Review of community participation and FM services contributions toward provisioning of quality municipal services in Malaysian local authorities

Local authorities’ service delivery in recent times has categorised as a function of multiple players. Connecting with stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, employees, and local communities and their needs in an interactive session or communicative process has been classified as significant for successful Facilities Management (FM) services that bridges gaps that exist between those expectations and service provisioning that meets their wants and specific needs. FM will lead curtail wastage, less downtime and improve the bottom line. Beneficiaries of LAs services need to have a say in the decisions relating to the facilities provided, and if possible to take part in its provisioning or development and to manage it after completion. The methodology adopted in this research is secondary sources of data, were article, textbooks and statutory documents were critically reviewed. This study reviewed the community participation and FM services contributions towards enhancing and provisioning quality municipal services of LAs in Malaysia. This study shows that there are enormous benefits that both the LAs and local communities can achieve when community participation and FM services come together as a factor of service delivery. Service delivery changes have been complemented by improved community participation and FM systems. LAs in Malaysia can be successful in public sector service quality through the adoption of a community participation based on FM services approach. The results of this study shows that local government in Malaysia are yet to attain excellent level in times of community participation and FM service approach for adequate service delivery. A way forward lies on LAs to embrace service delivery best practice through synergy between community participation and FM at local levels, LAs should examine the revenue bases and expenditures of their local authorities, and the extent that their differences affect the capacity of local authorities in providing quality municipal services

Production of Ceiling Board from Piliostigma Thonningii using Styrofoam Adhesive as Binder

The use of synthetic fibres resulted in environmental degradation and the growing interests towards the utilisation of readily available agricultural fibres as a potential replacement for synthetic fibres. This research aims to produce a ceiling board composite from piliostigma thonningii particulate using styrofoam adhesive binder. The board was produced from the readily available materials leading to the low cost of production. The composition has a formulation of fibre/binder mixing ratios (2:1, 1:1, 1:2 w:w), pressures of (100, 300, 500 kg/m2) and temperatures of (30, 65, 100 °C) respectively. The process was successfully modelled and optimized using a Box–Behnken design method. The optimal conditions for the piliostigma thonningii board were found to be fibre/binder mixing ratio of 1:1 w:w, pressure of 500 kg/m2 and temperature of 92 °C yielded response values of density (151.5 kg/m3), water absorption (9.04 %), tensile strength (16.9 N/m2), thermal conductivity (0.11 W/mK). Hence the board has greater insulating properties and good potential to be used as a ceiling board

Bio-Fertilizers via Co-Digestion: a Review

In diversifying the economies of most oil producing countries especially in regions with arable lands, Agriculture becomes the next choice aside mineral deposits. This has led to a search for an alternative to inorganic fertilizers, the alternatives are the biofertilizers. The paper discussed the classification of the anaerobic co-digestion process based on the application of inoculants to the biodigester feedstock to speed up the digestion process and the absence of inoculants. Biodigester feedstock also looked at the various mechanisms in the digestion process which includes hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis, the pathways were illustrated with chemical equations and various microorganisms that take part in the anaerobic process were mentioned and tabulated. The types of biofertilizers, merits, and demerits, the difference between biofertilizers and organic fertilizers were comprehensively discussed. Current trends on the application of the co-digestion technique to improve the yield, nutrient, and safety of biofertilizers and also the recent progression on the technique were mentioned

Developing Oral Communication Skills through Collaborative Learning: Implications for Nigerian Teachers

Considering the need for effective oral communication skills in academic and professional successes, this paper reviews oral communication skills and collaborative learning. It highlights some benefits of collaborative learning. Specifically, it discusses how to develop students' oral communication skills through collaborative learning. Finally, the paper suggests that empirical studies should be conducted to provide teachers with methods that would allow students to collaborate in the learning process in order develop their oral communication skills. It also gives some pedagogical implications for teachers

Agricultural development in Nigeria: the constraints and potentials

Despite numerous attempts by urban and regional planners to develop societies and make their environments conducive for living, livelihood in some parts of the world remains miserable due to chaos and social unrest. The continuous socio-economic and political unrest that enveloped most under developed world has been attributed to poverty. A number of attempts have been made around the world to overcome poverty but mostly have been in vain. This is most likely due to non-utilization of effective means of poverty eradication. History has revealed that agricultural development has been the best approach for improving living standard of the citizenry. Creation of agricultural villages enables the realization of objectives of rural planning by stimulating economic growth, jobs creation and improving living standard. This research was carried out by reviewing literatures on agricultural development in Nigeria, simple GIS analysis and a simplified survey approach. Problems and challenges of agricultural development in the country was reviewed and analysed. A simple agricultural land use planning model is proposed with case study of a rural planning area selected based on its characteristic so as to determine the practicability of the model. This study area is Igabi Local Government Area in Kaduna State. Detailed descriptions of the area are discussed. All factors that affect assessment of the area are analysed. The first stage was to determine Potential Agricultural Area (PAA). The second stage involves assessment of the past and the existing agricultural practice, the availability of the infrastructure, market trend, the socioeconomic characteristics of the inhabitants and the preferences of the people. The physical and socioeconomic characteristics of Igabi revealed that the area is very suitable for agricultural development. This is similar to most part of the country due to their similar characteristics. This means that if the effective agricultural practices is adopted, the country will be self-sufficient in food production which will insure food securit

Community participation as mediating variable for enhancement of citizen satisfaction in Malaysian municipal councils. Batu Pahat municipal council in perspective

