, the study finds that the changes in consumer demand and ecological pressures driven by urbanization are crucial factors affecting the sustainable development of Sichuan’s tea industry. The study also suggests that green production technologies and brand development are key factors in the transformation of the industry, while policy support and infrastructure development are essential for the sustainability of the tea industry. The study proposes practical solutions for the green development of Sichuan’s tea industry, providing actionable guidance for policymakers and industry managers to promote the long-term sustainable development of the tea industry in Sichuan. 2026-02-15T00:00:00Z https://ptsldigital.ukm.my/jspui/handle/123456789/784100 Title: Keterdedahan infrastruktur kritikal terhadap bahaya banjir di bandaraya Kuala Lumpur Authors: Siti Hasniza Muhammad Arshad Abstract: Kuala Lumpur sering dikaitkan dengan kejadian banjir kilat yang memberikan kesan besar terhadap pembangunan bandar. Walaupun pembinaan Terowong SMART pada tahun 2007 berjaya mengurangkan impak banjir, isu baharu turut muncul iaitu kejadian air bertakung di beberapa kawasan tertentu. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menyediakan maklumat asas berkenaan kejadian banjir dan pelbagai unsur yang terdedah; membina pangkalan data bagi pemetaan banjir, infrastruktur kritikal dan penduduk mudah terancam; dan membangunkan model spatial bagi kerentanan dan unjuran senario terburuk bagi keterdedahan infrastruktur kritikal dan kemudahterancaman penduduk terhadap banjir di Kuala Lumpur. Metodologi kajian melibatkan analisis kandungan, pemetaan data serta permodelan spatial untuk mengenalpasti kawasan kerentanan banjir dan unjuran senario terburuk bagi keterdedahan infrastruktur kritikal dan kemudahterancaman penduduk terhadap banjir. Analisis kandungan digunakan untuk mendapatkan maklumat kejadian banjir, lokasi infrastruktur kritikal, dan penduduk mudah terancam daripada pelbagai sumber, termasuk laporan kerajaan, laporan akhbar dan laman sesawang terbuka. Pemetaan data dilakukan dengan memproses maklumat asas berkenaan kejadian banjir, lokasi infrastruktur kritikal dan penduduk mudah terancam daripada bentuk teks kepada format spatial dalam pangkalan data. Permodelan spatial menggunapakai sistem maklumat geografi dan berasaskan senario terburuk, iaitu keadaan di mana seluruh kawasan kerentanan banjir tinggi di Kuala Lumpur ditenggelami air banjir. Hasil kajian mendapati sebanyak 964 insiden banjir telah direkodkan di Kuala Lumpur dari tahun 1977 hingga 2022, khususnya di kawasan seperti Kampung Baru, Kampung Pantai Dalam, Kampung Datok Keramat, Jalan Tun Razak, Batu 3 Jalan Klang Lama, Kampung Pasir, dan Kampung Selamat. Kampung Baru merekodkan kekerapan banjir kilat tertinggi dengan 18 kejadian sepanjang 1977 hingga 2022, diikuti Kampung Pantai Dalam (17) dan Kampung Datuk Keramat (13). Sebanyak 509 infrastruktur kritikal telah dikenalpasti iaitu 33 fasiliti kesihatan, 189 institusi pendidikan, 261 kemudahan perkhidmatan asas dan 26 elemen berkaitan aspek sosial dan ekonomi. Selain itu, 2,786 isi rumah mudah terancam juga telah dikenalpasti. Maklumat tersebut dipaparkan dalam bentuk peta berasaskan sempadan kawasan Parlimen setelah diolah dan disimpan dalam pangkalan data skala tempatan yang dibangunkan khusus untuk Kuala Lumpur. Kajian ini juga mendapati bahawa hampir 60% kawasan Kuala Lumpur berada dalam zon kerentanan banjir pada pelbagai tahap iaitu tahap tinggi (0.6%), sederhana (13.4%) dan rendah (46%). Walaupun keluasan zon kerentanan banjir tinggi adalah kecil ianya meliputi sebahagian besar kawasan pembangunan serta penempatan penduduk. Dalam senario terburuk di zon kerentanan banjir tinggi ini, keterdedahan infrastruktur kritikal didapati berbeza. Elemen berkaitan aspek sosial merekodkan peratusan keterdedahan yang tertinggi (33%), diikuti oleh institusi pendidikan (29%), kemudahan asas (29%), aspek ekonomi (27%), dan fasiliti kesihatan (12%). Daripada segi bilangan, sebanyak 61 aspek sosial, 54 institusi pendidikan, 7 aspek ekonomi, 6 kemudahan asas dan 4 hospital dikenal pasti sebagai terdedah kepada risiko banjir di Kuala Lumpur. Sebanyak 1,810 isi rumah mudah terancam juga turut terdedah kepada risiko banjir dalam senario terburuk, iaitu bersamaan dengan 65% daripada keseluruhan populasi kumpulan ini. Secara keseluruhannya, maklumat ini dapat menyokong perancangan bandar berdaya tahan bencana dengan tumpuan khusus kepada kawasan berkerentanan tinggi bagi mengurangkan keterdedahan infrastruktur kritikal dan penduduk mudah terancam. 