Labuan e-Journal of Muamalat and Society (LJMS)

A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE INTENTION TO PARTICIPATE IN PADDY CROP TAKAFUL SCHEME AMONG PADDY FARMERS IN SEKINCHAN, SELANGOR, MALAYSIA: EMBRACING THE BLENDED ISLAMIC SOCIAL FINANCE PADDY MICRO-TAKAFUL MODEL

2025-06-03T21:00:59+08:00

Paddy farming in Malaysia is highly vulnerable to risks such as climate change, pest infestations, and crop diseases, threatening both farmers’ livelihoods and national food security. To mitigate these challenges, the Malaysian government introduced the Paddy Crop Takaful Scheme, supported by an initial grant of RM50 million from the Government. This study examines paddy farmers’ intention to participate in the scheme, focusing on key influencing factors such as price, risk exposure, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control, using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as its analytical framework. A quantitative methodology was employed through a pilot survey involving 30 paddy farmers from Sekinchan, located within the Integrated Agricultural Development Area (IADA) Barat Laut Selangor. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, reliability tests (Cronbach's alpha), validity assessments, and crosstabulations to determine patterns in farmers’ decision-making. Findings reveal that attitude and risk exposure are the strongest predictors of participation, while perceived behavioural control had the least influence. Notably, only 13 per cent of farmers received financial support from Islamic social finance institutions such as zakat and waqf, indicating an untapped opportunity to enhance affordability and inclusivity for low-income farmers (B40 group). The novelty of this research lies in the discourse on agriculture risk management by proposing a blended Islamic social finance paddy micro-takaful model, aligned with Malaysia’s Value-Based Intermediation Takaful (VBIT) framework. Despite the small sample size, the findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and takaful operators, advocating for greater integration of Islamic social finance mechanisms to strengthen farmers’ financial security and support national food resilience strategies.

FOOD SECURITY AND ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

2025-04-13T20:54:30+08:00

There is a growing need to review the literature to provide future scholars with a comprehensive understanding of the current discussion on food security in Islam and to identify the gaps that could be addressed by future research. The current study attempts to review the available literature using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), which is a scientific method that can be used to limit systematic bias by identifying, screening and synthesising research questions using a systematic methodology. The study seeks to identify the studies that discuss the elements of 'availability', 'stability', 'accessibility' and 'utilisation' of food security from an Islamic perspective and discuss the arguments among scholars on the four elements of food security from an Islamic perspective. In methodology, two main databases, Scopus and Dimensions, were used for the collection of literature and analysis was assisted by the QDA Miner Lite software. The collection of literature spans from 2000 to 2023. Findings show that the four pillars of food security were discussed quite extensively in some selected literature particularly on the halal and thoyyib food production and consumption, the Islamic view of GM crops and GM food production, halal tourism, riba-free financing of agriculture and food production and the role of state and regulations in monitoring most activities from food production to the delivery process. It is recommended that in the future, more studies could explore the Islamic perspectives of 'utilisation' and 'stability' pillars of food security.

PUBLIC BUILDING ACCESSIBILITY IN MALAYSIA: LEGAL CHALLENGES AND THE RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

2025-07-12T10:16:46+08:00

The growing proportion of persons with disabilities in Malaysia has underscored the urgent need for accessible public buildings, as access is intrinsically tied to the exercise of fundamental rights. This article examines the legal challenges that impede persons with disabilities' access to public buildings in Malaysia and proposes legal reforms to enhance compliance with international standards. A qualitative research design was employed, utilising a doctrinal legal methodology supported by content analysis. Primary data sources included statutory instruments such as the Persons with Disabilities Act 2008 [Act 685], the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (UBBL), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and relevant case law. The findings reveal several deficiencies within the current legal framework: inconsistencies between domestic legislation and CRPD, vague or narrow legal definitions, the absence of mandatory access audits, and limited enforcement powers of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities. These shortcomings hinder the realisation of accessibility rights for persons with disabilities. This study highlights the need for legislative amendments to Act 685 and the UBBL to align Malaysia’s legal framework more closely with the CRPD. While the study is limited to a doctrinal analysis without empirical fieldwork, it offers a timely and original contribution by identifying specific legal reforms necessary to advance accessibility rights. The findings carry significant implications for policymakers, legal practitioners, and disability advocates seeking to ensure inclusive development through legal means.

