Exploring the organisational context of research misconduct in higher learning institutions in Malaysia.

Due to the financial pressure caused by cutbacks in funding and the race to achieve higher university rankings, researchers are competing for limited funds. These funds enable researchers to contribute to the scientific enterprise and to secure better positions. Given this pressure, there is a need to understand how academic organisations can influence academic integrity. This study uses a qualitative methodology and incudes in-depth interviews with 22 voluntary participants from various Malaysian public and private universities and with different research backgrounds and experience. The findings suggest that mentorship, the pressure to perform, the research environment and research policies related to misconduct can contribute to research misconduct. According to the participants, reward systems that are heavily dependent on publication records can result in a research environment that is not conducive to research ethics, and which creates self-centred individualistic researchers rather than team players. This can lead to bad mentorship where researchers are more concerned with their own performance and do not prioritise their teaching and supervising of junior researchers. The endorsement of well-written research policies may have little significant value for research misconduct without enforcement and awareness of the importance of research integrity. This paper is an attempt to encourage university management to promote research integrity among individuals who are directly or indirectly involved in the research process by taking action against those involved in misconduct. It also suggests rewarding researchers based on their overall performance rather than solely on their publication record.

Determinants of stakeholders' attitudes and intentions toward supporting the use of Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes for dengue control.

BACKGROUND: A recent approach in controlling dengue is by using the Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquito (WiAM). The approach has been reported to be more effective than traditional methods, such as fogging. Therefore, it is imperative to assess the factors predicting its acceptance among stakeholders before implementing this technology more widely in Malaysia. METHODS: The survey data were collected from two primary stakeholder groups using a stratified random sampling technique. The two primary stakeholder groups were scientists (n = 202) and the public (n = 197) in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia, a hot spot area known for the high rate of dengue cases. The respondents answered questions on a seven-point Likert scale survey regarding trust in key players, attitudes toward nature versus materialism, religiosity, perceived benefits, perceived risks, attitudes, and intentions. The data were analyzed using Smart Partial Least Square (SmartPLS) software (version 3.2.6) to determine the predictors influencing attitudes and intentions to support the use of WiAM technology. RESULTS: The results indicated a strong positive relationship between attitudes and intentions to support the use of WiAM (ß = 0.676, p < 0.001). The most important significant predictor for attitudes was perceived benefits (ß = 0.493, p < 0.001), followed by perceived risks (ß = - 0.080, p = 0.048). Trust in key players, attitudes toward nature versus material, and religiosity had indirect relationships with attitudes through the perceived benefits and risks. CONCLUSIONS: The identified predictors can serve as indicators for the decision-making process regarding WiAM implementation in Malaysia and other developing countries with similar demographics and cultures.

Current Status and Future Challenges of Biobank Research in Malaysia.

The establishment of MyCohort in 2005 showed that there is a growing interest on the part of the Malaysian government in the creation of biobanks in the country. This project can be considered as the biggest and most comprehensive cohort study in Malaysia, where hundreds of thousands of human samples are stored for epidemiological and biomedical research. However, little is known about the current issues or the situation related to biobank research in Malaysia. There are pressing issues that need answers such as the governance of the national biobank as well as other privately owned biobanks in the nation, the public perspectives and perceptions regarding biobanks, and other matters such as the ethical, legal, and social issues related to biobank research. This article will highlight the status and issues related to biobank research in Malaysia and provide suggestions on future research practices that we feel need to be seriously considered. These suggestions are designed to advance and enlighten researchers' knowledge, as well as provide the public with information on issues associated to biobanking. Good governance increases public knowledge and trust, and religious acceptance of biobank research and accountability can lead to increased participation in biobank research. The direct implications of the discussion about the ethical, legal, and social issues of biobanks are pertinent for the foundation of knowledge relating to biobanks, as well as the forward gestures for future medicine for mankind.

Stakeholders' attitudes to outdoor residual spraying technique for dengue control in Malaysia: A PLS-SEM approach.

Outdoor Residual Spraying (ORS) technique is a complementary preventive measure for dengue. The alarming number of dengue cases in Malaysia requires an alternative method to control dengue besides the traditional method such as fogging. However, the introduction of new technologies depends on social acceptance. Therefore, this study was important to determine the factors that influence stakeholders' attitudes towards the ORS and the moderating factor. A validated instrument was used to randomly interview 399 respondents representing two stakeholder groups which consist of scientists, and the public in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The findings revealed that the stakeholders claimed to have a high degree of religiosity, a high level of trust in the key players, perceived ORS as having high benefits, and displayed highly positive attitudes towards the ORS. The attitudes model towards the ORS model was developed using the SmartPLS software version. The perceived benefit was endorsed as the most important direct predictor of attitudes towards the ORS (ß = 0.618, P<0.001), followed by trust in the key players (ß = 0.151, P<0.001). It is also interesting to note that religiosity served as a moderator for the association between perceived benefit (ß = 0.075, P = 0.024) and perceived risk (ß = 0.114, P = 0.006) with attitudes towards the ORS. The identified predictor factors of stakeholders' attitudes toward the ORS and the moderating factor can serve as indicators for social acceptance of ORS in developing countries. These indicators can help the policymakers in decision making to implement this technique.