2026-02-11T00:00:00Z https://ptsldigital.ukm.my/jspui/handle/123456789/784099 Title: Strategic framework to strengthen implementation of industrialised building system technology in affordable housing construction in Malaysia Authors: Maria Zura Mohd Zain Abstract: Adequate, decent, and affordable housing is a fundamental human right and a key element of policy intervention. Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) technology represents a significant advancement in construction, offering efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality solutions for housing development. Despite its potential, the adoption of IBS technology for affordable housing in Malaysia remains limited and has yet to achieve widespread implementation. Therefore, the objectives of the research are to identify factors affecting demand and supply for the provision of affordable housing in the context of sustainable development in Malaysia, evaluate the acceptance of IBS technology in affordable housing construction, and recommend a strategic framework to strengthen implementation to increase the use of IBS technology in sustainable and affordable housing projects. Two major methods are employed, content analysis and semi-structured interviews. The content of 15 national policies on housing, affordable housing and housing construction was analysed using Atlas.ti8 software, to identify factors affecting the demand and supply of affordable housing through. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 stakeholders involved in affordable housing construction projects using IBS technology to confirm the factors and determine priorities. Content analysis revealed 12 factors affecting the demand and supply of affordable housing based on textual policies documents. The highest frequency was associated with the factor of process and management (94), followed by policies and regulations (89), house price (66), housing quality (63), integration in technical requirements and planning (61), adoption of construction technology (55), housing site location (42), high construction cost (35), IBS technology (26), skilled construction workers (20), research on housing construction (15), and construction building material (13). The relationship between the factors is very complex. Results from the semi- structured interview confirmed the factors. The factors were then clustered into four priority themes. These are policies and institutions, management and processes, stakeholder engagement and technology adoption. The four clusters provide entry points for improving the acceptance of IBS technology in affordable housing construction. A strategic framework was proposed to strengthen the implementation of IBS technology, encompassing dimensions of policy and technology. In the context of policy, more comprehensive, well-informed and effective direction and government mandates, including monetary or non-monetary incentives, are required to support stakeholders, in addition to the evaluation of existing policies. IBS technology in affordable housing construction could be further strengthened through coordinated projects, the adoption of emerging technologies, and the promotion of continuous affordable housing initiatives. Choosing the right IBS system and procurement process is also crucial, especially for remote areas. Digital technology strategies, such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), can enhance cost estimation and variation to ensure that high-quality, affordable housing is delivered. All these measures would contribute to increased effectiveness, productivity and profitability. This study contributes to the betterment of the construction industry and housing sector by providing insights to enhance affordable housing through IBS technology. 2026-02-20T00:00:00Z