Report of the Ecosystem Indicators working group meeting, Putrajaya, Malaysia, 19-22 October, 2010

Development of collaborative approach to identify coastal water pollution issues and develop remedial strategies. Establish effective ecosystem indicator framework to measure progress toward sustaining the BOBLME ecosystem health

Marine Managed Areas Workshop report, Penang, Malaysia, 18-19 January, 2011

Establishment of a working group of regional experts in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); inventory and status of existing MPAs; gap analysis;establishment of common data requirements and protocols;development of a regional action plan;training and capacity building; outreach activities; proposal f0r management of existing and creation of new MPAs.

Report of the Regional Policy Review Workshop, Penang, Malaysia, 2-4 October, 2012

The objectives of the workshop were to validate the contents and findings of the regional synthesis of policy instruments,processes and implementation, which the BOBLME project had produced in 2011; to identify areas of policy needs and gaps and constraints in policy implementation; and to develop a work plan and recommendations for future action work on harmonising policies and strengthening policy making capacity in the Bay of Bengal region.

Abundance and composition of benthic fauna in Penaeus monodon Fabricius culture pond on the west coast of Malaysia peninsular

This paper reports a study on the benthic faunal abundance and diversity of tiger shrimp P. monodon culture ponds in Perak, west coast of Malaysia Peninsular. Sampling was carried out at three weeks interval throughout the 116 days culture period. In addition, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, transparency, pH and organic matter of soil were also measured. Results showed that the major groups of macro-benthos comprised of gastropod, foraminifera, polychaetes, bivalve and insects; whereas the meio-benthos comprised of harpacticoid copepods, ostracods, nematodes, gastropods, foraminifera, bivalve, insects, crustacean nauplii and polychaetes. In macro-benthos, the abundance of different sizes of Gastropods increased throughout the culture duration. This consisted of 37-98.20% for <1cm length, 1.80-61.50% for 1-2cm length and 1.18—1.30% for >2cm length. Other macro and meio-benthic organisms decreased linearly with the culture period. The depletion symptom indicates that the culture species may have intensively preyed upon the consumable (<0.5cm in size) benthic fauna together with detritus and artificial diet; or could have been caused by pond bottom deterioration via uneaten feed, faces and toxic gases.

Report of the pilot EAFM course, 23-28 June, 2013, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Participants were exposed to concepts and information about EAFM using a structured, participatory method of delivery. The learning strategy involved pre- and post-course assessment as well as 4-6 month follow up at outcome level to assess improves EAFM practices. The report outlines methodology details of content and the daily feedback process.

Training of Trainers (ToT) in essential EAFM, 30 June - 3 July, 2013, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

This built upon the previous Essential EAFM course. Participants were exposed to concepts about adult learning, course preparation,, participation engagement and how to deliver and manage interactive training sessions.

Report of the Marine Protected Areas Working Group meeting, Penang, Malaysia, 11-12 February, 2014

The objectives of the workshop were to review and update Marine Protected Area (MPA) data, finalise policy briefs for each country and recommend future actions and policies for sustainable management of MPAs.

ICM for the Bay of Bengal: a review on best practices and lessons learned from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand

Country overviews of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) for Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. Policies, scale and practices - what works and what does not work. Conclusions, limitations and suggestions

Cage culture of sea bass in Malaysia

The article discusses the cage culture practice of sea bass (Lates calcarifer) in Malaysia. Problems on feed and seed supply and overcrowding are also discussed. Despite these problems, seabass cage culture still continuously booms.

Report of the MPA exposure visit to Malaysia, 29 March-02 April, 2015

The main objective of the visit was to share the success of Marine Protected Area (MPA) management in Malaysia with Bangladeshi counterparts, representatives of donor organizations, NGOs and researchers.

The potential risk from 222radon posed to archaeologists and earth scientists: reconnaissance study of radon concentrations, excavations and archaeological shelters in the Great cave of Niah, Sarawak, Malaysia

Gillmore, G. Gilbertson, D. Grattan, J. Hunt, C. McLaren, S. Pyatt, B. Banda, R. Barker, G. Denman, A. Phillips, P. Reynolds, T. The potential risk from 222radon posed to archaeologists and earth scientists: reconnaissance study of radon concentrations, excavations and archaeological shelters in the Great cave of Niah, Sarawak, Malaysia. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2005. 60 pp 213-227.

Reversal of impairment losses, firm performance and reporting incentives: Evidence from Malaysia

Malaysian Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) No. 136, Impairment of Assets, was issued in 2005. The standard requires public listed companies to report their non-current assets at no more than their recoverable amount. When the value of impaired assets is recovered, or partly recovered, FRS 136 requires the impairment charges to be reversed to its new recoverable amount. This study tests whether the reversal of impairment losses by Malaysian firms is more closely associated with economic reasons or reporting incentives. The sample of this study consists of 182 public companies listed on Bursa Malaysia (formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange) that reported reversals of their impairment charges during the period 2006-2009. These firms are matched with firms which do not reverse impairment on the basis of industrial classification and size. In the year of reversal, this study finds that the reversal firms are more profitable (before reversals) than their matched firms. On average, the Malaysian stock market values the reversals of impairment losses positively. These results suggest that the reversals generally reflect increases in the value of the previously impaired assets. After partitioning firms that are likely to manage earnings and those that are not, this study finds that there are some Malaysian firms which reverse the impairment charges to manage earnings. Their reversals are not value-relevant, and are negatively associated with future firm performance. On the other hand, the reversals of firms which are deemed not to be earnings managers are positively associated with both future firm performance and current stock price performance, and this is the dominant motivation for the reversal of impairment charges in Malaysia. In further analysis, this study provides evidence that the opportunistic reversals are also associated with other earnings management manifestations, namely abnormal working capital accruals and the motivation to avoid earnings declines. In general, the findings suggest that the fair value measurement in impairment standard provides useful information to the users of financial statements.