Although many higher education institutions have sustainability policies and waste-treatment facilities, they still face fundamental inefficiencies in campus solid waste management. This indicates a significant fragmentation between institutional commitment and operational performance. The existing literature has focused on waste, awareness, and infrastructure in different studies. This provides a basic understanding of how governance, infrastructure accessibility, and community behaviour interrelate to determine system effectiveness, especially in universities in developing countries. In this research, campus waste management was understood as a multi-level system. In contrast, the gap between policy and implementation was understood as a systemic failure in interactions across governance, infrastructure, and behavioural aspects. The novelty of this study is the development of a multi-layered system framework to embed integrated SWOT-based mixed-methods evidence. It allows for the interpretation of campus waste management performance as an interaction among operational levels such as governance, infrastructure, and behavioural dimensions. In dealing with this gap, this study employs a mixed-methods approach, which is based on SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to analyze the performance of the waste management system in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). It combines institutional policy research, quantitative survey data from stakeholders on campus, and qualitative data from expert interviews. The findings indicate a clear implementation gap. Despite the presence of sound policy mechanisms and waste treatment technologies, stakeholder awareness remains low at UKM. Access to recycling facilities is uneven, enforcement is weak, and participation is limited. This results in low levels of source separation and inadequate management of high-impact waste streams, particularly plastics and organic waste. The findings show that behavioural involvement and the effectiveness of infrastructure are also crucial, along with technical potential, in determining waste processing outcomes. This study adds to the existing body of empirical knowledge on campus waste management by synthesizing technical knowledge into a strategic, integrated system of thinking. It further presents viable suggestions to universities on how to translate their sustainability goals into real, measurable performance. This is particularly relevant to universities in the developing world that aspire to achieve zero-waste status in the long run.

Land use changes significantly affect the water quality. Urbanisation and agricultural growth serve as primary drivers of land use changes that can have a major impact on river ecosystems by changing runoff patterns, increasing pollution loads, and affecting water quality. The research explores the relationship between Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) and river water quality in the Nenggiri River Basin, Kelantan. Both primary data (statistical and spatial analysis) and secondary LULC data were utilised. The changes in LULC for 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2024 were evaluated using ArcGIS with MODIS MCD12Q1 data from USGS and NASA Earth data. Results showed an expansion of agricultural land from 1.81

River and lake basins can be regarded as primary water sources, providing communities with a variety of services, including food supplies, flora and fauna habitats, and household uses. To evaluate the state of the water quality, particularly in the lake basin, sedimentation issues and water quality status are considered. The Kenyir Lake Basin's health was tracked in this study using the Water Quality Index (WQI), JPS River Index (JRI), and Sediment Load (SL) production. Determining and analysing the trends in water quantity and quality throughout the Kenyir Lake Basin was the goal of this study. For the purpose of this study, samples were taken at 21 different locations around the lake basin in the wet (November), dry (September), and normal (July) seasons. Six WQI parameters, four JRI parameters, and three SL production parameters have been chosen. In the linear connection to forecast WQI, JRI, and SL, several important variables serve as inputs. The key parameters were identified for each index, such as pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₃-N) which were critical for the WQI; specific flow was essential for the JRI; and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) were important for the sediment load (SL) production analysis. Furthermore, the Hazard Quotient (HQ) was subsequently calculated to conduct a preliminary assessment of the potential health risks associated with metal exposure. The elements' HQ ingestion values were discovered to be in the following order: Arsenic (As) > Cadmium (Cd) > Copper (Cu) > Cobalt (Co) > Chromium (Cr) > Nickel (Ni) > Zinc (Zn) > Plumbum (Pb); all averaged HQ values were less than 1, suggesting that there was little to no health risk from the metals in question. Overall, the WQI results indicate that the basin's water quality is generally Class I to Class II, with WQI values of at least 60