ISLAMIC INHERITANCE DISTRIBUTION AND THE PRISONER’S DILEMMA: A CONCEPTUAL STUDY

2025-06-23T01:20:50+08:00

Disputes among heirs in Islamic inheritance distribution can lead to prolonged legal processes, emotional strain, and financial losses, rendering the estate economically inefficient. To better understand the behavioural dimensions underlying such conflicts, this paper proposes a conceptual application of the Prisoner’s Dilemma (PD) to explore the strategic interactions between heirs and how their choices either to cooperate or defect affect inheritance outcomes. The model is applied to both male–male and male–female heir scenarios. In male–male interactions, mutual cooperation typically results in a balanced and efficient distribution. However, if one heir defects in pursuit of a greater share, it may trigger retaliation, leading to escalating conflict, litigation, and delayed resolution despite eventual redistribution. In male–female dynamics, structural differences in faraid allocations, where males receive twice the share of females, can lead to perceived inequities. While female heirs may be inclined to defect for a more equitable outcome, male heirs may sometimes respond with empathy or voluntary compromise. Yet, mutual defection results in costly, time-consuming disputes that harm both parties. This study contributes to the theoretical extension of the PD by applying it within the context of Islamic inheritance practice. It also highlights the critical role of inheritance agencies in fostering awareness, mediation, and cooperation to ensure timely and fair wealth distribution in accordance with Islamic principles.

CROWDFUNDING DONATION INTENTIONS: PERSPECTIVES OF MALAYSIAN MUSLIMS IN SABAH

2025-03-18T12:20:24+08:00

This study examines the factors influencing Sabahan Muslims’ intention to donate to crowdfunding initiatives in Malaysia. Specifically, it investigates the roles of attitude, sense of self-worth, face concern, moral obligation, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control on donation behaviour. Using a convenience sampling, data were collected from 152 respondents through an online survey. Multiple regression analysis was applied to test the relationships between the variables. The results indicate that attitude, moral obligation, and perceived behavioural control have a statistically significant positive impact on the intention to donate, suggesting that individuals with favourable attitudes, a strong sense of moral responsibility, and a higher perception of control over their actions are more likely to engage in donation crowdfunding. Conversely, sense of self-worth, face concern, and subjective norm did not have significant effects, indicating that social pressure or concerns over reputation play a less critical role in shaping crowdfunding intentions for this population. These results suggest that to boost crowdfunding participation, campaigns should focus on creating positive attitudes and appeal to internal motivations, like showing the meaningful impact donors can make, rather than relying on social pressure. Hence, this study contributes to valuable insights for crowdfunding platforms and non-profit organisations in designing more effective, values-driven donation strategies tailored to the Malaysian Muslim community in Sabah.

DIGITAL LITERACY IN ASEAN HIGHER EDUCATION: A TWO-DECADE BIBLIOMETRIC REVIEW

2025-09-30T11:09:08+08:00

This study provides the first comprehensive, two-decade bibliometric review of digital literacy research in ASEAN higher education. While the field is of critical importance for the region's economic and social development, its intellectual and collaborative structure has remained unmapped. Using a dataset of 248 articles retrieved from the Scopus database (2005–2024), we employ performance analysis and science mapping to chart the research landscape. The findings reveal a significant paradox: the field has experienced explosive publication growth, with over 75% of all research published in the last five years, yet it remains profoundly fragmented. Co-authorship analysis at the country, institution, and author levels reveals a community fractured into national and institutional silos with minimal cross-border collaboration. This social fragmentation is mirrored by a disconnected intellectual base, confirmed by a co-citation analysis showing no shared theoretical foundation among the field's foundational scholars. We conclude that the field's rapid, crisis-driven growth has not yet led to maturity. By mapping these structural weaknesses, this study offers a clear, evidence-based agenda for fostering the cohesion needed to build a more impactful and sustainable research ecosystem.

