Noralina Omar

Projecting social support needs of informal caregivers in Malaysia

This article presents the findings of a self-report study of the consequences of being an informal caregiver in Malaysia. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine Malaysian efforts in assisting informal caregivers, based on an analysis of the issues and concerns raised by the caregivers themselves. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of informal caregivers in 2009. This sample comprised parents, spouses and/or adult siblings, and adult children, caring for their children, spouses or siblings and parents who were chronically ill and/or had a disability. Of 300 prospective participants, only 175 could be located (58%), but all those contacted agreed to participate. Respondents were randomly selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire to identify the emotional, financial, social and physical issues consequent upon being a caregiver. Most respondents reported that their care-giving responsibilities had impacted their emotional, financial, social and/or physical well-being. Inadequate and/or uncertain income was by far the greatest concern followed in descending order by social, physical and emotional consequences. The one-way analysis of variance showed significant differences among the three categories of caregivers with respect to physical and emotional consequences. The findings show that care-giving has detrimental effects on the lives of informal caregivers, and that they are in significant need of social support to help them deal with care-giving tasks and responsibilities. Based on the findings, an integrated social support programme is proposed, tailored to the needs of informal caregivers.

Faktor penghijrahan dan penumpuan bekas banduan di Jalan Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur

Penghijrahan bekas banduan dari tempat asal ke kawasan baru berlaku atas pelbagai sebab penolakan yang wujud dari tempat asal. Kesan penghijrahan ini membawa kepada penumpuan bekas banduan yang ramai di suatu tempat yang sama. Kajian yang dilakukan ini telah mendapati berlakunya penumpuan bekas banduan di sekitar Jalan Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. Situasi yang berlaku ini amat membimbangkan apabila pengaruh jenayah boleh berlaku secara berterusan. Penumpuan rakan senasib akan mengalakkan aktiviti jenayah dan pengulangan jenayah lama seperti mencuri, merompak, meragut, mengambil dadah dan sebagainya. Oleh itu, sistem keadilan jenayah di Malaysia akan sering menemui kegagalan dalam memulihkan bekas banduan. Bekas banduan akan tetap kembali kepada sikap dan tingkah laku yang sama akibat jenis pergaulan yang dipilih. Temu bual mendalam telah dilakukan ke atas 16 orang bekas banduan yang mempunyai masalah ketagihan dadah tanpa mengira jenis kesalahan lepas. Analisis kajian telah memperlihatkan kecenderungan bekas banduan untuk berhijrah dari tempat asal dan rumah keluarga akibat daripada penolakan keluarga dan juga stigma yang wujud di tempat asal mereka. Dapatan kajian ini berupaya membekalkan maklumat dalam membuktikan punca penghijrahan bekas banduan di suatu tempat yang sama iaitu dalam kajian ini ialah di sekitar Jalan Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. Penemuan ini dapat menyumbangkan hasil dapatan yang baru kepada sistem keadilan jenayah di Malaysia tentang penghijrahan dan penumpuan bekas banduan di suatu kawasan yang sama serta kesan-kesan yang boleh berlaku daripada penumpuan bekas banduan ini. Kata kunci : bekas banduan, faktor penarik, faktor penolak, jenayah, penghijrahan, penumpuan The migration of former prisoners from their place of origin to a new area is due to various reasons of rejection in the origin place. The effect of this migration lead to a convergence of many former prisoners to the same place. In this study, the occurrence of convergence of former prisoners can be seen around Jalan Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. This situation is very alarming due to exposure to the influence of crime on a continuous basis. The convergence of ex-convict friends will encourage criminal activity and repetition of old crimes such as stealing, robbing, snatching, taking drugs and other illegal activities. Therefore, the criminal justice system in Malaysia will often fail to rehabilitate the former prisoners. The former prisoners will still return to their old habits and behaviours due to the type of association he chooses. In-depth interviews were conducted on 16 former prisoners who had drug addiction problems regardless of the type of past offence. Preliminary analysis of the study indicates a tendency to migrate from family home as a result of family rejection and stigma that exists in their places of origin. The findings of this study were to provide information in proving the cause of the migration of former prisoners into the same place, as as shown in this study was around Chow Kit Street, Kuala Lumpur. This research has contributed to new understanding regarding the criminal justice system in Malaysia on migration and convergence of ex-convicts in the same area as well as the effects that may have arisen from the convergence of former prisoners. Keywords : former prisoner, pull factor, push factor, crime, migration, convergence https://doi.org/10.17576/geo-2018-1401-07

Penyertaan Sosial dan Indeks Kesejahteraan Sosial Subjektif Kanak-Kanak Miskin di Malaysia

Setiap kanak-kanak berhak memenuhi keperluan asasi masing-masing. Salah satu daripada keperluan asasi mereka adalah menyertai aktiviti sosial yang berlangsung dalam kehidupan masyarakat. Penyertaan sosial merupakan salah satu daripada domain kesejahteraan subjektif. Keperluan kepada penyertaan sosial yang dipenuhi menyumbang kepada kesejahteraan hidup kanak-kanak sekaligus mendorong kanak-kanak untuk memberi sumbangan aktif dalam komuniti. Artikel 31, Konvensyen Hak Kanak-kanak (CRC) menyatakan dengan jelas mengenai hak kanak-kanak terhadap penyertaan sosial. Artikel ini memperihalkan status penyertaan sosial kanak-kanak miskin di Malaysia. Data empirikal diambil daripada Survei Indikator Kanak-kanak 2013-2015 yang melibatkan 200 kanak-kanak Malaysia berusia 9 hingga 17 tahun. Sampel tersebut mewakili 100 keluarga miskin dari bandar dan 100 keluarga miskin dari luar bandar. Dalam kajian ini, penyertaan sosial dinilai berdasarkan sejauh mana responden berpeluang untuk membangun dan mengembangkan potensi diri mereka seoptimum mungkin. Penyertaan sosial diukur dengan menggunakan 34 item yang terbahagi kepada lima komponen iaitu penyertaan secara sendirian, bersama rakan, di sekolah, bersama keluarga dan di dalam komuniti. Dari aspek penyertaan sosial, hasil kajian menunjukkan tahap kesejahteraan subjektif kanak-kanak miskin di Malaysia masih berada pada tahap sederhana. Dapatan ini merupakan satu input penting dalam sebarang usaha untuk mengubahsuai Dasar Kanak-kanak Negara. Ia juga penting untuk merancang program intervensi sosial yang berkesan, yang dapat meningkatkan lagi kesejahteraan subjektif kanak-kanak.

Program pencegahan berasas keibubapaan untuk bertindakbalas dengan masalah hamil luar nikah dalam kalangan remaja

This paper discusses about the importance of a family-based intervention programme to response to the problem of premature pregnancy among at-risk adolescent girls in Malaysia. The discourse start with an assumption family environment, in particular parents’ styles of parenting is pertinent to influence adolescents involvement in premature sex activities, which later resulted to their premature or out of wedlock pregnancy. Empirical evidences from two separate qualitative studies were used to support the hypothesis. Both studies involves a group of delinquent girls who currently were enrolled into two rehabilitation and protection public institution – Taman Seri Puteri Probation Hostel, and the Henry Gurney (for girls) Approved School. Findings from the in-depth interviews among the 15 respondents demonstrate that parenting style does play a significant influence on adolescent sexual behaviours. Due to the strong relationship between parenting styles and adolescent sexual behaviour, the study proposed an intervention which concentrates on the family element to response to the social problem.