Heavy metal (HMs) contamination of soil and its adverse impacts are a global concern. However, limited studies have investigated the spatial and seasonal variability of soil HMs in the Tasik Chini area. This study aimed to assess the distribution, source, and contamination of ten particular heavy metalic elements (Cr, Cu, Co, Ni, Cd, Ba, Pb, Mn, As, and Zn) in the surface soil of the Chini Lake. A total of 60 soil samples were collected from 10 sites during wet and dry seasons, and analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The degree of pollution was assessed using the CF and PLI, while PCA, CA, and correlation analysis provided insights into the prevalence and sources of HMs. Based on the findings, a notable mean concentration of HMs was measured in Ni (6.78 ± 8.37 ppb), Mn (11.51 ± 21.08 ppb), and Pb (3.23 ± 2.68 ppb), compared to background values of 16 μg/g, 460 μg/g, and 31 μg/g, respectively. Pollution indices revealed moderate contamination levels for Cd, Co, and Pb, especially in mining and agricultural areas. PCA indicates a variance of 50.27

Alternative water sources are an essential practice and method nowadays due to unstable and unpredictable climate change. The increasing demand for treated water by university users has made rainwater harvesting an important alternative water source that must be expanded to ensure a sufficient and sustainable water supply. The rising production of greywater within the university area, particularly in residential colleges, contributes to the high demand for treated water sources. This study aims to assess the monthly rainfall trend and the implementation potential of rainwater harvesting at Kolej Keris Mas, UKM Bangi. The analysis of average monthly rainfall trend was conducted using Microsoft Excel, while ArcGIS Pro was applied to analyze the types and areas of roof surfaces. The Modified Rational Method was used to estimate the rainwater harvesting potential at Kolej Keris Mas. The findings indicate an increasing trend in average monthly rainfall, with an R-2 value of 0.230. Furthermore, the study found that most roof type in the study area are made of cement tiles, covering an area of 10,758 m(2), compared to metal deck roofs, which cover 3,043 m(2). As a result, the study shows an average monthly rainwater harvested of 1,983.60 m(3), with the highest estimated harvest recorded in November at 3,250.30 m(3), while the lowest was recorded in May at 1,995.32 m(3). Therefore, the study on the potential of rainwater harvesting at Kolej Keris Mas is crucial in reducing dependence on treated water sources.

Depth-damage curves (DDC) are widely used in flood risk analysis to represent the range of losses when exposed to a range of flood depth. However, variations in DDCs, whether from international, national, or combined sources, pose challenges for selecting the most accurate curve for local applications, particularly in developing regions. The availability of these varied functions enables scientists and practitioners to perform monetary flood risk evaluations, aiding better investment decisions. However, ensuring that these models are locally validated is crucial, as unverified models can lead to significant inaccuracies. This study aims to compare the performance of international damage curve (IDC), national dam age curve (NDC), and unified damage curve (UDC) in local flood-prone areas of Malaysia where the monetary damages for each models were analysed. Comparisons were made at a community scale, with verification against site-specific damage curves (SDC), which include uncertainty bounds that established using boxplot based on empirical data. Results show that the internationally derived DDC overestimates community-scale aggregated building-level damage by 30 times compared to the SDC, revealing a significant overestimation. Conversely, the aggregated damages using NDC and UDC fall within the SDCs' uncertainty bounds. This demonstrates that integrating national data with international models significantly improves accuracy and reduces overestimation. Ignoring pre-treatment of IDC in flood risk studies could result in an alarming overestimation of damages. This study highlights the indispensable role of local data in ensuring accurate DDC representation and emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts in flood damage data collection and inventory management.