EFFICIENCY OF WAQF-BASED SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR MODEL BY BAITUL WAKAF INDONESIA: SOCIAL RETURN ON INVESTMENT (SROI) APPROACH

2025-06-03T21:53:33+08:00

This paper aims to demonstrate the efficiency of waqf-based social entrepreneurship as a model that has the potential to significantly increase the usefulness and productivity of waqf. The novelty of this study lies in its approach towards integrating social entrepreneurship principles with the traditional Islamic waqf system, which has rarely been explored in existing literature. This research addresses the urgent need for a sustainable and productive waqf development model by focusing on the implementation and social impact efficiency of Baitul Wakaf's waqf-based social entrepreneurship initiative. Primary data were collected through interviews and field studies, and analysed using the Social Return on Investment (SROI) method to determine the ratio of investment to social impact. The resulting SROI ratio of 1:2.01369848 indicates a high level of efficiency, suggesting that for every unit of investment, more than two units of social value are created. Compared with other similar SROI-based studies, this result highlights the relative effectiveness of the Baitul Wakaf model in delivering measurable social impact, thus offering a replicable framework for future waqf-based development initiatives.

MALAYSIAN PERCEPTIONS OF SHARIAH GOLD INVESTMENT IN THE DIGITAL ERA

2025-08-21T09:55:32+08:00

Malaysian perceptions are significantly influencing the proliferation of Shariah gold investments (SGI) in today’s digital era. This study aims to assess the level of public exposure, engagement and perception of Islamic gold products. A descriptive quantitative approach was used through the distribution of questionnaire to 101 respondents who demonstrated investment propensity in gold. The study instrument consisted of three (3) sections including Section A on the respondents’ exposure and involvement, Section B on the Malaysian perceptions of SGI characteristics and followed by demographic profile of respondents in Section C. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 30 to produce frequencies, percentages and mean scores to identify general patterns in investment behaviour. Derived from the findings, Shariah-compliance assurances and user-friendliness of digital platforms were the key drivers of investor adoption. However, despite growing awareness, actual engagement remains low. As a result, investor financial education, Shariah branding and operational transparency of investment platforms are needed to bolster SGI. Furthermore, this study is limited to descriptive analysis, non-probability purposive sampling and draws upon self-reported responses. Hence, it provides an important initial contribution to understanding investor preferences towards SGI and offers preliminary basis for further exploratory and explanatory studies in the future.

EXAMINING THE POST-COVID-19 COST OF LIVING SURGE IN TAWAU, SABAH, MALAYSIA

2025-09-13T19:43:51+08:00

This study aims to identify the factors influencing the increase in consumers’ cost of living in Tawau, Sabah, after the COVID-19 pandemic era. The study involved 300 respondents selected using simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected through an online questionnaire covering three independent variables: the increase in raw material prices, the excess demand for goods and services in the market, and the increase in production costs. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression methods through SPSS version 25. The findings show that the most dominant factor identified is the increase in production costs, followed by the increase in raw material prices and the increase in demand and production of goods and services in the market. The R² value = .461, indicating that 46.1% of the variance in the increase in the cost of living can be explained by the combination of all independent variables. These findings accentuate the need for price control strategies, supply chain management, and more effective economic policies to reduce the burden of consumers’ cost of living in the study area. This study provides important insights for public policy and contributes to the academic literature related to post-pandemic economic issues.

DIMENSI BAHARU STRATEGI KUTIPAN SEDEKAH SEBAGAI ALAT KEWANGAN SOSIAL ISLAM DI ERA DIGITAL

2025-09-26T15:44:09+08:00

The development of Islamic social finance based on the concept of charity and donations has been in full accord with the Muslim community. The concept of assisting without expecting material rewards is not something unfamiliar among Muslims. The charity can help those in need to live a better life. Those who give alms also had been promised to gain benefits and reward in the life hereafter. From an economic standpoint, charity is one of the instruments of redistribution of wealth to social development activities in addition to zakat and waqf (endowment). Back to the days before the digital age, alms were accumulated through the movement of volunteers from house to house, from one location to another, but now the situation has been improved with the introduction of information technology platform. The unwillingness of some people to donate following the increasing crime of fraudulent syndicates through the conventional fundraising movement manipulated by some irresponsible parties has accelerated the need for more secure methods. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the effectiveness of charity as a social Islamic financial instrument in Malaysia through the explosion of information technology in the digital age. The study was conducted using qualitative methods through library research. The result shows that by using the concept of crowdfunding, several websites have been developed and managed specifically for charity. The donated funds can be managed structurally and channelled to charitable organizations or charities as well as to the real beneficiaries. Therefore, seeking for al-falah and barakah through charity is strongly encouraged in Islam.