Household Formation and Egalitarian Gender Relations among the Bhuker of Central Borneo

Thambiah, Shanthi Ewha Womans University Press 1997 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.3 No.3

This paper explores the role played by Bhuket women in the formation of the household. I attempt to show that in this society, the household as it is commonly understood, does not exist. Having been a very mobile hunting and gathering people, the notion of a living arrangement is non-concrete and fluid among the Bhuket. I have examined the concept of the household as emerging from the concept kajan, which refers to a space shared by a group of individuals. Processes are at work for the inception of the household because the provision of daily subsistence of people is increasingly being kept within the confines of the kajan. However, the continued lack of rigidity in their living arrangements and an absence of power differentials in the context of marital and kinship relationships have led to the persistence of egalitarian gender relations among the Bhuket.

Transcending Gender Roles in the Domestics Realm : Some Emering Trends among Malaysian Families

Shanthi Thambiah,Rokiah Talib 숙명여자대학교 아세아여성문제연구소 1999 Asian Women Vol.9 No.-

We conclude by looking at the implications of these findings for Malaysian families in the context of greater participation of women in the work force. Under the Seventh Malaysian Plan the government plans to provide a more favourable working environment for women to ensure their greater participation in the workforce, in wiew of the labour shortage. The private sector, the largest employer of women, will be encouraged to implement women-sensitive policies such as flexible working hours, day care centres and transportation facilities between the home and place of work (The star May 7, 1996).

The Productive and Non-(Re) productive Women: Sites of Economic Growth in Malaysia

Shanthi Thambiah 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2010 Asian Women Vol.26 No.2

This paper is a critical revisit of the New Economic Policy and the New Population Policy of Malaysia. It attempts to inspect how a woman’s body (fertility) and her labor has been the site or location from which the economic growth of the country was dependent on but has never been recognized. The paper examines women’s contribution in the economy and their contribution to the economic growth of Malaysia. These contributions and changes were plotted against the changes in the policy domain with a focus on the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the New Population Policy (NPP) to see if there was any relationship between them. The paper also discusses that women have not always responded in line with policy calls especially in relation to their fertility but they have contributed significantly in the structural changes of the Malaysian economy. These responses are examined as a form of gender struggle within a fragmented and contradictory policy domain and within the context of very little gender equity/equality concerns in society and the policy domain. How these responses contributed in real terms to economic development and the overall growth of the country but with insignificant distributive effect for women contrary to the New Economic Policy’s claim is critically analyzed in this paper.

Transcending Gender Roles in the Domestic Realm

Shanthi Thambiah,Rokiah Talib 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 1999 Asian Women Vol.9 No.-

The Use of Bone-Turnover Markers in Asia-Pacific Populations

Vasikaran Samuel,Thambiah Subashini C.,Tan Rui Zhen,Loh Tze Ping 대한진단검사의학회 2024 Annals of Laboratory Medicine Vol.44 No.2

Bone-turnover marker (BTM) measurements in the blood or urine reflect the bone-remod- eling rate and may be useful for studying and clinically managing metabolic bone diseases. Substantial evidence supporting the diagnostic use of BTMs has accumulated in recent years, together with the publication of several guidelines. Most clinical trials and observa- tional and reference-interval studies have been performed in the Northern Hemisphere and have mainly involved Caucasian populations. This review focuses on the available data for populations from the Asia-Pacific region and offers guidance for using BTMs as di- agnostic biomarkers in these populations. The procollagen I N-terminal propeptide and β-isomerized C-terminal telopeptide of type-I collagen (measured in plasma) are reference BTMs used for investigating osteoporosis in clinical settings. Premenopausal reference in- tervals (established for use with Asia-Pacific populations) and reference change values and treatment targets (used to monitor osteoporosis treatment) help guide the manage- ment of osteoporosis. Measuring BTMs that are not affected by renal failure, such as the bone-specific isoenzyme alkaline phosphatase and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b, may be advantageous for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. Further stud- ies of the use of BTMs in individuals with metabolic bone disease, coupled with the har- monization of commercial assays to provide equivalent results, will further enhance their clinical applications.

