Modeling of Traceability Information System for Material Flow Control Data.

This paper focuses on data modeling for traceability of material/work flow in information layer of manufacturing control system. The model is able to trace all associated data throughout the product manufacturing from order to final product. Dynamic data processing of Quality and Purchase activities are considered in data modeling as well as Order and Operation base on lots particulars. The modeling consisted of four steps and integrated as one final model. Entity-Relationships Modeling as data modeling methodology is proposed. The model is reengineered with Toad Data Modeler software in physical modeling step. The developed model promises to handle fundamental issues of a traceability system effectively. It supports for customization and real-time control of material in flow in all levels of manufacturing processes. Through enhanced visibility and dynamic store/retrieval of data, all traceability usages and applications is responded. Designed solution is initially applicable as reference data model in identical lot-base traceability system

Map online system using internet-based image catalogue

Digital maps carry along its geodata information such as coordinate that is important in one particular topographic and thematic map. These geodatas are meaningful especially in military field. Since the maps carry along this information, its makes the size of the images is too big. The bigger size, the bigger storage is required to allocate the image file. It also can cause longer loading time. These conditions make it did not suitable to be applied in image catalogue approach via internet environment. With compression techniques, the image size can be reduced and the quality of the image is still guaranteed without much changes. This report is paying attention to one of the image compression technique using wavelet technology. Wavelet technology is much batter than any other image compression technique nowadays. As a result, the compressed images applied to a system called Map Online that used Internet-based Image Catalogue approach. This system allowed user to buy map online. User also can download the maps that had been bought besides using the searching the map. Map searching is based on several meaningful keywords. As a result, this system is expected to be used by Jabatan Ukur dan Pemetaan Malaysia (JUPEM) in order to make the organization vision is implemented

BENCHMARKING THE PERFORMANCE OF MALAYSIA’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Malaysia’s construction industry particularly the provision of public infrastructure projects faces various debatable issues of the government’s belt-tightening budget, abandoned public projects, shoddy workmanship, over-budgeted project procurement and unresolved debts in public project provision. The current global economic downturns as well as the fluctuation in the oil prices worldwide have exacerbated the situation. Thus, in materialising the efficiency, accountability for performance, productivity and monetary policy set in confronting those controversial issues, several actions have been undertaken by Malaysian government including strengthening approval procedures, restructuring the implementation process, enhancing viability through risk distribution, reinforcing the institutional and regulatory framework as well as increasing Bumiputera participation in public infrastructure projects. Yet, these endeavours seem not to be the best solution in tackling those problems. Hence, there is a need of benchmarking the performance of Malaysia’s construction industry especially the provision of public infrastructure projects by clearly stipulating the standard regular evaluation and audition through a performance measurement technique known as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This paper provides a literature review of the philosophical, conceptual and functions of KPIs in improvising Malaysia’s construction industry performance. The literature will guide the development of KPIs for the assessment of public infrastructure project provision in Malaysia which forms the major part of the research undertaken.Benchmark, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Public Infrastructure Provision, Malaysia

THE PROVISION OF INFRASTRUCTURE VIA PRIVATE FINANCE INITIATIVE

The infrastructure delivery worldwide has recently shifted to a new paradigm where the government as the public procurer begins to rely on the private sectors’ sources in providing assets and services at no cost to the government. This revolution ensues due to the government’s dilemma in handling various globalisation issues of the belt-tightening government’s budget, the escalated world oil prices, pressure in confronting abandoned public projects, intention in reducing government’s financial burdens as well as increased taxpayers’ demand on the quality of infrastructure assets and services. Thus, in facing those problems whilst maintaining the control over the infrastructure, an alternative procurement approach known as Private Finance Initiative (PFI) has been introduced. Nevertheless, history has proven that not all infrastructure assets or services are amenable to PFI, indeed experience in other jurisdictions has suggested that in some circumstances infrastructure provided via PFI can lead to poor public accountability, a reduction in competition as well as the development of monopolies. With the facts that different countries practise distinguished concepts and philosophies of PFI for their infrastructure provision based on the nature of their construction industry as well as different countries necessitate diverse types of infrastructure for their nation’s development of their, the urgency of determining the principles of infrastructure to be provided via PFI is significant. Therefore, this study investigates the features and characteristics of infrastructure that is suitable to be provided via PFI with the particular references to Malaysia’s construction industry as Malaysia’s version of PFI emerges in unique forms e.g. DBFO (Design, Build, Finance, Operate), BOO (Build, Own, Operate), BOOST (Build, Own, Operate, Subsidise, Transfer) and BOL (Build, Operate, Lease). Although the Malaysia’s version of PFI is theoretically claimed as merely prompt in providing selected economic infrastructure for both physical assets and services, this study demonstrates that Malaysia’s PFI is also duly implemented for social infrastructures.Malaysia, Private Finance Initiative (PFI), Infrastructure.

Occupational hazards in mining and manufacturing sector: An analysis on disease claims in Malaysia

This paper examines the law regulating occupational illnesses or diseases suffered by workers at the work place.Its main focus is on the claims by workers to SOCSO for illness suffered or diseases contracted whilst performing their work or in the course of their employment. The main statute for compensation claim is Employees Social Security Act 1969 and the discussion will be made on the problem arising under section 28(1) and 28(4) of the 1969 Act. The issue involved is in establishing whether a correlation exists between the disease and the work performed by the workers. Such an issue could be the hindrance towards the success of such workers’ claims. Hence, this paper will explore the issue by analyzing statistics and decided court cases.The analysis of the court cases revealed that most of the claims were turned down when the claimants failed to show that the injury or death were the result of the employment. The author also suggests an alternative to have a scheduled and monitored occupational health check-up on the workers’ health to ensure whether any health problems occurs is due to the work

Salinity triggers proline sysnthesis in peanut leaves

To investigate the magnitude of proline accumulation under different salinity levels, a salinity-imposed experiment was conducted. The peanut seedlings were cultured hydroponically for 7 days before imposing salinity and then grown further for another 7 days under salinity-loaded condition. Results showed that shoot dry matter, relative water content, chlorophyll and K+ decreased significantly with increasing salinity. In contrast, Na+, hydrogen peroxide and proline increased with increasing salinity level. Free proline content increased abruptly at medium and high salinity levels. Interestingly, the lowest level of dry matter (an indicator of tolerance/sensitivity) accompanied by the highest accumulation of proline at 200 mM NaCl puts a question mark on the well-documented role of proline in relation to salinity tolerance. The underlying mechanism is discussed in detail in the current study

Sexual harassment in context of Malaysia

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination or unwelcome sexual action includes verbal or physical touch that can affect the individual’s employment, work performance and others including physical and mental health. Sexual harassment may occur in many condition or situation such as between opposite gender or with the same gender. The victim may be the superior, co-worker, an agent or to a non-employee (U. S. E. E. O. Commission, n.d.). Sexual harassment also not an action with interactivity, friendship or teasing that is mutually agreed (V. E. O. & H. R. Commission, n.d.). However, there are two types of sexual harassment, “quid pro quo” (this for that) and hostile environment. For “quid pro quo”, this occur when it is stated or implied that an individual must agree to conduct a sexual nature in order to get promotion. Other that, hostile environment occur when there is unwelcome action of a sexual nature create frighten, abusive working or threatening that can affect the individual’s ability to participate or perform their task (Center, n.d.)