Introduction: Plasma fractionation has evolved from a medical service activity for the purpose of supplying products to the local community to a global manufacturing industry that has to comply with high quality standards (1). It involves sophisticated industrial process in licensed facilities and has the highest standard of hygiene and quality and conforms to the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). To safeguard the public from unsafe blood products, there must be a system for licensing, regulation and control within the national authority (2). These requirements are beyond the means of developing countries like MALAYSIA (3).

The research aimed to determine the best components of MALAYSIA-Counsellor Performance Indicator in measuring the counsellor’s performance in MALAYSIA. This is the first development phase of the M-CPI. This study involved two type of research designs; quantitative and qualitative approach (Mixed Method). The quantitative data has been obtained from 102 respondents and interview with eight (8) counsellors from different settings. Stratified random sampling technique was utilized to select the respondent and proportional stratification was used to determine the sample size of each stratum. A Need Assessment questionnaire has been developed by the researchers as well as the protocol interview. These two instruments were developed based on the literature reviews of previous instruments that have been invented from the western perspective to measure the performance and competency of counsellors. The results of the study were analysed using the descriptive analysis and thematic analysis. Findings have shown that majority counsellors possessed knowledge and skills in conducting counselling session. Most counsellors in the study demonstrated good interpersonal relationship, interaction, multicultural and religiosity and ethics and professionalism. Through this study, to measure the performance of counsellors, the researchers have found that they must equip themselves with knowledge, skill, interpersonal relationship, interaction, multicultural and religiosity and ethics and professionalism aspects. Based on the interview data, there were new  components that have been identified to be added in the MALAYSIA Counsellor Performance Indicator (M-CPI) which include knowledge (theoretical and knowledge transfer), skills (case management, practical skills and academic/professional writing), interpersonal relationship and interaction, cultural and religiosity, professional roles and expertise, ethics and legality, attitudes and personality, referral and articulate philosophy of profession. In future, research should also focus on the validity and reliability of the components listed in the M-CPI.

Background: Tourism, combined with the phrase medical, seems to be a new form of tourism which has gained huge popularity in recent decades. Though, a number of literatures available with regard to the tourism industry and the competitiveness of the destination, however, the major aspects which determine the satisfaction of medical tourists are hardly focused specifically on MALAYSIA. There is a lack of empirical evidence in this area of study which needs to be bridged. Hence, this study aimed at investigating the various factors contributing towards the development of medical tourism in MALAYSIA.Methods: As the purpose of the research was to find out various factors contributing towards the development of medical tourism in MALAYSIA, so this study used Structural Equation modeling (SEM) for data analysis. The target population for this study consisted of the medical tourists coming to MALAYSIA with the primary intension of seeking medical procedures other than sightseeing. A total sample size of 266 was collected through non-probability judgment sampling during the period between December 2012 and February 2013.Results: The result confirms that destination competitiveness and service quality play an important role in the medical tourist’s mind towards medical tourism aspect in MALAYSIA. Thus, MALAYSIA need to promote various medical success stories together with the services they offer to attract more foreign patients.Conclusion: This study contributes to the theoretical development in the tourism industry by offering the structured relationship among various aspects contributing towards the development of medical tourism in MALAYSIA.

The present investigation has been conducted to assess the status of physico-chemical parameters as well as the concentrations of some selected heavy metals to understand the present scenario of water quality at Perak River basin, MALAYSIA. The temperature, turbidity, pH, EC and DO values of all the examined samples have been within the range of 25. 0 to 30. 5 0C, 39. 5 to 168. 00 NTU, 6. 8 to 7. 33, 30. 3 to 113. 8 μ s/cm and 3. 62 to 7. 01 mg/L, respectively. The concentrations of trace metallic constituents have been determined by means of Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), giving the following ranges: Cr: 0. 01 to 0. 052 mg/L; Pb: 0. 01 to 0. 03 mg/L; Zn: 0. 11 to 0. 92 mg/L; Fe: 1. 38 to 5. 55 mg/L; Mn: 0. 10 to 0. 25 mg/L and Ca: 2. 55-23. 23 mg/L, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals at downstream of Perak River water were higher than the concentrations of upstream. The order of heavy metallic constituents in the water samples was Fe > Zn > Mn > Cr > Pb. R mode Cluster Analysis (CA) suggests that multiple anthropogenic activities like urban runoff, agricultural runoff, discharges of vehicles washing and workshops, land use changes, unplanned settlements, domestic effluents, wastewater of livestock husbandry farms etc., are influencing the physico-chemical parameters and heavy metals concentrations of Perak River water. The present study is highly significant for providing baseline information of potential hazardous level of heavy metals to human health, environment, and sustainable water resources management for economically and environment friendly uses of Perak River.