2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 1 Organising Committee Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zulnaidi bin Yaacob General chair: Ts. Chm. Dr. Sumiyyah binti Sabar Program chair: Dr. Izham Mohamad bin Yusoff Committee chair: Mr Muhammad Affuwan bin Azhar Laile Secretary: Miss Noorhasyida binti Abdul Halim Mr Keeshen Sharmen A/L Kumar Treasurer: Mr Liu Weiqin Miss Avelyn Geevitha Abstract/Registration/Proceedings: Miss Siti Hamsah binti Samsudin Mr Muhammad Firdaus bin Abdul Hamid Mr Mohamad Firdaus bin Radzali Miss Afiqah binti Mohd Jamil Promotion: Mr Baharulnizam bin Baharum Mr Amerruddin Shah bin Suboh Protocol/Invitations: Feng Daimin
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 2 Multimedia: Miss Zhao Haifeng Mr Zheng Qian Ms Fridaos Yusoff Technical: Mr Abdul Arif bin Mat Radin Miss Thulasimalar A/P Subramaniam Miss Kishanthiny A/P Shanmugam Mr Ahmad Muzaffar (Technical Staff)
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 3 Summary of Abstract Book The abstract book consists of 71 abstracts from the participation of postgraduate students mainly from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). 2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research (JPCMR) 2023 also honored to have participant from international universities. For instance, Prince of Songkla University (PSU), TanTrao University, (Vietnam), Universitas Syiah Kuala (Indonesia), Universitas Terbuka (Indonesia), Dhaka University (Bangladesh). The theme of the colloquium is “Breaking Boundaries Through Multidisciplinary Research” provides an opportunity for all postgraduate students from the mentioned universities to share their expertise, research efforts and discoveries on multidisciplinary research with one another. The main objectives of the colloquium are to: To apprise postgraduate students with cutting-edge multidisciplinary-based research and to facilitate the sharing of research ideas. To commence a friendly and non-confrontational environment for postgraduate students to present their current stage of research progress. To nourish networking and collaborative research The colloquium covers the following topics: Education Sciences Arts Social Sciences Management
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 4 Dean Message School of Distance Education,Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) In the name of Allah, Most Gracious and Most Merciful, Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, It is with great honor and pleasure that I accept the gracious invitation to the International Joint Postgraduate Colloquium for Multidisciplinary Research (iJPCMR) 2023. This collaborative endeavour is orchestrated by the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, and Prince of Songkla University, in conjunction with the esteemed collaboration of Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia, Walailak University, Thailand, and Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia. To all participants, both locally and internationally, I extend a warm welcome on behalf of our distinguished co-organizers and collaborators. The revised theme for this colloquium, now eloquently titled "Breaking Boundaries Through Multidisciplinary Research," encapsulates the spirit of our shared pursuit. In a world marked by diverse challenges, this event serves as a distinguished platform for intellectual collaboration and the exploration of innovative solutions. The journey of postgraduate research is one that demands resilience, both financially and emotionally. As we convene, our primary objective is to provide a forum for postgraduate students to share their research experiences and engage in meaningful collaborations with their peers and mentors. The quality of the abstracts presented mirrors the dedication and focus of individuals committed to becoming experts in their respective fields. Beyond academic evaluations, the success of your research should be measured by the positive impact it has on the lives of others. As participants in iJPCMR 2023, I encourage you to seize this opportunity to magnify the influence of your research on both academia and society. My sincere appreciation extends to the dedicated committee that has meticulously organized this colloquium. I express gratitude to each postgraduate student who has contributed to this event, investing time and effort in research that holds the promise of long-term benefits for all involved. I wish you all a productive and enjoyable colloquium, filled with meaningful interactions and intellectual discoveries. Thank you. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zulnaidi Yaacob Dean School of Distance Education Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 5 Foreword Acting Dean of Graduate School Graduate School, Prince of Songkla University (PSU) Greetings from the organizers of the first USM-PSU International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium for Multidisciplinary Research 2023! It is with great pleasure that we extend our warm welcome to all the distinguished presenters and participants who will be joining us for this momentous event. Hosted by the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and the Graduate School, Prince of Songkla University (PSU), the Colloquium aims to foster academic discussion and exchange among graduate students from both institutions. In the spirit of collaboration that has flourished over the years between our universities, we are thrilled to co-organize this Colloquium as a platform for students to showcase their research endeavors. The theme, "Breaking Boundaries Through Multidisciplinary Research," reflects our commitment to exploring the intersections of various disciplines, including Arts, Education, Management, Science, and Social Science. This event comes on the heels of the vibrant celebrations of the 55th anniversary of PSU in 2023. The collaboration with esteemed partner universities and the series of exclusive lectures by Nobel Laureates organized in conjunction with the International Peace Foundation (IPF) stand testament to our dedication to academic excellence. As we embark on these two days of academic discourse on December 13-14, 2023, through the online platform Webex, we celebrate the achievements of all the researchers who have dedicated their time and efforts to contribute valuable insights to their respective fields. We anticipate that the findings presented during this Colloquium will not only enrich the academic landscape but will also find practical applications in various domains. Our heartfelt congratulations go out to each researcher who has achieved their desired results. We are confident that your contributions will pave the way for advancements in knowledge and innovation. A special note of gratitude goes to the organizing committee for their tireless efforts in bringing this Colloquium to fruition. Your dedication has been instrumental in creating a platform for meaningful academic exchange. To all our presenters and participants, we extend our best wishes for a successful and enriching event. May this Colloquium be a stepping stone towards higher goals and continued collaboration between our institutions. Asst. Prof. Dr. Kawinbhat Sirikantisophon Acting Dean of Graduate School Graduate School, Prince of Songkla University (PSU) November 2023
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 6 Biography of Keynote Speaker Dr. Janya Chanchaichujit is an Associate Professor in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Director, Center for Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management in the faculty of Environmental Management and Assistant President for Promoting of Foreign Affairs at Prince of Songkla University in Thailand. Dr. Chanchaichujit has over 20 years of experience in logistics and supply chain management in industry and academic. Her research interest focuses on incorporating various aspects of operational research applications, mathematical modelling techniques, and technologies into the design and operation of green and sustainable logistics and supply chain management. She is also actively providing consulting services on green and sustainable operations, technology transformation, feasibility study and business model to public and private organization varies from freight and transportation, to manufacturing in Thailand. Associate Professor Dr. Janya Chanchaichujit Assistant President for Promoting of Foreign Affairs and Director Center for Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University (PSU) Thailand
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 7 Biography of Invited Speaker Dr. Shine Pintor Siolemba Patiro., ST., MM is an Associate Professor of Post Graduate School at Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia since then until present. Along his career journey, his writings have been widely published in accredited national journals, reputable international journals, and international proceedings. No doubt, he won quiet best number of the best paper presented at national level. For instance, the best paper presented at the national seminar community service IBI -Kosgoro 1957 in 2022. The best paper presented at the national seminar proceeding and call for paper: Business in Society: Towards Asian Era of Business and Economic Faculty Sebelas Maret Surakarta University in 2014. Also, the best paper presented at the national seminar proceeding and call for paper: Business Ethics and Competition of Management Master Program Padjadjaran University in 2006. Associate Professor Dr. Shine Pintor Siolemba Patiro., ST., MM Post Gradute School of Universitas Terbuka
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 8 Biography of Invited Speaker Dr. Kok Fong See is an Associate Professor in the Economics Program at the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia. In 2017-2018, he was awarded an Australia Awards–Endeavour Research Fellowship from the Department of Education and Training, Australia, and a Taiwan Fellowship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). His exceptional achievements include being honored with the prestigious 2019–2020 Fulbright Award, recognized as one of the most esteemed international accolades, which allowed him to pursue advanced research in the United States. His research focuses on efficiency and productivity analysis. His works have been accepted and published in the top 25 % of the journal category, which is indexed by the Journal Citations Reports (JCR), including Energy Economics, Energy Policy, European Journal of Operations Research, Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Journal of Cleaner Production, Technological Forecasting & Social Change and others. Dr. See Kok Fong School of Distance Education Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 9 Biography of Invited Speaker Dr. Eva Oktavia Ningrum first getting her tertiary education in the field of Chemical Engineering from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember in 2007. After that, she further studied in the same research background at Chemical Engineering Department, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan in Year 2009. In 2015, Dr Eva obtained her Doctoral Degree in Chemical Engineering from Chemical Engineering Department, Hiroshima University-Japan. Dr Eva Oktavia Ningrum having expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals. In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Dr Eva work contributes towards the following SDG(s) zero hunger, affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption, and production and also life below water. Recently. Dr Eva awarded research grant to conduct a study of Synthesis of biocompatible hydrogel for artificial soft tissue from hydroxyapatite (Hap) of blue crab shells (Portunus pelagicus) and its characterization. Latest paper publications by Dr Eva is Correlating properties between sulfobetaine hydrogels and polymers with different carbon spacer length was published in Polymer, Volume 186, pp.122013, 2020. Head of Department Department of Industrial Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Vocational Studies, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember ITS