Abstract: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent an important global agenda introduced as nations strive to achieve developed status in the future. This study aims to explore challenges of SDG implementation in Malaysia with an emphasis on governance, infrastructure and fiscal capital, cooperation, and people involvement, particularly at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This study employs a narrative review approach based on analysis of various literature sources including journal articles, government reports, university reports, and international publications relating to the SDGs. The main findings indicate that the implementation of SDGs in Malaysia is less effective since it remains broad and microscopic in nature, thus the full comprehension among the public becomes less important. In addition, weaknesses in monitoring and reporting frameworks, financial constraints in governance, limited cross-sectoral collaboration, and low levels of community awareness were identified as the main challenges. Therefore, micro-level SDG implementation has to be complemented with more strategic thinking around sustainability planning and the availability of strong leadership capable of making the SDG agenda transparent, empowered, progressively achieved, and institutionalized into university development practice. Keywords: Governance; Higher Education Institutions Initiatives; Implementation Challenges; Malaysia; Sustainable Development Goals Abstrak: Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan (SDG) merupakan agenda penting yang diperkenalkan tatkala setiap negara berlumba-lumba ke arah mencapai status negara maju pada masa hadapan. Kajian ini adalah bertujuan untuk meneliti cabaran pelaksanaan SDG di Malaysia dengan memberi fokus kepada aspek tadbir urus, sumber kewangan dan infrastruktur, kolaborasi serta penglibatan komuniti khususnya di Institut Pengajian Tinggi (IPT). Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan ulasan naratif berdasarkan analisis pelbagai sumber literatur seperti artikel jurnal, laporan rasmi kerajaan, laporan rasmi universiti dan dokumen antarabangsa berkaitan SDG sebagai metodologi dalam kajian ini. Dapatan utama menunjukkan bahawa pelaksanaan SDG di Malaysia masih kurang berkesan kerana bersifat mikro dan umum sekali gus menyukarkan pemahaman yang signifikan dalam kalangan masyarakat. Selain itu, kelemahan kerangka pemantauan dan pelaporan, kekangan sumber kewangan dalam tadbir urus, keterbatasan kerjasama rentas sektor serta tahap kesedaran komuniti yang rendah merupakan cabaran utama yang dikenal pasti. Justeru itu, pelaksanaan SDG yang bersifat mikro perlu diperkasakan melalui perancangan pelan strategik kelestarian yang lebih menyeluruh, di samping sokongan kepimpinan tertinggi bagi memastikan agenda SDG dapat difahami, diperkasa, dan direalisasikan secara berterusan serta menjadi amalan dalam pembangunan universiti. Kata kunci: Cabaran Pelaksanaan; Inisiatif Institut Pengajian Tinggi; Malaysia; Matlamat Pembangunan Mampan; Tadbir Urus

Soil heavy metal pollution is a pressing global issue that threatens both ecosystem and human health. Assessing the spatial metal contamination and conducting ecological risk assessments are crucial to mitigating its negative impacts on the environment. The Tasik Chini soil is degrading despite being a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; however limited research has assessed the spatial variation of HM metal contamination and associated ecological implications. The aims of this study to assess the concentration, distribution, pollution status and associated ecological risk of ten specific HMs (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the surface soils across ten locations throughout both the dry and rainy seasons. A total of 90 soil samples were collected and analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), along with complementary analyses of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter content, and particle size. Pollution indicators such as the Ecological Risk Index (ERI), Enrichment Factor (EF), Pollution Load Index (PLI), and Contamination Factor (CF) were employed to evaluate ecological risks and contamination levels. The findings revealed that mining zones had the greatest levels of Cd (0.29 ppm), along with heightened mean concentrations of Mn (34.87 +/- 19.13 ppm), Pb (4.76 +/- 1.86 ppm), and Zn (5.29 +/- 3.08 ppm). Whereas Cd exhibited a significant ecological risk (Er > 80), but Pb and Co posed only modest hazards in contaminated regions. The localized hotspots were found close to the mining zones, while overall RI values varied from low to moderate risk. Three components were identified using PCA, accounting for 90.24 % of the variance. PC1 (57.13 %) had a high concentration of As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ba, Pb, and Ni, which reveals common anthropogenic causes. Cluster analysis (CA) and Pearson correlation revealed co-contamination and spatial grouping in mining and agricultural areas. This study concludes that the Tasik Chini watershed's HM buildup and ecological risk are significantly influenced by temporal inputs and land-use activities. The ecological stability of the watershed must be protected by tailored mitigation and continuous surveillance.