This study highlighted the important of community participation as mediating variable in municipal council service delivery and enhancing citizen satisfaction, it was also investigated the level of satisfaction of citizen in the study area. The important and effects of quality municipal service, municipal awareness, community participation was also highlighted. The study was conducted in Batu Pahat Municipal Council, so the item of measurement of the variables has been tested and confirmed their reliability and consistence of the survey instrument. Some hypothesis was postulated using the research variables. Vivid explanation of variables and their relationship. The study provides a structural model for enhancing citizen satisfaction. Questionnaires was developed and administered using simple random sampling. The respondents for this research was 401,921, the samples size was 383 but it was rounded to 400 respondents. The study employed some hypotheses in order to guide the research in achieving the overall aim of the research as well as testing the stated hypotheses and the diagrammatic representation was presented and also the factor analysis was conducted to measure the reliability of the research constructs, multivariate was conducted by using Spss IBM version 23 and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The findings of the study reveal that community participation, municipal awareness and quality municipal services are the major drivers of citizen satisfaction in study area. In addition, using community participation as mediating variable will enhance citizen satisfaction, the study also found a strong empirical evidence for enhancing citizen satisfaction. The study concluded that citizen satisfaction can be enhance through adding community participation as mediating factors, municipal awareness also should be inculcated to makes the local people enlighten about the process of municipal service delivery

A review of FM services for enhancing and provisioning of optimal quality municipal services for local government in Malaysia

Facilities Management services are very significant for effective and efficient service delivery. Facilities Management services is not just to optimize running costs of buildings, but to raise efficiency of the management of space and related assets for people and processes, in order that the mission and goals of the organization may be achieved at the best combination of efficiency and cost. This study reviewed the FM Services for the enhancing and provisioning of optimal quality municipal services of local government in Malaysia. This study shows that FM services are paramount for effective service delivery most especially in local government. But FM services are not much recognized in Malaysia which makes many local government service deliveries inefficient. Indeed, in recent years, the series of services covered within the context of facilities management has been visible as more complex, facilities management has turned into the main operational and technical functions of an organisations. Materials and methods were carried out using secondary data and analyses critically to come up with reliable results. A way forward is that local government authorities should embark on using the FM services by employing staffs that are FM professionals in terms of in-house service delivery and outsourcing for the services that are detriment for the development of local communities. FM and community awareness programs in developmental project and in terms of decision making for any services to be rendered to the populace, local authorities should make sufficient fiscal effort to obtain all the resources that are potentially available to them and accountability should be employ for judicious utilization of financial resources. The research concludes by recommending that Malaysian local authorities should be concerned with their main constitutional responsibilities of provisioning of effective and efficient services based on the needs and wants of the local community through FM services

Developing undergraduates' awareness of metacognitive knowledge in writing through problem - based learning

Metacognitive awareness can improve students’ writing proficiency. Engaging and supporting students in the writing process can increase their metacognitive awareness. This study investigates the effects of a problem-based learning approach on the awareness of metacognitive knowledge of Nigerian undergraduates in writing. An intact class of second-year students in an English composition course participated in the study. The study was conducted over a period of 12 weeks. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in data collection. A metacognitive questionnaire was administered before and after the PBL treatment. Semi-structured interview was also carried out at the end of the treatment. The results showed significant effects of the PBL approach on the participants’ awareness of metacognitive knowledge of task requirements, personal learning process, strategy use, text and accuracy, problem solving and discourse features. The findings from the interview revealed that the nature of the ill-structured problem, which is related to their real life, and the interactions during the PBL process increased the participants’ awareness of metacognitive knowledge. The findings further showed that PBL approach could be adopted by ESL instructors and teachers to increase students’ awareness of metacognitive knowledge which in turn can enhance their writing proficiency

Relationship marketing dynamics, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in retail banking: The role of long-term orientation culture and service recovery

Extant literature has amply reported the associations between relationship marketing dynamics, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. However, these reports are contradictory and thus, inconclusive. Meanwhile, past studies have argued extensively on the influence of individual customer values on perception, decision making and buying behaviour.Yet, very little is known of the interaction effect of long-term orientation culture on the link between trust, bonding, communication, personalization and customer satisfaction in retail banking sector. Similarly, while several studies have documented the significant effect of customer complaints on customer loyalty, there is no noticeable research evidence on the intervening effect of service recovery on the relationship between customer complaints and customer loyalty.To fill these gaps, this conceptual paper is writte

In situ remediation of lead contaminated marine sediment using bentonite, kaolin and sand as capping materials

There is a growing public concern over the issue of sediment contamination resulting from industrial and municipal waste discharge, mining activities, and improper use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides, and wastewater irrigation. However, there is a need to reduce the continuous contamination of the water column and biota by the pollutants in the sediment. The conventional approach of contaminated sediment treatment is dredging but is expensive and requires a large area of land for disposal. In situ capping of contaminated sediment is considered as a cheaper technique compared to dredging and efficient treatment technology to immobilize pollutants in sediments on site. A laboratory-scale capping experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of using bentonite (B), kaolin (K), a mixture of bentonite with kaolin (BK), and sand in immobilizing lead-contaminated sediment using in situ capping treatment technology. The results indicated that applying bentonite, kaolin, and sand as capping materials has the potential to effectively reduce the release of lead from the heavily spiked contaminated marine sediment (3000 ppm) to the overlying water. The adsorption kinetics results obtained showed that the experimental data for adsorption of Pb fitted well to the Elovich, Second-order and Twoconstant rate kinetic models as judged by highest values of R2 and the lowest values of standard error of estimate (SE) such as R2 of 0.937, 0.735, 0.932 with SE values of 0.23, 2.62 and 0.26 for B, K and BK respectively in the Elovich, likewise R2 of 0.817, 0.935, 0.821 with SE values 0.33, 0.07 and 0.19 for B, K and BK in the Second-order and R2 of 0.938, 0.637, 0.925 with SE values of 0.000135, 0.0015 and 0.00024 for B, K and BK were obtained for Two-constant rate models, which implied that the process of adsorption was by chemisorption