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 10 Biography of Invited Speaker Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krisanadej Jaroensutasinee is a lecturer of School of Science, Walailak University (Thailand). He is also a senior fellow of the higher education academy (SFHEA) and a member of GLOBE Technology Working Group. He obtained first tertiary education from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in 1990 and further doctorate study at University of Warwick, England in 1994. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krisanadej Jaroensutasinee having strong research interest in Microplastic and Marine Debris, Green Hotel, Zero Waste Project, Science Education, Coral reef research, Artificial Intelligent, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Smart Agriculture, Spatial Database, Social Marketing, Web database system, Information Technology, Digital Storage, Processing & Visualization. Until today, he awarded with 43 publications in National Journals, 310 conference proceedings and actively collaborate and affiliate to other universities and students to share his expertise. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krisanadej Jaroensutasinee Director of CoE for Ecoinformatics Assisting Dean on Research of School of Science School of Science, Walailak University, Thailand Present Council Board at Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 11 ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF MODIFIED CHITOSAN WITH VANILLIC ACID AGAINST PLANT PATHOGENIC FUNGI, Fusarium solani AND Fusarium proliferatum. Wan Roslina Wan Yusof a,b, Sumiyyah Sabar a , Awang Ahmad Sallehin Awang Husaini c , a Chemical Sciences Programme, School of Distance Education (SDE), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia b Centre for Pre-University Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia. c Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia. ABSTRACT Modification of chitosan with phenolic acids has garnered increasing interest to obtain the new modified chitosan with greater potential and physicochemical as well as biological properties. In this study, modification of chitosan was achieved via free radical grafting between low molecular weight chitosan (LMwCS) and vanillic acid (VA). The ratio of VA in grafting was optimised while the amount of LMwCS and redox initiators were kept constant. Characterisations of the modified chitosan were conducted based on the grafting efficiency, vanillic acid content, chemical composition, and solubility at all pH range. The inhibitory effect of modified chitosan on the mycelia growth of Fusarium solani and Fusarium proliferatum was evaluated. The characterizations of the modified chitosan demonstrated that the modification between LMwCS with VA at ratio 0.5 had the highest content of VA. Similarly, LMwCS with VA at ratio 0.5 showed the greatest inhibitory effect towards the growth of F. solani and F. proliferatum. Overall, this study provides the preliminary findings of the new modified chitosan with vanillic acid for their application in the control of plant pathogenic fungi. Keywords: Biomaterials; Chitosan; Fungicide: Fusarium sp.; Modification 1. INTRODUCTION Chitosan (CS) grafted with phenolic acids are widely exploited for their application in food technology as film or coating to reduce the usage of the non-degradable and pollution of waste plastic as food packaging (Li et al., 2022; Zhu et al., 2022). The grafted CS were reported to have significant effects in terms of free radical scavenging activities which could reduce the growth of food pathogens and improve the duration of food preservation (Xie et al., 2014). However, the applications of CS grafted with phenolic acids in agriculture as an agent to combat the plant pathogens as a fungicide are still limited and need further exploration. In addition, CS has remarkable characteristics of low toxicity and biodegradable. Phenolic acids belong to the class of naturally occurring bioactive compounds that possesses aromatic ring structure. Grafting phenolic acids on chitosan is approachable via free radical grafting method. This reaction can be operated at room temperature and only use hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid under inert condition, which are common in chemistry laboratory. Imparting phenolic acids either hydrocinnamic acids (Nagy et al., 2022) or hydrobenzoic
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 12 acids (Chatterjee et al., 2015) onto chitosan have promoted the characteristics of the native chitosan in terms of its antioxidant and antibacterial efficacy. Nonetheless, only a few reports of antifungal activity of chitosan-phenolic acids have been revealed. Therefore, this project is aimed to modify the low molecular weight of chitosan (LMwCS) with vanillic acid (VA). The different amount of VA was grafted on chitosan backbone via free radical grafting and the modified chitosan (LMwCSVA) were tested for their antifungal efficacy against Fusarium solani and Fusarium proliferatum. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS All chemicals were of reagent grade and used without further purification. Plant fungi pathogens (F. solani and F. proliferatum) were provided by the Molecular Genetic Lab of University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). 2.1 Modification of chitosan with vanillic acid The modification of chitosan was done with slight modifications (Teng et al., 2022). Briefly, 1.0 g of LMwCS was dissolved in 100 mL of 1% (v/v) of acetic acid. The mixture of ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide served as the redox initiators in the free radical grafting method. Different mass of VA was slowly added with the mass ratio of VA and LMwCS of 1:1, 0.75:1, 0.5:1 and 0.25:1 under inert environment. The mixture was left under stirring at 700 rpm for 1 day at room temperature. Later, the reaction mixture was dialysed and freeze dried to obtain the solid. 2.2 Characterization of water solubility, chemical composition, and grafting efficiency of modified chitosan. The water solubility of the modified chitosan was determined based on observation (Tian et al., 2015). The chemical composition was recorded by using Attenuated total reflectionFourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) at 4000–400 cm−1 .The nin-hydrin assay was conducted to determine the degree of amino substitution in the modified chitosan with vanillic acid according to the method of Chatterjee et al. (2015). Phenolic content in the modified chitosan was determined according to the previous reported method (Hu et al., 2016). 2.3 Antifungal assay against F. solani and F. proliferatum The in-vitro assay of the radial mycelial growth inhibition followed the method described by (Kheiri et al., 2016). The percent inhibition growth rate was calculated by using this formula: Percent of Inhibition Growth Rate, PIRG %=100- RTRC× 100 where Rc is the radial mycelial growth in control plate, RT is the radial mycelial growth in
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 13 treated plates. Each treatment was replicated three times, and the data was reported in mean ± standard deviation, SD. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Characterization of physical properties, chemical composition, water solubility and grafting efficiency of modified chitosan with vanillic acid The grafted chitosan with VA had a stable pale-yellow colour and soluble in water as reported in Table 1. As observed in the FT-IR spectra, the intensity of absorption bands of the modified CS with VA at 1418 cm−1 was decreased, might be resulted from the loss of NH3 from grafting reaction. In all modified LMwCSVA, the peak of amide I at 1651 cm−1 has shifted to around 1620-1625 cm−1 suggesting the conjugation has produced NH-CO group. LMwCSVA (0.5:1) had the highest content of vanillic acid among all LMwCSVA. Table 1: The degree of deacetylation, grafting efficiency, and colour of modified CS Sample Colour of modified chitosan Phenolic acid content (mg VA/g) Percent substitution of amino group (%) Solubility in water LMwCS - - - Insoluble LMwCSVA (1:1) Light yellow 50.40 35.4 Soluble LMwCSVA (0.75:1) Light yellow 52.12 46.6 Soluble LMwCSVA (0.5:1) Light yellow 74.61 24.4 Soluble LMwCSVA (0.25:1) Light yellow 23.58 28.4 Soluble
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 14 Figure 1: FTIR spectra of modified chitosan with VA at different ratio 3.2 Antifungal activity of the modified CS against F. solani and F. proliferatum The antifungal activities of all modified chitosan, at 1.0 mg/mL against F. solani and F. proliferatum are revealed in Figure 2 and Figure 3, respectively. It is hypothesized that the greater antifungal activity of modified chitosan LMwCSVA (0.50:1) was attributed to the highest content of vanillic acid (74.6 mg VAE/g VA-g-chitosan), followed by LMwCSVA (0.75:1), which had 52.1 mg VAE/g VA-g-chitosan.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 15 Figure 2: Percentage inhibition of radial growth of F.solani by the action of the modified CS with vanillic acid at 1.0 mg/mL at day 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th Figure 3: Percentage inhibition of radial growth of F.proliferatum by the action of the modified CS with vanillic acid at 1.0 mg/mL at day 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th 4. CONCLUSION In conclusion, vanillic acid grafted chitosan was successfully prepared using different ratio of VA and LMwCS. LMwCSVA (0.5:1) that composed the highest amount of vanillic acid (74.6 mg VAE/g VA-g-chitosan), exhibited the highest antifungal activity towards F. solani and F. proliferatum at concentration at 1.0 mg/mL on day 12th compared to the other modified chitosan.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 16 5. REFERENCES 1. Chatterjee, N. S., Panda, S. K., Navitha, M., Asha, K. K., Anandan, R., & Mathew, S. (2015). Vanillic acid and coumaric acid grafted chitosan derivatives: Improved grafting ratio and potential application in functional food. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 52(11), 7153–7162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-1874-4 2. Hu, Q., Wang, T., Zhou, M., Xue, J., & Luo, Y. (2016). In Vitro Antioxidant-Activity Evaluation of Gallic-Acid-Grafted Chitosan Conjugate Synthesized by Free-RadicalInduced Grafting Method. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 64(29), 5893–5900. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6b02255 3. Kheiri, A., Moosawi Jorf, S. A., Mallihipour, A., Saremi, H., & Nikkhah, M. (2016). Application of chitosan and chitosan nanoparticles for the control of Fusarium head blight of wheat (Fusarium graminearum) in vitro and greenhouse. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 93, 1261–1272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2016.09.072 4. Li, F., Yan, Y., Gu, C., Sun, J., Han, Y., Huangfu, Z., Song, F., & Chen, J. (2022). Preparation and Characterization of Phenolic Acid-Chitosan Derivatives as an Edible Coating for Enhanced Preservation of Saimaiti Apricots. Foods, 11(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223548 5. Nagy, V., Sahariah, P., Hjálmarsdóttir, M., & Másson, M. (2022). Chitosanhydroxycinnamic acid conjugates: Optimization of the synthesis and investigation of the structure activity relationship. Carbohydrate Polymers, 277(November 2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118896 6. Teng, X., Zhang, M., Mujumdar, A. S., & Wang, H. (2022). Garlic essential oil microcapsules prepared using gallic acid grafted chitosan: Effect on nitrite control of prepared vegetable dishes during storage. Food Chemistry, 388(April). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.132945 7. Xie, M., Hu, B., Wang, Y., & Zeng, X. (2014). Grafting of gallic acid onto chitosan enhances antioxidant activities and alters rheological properties of the copolymer. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 62(37), 9128–9136. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf503207s 8. Zhu, S., Yang, Y., Yan, Y., Causone, F., Jin, X., Zhou, X., & Shi, X. (2022). Chitosangrafted phenolic acids as an efficient biopolymer for food packaging films/coatings. Building and Environment, Ii, 109181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2022.109181