Reservoir sedimentation poses a significant challenge to the sustainable development of water resources, with profound implications for ecosystem health and water management. These lead to cause changes and challenges for rivers, such as floods, river erosion, sedimentation processes, and anthropogenic interference, which contribute to problems for humans and specifically for river basin ecosystems. This research examined the issue of sedimentation, a critical water body for the region's hydrology and socio-economic activities and proposed a multi-faceted management strategy that integrates sediment control measures, regular monitoring, and community involvement to enhance the sustainability of reservoir operations and safeguards the ecological integrity of the Kenyir Lake Basin. Through a combination of field surveys and sedimentation problem analysis, we assessed the current state of sediment accumulation and its impact on reservoir capacity, water quality, and downstream ecosystems. There are several aspects of processes such as erosion, sedimentation and the overflow of the river that have been found. The sedimentation problem in the Kenyir Lake Basin is caused not only by the flow rate of water but the land use activities also contribute to the increasing sediment levela. The implementation of recommendations should be carried out more specifically for reservoir sedimentation problems to avoid and minimise various other problems.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21573.].

This study intends to show the effectiveness of hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis (HACA), discriminant analysis (DA), principal component analysis (PCA), factor analysis (FA) and multiple linear regressions (MLR) for assessing the air quality data and air pollution sources pattern recognition. The data sets of air quality for 12 months (January–December) in 2007, consisting of 14 stations around Peninsular Malaysia with 14 parameters (168 datasets) were applied. Three significant clusters - low pollution source (LPS) region, moderate pollution source (MPS) region, and slightly high pollution source (SHPS) region were generated via HACA. Forward stepwise of DA managed to discriminate 8 variables, whereas backward stepwise of DA managed to discriminate 9 out of 14 variables. The method of PCA and FA has identified 8 pollutants in LPS and SHPS respectively, as well as 11 pollutants in MPS region, where most of the pollutants are expected derived from industrial activities, transportation and agriculture systems. Four MLR models show that PM10 categorize as the primary pollutant in Malaysia. From the study, it can be stipulated that the application of chemometric techniques can disclose meaningful information on the spatial variability of a large and complex air quality data. A clearer review about the air quality and a novel design of air quality monitoring network for better management of air pollution can be achieved.

Climate change consider as main issues and concerns in Malaysia over the decade. Chemometrics techniques have been used in many climate change issues to address the limitations of climate change monitoring studies. In climate change areas, chemometrics is a valuable tool for assessing the correlation between different climate change factors, especially in vast and intricate databases. The purpose of the review was to evaluate and summarise the available data and restrictions regarding the use of chemometrics techniques in Malaysian environmental studies. The study conducted a thorough analysis of pertinent scientific papers published between 2019 to 2023 that addressed the main challenges related to climate change in the nation. The reviewed process including 25 publications with a climate change theme. The research that is now available indicates that chemometrics techniques are more accurate, flexible, and efficient when used in climate change modelling. Chemometrics are recently discovered in Malaysia's environmental area, thus future research should take a variety of aspects into consideration as the present studies only addressed a significant environmental challenges. Generally, chemometrics techniques offer numerous benefits in resolving climate change issues. The advancement of chemometrics in environmental research is imperative in Malaysia in order to produce greater contributions towards the efficient management of the environment.

