ANAS Volume 12, Number 7: July, 2018
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Preparations to Terrorist Chemical Weapons Threats: From Malaysian Perspective
M. Vikneswaran, Norizan Abdul Majid and Zuhairee Ariffin Assan
Abstract: Malaysia is a multiracial country with background of different races, religions and cultures. Even though, Malaysia has yet to face any major terrorist attacks, the risk is always there, and we should prepare for the uncertainties. In the historical perspective, chemical warfare agents (CWAs) have never been used or released in a larger scale since World War I by any parties even if they are capable of doing so. At present, the major threats are seen originating from the militant, radical or terrorist groups with intentions to use CWAs to create unrest and instability. The Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack in the morning of March 20, 1995 is a classic example how the CWAs were used onto general public by a radical group to create panic and chaos. Based on that incident, this paper will try to gain understanding of the events and learn valuable lessons from the Tokyo Sarin attack and will try to simulate if similar situation occurs anywhere in Malaysia. Therefore, this paper highlighted various points of view related to the cooperation between national agency, Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) and even the source of CWAs ingredients available in Malaysia. The study had reviewed various important documents and interviewed leaders of various agencies to study the overall pattern of chemical weapon threats and the preparation to defense which is based on qualitative research. This paper able to give some insights on how to handle such attacks and the steps that could be taken if CWAs are being released by some groups of people in an area.
[ FULL TEXT PDF 1-3 ] DOI: 10.22587/anas.2018.12.7.1
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Impacts of Leadership Styles and Organizational Commitment towards Job Performance in the Malaysian Army
S. Inderjit, Kwong, F.W., Jessica Ong Hai Liaw and Norlaila Mazura Hj. Mohaiyadin
Abstract: The purpose of this research is to identify the factors contributing towards the job performance of the Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) in the combat support corps of the Malaysian Army from the perspective of Junior Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (JNCOs). Job performance of the SNCOs was conceptualized to comprise of organizational commitment and leadership style. The research is premised on identifying whether organizational commitment has an influence as the mediating factor between leadership style and job performance of SNCOs. The research was based on post-positivist philosophy. Quantitative approach and non-experimental survey was used for the research. The data consisting of 548 respondents were collected from soldiers of rank of corporal and below i.e. Junior Non-Commissioned Officers (JNCOs) from the combat support corps units of the Malaysian Army. The statistical treatment of the data obtained was done by using PLS-SEM in order to determine the plausibility of the data obtained with the hypothesized model of job performance. This research has identified that job performance of the SNCOs in the combat support corps consists of leadership style and organizational commitment. However, the research established that leadership style is not significant to organizational commitment that contributed towards job performance of SNCOs in the combat support corps of the Malaysian Army. Transformational leadership has a more significant relationship that transactional leadership among the SNCOs. The research has also determined that there is a significant relationship between organizational commitments with job performance. Nevertheless, there is no mediating role played by organizational commitment for the effect of leadership style on job performance.
[ FULL TEXT PDF 4-9 ] DOI: 10.22587/anas.2018.12.7.2
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U.S. Military Operations in Afghanistan: Sun Tzu’s View on Opportunities and Challenges
Wong Chooi Ye
Abstract: During the Afghanistan Wars, U.S. launched several military operations with coalition powers between 2001 and 2012 which illustrated effective superior military strategies and resources. Nevertheless, U.S. has its share of military deterioration parallel with its success stories. The total victory which is expected by U.S. is illusive due to high level resistance and casualties despite its decision for withdrawal from the “Graveyard of Empires”. By putting Sun Tzu’s Art of War as the center of gravity, the objectives of this paper are to analyze the U.S. military strategies conducted in Afghanistan as well as to examine the prevailing opportunities and challenges. This paper is prepared based on qualitative research method that embraces primary and secondary data collections. After a comprehensive study, comparisons are made in line with the principles of Sun Tzu has revealed the potential opportunities and challenges that are exhibited in the U.S. military operations deployed in Afghanistan. The study shows the challenges emerged with U.S.’ ignorance of human and financial factors, geo-political elements, underestimate its enemies, heavy reliance on coalition forces, conflict of interests and insufficient human intelligence. On the other hand, the opportunities arose when the U.S. military developed diplomatic relations with its alliances as well as enhanced military operations in Afghanistan’s difficult topography. In a nutshell, Sun Tzu emphasizes the vital importance of war to a nation and human capacity because it determines the destiny of state. Therefore, the matter of war indeed deserves an extensive study.
[ FULL TEXT PDF 10-13 ] DOI: 10.22587/anas.2018.12.7.3
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The Concept of Members of the Shura Council (Ahl Majlis al-Shura) in Islam: An Analytical Study towards the Members of the Malaysian Parliament
Mohd Kamarul Amree Mohd Sarkam, Burhanuddin Jalal and Amnah Saayah Ismail
Abstract: The notion of ‘good government’ according to the Islamic principles cannot be isolated from the notion of ‘good cooperation’ because the efficiency of a government depends on the efficiency of its institutions and can only be realized through the meaningful cooperation of all in order to achieve similar ends. Thus, this conceptual paper will analyze the concept of the members of the Shura council in Islam, its features, the qualification of its members and to the extent how it can benefit the appointment of the members of the Malaysian Parliament. The members of the Malaysian Parliament are expected to secure the interests of the public, scrutinize the government policies, to ensure that the government remains accountable to all citizens and answerable for its actions and inactions. The question that arises at this point is whether the Members of the Malaysian Parliament could stand the way of Members of Shura council stand? Are the latter can infuse good elements to the former without any obstacles? Therefore, a systematic analytical study is highly needed in order to identify solutions to this matter which is based on two different fundamental perspectives and provides the basis for a subsequent evaluation of research findings with the aim to propose better solutions on this matter in the future.