Perceived benefits and risks: A survey data set towards Wolbachia-infected Aedes Mosquitoes in Klang Valley.

Perceived Benefits and Risks: A survey data set towards Wolbachia-infected Aedes Mosquitoes in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Introduction: The paper presents data collected using measures of perceived benefits, perceived risks, trust in key players, attitude towards nature versus material, attitude towards technology, religiosity, and attitude towards the Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes (WiAM) technique. The validated questionnaires were used to randomly survey targeted stakeholders in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, who had been asked to voluntarily participate in face-to-face interviews. Completed questionnaires were received from 399 respondents (adults above 18 years old) and comprised two stakeholder groups: scientists (n = 202), and the public (n = 197). The detailed findings serve numerous opportunities to examine the social acceptance of Wolbachia-infected Aedes mosquitoes, to ensure the development of policy and action plans, and to encourage further study by other researchers interested in the measures and data presented.

Emphasizing the experiences of researchers after RCR instructions: Introduction to Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) in Malaysia.

The purpose of this study is to highlight the experiences of individuals who participate in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training program held at various universities in Malaysia. In response to a mailing request sent to 40 individuals who had undertaken a RCR training program, 15 participants agreed to be interviewed. The results of the study showed that the three main reasons for participating in the training were as follows: anticipation for knowledge gained; personal experience with research misconduct; and establishing a new network of researchers. In terms of the positive effects gained from undertaking the training, the participants highlighted an increased awareness of the issues and problems related to research misconduct; the need to promote integrity in research conduct; a change in the way they conduct their research; and a change in the way they confront and address misconduct. The findings of this study should be valuable for policy makers and those involved in the management of research programs and ethics, as it demonstrated the importance of RCR training in equipping researchers with the necessary knowledge to conduct research responsibly, and to avoid research misconduct.

Whistle blowing and research integrity: Potential remedy for research misconduct in Malaysian institutions of higher education.

This study found that less than half of the respondents are willing to blow the whistle. The results reveal that a lack of protection with regard to the whistleblower's identity, the tedious investigative process, and the notion of avoiding confrontation, which is more apparent in Asian cultures as compared to the West, are among the reasons why individuals who witnessed misconduct chose to remain silent. Adhering to the Asian cultural upbringing where the young must respect the old, those of lower rank must obey those with higher authority, and subordinates do not question the actions of their superior, has become a norm even in the working environment. Therefore, emphasize the need for better protection for whistleblowers including using experienced individuals with a research ethics background to handle allegations from whistleblowers. In addition, established guidelines and procedures for whistleblowers with regard to voicing their allegations against colleagues engaged in research misconduct is still lacking or, to a certain extent, is still unknown to researchers. Thus, the concern indicates a need for institutions to create awareness among researchers regarding the existing platform for whistleblowers, or to develop a systematic and clear procedure which is reliable and independent to promote professionalism in academia.

Determinants of stakeholders' attitudes towards biodiesel.

BACKGROUND: Concern about the inevitable depletion of global energy resources is rising and many countries are shifting their focus to renewable energy. Biodiesel is one promising energy source that has garnered much public attention in recent years. Many believe that this alternative source of energy will be able to sustain the need for increased energy security while at the same time being friendly to the environment. Public opinion, as well as proactive measures by key players in industry, may play a decisive role in steering the direction of biodiesel development throughout the world. Past studies have suggested that public acceptance of biofuels could be shaped by critical consideration of the risk-benefit perceptions of the product, in addition to the impact on the economy and environment. RESULTS: The purpose of this study was to identify the relevant factors influencing stakeholders' attitudes towards biodiesel derived from crops such as palm oil for vehicle use, as well as to analyse the interrelationships of these factors in an attitude model. A survey of 509 respondents, consisting of various stakeholder groups in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia, was undertaken. The results of the study have substantiated the premise that the most important direct predictor of attitude to biodiesel is the perceived benefits (ß = 0.80, p < 0.001). Attitude towards biodiesel also involves the interplay between other factors, such as engagement to biotechnology, trust of key players, attitude to technology, and perceived risk. CONCLUSION: Although perceived benefit has emerged as the main predictor of public support of biodiesel, the existence of other significant interactions among variables leads to the conclusion that public attitude towards biodiesel should be seen as a multi-faceted process and should be strongly considered prior to its commercialisation.