The measurement of different characteristics of a stream, including integrated water resource management, is dependent on sediment transport mechanisms. On the Pahang River, studies explored the spatial interpolation pattern of suspended sediment (SS) and water resource management. Sedimentation issues in the Pahang River have a significant impact on water resource management in the Pahang River basin. Furthermore, it may have an impact on local water consumption, recreational activities, and other factors, causing the river to become shallow and finally flood. This study was conducted to determine the SS pattern in the Pahang River with the approach of the Geographic Information System (GIS) technique and its significant colour based on spatial analysis. In addition, this study also evaluates the factors and effects of sedimentation through water source management. Three sampling stations from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) for three years (2000, 2004 and 2008) were selected along the Pahang River, where the parameter measured was suspended sediment (ton/year). The results obtained showed that the Pahang River receives a high amount of SS each year, where the higher amount was at the upper station (Sg. Yap), with an amount of 1876575 ton/year (2000), 613850.1 ton/year (2004) and 3458097 ton/year where it may be affected by sediment re-suspension and runoff from two outlets. Meanwhile, the downstream station (Lubuk Paku) received the least amount of SS, while the midstream station (Temerloh) received the most. The transit's speed and current may have an impact. This study's findings are critical in river and water resource management, especially of water resources for domestic use, ecotourism, river biodiversity, and hydrology.

This study examines the benefits and drawbacks of autonomous public transit vehicles among 210 Indonesians. Some 25% of respondents knew nothing about driverless vehicles, whereas 14% did. The average 5-point Likert scale response was 3.12 (SD = 1.05), indicating intermediate expertise. Some 42% of respondents used autonomous vehicle sources such as public transport, 47% had no experience, and 11% were doubtful. The survey items’ Cronbach’s alpha score is 0.873, indicating strong internal consistency and reliability. Most respondents supported the deployment of autonomous road vehicles for public transportation and said they would improve public transportation quality and accessibility. Technical issues and legal liabilities worried responders. The mean scores for the seven autonomous car benefits were similar, showing that respondents did not strongly prefer any benefit. After assessing the socioeconomic status and concerns, the study indicated that people who saw greater benefits were more tolerant of autonomous vehicles. Most respondents also wanted a clearer explanation of their legal responsibilities in case of an accident, thought human operators should play a major role in the future, and supported government trials of autonomous vehicles before their widespread usage. The study’s findings can help policymakers and stakeholders increase public acceptance of new transportation solutions such as autonomous vehicles, and improve future mobility safety and sustainability.

Land use activities in the river basin have a very significant negative impact on the hydrological regime, especially surface runoff. The study of the impact of land use activities on the hydrological regime in the Junjung river basin aims to analyse changes in the rate of surface runoff due to current land use changes and land use planning in 2030. To achieve the goal of this study, curve number analysis was used as a determinant of hydrological parameters in the development of HEC HMS modelling in the study basin area. The results of the study found that the current land use in 2020 recorded an average curve number value of 85.77 and then increased to 86.36 in 2030 due to land use changes in 2030. The change in the value of the curve number has had an impact on the hydrological regime that is surface runoff because there is an increase in the percentage of impervious areas from 22.84 percent in 2020 to 31.14 percent by 2030. The rate of change in runoff is shown through the simulation of the peak flow rate that occurs according to the frequency of the event, which is between 0.7 to 4.9 percent. The results obtained from this study can be used as fundamental data for advanced studies of flood control and management for better sustainable flood risk management.

Lakes may take a while to respond to management interventions because of the management implications of incremental development and degradation issues. This includes the requirement for the ongoing participation of key lake basin management institutions and their operations. This study's objective is to assess the impacts of land use activities along the Kenyir Lake Basin based on the sedimentation problem level. There are a few hydrological methods that are necessary indicators to measure the level of sediment production, such as Total Suspended Solid (TSS), area of sub-catchment, river discharge measurement, and annual sediment load production. The results showed that the sub-catchment of Besar River released the lowest annual average estimation at 3833.70 kg/km(2)/year, and the sub-catchment of Kenyir River produced the highest annual average estimation at 128,070.86 kg/km(2)/year for annual sediment load flow produced from tributary rivers into Kenyir Lake. Kenyir Lake Basin's downstream and midstream regions had higher sediment load values than its upstream regions. This study highlighted the significance of the effects of anthropogenic factors, hydrological, geomorphological, growth, and developmental factors, and climate changes as the key variables attributing to the sedimentation phenomenon along the Kenyir Lake Basin. The construction of a long-term lake or reservoir catchment development and management plan, combined with the formation of a vision and comprehensive strategic plan, are vital components of sound management practice. The efficient implementation of the suggested watershed management programmes depends on the active involvement of all significant catchment stakeholders.

