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The move from cash accounting to accrual accounting, or rule-based to principle-based accounting, by many governments is part of an ongoing efforts in promoting a more business-like and performance-focused public sector. Using questionnaire responses from preparers of financial statements of public universities in Malaysia, this study examines the implementation challenges and benefits of principle-based accounting. Results from these responses suggest that most respondents perceived significant costs would be incurred in relation to staff training and recruitment of staffs with relevant technical knowledge. In addition, most respondents also perceived that there will be significant changes in the current accounting system and structure in order to comply with the principle-based accounting requirements. However, most respondents perceived that these changes might not result in significant benefits for management purposes, for example, financial management, budgeting and allocation of resources. Nevertheless, most respondents perceived that principle-based accounting information would facilitate the monitoring function of the board. The general perception is that adoption of principle-based accounting information is not significantly useful than rule-based accounting information is expected to change over time as preparers of the financial statements gradually understand and appreciate the benefits of principle-based accounting information. This infers that the perceived usefulness of different accounting system is a function of familiarity by the preparers.

The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 is a document that spells out a plan of action for revamping the Malaysian education system. Therefore, it is no surprise that references are made to teachers and their role in ensuring the successful execution of the action plan. Although the blueprint does not set out a course of action for teachers of individual subjects, specific reference is made to English language teachers and this is ideologically significant. In order to understand this significance and how the blueprint positions Malaysian English language teachers, the document needs to be located within the wider discourse community, vis-à-vis through an intertextual reading. In this paper, we first examine the discursive construction of English language teachers in the blueprint as well as media texts to illustrate how these texts have collectively constructed the identity of Malaysian English language teachers. Next, we argue that this discursive construction of Malaysian English language teachers has had consequences for the way continuing professional development programmes have been organised for them in the first of three waves of the Malaysian Education Blueprint action plan from 2013 to 2015. The findings reveal that continuing professional development programmes during this period have focused predominantly on the training of the discursively constructed inept Malaysian English language teacher to ensure they possess the desired proficiency and are able to make changes to existing classroom practices that are aligned with the government agenda.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse whether coercive isomorphism as imposed by regulatory authorities is an effective mechanism to promote a company's CSR reputation in a developing country. The study seeks to consider the determinants of CSR reporting as such factors are deemed to influence the external perception of reputation.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs institutional theory as the basis for explaining corporate responsible behaviour. In total, 117 companies in "three sensitive industries" for the year 2007 were selected. CSR reputation is analyzed based on a self‐constructed index.FindingsBased on regression analysis, the study found that regulatory efforts are significant mechanisms in promoting CSR reputation. Surprisingly, these companies in the "sensitive industry" seem to neglect the importance of environmental reputation. However, institutional owners regard CSR reporting as a means to enhance their CSR reputation, while family‐owned companies do not appear to consider CSR reporting as an important channel to boost their reputation.Research limitations/implicationsThe study only considers information from annual reports and the sample is limited to only three sectors that are regarded as "sensitive industries".Practical implicationsRegulatory efforts have the prospect to become a significant force in promoting CSR reporting, as well as advancing CSR strategies in managing a company's reputation.Originality/valueThis study focuses on companies in a developing country in an attempt to understand the relationship between CSR reporting and companies' reputation. It adds substantially to the existing literature, the focus of which is mainly on CSR issues in developed countries. The study also provides an objective methodology in measuring CSR reputation.

Fraud has been of concern for many corporate managers and regulators since many businesses have been victim of business failures. Business failure corporations have reported and become an element of fraudulent financial reporting.Therefore, the first aim of this study is to examine whether a collective prediction tool can be used to predict business failure and fraudulent financial reporting.The second and more important objective of this study is to examine whether business failure companies are associated with fraudulent financial reporting. The collective prediction tool is based on ratio analysis, Beneish M-score model and Z-score model. Using publicly available information in the annual reports of 24 failed firms matched with 24 non-failed firms listed on Bursa Malaysia, relevant information are extracted and applied in the three models to assist in predicting business failure and detecting fraudulent financial reporting. A total of 10 ratios, cash conversion cycle, Beneish M-score model and Altman's Z-score model were identified for examination as potential predictors of business failure and fraudulent financial reporting. Based on the results, the model was accurate in classifying the total sample of approximately 96 per cent as predictors of business failure and approximately 83.3 per cent as predictors of fraudulent financial reporting as well as predicting the relationship between business failures and fraudulent financial reporting. Hence, it can be concluded that these model functions effectively and can be adopted by regulators, bankers, management, internal and external auditors and to the forensic accountants so that proper preventive or corrective action can be taken to mitigate fraud at its inception.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an irreversible impact on the global economy and industries, particularly in the healthcare sector. The rush to respond to the pandemic, particularly in terms of getting treatment and vaccines and technology to market, has created a huge opportunity for undisclosed corruption and misconduct in the research and development and procurement processes. Effectively responding to current and future global health corruption threats is critical if the world is to provide health care to all. Due to a lack of research in preventive corruption measures in the healthcare industry, this paper aims to provide an overview of anti-corruption efforts among healthcare companies listed on the main board of Bursa Malaysia. The disclosure index is made up of 47 items derived from a review of previous literature and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act. The content analysis research method is used to analyze information from 13 companies listed in 2020's anti-corruption policies and procedures published on their website, board charter, whistleblowing policy, code of ethics and conduct, annual report, sustainability report, and corporate governance report. According to the findings, Malaysia's healthcare industry has demonstrated a strong commitment to fighting corruption, with 76.9% of companies scoring higher than average on the disclosure index.

Non-profitorganizations (NPOs) are generally subjected to less stringent regulatory requirementsthan for-profit organizations. As such, NPOs are generally reluctant to sharemore comprehensive information with the various stakeholders and may notrecognize the need for accountability. The purpose of this study is to examinethe influence of board composition on the level of accountability for NPOs inMalaysia. Board composition and the level of accountability are obtained fromthe content analysis of annual reports of 234 societies registered withRegistrar of Societies in Malaysia for the financial period 2010. The level ofaccountability (ADI) examined is based on two main components, transparency andcompliance while board composition examined in this study consists of boardsize, board professionalism and board members with political connections.Results of this study provide evidence that the overall level of accountabilityis low. This infers that more comprehensive regulatoryrequirements or at the very least, the existence of best practices with regardsto accountability can be a useful mechanism in enhancing the accountability ofNPOs. In addition, theresults also highlight that an optimum mix of board members mattersin ensuring efficient resource strategy and consequently enhance the level ofaccountability in NPOs. Overall,the findings in this study provide useful information to regulators in theircontinuous efforts to improve accountability in the non-profit sector. This inturn can enhance the credibility and sustainability of the NPOs.