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2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 18 IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESILIENCE: A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF SICHUAN PROVINCE (17TH-18TH CENTURY) Cao Maoting School of Distance Education USM [email protected] ABSTRACT This study delves into the historical dynamics of the Sichuan Province, widely known as "Chuan" or "Shu." Situated in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the region has been historically acclaimed as the "Land of Plenty" due to its fertile soil and abundant water resources. The research focuses on the transformative period spanning the 17th to the early 18th century, marked by pivotal events in Chinese history, including the peasant resistance war, the collapse of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and the establishment of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Against the backdrop of war, plague, natural disasters, and ensuing socio-economic challenges, Sichuan Province witnessed a near-extinction of its population and a severe economic downturn. In response, the Qing government implemented a series of policies to revive the region's socio-economic landscape. A crucial facet of this recovery involved orchestrated immigration to Sichuan Province. This study aims to elucidate the impact of immigration policies by examining the influx of individuals from Huguang Province, Fujian Province, Shanxi Province, and Jiangxi Province into Sichuan. The research employs a comprehensive methodology that includes historical analysis, demographic studies, and linguistic examination. By scrutinizing regional names, languages, and group organizations, the study seeks to unravel the transformative effects of immigration on Sichuan's socio-cultural fabric. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to understanding the historical resilience and adaptability of regions facing demographic challenges in the wake of significant historical events. This investigation is poised to shed light on the role of immigration in revitalizing economies, restoring livelihoods, and shaping the cultural landscape. The outcomes of this research offer valuable insights into the multifaceted consequences of immigration policies during historical periods of upheaval, providing a nuanced understanding of their lasting impact on regions such as Sichuan Province. Keywords: Sichuan, Immigration Policies, Historical Dynamics, Socio-economic Resilience, Cultural Transformations INTRODUCTION The province of Sichuan is situated in the southwestern region of the People’s Republic of China. The region under consideration is encompassed by many geographical features such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Daba Mountain, Wushan, and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. As a result of these natural formations, a substantial basin has been created in the area. The province of Sichuan is one of the oldest urban civilizations to emerge inside the territory of China. The archaeological evidence provided by the Sanxingdui site and Baodun civilization confirms the extensive historical legacy of the Sichuan Province. Sichuan Province possesses the Yangtze River, Minjiang River, and Dadu River, which offer favourable conditions for exploiting water conservancy resources to facilitate agricultural development. The Sichuan Province has emerged as a significant region for grain production. Simultaneously, Sichuan holds significant political and military prominence within the southwestern region. Sichuan
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 19 Province is geographically next to the southwest provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan, and Tibet, while it shares its northern borders with Gansu and Qinghai provinces. The stronghold holds significant importance. During the course of the war, Sichuan emerged as a strategically significant location for military forces, serving as a crucial pillar for national security and stability. As an illustration, during the Tang Dynasty reign (618-907), especially Xuanzong (712-756), Dezong (779-805), and Zongzong (683-684,705-710) sought sanctuary in the region of Sichuan. Due to its advantageous geographical location and topography, Sichuan established selfsufficiency, resulting in a relatively steady total population throughout times of peace. During periods of dynastic transition, there were a notable demographic shift in Sichuan Province, characterized by the relocation of its population. During the early Northern Song Dynasty (906-1020), a significant migration occurred from Shanxi Province and Gansu Province to Sichuan Province. A further illustration can be found in the early Ming Dynasty (1635-1435). A significant migration of individuals, primarily from Hubei Province, occurred in Sichuan Province. Following the tumultuous periods of the Ming(1368-1644) and Qing Dynasties (1636-1911), the Qing administration placed significant emphasis on the rehabilitation and restoration of the province of Sichuan. The government's immigration policy has consistently designated Sichuan Province as a specific region, granting it a more lenient and advantageous treatment. During the Qing Dynasty (1636-1911), those who migrated to Sichuan originated from over 10 provinces. The cumulative number of immigrants to Sichuan exceeded one million individuals. Currently, a significant portion of the population of Sichuan province consists predominantly of individuals who are descendants of immigrants A body of scholarly research examines the factors, mechanisms, and societal impact of immigration into the province of Sichuan during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1911). Nevertheless, several locations still merit additional investigation, primarily due to themassive influx of immigrants during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1911).. In addition to the notable influx of immigrants in Huguang Province, many provinces, including Shaanxi Province, Guizhou Province, and Fujian Province, also experienced a substantial influx of immigrants. There exist numerous factors that motivate immigrants to opt for relocation to the province of Sichuan. Furthermore, as a result of the significant influx of immigrants into Sichuan, the province's population and economy experienced a rapid restoration, thereby exerting a profound influence on the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of Sichuan Province. Simultaneously, the extensive land expansion in Sichuan Province has resulted in ecological degradation. This article investigates the factors contributing to immigration into the Sichuan Province during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1911) and the subsequent effects on the region. METHOD AND STUDY AREA This study primarily uses the literature review methodology to examine the organisation and synthesis of historical data about the emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1638-1911), local chronicles, and other relevant sources. This study focuses on comprehending the factors that led to the migration of provinces in the Qing Dynasty (1638-1911) to Sichuan. The analysis is
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 20 conducted via three distinct lenses: the government’s governance system, the immigrants’ personal sentiments, and the prevalent social environment. Through a meticulous examination of these primary historical records, the present study endeavours to elucidate the positive impacts of immigration on the region of Sichuan, with particular emphasis on its contributions to advancing industrial technology and management. Conversely, this study endeavours to identify and examine the adverse consequences of excessive reclamation, particularly emphasising its detrimental impacts on long-term ecological well-being. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1. Reasons for the Qing Dynasty immigrants into Sichuan Province During the reign of Emperor Shunzhi(1644-1661), the “Land Reclamation Order” was promulgated.(Qing shilu, 1986)Investigation Government officials should give the deserted fields without owners to the exiles, give the exiles the exact procedures for land, and make the land their eternal inheritance. In terms of taxation, in the 13th year of Shunzhi (1656), the Qing government implemented a temporary preferential policy that is, "People who reclaim land in the province do not have to pay land tax in the first five years after entering Sichuan Province."(Zijian, 1984) During the reign of Emperor Shunzhi to Emperor Yongzheng (1644-1735), Sichuan Province had a large amount of idle land, which was an essential reason for attracting immigrants from other provinces to Sichuan. For example, The reason why Chen Ruyu, an immigrant from Fujian Province, immigrated to Bishan County, Sichuan Province, and he heard that Sichuan Province is sparsely populated, so he moved to Sichuan. (Chinese local Chronicles, 1992) In addition to avoiding wars, some immigrants go to Sichuan Province to evade their penalties or taxes. For example, the people of Baoqing County, Wugang County, and Mianyang County evaded their criminal law or debt in the name of opening up the wasteland in Sichuan. The number of people in this situation is not less. (Yong Rong, 1986) Distribution of emigrants to Sichuan in the beginning of Qing Dynasty（1776AD）
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 21 Figures1.Cao Shuji 1997 3.2. The impact of immigration into Sichuan Province According to statistics, in the second decade of Emperor Kangxi's reign, after the war subsided, immigrants moved to the Sichuan Province on a large scale. The Qing government re-established 17 county-level administrative districts and established 4 county-level administrative districts. During Emperor Yongzheng(1723-1735) reign, three independent department-level administrative districts were upgraded to Prefecture-level administrative districts, and a one-level administrative district was added. This coincides with the time of immigration into Sichuan, which shows that immigration into Sichuan Province increased the population of Sichuan Province and caused the Qing government to make adjustments to the administrative region. Immigrants promoted the formation of geopolitical ties between people from the same region and established a folk mutual aid organization-"guild hall" .The 'guild hall' refers to the place where people from other provinces gather together. At the same time, the guild hall is also a special social organization. The immigration of many provinces into Sichuan Province has brought a labor force to Sichuan and new crop varieties, such as corn, sweet potato, and potato. These new varieties were widely planted in the hilly and mountainous areas of Sichuan, especially the residents in the mountainous areas around the basin. In the 5th year of Emperor Qianlong(1740), he issued an edict called " Reclamation of Idle Open Land. "(Qing shilu, 1986)Under this preferential policy, many immigrants flocked to the hilly and mountainous areas of Sichuan Province. However, it should also be noted that since about the middle of the Qing (1796-1840), there have been severe floods and mudslides
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 22 in the hills and mountains around the basin in the central Sichuan Basin. This is due to the excessive reclamation of land resources, which has damaged the ecological environment and caused soil erosion. CONCLUSION During the Qing (1638-1911), individuals were relocated from Huguang Province, Shaanxi Province, and several other locations to Sichuan Province. This migration was primarily motivated by factors such as the desire to evade wars and the pursuit of economic prospects. Upon their arrival in the province of Sichuan, they substantially impacted the region's political, economic, and cultural aspects. From a political standpoint, the significant increase in population compelled the Qing government to undertake a reconfiguration of Sichuan's administrative divisions, resulting in the establishment of the present administrative division pattern. From an economic standpoint, the immigrants played a significant role in introducing novel production technologies and crop varieties, stimulating the expansion of Sichuan's agricultural sector and facilitating commerce. From a cultural standpoint, it is evident that the immigrants who migrated to Sichuan had a strong emotional connection to their places of origin, subsequently prompting the establishment of immigrant guild halls. Furthermore, the practitioners integrated their manufacturing methodologies with the specific regional characteristics of Sichuan, fostering the emergence of a distinct culinary culture. However, it is imperative to recognise that the arrival of immigrants has stimulated the process of mountain reclamation. However, it is important to note that excessive exploitation has led to adverse consequences such as soil erosion and ecological harm. REFERENCES 1. Qing Gaozong Shilu[清高宗实录].Qing shilu 清实录[Veritable records of the Qing dynasty](pp.811).(1986). Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company. 2. Qing Shizhu Shilu[清顺治实录] .Qing Shilu清实录[Veritable records of the Qing dynasty].(1986). (pp.348). Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company. 3. Records of Bishan County[同治·璧山县志] . Chinese local Chronicles Integration·Sichuan prefectural Chronicles Collection.(1992). (pp.498). Chengdu: Bashu Publishing House. 4. Yong Rong, J. (1986). General annals of Sichuan[四川通志] . Si Ku Quan Shu四库全书[The complete library of the four treasuries](pp.58). Taiwan: Taiwan Commercial Press. 5. Zijian, L. (1984). Promote the policy of reclamation . Historical data on finance of Sichuan in Qing Dynasty(pp.50). Chengdu: Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences Press.