The climate, geomorphological changes, and hydrological elements that have occurred have all influenced future flood episodes by increasing the likelihood and intensity of extreme weather occurrences like extreme precipitation events. River bank erosion is a natural geomorphic process that occurs in all channels. As modifications of sizes and channel shapes are made to transport the discharge, sediment abounds from the stream catchment, and floods are triggered dramatically. The aim of this study is to analyze the flood-sensitive regions along the Pahang River Basin and determine how climate and river changes would have an impact on flooding based on hydrometeorological data and information on river characteristics. The study is divided into three stages, namely the upstream, middle stream, and downstream of the Pahang River. The main primary hydrometeorological data and river characteristics, such as Sinuosity Index, Dominant Slope Range and Entrenchment Ratio collected as important inputs in the statistical analysis process. The statistical analyses, namely HACA, PCA, and Linear Regression applied in river classification. The result showed that the middle stream and downstream areas demonstrated the worst flooding affected by anthropogenic and hydrological factors. Rainfall distribution is one of the factors that contributed to the flood disaster. There are strong correlations between the Sinuosity Index (SI) and water level, which indicates that changes occurred at both planform and stream classification. The best management practices towards sustainability are based on the application of the outcomes that have been obtained after the analysis of Pahang River planform changes, Pahang River geometry, and the local rainfall pattern in the Pahang River Basin.

Climate change has resulted in severe disasters such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, etc. As the climate warms, precipitation events become more frequent and intense, resulting in severe rains that may overflow rivers, streams, and drainage systems. The Junjung watershed, like many other areas, is vulnerable to floods, which may significantly damage the environment, infrastructure, and the local populace. As a result, precise knowledge of the catchment's rainfall intensity and hydrological features is required, as is the development of effective flood danger mapping. This research aims to determine the rainfall intensity for the catchment area. The study also intends to create a flood danger map for the Junjung watershed using HEC-HMS. The rainfall intensity for 50- and 100-years ARI was computed using HEC-HMS. HEC-RAS was used to produce flood hazard models, which revealed that rainfall intensity rose from the 50-years to the 100-years ARI. This indicates that the catchment is more likely to flood during extreme weather events, possibly more catastrophic flooding during uncommon, high-intensity rainfall. The Junjung watershed, according to the flood hazard mapping data, is in danger of flooding after high rains, which may result in the river overflowing and flooding the adjacent regions. As a result, reliable flood hazard maps are critical for mitigating the effect of flood occurrences in the study region.

Typical disaster flooding and flash floods in Malaysia. Floods occur especially during the wet season within the geographical region area which is especially influenced by the northeast monsoon. So the sampling study was conducted in March 2019 in normal season. Cross-sectional measurements involving the measurement of river width, river depth and velocity were conducted at both sampling times. The main objective of this study was to identify the pattern of rainfall distribution and river discharge rate in the River Basin Relative when the flash flood event occurred. The average seasonal discharge value in the normal Relau River (Upstream) is 0.04 m3s-1, Relau River (Midstream) is 0.57 m3s-1, Relau River (Downstream) is 0.35 m3s-1. Whereas for Ara River (Midstream) is 0.78 m3s-1, Ara River (Downstream) is 0.19 m3s-1) and Kluang River (Upstream) is 0.18 m3s-1. The estimated value for flash flood shows that total water and sewer capacity that occurred during the flash floods was to increase the water level by five meters from the normal season water level with an estimated water velocity of m3s-1for this area. The reading shows the Relau River (Upstream) reading 5.18 m3s-1, the Relau River (Midstream) is m3s-1 the Relau River (Downstream) is 18.20 m3s-1. While for Ara River (Midstream) is 24.53 m3s-1, Ara River (Downstream) is 25.35 m3s-1) and Kluang River (Upstream) is 26.22 m3s-1.