The Relationship Between Islamic Microfinance and Women Entrepreneurship: A Case Study in Malaysia

Md Amirul ISLAM,Seethaletchumy THAMBIAH,Elsadig Musa AHMED 한국유통과학회 2021 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.8 No.5

This article aims to examine the intention to use Islamic microfinance by women entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Microfinance plays a significant role in developing the modern economy in the world by alleviating poverty, creating employment, and empowering women in society. The framework was built on Innovation and Diffusion Theory and Planned Behaviour Theory. The present study has adopted a quantitative research method, which focused on cross-sectional research design to address this problem. Primary data was collected and processed by using a 5-point Likert scale. For this research, a total of 178 questionnaires were distributed among women owners of micro-enterprises in Malaysia by using area collection sampling. To analyze the data, the SmartPLS 3 software package was used. This study developed seven hypotheses, all which have been supported both directly, indirectly, and mediated. This result will be beneficial in assisting policymakers, academics and future researchers who must consider the supported variables. Thus, the study contributes to developing a unique framework to assist women-owned micro-enterprise to success. It will be beneficial for practitioners to enhance women micro-enterprise success rate as well. Indeed, all of the grounded methods have implications both in theory and their main application for the business in SMEs.

Do Women's Attitudes Matter in Acceptance of Islamic Microfinance? Evidence from Malaysia

Md Amirul ISLAM,Muhammad Salah Uddin,Seethaletchumy THAMBIAH,Elsadig Musa Ahmed,Md Abdur Rauf 대외경제정책연구원 2023 East Asian Economic Review Vol.27 No.1

The study aims to investigate the factors pursuing the women entrepreneurs to accept Islamic microfinance (IMF) in urban and rural areas of Malaysia. For this purpose, the study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Innovation and Diffusion Theory to explain Islamic microfinance adoption. Using the structural equation model (SEM) with primary data collected from 384-woman entrepreneurs in Malaysia, the current study uses a 5-point Likert scale. On the basis of theory and collected data, the seven hypotheses are developed. All hypotheses are validated by both directly and indirectly, as well as through a mediating factor. Among the factors, knowledge about IMF and subjective norms significantly influence the acceptance of IMF. On the other hand, the perceived complexity does not show any substantial relationship to the acceptance of IMF. This outcome will be helpful in supporting policymakers, academics, and future studies and must take into account the supported factors. Therefore, the study contributes to develop an innovative framework, to create self-employment for women entrepreneurs.

Different reference ranges affect the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in an urban adult Malaysian population

Swan Sim Yeap,Subashini C. Thambiah,Intan Nureslyna Samsudin,Geeta Appannah,Nurunnaim Zainuddin,Safarina Mohamad-Ismuddin,Nasrin Shahifar,Salmiah Md-Said,Siti Yazmin Zahari Sham,Subapriya Suppiah,Fen 대한골다공증학회 2020 Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia Vol.6 No.4

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of osteopenia (OPe) and osteoporosis (OP) in an urban adult population in Malaysia, and to compare the change in the prevalence when using a Caucasian compared to an Asian reference range. Methods: A cross-sectional random sample of the population aged between 45 and 90 years from the state of Selangor, Malaysia, was invited to attend a bone health check-up. Participants with diseases known to affect bone metabolism or who were on treatment for OP were excluded. Bone mineral density was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Based on the World Health Organization definitions, the prevalence of OPe and OP was calculated using the Asian and Caucasian T-scores. Results: A total of 342 subjects (222 females, 120 males), with a mean age of 59.68 (standard deviation: 8.89) years, who fulfilled the study criteria were assessed. Based on the Asian reference range, there were 140 (40.9%) subjects with OPe and 48 (14.0%) with OP. On applying the Caucasian reference range, there were 152 (44.4%) subjects with OPe and 79 (23.1%) with OP, with significant increases in males, females, and Chinese ethnic groups. Overall, 75 (21.9%) of subjects had a change in their diagnostic status. T-scores were consistently lower when the Caucasian reference range was used. Conclusions: In a healthy urban Malaysian population, the prevalence of OP is 14.0% and OPe is 40.9%. Application of a Caucasian reference range significantly increased the number of subjects with OP and may potentially lead to over-treatment.