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 23 COVID-19 INFODEMIOLOGY, INFODEMIC AND HEALTH INFORMATION-SEEKING PRACTICES: A CONCEPTUAL PAPER Rahmanie Kamarazaman1 , Khauthar Ismail2 1 Anthropology and Sociology Section, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, [email protected] 2 Anthropology and Sociology Section, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, khautharism.usm.my ABSTRACT The abundance of COVID-19 information available on digital platforms has caused a phenomenon known as infodemic. The infodemic developed as a result of the public's intense need for information during the pandemic. The infodemic fuelled by the advancements in information and communication technology, has raised concerns for the United Nations and WHO due to its varying information qualities and misinterpretation of medical information. Infodemic can impede public health response and foster mistrust of medical professionals. The urgent need for information has led to people actively seeking COVID-19 information on online platforms and personal social media, making health information seeking a double-edged sword. While it provides a better understanding of the virus, it also makes it difficult for those without proper knowledge to distinguish between correct and incorrect information, potentially causing harm. Hence, this paper aims to explore COVID-19 infodemiology through health information seeking practices during a virus outbreak. Keywords: infodemic; infodemiology; COVID-19; health-information seeking 1. INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic that started in Wuhan, China became a global pandemic and caused a massive reaction from the public. The COVID-19 outbreak was deemed a public health emergency of global significance by the World Health Organization in 2020 [1]. According to WHO, health information is needed during a virus outbreak because raising public awareness of the infection and the virus's transmission mechanisms is essential for preventing and minimising virus transmission [1]. Furthermore, to better protect one's health during a disease outbreak, it is imperative to have the appropriate medical knowledge [2]. People who are aware of COVID-19 prevention are more likely to follow COVID-19 prevention guidelines, such as avoiding close contact with others, using face masks, and often washing their hands, lowering their risk of contracting the virus [3]. During the peak of COVID-19, infected cases increased, and people became restless and panicked due to insufficient information about the virus and how to protect themselves. This situation has caused a phenomenon known as infodemic to happen. An infodemic occurred due to the high demand for information, which spread across digital platforms with different qualities [4]. However, infodemic (the mass amount of COVID-19 information available online) may cause confusion and misinterpretation, causing harm to those who use it. This has prompted WHO to start focusing on infodemiology to manage the infodemic.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 24 Infodemiology is the study of determinants and distribution of health information and misinformation [5]. From a sociological perspective, the practice of seeking out health information is one aspect of infodemiology. Health information-seeking is the process of making explicit efforts to intentionally seek out health information from sources outside the typical media and interpersonal exposure patterns to ease concern about one's health [6]. 2. PURPOSE OF THIS CONCEPTUAL PAPER Infodemic has become an issue that needs to be addressed. The overflowing of information has raised concerns for the United Nations and WHO due to its uncertainty, misinterpretation of medical information, risk-taking, and harmful behaviours such as the dissemination of wrong information [1,7]. Infodemic can also impede public health response and foster mistrust of medical professionals. The advancement of information and communication technology has led to the rise of the infodemic, a phenomenon where people actively search for COVID-19 information on online platforms. Also, people may unwittingly discover information on COVID-19 on their personal social media platforms. Therefore, seeking health information during the COVID-19 pandemic can be considered a double edged sword. On one hand, it allows people to gain a better understanding of the virus, how it spreads, and how to protect themselves and their families from infection [8]. On the other hand, those without proper knowledge have difficulty differentiating between correct and incorrect information and can easily be influenced by false information that can potentially harm them [9]. Hence, this paper aims to explore COVID-19 infodemiology through health informationseeking practice during a virus outbreak. 3. LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1 Infodemiology Infodemiology, a discipline founded by Gunther Eysenbach, is a study of the determinants and distribution of health information and misinformation. It aims to manage the abundant flow of information to ensure individuals have access to quality health information [5]. Infodemiology initially focused on the standard of online health information to minimize misinformation, but now it includes monitoring searching behaviour and types of health information people seek online [5]. The scope of infodemiology has expanded and includes supply and demand with supply-based infodemiology emphasizing how information is published, republished, translated, and modified [9]. Demand-based infodemiology is about monitoring what people search and share online to gauge public opinion, attention, behaviour, knowledge, and attitudes about health concerns [10]. Eysenbach believes that there is a connection between health information seeking using electronic media and population health, and changes in information and communication practices on the internet can benefit or harm population health [5]. Infodemiology is useful for health workers to monitor if there is a knowledge gap in health information among the population, as the public may not have the same knowledge as health experts [10]. This
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 25 knowledge gap can lead to an infodemic, causing the spread of false information on the internet and influencing people's behaviour towards their health decisions. Examples of infodemiology applications include analysing search queries to predict disease outbreaks and monitoring content shared on social media platforms [2]. 3.2 Health Information-Seeking Practices The infodemiology field can be studied through the perspective of supply or demand, with health information-seeking practice being a part of demand-based infodemiology. Based on previous research, the patterns of health information-seeking differ between developed and developing countries. People in developed countries think the Internet is a reliable resource for researching healthrelated information. They use the internet to be prepared for their doctor visits and to doublecheck the information they receive from the doctors. This demonstrates that people in developed countries take charge of their health by exploring health information and using the internet to do so [11]. People from developing countries are less likely to voluntarily seek out health information. This is brought on by low levels of health information seeking, which is closely correlated with low educational backgrounds. People with low levels of education struggle to comprehend complex health information, which deters them from actively seeking health information [12]. Sociodemographic factors such as age and gender can also contribute to patterns of health information-seeking. As individuals age, their cognitive and physical capacities deteriorate, making information-seeking challenging. The elderly may struggle to interact with society due to physical impairments, making it difficult to socialise with their social networks for health information [13]. Additionally, they may struggle to receive information from doctors due to diminished physical ability. Cognitive capacity also affects information processing, with older patients processing information slower and having weaker working memory [13]. This can make it difficult for them to understand health information, leading to decreased motivation to seek health information [13]. Women are more likely to seek health information due to their role as primary care providers and traditional gender roles. They are also more likely to interact with the healthcare system and spread health awareness. Younger, married women are more likely to practice good health information-seeking practices and have high health literacy [13]. Digital literacy levels can influence health information-seeking. Studies have reported that the elderly in developed countries require assistance from family or social networks to operate high-technology gadgets to search for online health information [11]. Older elderly tend to stay away from searching for health information online and prefer to ask healthcare providers directly due to their low digital skills [14]. 4. THEORETICAL OVERVIEW This conceptual paper adopts and adapts Lenz's Information Seeking Model, which consists of five stages of health information-seeking to explore the patterns of COVID-19 information-seeking [15]. The first stage is information-seeking stimulus, which can be derived from personal health concerns or surroundings. This study focuses on people seeking information due to personal health concerns and concerns about health safety during the
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 26 COVID-19 outbreak. The second stage is setting information goals, which define the conditions to gather information based on available information. The third stage is searching for behaviour, which is divided into impersonal and personal sources, with a focus on online health information seeking in social media and search engines. The fourth stage is information acquisition and codification, which evaluates the relevance of COVID-19 information. The final stage is decision-making based on the adequacy of acquired information, which involves assessing the sufficiency of the information and deciding whether to continue or end the search. Graph 1.0: Conceptual framework on COVID-19 Information-Seeking Practice 5. CONCLUSION This conceptual paper aims to comprehend infodemiology by exploring how people seek out health information from a sociological viewpoint. Through an analysis of the literature, external factors such as age, education level, gender, digital literacy, and location can influence the patterns of health information seeking. 6. REFERENCES 1. World Health Organization. (2020). Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). 2. Cole, J., Tulloch, O., Schmidt-Sane, M., Hrynick, T., & Ripoll, S. (2022). Social science approaches to infodemiology: understanding the social, political, and economic context of information. Global Health Promotion, 0(0), 1–5. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/17579759211073174 3. Arina Anis Azlan, Mohammad Rezal Hamzah, Tham, J. S., Suffian Hadi Ayub, & Emma Mohamad. (2020). Public knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19: A crosssectional study in Malaysia. PLoS ONE, 15(5), 1–15. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233668 4. Calleja, N., AbdAllah, A., Abad, N., Ahmed, N., Albarracin, D., Altieri, E., Anoko, J. N., Arcos, R., Azlan, A. A., Bayer, J., Bechmann, A., Bezbaruah, S., Briand, S. C., Brooks, I., Bucci, L. M., Burzo, S., Czerniak, C., De Domenico, M., Dunn, A. G., … Purnat, T. D. (2021). A Public Health Research Agenda for Managing Infodemics: Methods and Results of
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 27 the First WHO Infodemiology Conference. JMIR Infodemiology, 1(1), e30979. https://doi.org/10.2196/30979 5. Eysenbach, G. (2002). Infodemiology : The Epidemiology of ( Mis ) information. 9343(02), 763–765. 6. Niederdeppe, J., Hornik, R. C., Kelly, B. J., Frosch, D. L., Romantan, A., Stevens, R. S., Barg, F. K., Weiner, J. L., & Schwartz, J. S. (2007). Examining the dimensions of cancerrelated information seeking and scanning behavior. Health Communication, 22(2), 153–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410230701454189 7. United Nations. (2020). UN tackles ‘infodemic’ of misinformation and cybercrime in COVID-19 crisis | United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/un-coronavirus-communicationsteam/un-tackling- %E2%80%98infodemic%E2%80%99-misinformation-and-cybercrimecovid-19 8. Nicomedes, C. J. C., & Avila, R. M. A. (2020). An analysis on the panic during COVID-19 pandemic through an online form. Journal of Affective Disorders, 276, 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.046 9. Norazlinda Mohammad, Sara Chinnasamy, Shifa Faizal, & Norena Abdul Karim Zamri. (2022). Fake News and Misinformation: Covid-19 & Challenges Confronted by Malaysian’s Ministry of Health. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(5), 1276–1295. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v12- i5/13010 10. MacKey, T., Baur, C., & Eysenbach, G. (2022). Advancing Infodemiology in a Digital Intensive Era. In JMIR Infodemiology (Vol. 2, Issue 1). JMIR Publications Inc. https://doi.org/10.2196/37115 11. Aponte, J., & Nokes, K. M. (2017). Electronic health literacy of older Hispanics with diabetes. Health Promotion International, 32(3), 482–489. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/dav112 12. Mahmoodi, R., Hassanzadeh, A., & Rahimi, M. (2021). Health literacy and its dimensions in elderly people in Farsan cityi, Iran. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_149_21 13. Sun, Z., Yang, B., Zhang, R., & Cheng, X. (2020). Influencing factors of understanding covid-19 risks and coping behaviors among the elderly population. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(16), 1–16. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph17165889 14. Jacobs, W., Amuta, A. O., & Jeon, K. C. (2017). Health information seeking in the digital age: An analysis of health information seeking behavior among US adults. Cogent Social Sciences, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2017.1302785 15. Zare-Farashbandi, F., & Lalazaryan, A. (2014). A Review of models and theories of health information seeking behavior. International Journal of Health System and Disaster Management, 2(4), 193. https://doi.org/10.4103/2347-9019.144371