[ FULL TEXT PDF 14-17 ] DOI: 10.22587/anas.2018.12.7.4
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Jihad Salafi: Similar Ideology but Politically Different Strategies in the Southeast Asian Region
Mohd Zaini Salleh
Abstract: Presently Jihad Salafi (JS) and its movement has become prominent in the eyes of Western and secular perception, interpretation and definition. The latest analysis carried out by RAND Corporation has identified about 60 groups which related to Jihad Salafi’s ideology. In a specific sense, Western states are mainly concerned with ideology, international networking, structure and capabilities, growing numbers of JS groups, leadership pattern, and support elements which could threaten their states, coalition, allies, and other interests’ mainly in international economic activities. A deep understanding of JS teaching is still ambiguous among Western policy makers, their people and their political systems. Misunderstanding of the word `jihad’ has jeopardised the true meaning of Islam and the content of holy Qur’an. Furthermore, JS in a true sense has brought different political objectives interpretation and perception among international terrorist groups and separatist movements particularly in the Southeast Asian region. In fact, some other separatist movement groups in the Southeast Asian region are not categorized into terrorist groups due to their differences of political objective to liberate their motherland from central government i.e. Southern Thailand, Southern Philippines and Aceh conflicts. The government of Malaysia and Indonesia has had experience by putting a strong effort to deny a negative perception about JS and Islam religion which always been accused sponsoring and encouraging extremism and terrorism activities.
[ FULL TEXT PDF 18-20 ] DOI: 10.22587/anas.2018.12.7.5
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NGOs in Post Disaster Reconstruction in Aceh
Norhazlina Fairuz Musa Kutty
Abstract: This paper intends to analyse the relations and challenges facing non-state actor in developing and rebuilding post-tsunami Aceh, Indonesia. The main objective of this paper was to look at the different challenges facing various government and non-government stakeholders during the reconstruction and rehabilitation (RR) process in redeveloping and rebuilding post disaster areas. The second objective of the paper was to examine the effects on capacity building via participatory development. The roles of civil society organisations like INGOs and NGOs as programmes implemented in post disaster development promise rapid and better solution depending on cooperation and coordination between state and non-state actors. However, the level of participation from the affected communities as beneficiaries of the programmes and projects has strong effect on their capacity building in development phase. In regard to this, the focus of the paper is to examine the effect of participation of beneficiaries in the programmes as means of empowerment toward to capacity building. The outcome of RR programmes relates closely on level of beneficiaries participation. The levels of participation also determine whether the programmes had been successfully carried out to ensure smooth transition into developmental phase. Beside participation effort from the beneficiaries collaboration and coordination between NGOs and government agencies is crucially important factor in determining effective programmes outcomes. The combination of aid and support from international agencies such as donors and NGOs and good coordination from government agencies (Agencies for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction) are needed to encourage higher participation level, which will empower the beneficiaries’ capacity building toward community capability in the developmental phase. The paper will focus on the theoretical and conceptual explanation linking the relationship between participatory approach in development and the outcomes of programmes and projects in developmental phase and its effects of capacity building. The second part of this paper will focus on the outcome from programs and projects in Emergency relief and recovery phase (ERR) and reconstruction and rehabilitation (RR) phase in Aceh Indonesia after the December 2004 Tsunami. The discussions of this paper were heavily based on empirical finding of actual outcomes of these two phase of Post Tsunami Reconstruction (PTR) in Aceh extracted from data collections in the developmental phase (2009-2013).
[ FULL TEXT PDF 21-25 ] DOI: 10.22587/anas.2018.12.7.6
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Investigating students’ Reflection of Learning experience and perception on achievement of Graduate capability in experiential Learning through an interdisciplinary project
Lim You Ping, Dr. Loh Kah Heng, Theresa Chiew Gim Ean
Abstract: Educators in higher education experience paradigm shift by adopting experiential education in engaging students in their learning process from conventional lecture system. Experiential learning enables students to acquire knowledge and skills through hand-on experiencing, particularly in interdisciplinary subject area. In line with the American education which require a student to take a wide variety of courses from different discipline, commonly known as general education: literature, science, the social sciences, the arts, history, and so forth prior to focusing on a specific field of study, a one-shot interdisciplinary project-based learning was conducted in Fall 2016 semester for students undertaking various subjects in American Degree Program (ADP) at Taylor’s University, Malaysia. Lecturers in ADP believe that this project besides serving as an authentic purpose for the acquisition of knowledge and skills in most of the content area, it also promotes the acquisition of critical thinking skills and achieve the graduate capability as prescribed by Taylor’s University on its students. The dependent variables were participants’ reflection of learning experience, leadership ability and perception on achievement of Taylor’s Graduate Capability (TGC). Participants were requested to answer an online questionnaire in Google sheets. The questionnaire consists of 5 points Likert scales survey questions with 54 items which capture the three dependent variables with high reliability, i.e. Cronbach Alpha of 0.972. The collected data will be analyzed using statistical package, SPSS. Results from independent sample T-tests and Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient showed that there is positive correlation between reflection of learning experience and achievement of TGC, and there is no statistical significant difference in the means of reflection of learning experience and perception on achievement of TGC between Freshmen and Sophomore participants. Result also show that participants who involved in organizing the AmFest: American Festival project (Group Leader) have very high positive correlation among their leadership capability, reflection of learning experience and achievement of TGC. The critical reflection from participants were collected and summarized to validate its consistency with the results obtain from statistical analysis.
[ FULL TEXT PDF 26-32 ] DOI: 10.22587/anas.2018.12.7.7
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