In the Extraordinary Times of Coronavirus Disease 2019: Clinical Strategies for Performing Spinal Surgery

Barry Tan Wei Loong,Jeanette Tan Sze Lyn Jasmin,Ashokka Balakrishnan,Lopez Keith Gerard,Thambiah Joseph,Kumar Naresh 대한척추외과학회 2020 Asian Spine Journal Vol.14 No.5

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused pronounced strain on global healthcare systems, forcing the streamlining of clinical activities and conservation of health resources. There is a pressing need for institutions to present discipline-specific strategies for the management of COVID-19 patients. We present the comprehensive considerations at the National University Hospital, Singapore from the surgeon’s and anesthetist’s perspectives in the performance of spinal surgery in COVID-19 patients. These are based on national guidelines and overarching principles of protection for the healthcare workers (HCWs) and efficiency in surgical planning. The workflow begins with the emergency department screening that has been adapted to the local epidemiology of COVID-19 in order to identify suspected/confirmed cases. If patient history cannot be obtained, demographic, clinical, and imaging data are used. Designated orthopedic “contaminated teams” are available 24/7 with an activation time of <30 minutes for review. In cases where sub-specialty spine surgeons were required, these professionals were inducted into the “contaminated team” and quarantined until cleared to return to work. Indications for emergency spine surgery were determined pre-emptively. Preoperative surgical considerations included the minimization of manpower, limited dissection, reduced operative time, and judicious use of equipment, leading to reduced aerosolization. Anesthesia considerations include preoperative screening for COVID-19–related concerns that influence surgery, operating room process planning and induction, intraoperative, reversal, recovery, and resuscitation considerations. Focused multi-disciplinary preoperative briefing facilitates familiarization. Surgical, anesthetic, and postoperative workflows were designed to reduce the risk of transmission and protect HCWs while effectively performing spinal surgery. The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated paradigm shifts in healthcare planning, hospital workflows, and operative protocols. The viral burden does not discriminate between surgeons and physicians, and it is crucial that we, as medical professionals, adapt practices to be malleable and fluid to address the ever-changing developments.

Trends in post osteoporotic hip fracture care from 2010 to 2014 in a private hospital in Malaysia

Swan Sim Yeap,M.F.R. Nur Fazirah,C. Nur Aisyah,Siti Yazmin Zahari Sham,Intan Nureslyna Samsudin,Subashini C. Thambiah,Fen Lee Hew,Boon Ping Lim,Yew Siong Siow,Siew Pheng Chan 대한골다공증학회 2017 Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia Vol.3 No.2

Objective: Following an osteoporotic fracture, pharmacological treatment is recommended to increase bone mineral density and prevent future fractures. However, the rate of starting treatment after an osteoporotic hip fracture remains low. The objective of this study was to survey the treatment rate following a low-trauma hip fracture at a tertiary private hospital in Malaysia over a period of 5 years. Methods: The computerised hospital discharge records were searched using the terms “hip,” “femur,” “femoral,” “trochanteric,” “fracture,” or “total hip replacement” for all patients over the age of 50, admitted between 2010 and 2014. The medical charts were obtained and manually searched for demographic data and treatment information. Hip operations done for nonelow-trauma-related fracture and arthritis were excluded. Results: Three hundred seventy patients over the age of 50 years were admitted with a hip fracture, of which 258 (69.7%) were low trauma, presumed osteoporotic, hip fractures. The median age was 79.0 years (interquartile range [IQR], 12.0). Following a hip fracture, 36.8% (95 of 258) of the patients received treatment, but out of these, 24.2% (23 of 95) were on calcium/vitamin D only. The median duration of treatment was 1 month (IQR, 2.5). In 2010, 56.7% of the patients received treatment, significantly more than subsequent years 2011e2014, where approximately only 30% received treatment. Conclusions: Following a low-trauma hip fracture, approximately 72% of patients were not started on active antiosteoporosis therapy. Of those who were, the median duration of treatment was 1 month. This represents a missed opportunity for the prevention of future fractures.