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 28 SYNTHESIS OF MIXED-LINKER Zn METAL ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS (MOFs) Nur Amani Najwa Binti Shamsulazri1 , Sumiyyah Binti Sabar1 , Enis Nadia Binti Md Yusof1 1 Chemical Sciences Programme, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang. ABSTRACT Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has gained attention as attractive photocatalyst due to their unique properties such as high porosity, large surface area, tunable pore size, and adjustable frameworks. There has been notable advancement in the development of MOFs using mixed-linker systems that include Zn2+ metal ions in recent times. This research presents the synthesis and characterization of mixed-linker Zn MOF tailors for potential application in applications. The study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of mixed-linker Zn MOFs containing organic linkers. 1,3,5- benzene tricarboxylic acid (BTC), 1,4-benzene dicarboxylic acid (BDC), and 2-amino-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (ABDC). The synthesized MOFs were comprehensively characterized using powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), single crystal x-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), brunaueremmet0teller (BET), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Furthermore, this study delves into the exploration of various reaction parameters, including precursor ratios, choice of organic solvents, reaction duration, and reaction temperature, to pinpoint the optimal conditions for the synthesis of mixed-linker Zn MOFs. Keywords: mixed-linker MOFs; solvothermal; photocatalysis; rhodamine B. 1. INTRODUCTION Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are known as crystalline porous organic-inorganic hybrid structures formed by coordinative bonding between metallic clusters and organic linkers with ultrahigh porosity (>90% free volume). MOFs have recently gained increasing attention in photocatalysis due to their extremely high enormous interior surface areas stretching above 6,000 m2 /g, rich topology, and easily modifiable porous structure [1]. The most exciting property of MOFs is their porosity, which allow guest molecules to diffuse into the bulk structure. Furthermore, features such as porosity, stability, particle shape, and conductivity can be adjusted for specific applications through creative synthetic design. These characteristics also show great promise in photocatalysis applications. Single-linker MOFs are reported to have limitations in water treatment due to their light-harvesting tendencies, small pores, poor water stability and difficulties in regeneration [2]. Additionally, the lack of proper bandgaps [3], and rapid recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs [4] of MOFs pose challenges in the photocatalysis process. However, by functionalizing linkers with appropriate groups can successfully tune the bandgap; hence, combining linkers with various functional groups tends to increase bandgap modulation [5,6]. Thus, one effective method is to use multiple linkers, each with a unique topology or function, to build mixed-
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 29 linker MOFs. The following benefits have been observed in mixed-linker MOFs over singlelinker MOFs; i) the tunability permits mixed-linker MOFs to have systematically adjusted pore and diverse functions, and ii) the higher number of connections accounts for the high stability of mixed-linker MOFs [2]. Furthermore, the mixed linker MOF showed enhanced charge separation as well elongated photo-generated electron lifetime leading to superior photocatalytic output [3]. Moreover, the mixed-linker MOF showed high surface area that is essential for providing populous active sites for reactions. The objective of this study is to optimize the synthesis new mesoporous mixed-linker Zn MOFs; and ii) to characterize the synthesized mixed-linker Zn-MOFs using physio-chemical and spectroscopic techniques. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1. Chemicals and Solvents 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (BTC), 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (BDC), 2-amino-1,4- benzenedicaarboxylic acid (ABDC), zinc nitrate hexahydrate (Zn(NO3)2∙6H2O), methanol (MeOH), ethanol (EtOH), hydrochloric acid (HCl), dimethylformamide (DMF). 2.2 Synthesis of ZnO(BTC)(BDC) The mixed linker ZnO(BTC)(BDC) was synthesized by solvothermal method as previously reported [7] with some modifications. Particularly, Zn(NO3)2∙6H2O (0.28g, 0.9516 mmol), BTC (0.04g, 0.19032 mmol), and BDC (0.1265g, 0.76128 mmol) were mixed in 15 mL of DMF:H2O:MeOH (3:1:1, v/v). Then 0.05mL of HCl solution (1 mol L-1 ) was added to dissolve the precipitates. The resulting solution was transferred into glass vials and heated in the oven for 72 hours at 120o C. The final product was cooled down at room temperature. Colourless block-shaped crystal was washed with 3 x 5mL of DMF to remove unreacted reactants. The crystal was underwent solvent exchanged by 3 x 2mL of MeOH for 5 days. The solvent exchanged was activated by heating at 60o C overnight. Using the same method, the effect of varying the synthesis parameters such as precursor ratio, solvents, temperature, and time was also studied. 2.3 Synthesis of ZnO(BTC)(ABDC) The synthesis of mixed-linker ZnO(BTC)(ABDC) will follow same procedure as mixedlinker ZnO(BTC)(BDC). Zn(NO3)2∙6H2O (0.28g, 0.9516 mmol), BTC (0.08g, 0.38064 mmol), and BDC (0.1034g, 0.57096 mmol) were used. Using the same method, the effect of varying the synthesis parameters such as precursor ratio, solvents, temperature, and time was also studied. 2.4 Characterization techniques of mixed-linker Zn-MOFs The synthesized mixed-linker MOFs was characterized using SEM, TGA, FT-IR, BET, PXRD, SC-XRD, and NMR.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 30 3. RESULT 3.1. Synthesis of mixed-linker Zn-MOFs The synthesized mixed-linker Zn-MOFs were formed in colourless block-shaped crystal as shown in Figure 1. The optimum mixed-linker Zn-MOFs crystals are most in cases synthesized under solvothermal conditions. In additions, solvothermal reactions typically required high synthesis temperatures and results in small quantities of product. Scheme 1 and 2 shows the route of synthesis of mixed-linker Zn-MOFs. Figure 1. Crystal form of mixed-linker Zn-MOFs [ZnO(BTC)(ABDC)] Scheme 1. Synthesis route of ZnO(BTC)(BDC) Scheme 2. Synthesis route of ZnO(BTC)(ABDC)
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 31 4. CONCLUSION This research is focuses on the synthesis of mixed-linker Zn MOFs utilizing a combination of linkers, specifically BTC and BDC, as well as BTC and ABDC. The optimum precursor ratio for ZnO(BTC)(BDC) is 1:0.2:0.8 (Zn:BTC:BDC) while ZnO(BTC)(ABDC) is 1:0.4:0.6 (Zn:BTC:ABDC). Both of the synthesized mixed-linker Zn MOFs have the same optimum temperature and reaction time which is 120o C for 72 hours. According to the FT-IR and NMR result, there are the presence of the both linkers in Zn MOFs framework indicates that the Zn metal is successfully bind to both linkers in the same framework and PXRD results also indicates that the synthesized mixed-linker Zn MOFs have a high crystallinity. The next phase of exploration of these synthesized MOFs involves their potential application in photocatalysis. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research is supported by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia under Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2022/stg04/usm/02/12). We thank the School of Distance Education and School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia for their facilities.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 32 5. REFERENCES [1] M.J. Kang, H. Yu, W. Lee, H.G. Cha, Efficient Fe 2 O 3 /C-g-C 3 N 4 Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst prepared by facile one-step carbonizing process, J. Phys. Chem. Solids. 130 (2019) 93–99. [2] Y. Gao, J. Xia, D. Liu, R. Kang, G. Yu, S. Deng, Synthesis of mixed-linker Zr-MOFs for emerging contaminant adsorption and photodegradation under visible light, Chem. Eng. J. 378 (2019) 122118. [3] S.P. Tripathy, S. Subudhi, A. Ray, P. Behera, J. Panda, S. Dash, K. Parida, Hydrolytically stable mixed ditopic linker based zirconium metal organic framework as a robust photocatalyst towards Tetracycline Hydrochloride degradation and hydrogen evolution, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 629 (2023) 705–718. [4] A. Bavykina, N. Kolobov, I.S. Khan, J.A. Bau, A. Ramirez, J. Gascon, Metal-Organic Frameworks in Heterogeneous Catalysis: Recent Progress, New Trends, and Future Perspectives, Chem. Rev. 120 (2020) 8468–8535. [5] T.W. Goh, C. Xiao, R. V. Maligal-Ganesh, X. Li, W. Huang, Utilizing mixed-linker zirconium based metal-organic frameworks to enhance the visible light photocatalytic oxidation of alcohol, Chem. Eng. Sci. 124 (2015) 45–51. [6] R.M. Cedeno, R. Cedeno, M.A. Gapol, T. Lerdwiriyanupap, S. Impeng, A. Flood, S. Bureekaew, Bandgap Modulation in Zr-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks by Mixed-Linker Approach, Inorg. Chem. 60 (2021) 8908–8916. [7] K. Arya, A. Kumar, S. Mehra, Divya, A. Kumar, S. Kumar Mehta, R. Kataria, Exploration and removal of multiple metal ions using mixed-linker-architected Zn-MOF in aqueous media, Sep. Purif. Technol. 307 (2023) 122551. [8] P.S. Ramaripa, K.D. Modibane, K. Makgopa, O.A. Seerane, M.S. Maubane-Nkadimeng, E. Makhado, M.J. Hato, M.E. Ramoroka, K.M. Molapo, D. Balakrishnan, E.I. Iwuoha, Fabrication, characterization, and photovoltaic performance of titanium dioxide/metalorganic framework composite, J. Photochem. Photobiol. 12 (2022) 100142.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 33 IMPACT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ON THE PROFITABILITY OF CHINESE COMMERCIAL BANKS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY Chen Huia , Zarina Md Nora & Rafisah Mat Radzia a School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia ABSTRACT Digital technology development is becoming an essential factor driving the transformation and upgrading of China's financial industry as well as the development of the digital economy. Currently, its use in the banking sector has made great progress. Banks undergoing digital transformation will not only transform their traditional banking business but will also open up new service areas, lowering operating costs and risks, improving operational efficiency and customer experience. Therefore, making financial services more accessible to more people and improving the banking industry's competitiveness. To achieve this goal, this study will analyze the development status of financial technology in China, the current profitability of banks, and the mechanism of digitalization measures on bank profitability. This study will be implemented by measuring the degree of digital transformation of commercial banks and empirically examine the impact of digital transformation on commercial bank profitability. This study will also examine the mediating role of risk in the relationship between digital transformation and bank profitability in China. Keywords: Digital Transformation, Profitability, Commercial Banks. INTRODUCTION Most of the past research on the digital transformation of banks focuses on topics of relevance. Fintech blends finance and information technology, and digitization has had a profound impact on the financial industry(Zavolokina et al., 2016). Fintech is a new financial industry, which is designed to improve and enhance financial activities through digital science and technology(Schueffel, 2016). Digital finance includes a series of new financial products, financial services, and new service modes. The enhancement of technology has led to the innovative development of the financial industry and has also brought about a certain impact on the order of the original financial system(Gomber et al., 2017).Existing research is still mainly theoretical about how banks apply digital technologies to realize digital transformation and what impact bank digitization can have(Feyen et al., 2021; Stulz, 2022). Some other scholars have discussed the factors influencing profitability. Banks' use of information technology can enhance the availability of credit to entrepreneurs(Ahnert et al., 2022). The share of non-interest income has a positive correlation with the level and volatility of commercial banks' income, which leads to a weakening of the positive impact of diversification on banks' operating performance(Stiroh & Rumble, 2006). Non-interest income does not have a significant positive impact on the bank's Banks do not have a
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 34 significant positive impact on the improvement of profitability and the efficiency of innovation(Calmès & Théoret, 2010). On the contrary, a non-interest income business may make it more risky to operate(Lepetit et al., 2008). Computerization of banks can improve their profitability(Koetter & Noth, 2013). Past studies are beginning to turn their attention to analyzing the impact of fintech on the business performance of commercial banks, but there is no denying that the overall depth of the studies is insufficient due to insufficient theory and practice. This paper is organized as follows. Following this introduction, the second part Outlines the research methods that will be used. This section also documents the scope of sample selection, the variables selected, and the structural equation model that will be used. The third part elaborates the digital transformation index and analyzes the impact of digital transformation on bank profitability. The fourth part is the conclusion part, which summarizes the key points of this paper. MATERIALS AND METHODS Scope of the Study A sample consisting of more than 150 Chinese commercial banks, including large stateowned commercial banks, joint-stock commercial banks, urban commercial banks, rural commercial banks, foreign banks, and private banks. Data from the period of 2010-2021. Data is collected from Banks’ annual reports. Variables Dependent variable: Profitability (return of assets) Independent variable: Digital Transformation (Digital Transformation Index of Chinese commercial banks) Mediating variable: Risk-taking (Z-score) Control variables: GDP growth rate, The scale of social financing, M2 growth rate Statistical analysis According to the basic hypothesis, digital transformation will affect the profitability of commercial banks by directly affecting their risk-taking, and for the verification of this hypothesis, we choose the verification model of the basic intermediary effect. The basic regression model of this paper is as follows:
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 35 = 0 + 1−1 + 2 + 3 + + = 0 + 1 + 2 + + = 0 + 1−1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + + • ROA: Profitability • DTI: Digital Transformation • RT: Risk-taking • CONTROL: Control variables • : Fixed effect • : Random disturbance term RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Digital Transformation Index This study utilizes the "Peking University Commercial Bank Digital Transformation Index" to portray the fintech adoption index of commercial banks. The index covers 228 banks, including all large state-owned banks, joint-stock banks, city commercial banks, private banks, as well as leading agricultural and commercial banks and foreign banks. The total assets of the sample banks account for more than 97% of the total assets of the banking industry, so they are highly representative. Figure 1. Average and growth rate of the Total Digital Transformation Index of banks from 2010 to 2021
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 36 2 Digitization and Bank Profitability In Table 1, we explore the impact of digital transformation on performance. First, the preliminary results show that the bank's digital transformation has a positive but insignificant effect on the ROA in the following year, indicating that the bank's digital transformation does not directly improve the bank's profitability. Table 1. Bank Digital Transformation and Bank Profitability ROA×100(T+1) Total Digital Transformation Index 0.02 (0.066) Control Variable Y Year Fixed Effect Y Banking Fixed Effect Y Observed Value 1178 Number of Banks 199 R^2 0.335 Adjusted R^2 0.326 Reference: (Xie & Wang, 2023) 4. CONCLUSION In this study, based on the index construction, we further explore the impact of digital transformation on banks. In this paper, we find that although the digital transformation of banks does not directly bring about a significant increase in profitability, it can improve the profitability of banks' deposit and loan business and the efficiency of revenue acquisition. More importantly, banks' digital transformation can also alleviate the competitive pressure from new competitors.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 37 5. REFERENCES 1. Ahnert, T., Doerr, S., Pierri, N., & Timmer, Y. (2022). Does IT help? Information technology in banking and entrepreneurship. Information Technology in Banking and Entrepreneurship (May 2022). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP17335. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4144653 2. Calmès, C., & Théoret, R. (2010). The impact of off-balance-sheet activities on banks returns: An application of the ARCH-M to Canadian data. Journal of Banking & Finance, 34(7), 1719–1728. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2010.03.017 3. Feyen, E., Frost, J., Gambacorta, L., Natarajan, H., & Saal, M. (2021). Fintech and the digital transformation of financial services: Implications for market structure and public policy. BIS Papers. https://ideas.repec.org/b/bis/bisbps/117.html 4. Gomber, P., Koch, J.-A., & Siering, M. (2017). Digital Finance and FinTech: Current research and future research directions. Journal of Business Economics, 87(5), 537– 580. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11573-017-0852-x 5. Koetter, M., & Noth, F. (2013). IT use, productivity, and market power in banking. Journal of Financial Stability, 9(4), 695–704. 6. Lepetit, L., Nys, E., Rous, P., & Tarazi, A. (2008). Bank income structure and risk: An empirical analysis of European banks. Journal of Banking & Finance, 32(8), 1452– 1467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2007.12.002 7. Schueffel, P. (2016). Taming the Beast: A Scientific Definition of Fintech. Journal of Innovation Management, 4(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.24840/2183- 0606_004.004_0004 8. Stiroh, K. J., & Rumble, A. (2006). The dark side of diversification: The case of US financial holding companies. Journal of Banking & Finance, 30(8), 2131–2161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2005.04.030 9. Stulz, R. M. (2022). FinTech, BigTech, and the Future of Banks. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 34(1), 106–117. https://doi.org/10.1111/jacf.12492 10. Xie, X., & Wang, S. (2023). Digital transformation of commercial banks in China: Measurement, progress and impact. China Economic Quarterly International, 3(1), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceqi.2023.03.002 11. Zavolokina, L., Dolata, M., & Schwabe, G. (2016). The FinTech phenomenon: Antecedents of financial innovation perceived by the popular press. Financial Innovation, 2(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40854-016-0036-7
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 38 UNRAVELING THE MULTIFACETED DIMENSIONS OF INTERSECTIONALITY IN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES Chee-Yeong Yap1 1 School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia [email protected] ABSTRACT This overview synthesizes the core elements of intersectionality theory and explores the practical applications of intersectionality theory in interdisciplinary studies. Since its origin in feminist studies, intersectionality has evolved significantly. It provides a multifaceted framework to explain and predict the interconnectedness of social categories including gender, race, socioeconomic status, and age. The practical application of intersectionality has the potential to unveil the inner complexities of many social phenomena due to the intersections of different social categories. The core elements of intersectionality include: 1) moving away from additive analysis; 2) relationality of social categories; 3) social constructionism (Windsong, 2018). The use of intersectionality can further understand the intersectional experiences of marginalized groups, therefore provide constructive solutions to address them (Choo & Ferree, 2010). Intersectionality has been widely adopted across many fields of academic scholarship including sociology, psychology, public health, urban planning, education, gender studies, and political science. The intersectionality theory is a crucial puzzle for us to have a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of social phenomena. Its diverse applications across disciplines underscore its value in fostering a deeper, more inclusive understanding of societal structures and relationships, thereby promoting equity and social development. Keywords: Intersectionality; interdisciplinary studies; social categories; equity; social development. 1. INTRODUCTION Intersectionality theory, originally rooted in feminist studies, has evolved into a critical framework in various academic disciplines. Its core lies in elucidating the interconnectedness of social categories like gender, race, socioeconomic status, and age. This extended abstract delves into the core elements of intersectionality, its significant findings across different fields, and its wide-ranging practical applications.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 39 2. CORE ELEMENTS The essence of intersectionality encompasses three core components (Windsong, 2018): 1. Moving Away from Additive Analysis: This element challenges the conventional approach of analyzing social categories in isolation. Instead, it advocates for a holistic view, recognizing that the confluence of various identities creates unique experiences that cannot be understood merely by summing up individual aspects. 2. Relationality of Social Categories: Intersectionality posits that social categories are interrelated and mutually constitutive. This relationality underscores how different axes of identity inform and shape each other, creating complex social dynamics. 3. Social Constructionism: This aspect emphasizes that social categories are not natural or inherent but are socially constructed and maintained. It invites a critical examination of how societal norms and structures create and sustain these categories. 3. APPLICATIONS OF INTERSECTIONALITY IN VARIOUS FIELDS a) Sociology: In sociology, intersectionality offers a lens to dissect societal and power structures, enhancing the understanding of group dynamics and societal stratification (Covarrubias, 2011). b) Psychology: Intersectionality in psychology aids in comprehending the complexities of individual experiences, particularly how intersecting identities impact mental health and (Moradi & Grzanka, 2017) c) Public Health: In public health, the framework is used to explore how overlapping social determinants, such as race and socioeconomic status, influence health outcomes and disparities (Agénor, 2020). d) Urban Planning, Environmental Policy, and Criminology: Intersectionality is instrumental in understanding how identity intersections contribute to societal challenges and opportunities in urban planning, environmental policy, and criminology (Osborne, 2015). e) Education: In the educational sector, intersectionality helps in understanding how various social identities of students and educators impact learning experiences, educational policies, and institutional practices. It sheds light on issues like educational inequalities and the unique challenges faced by students from diverse backgrounds (Núñez, 2014). f) Gender Studies: Central to its origin, intersectionality in gender studies examines the overlapping systems of oppression and privilege affecting individuals based on their gender, race, class, sexuality, and other identity markers. It expands the discourse beyond binary gender narratives, exploring the experiences of transgender, non-binary, and gendernonconforming individuals (Davis, 2008).
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 40 g) Political Science and International Relations: Intersectionality in these fields analyzes how identity and power dynamics influence political behavior, policy-making, and international relations. It offers insights into the role of identity in conflict, governance, and global political movements (Hancock, 2007). 4. CONCLUSION Intersectionality theory is a crucial puzzle for a comprehensive understanding of social phenomena. Its applicability across various disciplines highlights its critical role in fostering a deeper, more inclusive understanding of societal structures and relationships. By acknowledging and addressing the multifaceted nature of social identities and experiences, intersectionality promotes equity and social development, making it a crucial tool in the quest for a more equitable society. 5. REFERENCES 1. Agénor, M. (2020). Future Directions for Incorporating Intersectionality Into Quantitative Population Health Research. American Journal of Public Health, 110(6), 803–806. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305610 2. Choo, H. Y., & Ferree, M. M. (2010). Practicing Intersectionality in Sociological Research: A Critical Analysis of Inclusions, Interactions, and Institutions in the Study of Inequalities. Sociological Theory, 28(2), 129–149. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467- 9558.2010.01370.x 3. Covarrubias, A. (2011). Quantitative Intersectionality: A Critical Race Analysis of the Chicana/o Educational Pipeline. Journal of Latinos and Education, 10(2), 86–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2011.556519 4. Davis, K. (2008). Intersectionality as buzzword: A sociology of science perspective on what makes a feminist theory successful. Feminist Theory, 9(1), 67–85. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464700108086364 5. Hancock, A.-M. (2007). When Multiplication Doesn’t Equal Quick Addition: Examining Intersectionality as a Research Paradigm. Perspectives on Politics, 5(1), 63–79. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1537592707070065 6. Moradi, B., & Grzanka, P. R. (2017). Using intersectionality responsibly: Toward critical epistemology, structural analysis, and social justice activism. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 64(5), 500–513. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000203 7. Núñez, A.-M. (2014). Employing Multilevel Intersectionality in Educational Research: Latino Identities, Contexts, and College Access. Educational Researcher, 43(2), 85–92. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X14522320 8. Osborne, N. (2015). Intersectionality and kyriarchy: A framework for approaching power and social justice in planning and climate change adaptation. Planning Theory, 14(2), 130–151. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473095213516443 9. Windsong, E. A. (2018). Incorporating intersectionality into research design: An example using qualitative interviews. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 21(2), 135–147. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2016.1268361
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 41 A GIS BASED REAL-TIME DATA MODEL FOR LANDSLIDE SUSCEPTIBILITY MAPPING IN PENANG ISLAND CATCHMENT AREA Siti Hamsah Binti Samsudin1 , Izham Mohamad Yusoff1 , Milad Bagheri Ghadikolaei 1 , Tharshini Murthy1 , Ismail Ahmad Abir2 1 Department of Geography, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia 2 Department of Geophysics, School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia ABSTRACT Landslide susceptibility mapping is a concerning part in the preliminary study of landslide hazards and risk assessment especially for the mountainous country like Malaysia. The purpose of landslide susceptibility mapping is to highlight the regional distribution of potentially unstable slopes based on a detailed study of the factors responsible for landsliding. Landslide events in Penang Island catchment area are strongly correlated to many factors comprising slope angle, slope aspect, curvature, altitude, distance to rivers, distance to roads, soil types, land cover, lithology types, distance to faults and rainfall. This study integrates remote sensing, linear regression modelling, and GIS based tools to maximise the use of high-resolution open-source digital elevation model of the Penang Island. This satellite imagery is freely accessible through Open Topography with data provided by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The detailed landslide susceptibility maps are useful for identifying safe and unsafe areas for rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts for Penang Island catchment areas, as well as for community planning activities. Keywords: GIS, remote sensing, landslides susceptibility mapping, open-source data, Penang Island catchment, linear regression 1. INTRODUCTION Study Area The study area is in Penang Island, Northwest Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It was one of the first states in the country to gazette its water catchment areas. Penang government had gazetted its water catchment area covering 6,288.95 hectares under the Water Supply Enactment 1998 on December 2, 2004. The gazetted area included 3,565ha of permanent forest reserve. Penang Island is on a rapid track of urbanisation while having very progressive demands on its land property and housing development especially at the hillside area. The most common types of landslides happened in Penang Island are shallow slides where the slide surface is usually less than 4 m and deep and occurs during or immediately after intense rainfall between the months of September to January every year.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 42 Common landslide Conditioning Factors Two predictors’ datasets; with climate variables; without climate variables prepared for this study. This study considers a total of twelve variables, including slope angle, slope aspect, curvature, altitude, distance to rivers, distance to roads, soil types, soil resistivity, land cover, lithology types, distance to faults, and including another one climate variable which is annual precipitation. The prediction methods for landslide-prone areas are generally divided into two categories. The first category lays on experts’ knowledge, and the rest mainly depend on the original data collection of causative factors (Wu et al.,2022). RO1: The main purpose of the present study is to evaluate the potential use of the ALOS World 3D data- DEM and its derivatives in landslide susceptibility mapping. 2. DATA AND VARIABLES Topographic Data. To investigate the effect of DEM resolution on landslide susceptibility mapping, we used topographic satellite images collected by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) data from open access source Open Topography which can be retrieved at https://portal.opentopography.org/. The ALOS Global Digital Surface Model (AW3D30) is a global dataset generated from images collected using the Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping (PRISM) aboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) from 2006 to 2011. Data Type Sensor Scale / Resolution Layer Data Derivative DEM ALOS World 3D 30m x30m grid Raster Slope Angle SRTM 1-Arc Second Global 1-Arc (30.87m x30.87m) Raster Slope Aspect Curvature Altitude Image Data Landsat 2 10m x 10m grid Raster LULC
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 43 Ancillary Data 1:25000 Vector Landslide Inventory 1:25000 Vector Topographic Map 1:250000 Vector Soil Map 1: 250000 Vector Geology Map Table 2.0 Table of DEM-derived (Source of Dataset : Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (2021). ALOS World 3D 30 metre DEM. V3.2, Jan 2021. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G94M92HB. Accessed: 2023-11-14) Landslide inventories. This study produces new landslide inventories for the whole area of Penang Island using manual identification from previously collected landslide data, field surveys and other locations were extracted from various sources. 3. METHODOLOGY Multivariate statistical analysis (MSA) Logistic Regression (LR) considers several parameters that may affect the probability of flood occurrence. The advantage of this method is that the data does not need to have normal distribution and the conditioning factors can be either continuous or discrete, or any combination of both types. Quantitative methods are based on numerical expressions of the relationship between controlling factors and landslides. Landslide susceptibility mapping using either multivariate or bivariate statistical approaches analyses the historical link between landslide-controlling factors and the distribution of landslides. Other than topographic data, study will be accessing on more than one factors hence, this study attempts to extend the application of LR because the method requires fewer theoretical assumptions than discriminant analysis Validity Analysis. The method’s performance was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) to find the highest overall prediction accuracy of each landslide susceptibility map produced earlier. According to literature this is a commonly used method for assessing the overall accuracy of landslide susceptibility mapping.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 44 4. CONCLUSION Penang Island catchment areas are prone to landslides. The factors such as slope angle, slope aspect, curvature, altitude, distance to rivers, distance to roads, soil types, soil resistivity, land cover, lithology types, distance to faults, and including another one climate variable which is annual precipitation have been counted into consideration. They are influencing the incremental potential of the landslide occurrences in the area. However, landslide-location and potential areas for susceptible mapping can be assessed further in future studies and predicted through scientific analysis with the consideration of the latest machine learning methods. In addition, we suggest landslide related factors to be assessed and geographic information system (GIS) software, QGIS and ArcGIS to be used as the basic analysis tools for spatial management and data manipulation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The authors would like to thank the ministry of Higher Education Malaysia for Long Term Research Project with Project Code: LRGS/1/2016/UTM/01/1/3 Intelligent Green Energy Landslide Real-Time Alerting System in The Tropics and research grant number 203/PJJAUH/6776003 LandGIS-An Eco Smart GIS Based Real-Time Data Model For Landslide Spatial Visualization. We would like to acknowledge the Editor-in-Chief and the anonymous reviewers for their criticism and suggestions, which have helped to improve this paper. Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 45 4. REFERENCES 1. Abidin, M. H. Z., Saad, R., Wijeyesekera, D. C., Ahmad, F., Baharuddin, M. F. T., Tajudin, S. A. A., & Madun, A. (2017). The influences of basic physical properties of clayey silt and silty sand on its laboratory electrical resistivity value in loose and dense conditions. Sains Malaysiana, 46(10), 1959-1969. 2. Abujayyab, S. K., & Karaş, I. R. (2019). Low Data Requirements Framework for Landslide Susceptibility Prediction Using 3D Alos Palsar Images and Neural Networks. The International Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 42, 47-54. 3. Ahmad, F., Yahaya, A. S., & Farooqi, M. A. (2006). Characterization and geotechnical properties of Penang residual soils with emphasis on landslides. Am J Environ Sci, 2(4), 121-128. 4. Ali, E. (2020). Geographic Information System (GIS): Definition, Development, Applications & Components. Department of Geography, Ananda Chandra College. India. 5. Alkhasawneh, M. S., Ngah, U. K., Tay, L. T., Mat Isa, N. A., & Al-Batah, M. S. (2014). Modeling and testing landslide hazard using decision tree. Journal of Applied Mathematics, 2014. 6. An, K., Kim, S., Chae, T., & Park, D. (2018). Developing an accessible landslide susceptibility model using open-source resources. Sustainability, 10(2), 293. DOI : ttps://doi.org/10.3390/su10020293 7. Angbera, A., & Chan, H. Y. A Novel True-Real-Time Spatiotemporal Data Stream Processing Framework. 8. Breiman, L. (2001). Random forests. Machine learning, 45(1), 5-32. 9. Brock, J.; Schratz, P.; Petschko, H.; Muenchow, J.; Micu, M.; Brenning, A. The performance of landslide susceptibility models critically depends on the quality of digital elevation models. Geomat. Nat. Hazards Risk 2020, 11, 1075–1092. 10. Campbell, J. E., & Shin, M. (2011). Essentials of geographic information systems. https://www. saylor. org/books/. 11. Chen, R. C., Dewi, C., Huang, S. W., & Caraka, R. E. (2020). Selecting critical features for data classification based on machine learning methods. Journal of Big Data, 7(1), 1- 26. 12. De França, L. L. S. (2018). Topological validation of drainage network with QGIS. 13. Gao, H., Fam, P. S., Tay, L. T., & Low, H. C. (2020). Three oversampling methods applied in a comparative landslide spatial research in Penang Island, Malaysia. SN Applied Sciences, 2(9), 1-20. 14. Gao, H., Fam, P. S., Tay, L. T., & Low, H. C. (2021). Comparative landslide spatial research based on various sample sizes and ratios in Penang Island, Malaysia. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 80(2), 851-872. 15. Goetz, J. N., Brenning, A., Petschko, H., & Leopold, P. (2015). Evaluating machine learning and statistical prediction techniques for landslide susceptibility modeling. Computers & geosciences, 81, 1-11.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 46 ANALISIS TREN SUHU BAGI JANGKA MASA PANJANG DAN HUBUNGANNYA DENGAN PERKEMBANGAN KAWASAN BANDAR DI PULAU PINANG Tharshini Murthy1 , Izham Mohamad Yusoff1 , Nik Norliati Fitri Md Nor1 , Siti Masayu Rosliah Abdul Rashid1 , Ismail Ahmad Abir2 1 School of Distance Education,Universiti Sains Malaysia,Penang, Malaysia. 2 School of Pyhsics,Universiti Sains Malaysia,Penang, Malaysia. ABSTRAK Kawasan bandar memainkan peranan penting dalam perubahan tren suhu jangka masa panjang. Terdapat banyak kajian yang dijalankan di seluruh dunia berkaitan hubungan antara perubahan guna tanah dengan peningkatan suhu permukaan. Kajian ini juga bertujuan untuk mengenalpasti hubungan antara perkembangan bandar dan tren suhu jangka masa panjang di bahagian pulau, Pulau Pinang dengan menggunakan peta guna tanah yang telah didigitasi yang diperolehi daripada Jabatan Pertanian Malaysia. Dalam kajian ini, perkembangan bandar Pulau Pinang dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015 telah dianalisis. Kemudian, tren suhu jangka masa panjang juga dianalisis dengan menggunakan kaedah Mann-Kendall dan Sen's Slope. . Imej satelit juga digunakan dalam analisis suhu sebagai sumber tambahan bagi menyokong hasil kajian. Akhirnya, hubungan antara perkembangan bandar dan juga suhu telah dikenal pasti dengan menggunakan analisis korelasi. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa bahagian pulau, negeri Pulau Pinang telah mengalami proses urbanisasi yang pesat sejak dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015, di mana kadar bagi keseluruhan perkembangan bandar adalah 134.22%. Kemudian, indeks suhu (Tmin, Tmax dan Tmean) menunjukkan tren meningkat yang ketara pada kadar 0.19℃ / dekad, 1.2 ℃ / dekad dan 0.3 ℃ / dekad. Kemudian, Tmin dan Tmean pula mempunyai korelasi yang signifikan dan kuat terhadap perkembangan kawasan bandar. Imej satelit yang dianalisis juga menunjukkan pencatatan suhu tinggi pada kawasan bandar. Hal ini menunjukkan bahawa terdapat hubungan yang kuat antara perkembangan bandar dengan kenaikan suhu di bahagian pulau, negeri Pulau Pinang. Namun, terdapat juga faktor lain yang mengakibatkan pencatatan suhu yang tinggi. Hal ini kerana, pada tahun 2008 hingga 2015 suhu tetap meningkat walaupun pembangunan semakin menurun. Oleh itu, dapat dikatakan bahawa terdapat juga faktor lain yang menyumbang kepada peningkatan suhu di bahagian pulau seperti perubahan iklim dunia. Kata kunci: Perkembangan bandar, suhu jangka masa panjang, satelit, Pulau Pinang
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 47 PENGENALAN Menurut laporan khas Panel Antara Kerajaan mengenai Perubahan Iklim (IPCC) mengenai Pemanasan Global 1.5°C, pemanasan global ditakrifkan sebagai peningkatan purata global gabungan suhu permukaan darat dan permukaan laut dalam tempoh 30 tahun (IPCC, 2018). Pemanasan global yang didorong terutamanya oleh gas rumah hijau berasaskan karbon dioksida (CO2), telah mencetuskan kebimbangan yang besar dalam kalangan saintis di seluruh dunia dan telah menarik perhatian setiap kerajaan di dunia (Wang et al., 2014). Hal ini kerana, kejadian cuaca ekstrem telah meningkat akibat pemanasan global, khususnya dari segi suhu ekstrem (Tan et al., 2020). Terdapat pelbagai faktor yang menyebabkan peningkatan suhu di seluruh dunia. Salah satu faktornya ialah aktiviti manusia, terutamanya urbanisasi. Perubahan guna tanah dan hubungannya dengan pembangunan kawasan bandar mempunyai pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap iklim dan cuaca tempatan sekiranya pembangunan ini tidak dirancang dan diurus dengan betul (Tan et al., 2010). Negara Malaysia merupakan salah satu negara Asia Timur yang paling padat dengan urbanisasi dan salah satu kawasan metropolitan yang paling pesat berkembang di dunia. Pada tahun 1991, 50.4% penduduk tinggal di kawasan bandar, menjadikan Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara berbandar. Perkadaran penduduk yang tinggal di kawasan bandar telah meningkat secara berterusan dan mencapai 65% pada tahun 2010 serta 75% pada tahun 2020 (Samat et al., 2020). Pulau Pinang juga mengalami perkembangan pesat sejak beberapa dekad yang lalu. Ia juga merupakan pulau yang berpopulasi tinggi di negara ini, dengan anggaran penduduk 720,000 orang. Oleh itu, ianya padat dengan jalan raya, bangunan, konkrit, pangsapuri dan sejumlah besar kenderaan Tew et al (2019), juga menyatakan dalam kajian mereka bahawa terdapat pembangunan pesat kawasan urbanisasi di Pulau Pinang sejak dari tahun 2004 hingga 2018. Ramai sarjana telah menumpukan perhatian kepada pembandaran dan pengaruhnya terhadap wilayah tempatan dalam beberapa dekad yang lalu. Jadi, kajian ini memfokuskan kepada hubungan antara trend suhu dan penrkembangan kawasan bandar. METODOLOGI DAN KAWASAN KAJIAN Analisis perubahan guna tanah Dalam kajian ini, peta guna tanah Pulau Pinang bagi enam tahun digunakan iaitu 1966, 1974, 1984, 1997, 2008 dan 2015. Peta guna tanah Pulau Pinang digunakan untuk mengesan perubahan kelas guna tanah sejak tahun 1966 sehingga 2015. Jadual 1 menunjukkan senarai empat kelas guna tanah utama yang digunakan dalam kajian ini. Kaedah Mann-Kendall dan Sen’s Slope Bagi mengenalpasti tren, ujian Mann-Kendall (MK) bukan parametrik telah digunakan, manakala perubahan magnitud dikira menggunakan ujian Sen’s slope. Analisis Korelasi Bagi mengenal pasti hubungan antara guna tanah dan tren suhu, ‘Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Analysis’ telah digunakan dalam kajian ini. Analisis Korelasi ini merupakan kaedah statistik untuk menentukan kekuatan hubungan antara dua pembolehubah kuantitatif,
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 48 dengan perkaitan linear antara +1 hingga -1. Pengekstrakan Suhu Permukaan Tanah (LST) Imej satelit yang digunakan dalam kajian ini untuk mengekstark suhu permukaan tanah Pulau Pinang telah diperolehi melalui laman USGS. Imej satelit bagi tahun 1984 sehingga 1997 telah diperolehi daripada Landsat 5 dan tahun 2008 pula daripada Landsat 7. Kemudian, imej satelit 2015 pula diperolehi daripada Landsat 8. Rajah 8 menunjukkan ketiga imej yang dimuat turun dan diproses menggunakan ArcGIS Kawasan Kajian Pulau Pinang terletak di bahagian utara negara Malaysia, iaitu terletak antara latitud 5°12'N dan 5°30'N, dan longitud 100°09'E dan 100°26'E. George Town merupakan ibu negeri Pulau Pinang dan juga bandar kedua terbesar di Malaysia, terletak di bahagian timur Pulau Pinang. Bahagian pulau, Pulau Pinang merupakan pulau yang diduduki paling ramai penduduk di Malaysia, dengan anggaran penduduk seramai 720,000 orang. Rajah 1. Kawasan Kajian Hasil dan perbincangan Kadar perkembangan kawasan bandar di bahagian pula di Pulau Pinang Menurut Jadual 3, dapat dilihat secara jelas bahawa pertambahan kawasan hutan, bermula sejak tahun 1966 iaitu 97.81 km2 (32.59%) kepada 113.34 km2 (38.20%) pada tahun 1984 dan berkurangan sedikit pada tahun 1997 kepada 96.64 km2 (31.65%). Pada tahun 2008, keluasan tanah hutan meningkat lagi menjadi 97.12 km2 (31.62%) dan pada tahun 2015 meningkat menjadi 98.67 km2 (32.17%). Luas kawasan hutan berkurang sebanyak 13.08% dari tahun 1984 hingga 2015. Mengikut Jadual 3, kadar keseluruhan luas tanah hutan menunjukkan pengurangan dari tahun 1966 (31.59%) kepada 2015 (32.17%). Kok Chooi Tan et al (2010) juga melaporkan bahawa kawasan hutan di Pulau Pinang berkurangan sebanyak 16.89% dari tahun 1999 sehingga 2007. Menurut beliau juga, terdapat peralihan yang ketara dalam kawasan hutan. Sepanjang 18 tahun, dari 1991 hingga 2019, kawasan hutan berkurangan sebanyak 25.76 peratus.
2nd International Joint-Postgraduate Colloquium on Multidisciplinary Research Held on 14th December 2023 49 Rajah 2. Peta guna tanah bagi bahagian pulau, Pulau Pinang dari tahun 1966 hingga 2015