The vital role of Malaysian Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) is to provide financial support for its participants during retirement years. However, the issues of inadequacy have risen and EPF has been through various improvements in order to cope with current living situations, including making adjustment in the contribution rates. This study intends to provide the projection of EPF accumulations for three different types of contribution rates namely contribution rates at current fixed rate, increasing and decreasing proportion. Then, the replacement ratio is calculated and is used as an indicator to determine the adequacy of retirement income delivered by EPF. The ideal replacement ratio recommended by financial advisors is at 70%. Based on the findings in this study, contribution rates following a decreasing proportion gives replacement ratio that exceeds or nearest to the ideal replacement ratio, while contribution rates at current fixed rate gives replacement rates that fall far from 70%. Therefore, this study shows that the accumulated amount in the fund with contribution rates following a decreasing proportion gives higher replacement ratio and is recommended to be applied by the Malaysian EPF. � 2017 Author(s).

The increase in the number of older populations has raised concerns globally. This demographic changes is due to the increase in life expectancy and declines in fertility as well as mortality rates. Malaysia is also currently experiencing the demographic changes and these changes leads to concerns on the uncertaintiness of future family care and the need for long-term care services. Therefore, this study investigates on the level of awareness on financing long term care cost between rural and urban residential area and marital status amomg respondents in Malaysia. 452 responds were analysed using multiple linear regiression model to identify the variables that influenced the level of acceptance and awareness towards long-term care cost. Findings show that dependency towards retirement income is significant from urban-rural residents and among single respondents. Health status is also significant for both rural-urban and marital status. However, literacy towards the long term care cost is significant among respondents residing in urban areas only and also married couples. The findings are beneficial and relevant to demonstrate on the importance of financial planning to fund for future long-term care costs. � 2018 Authors.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the factors that affect Malaysian users' financing to participate in using Equity-based Financing (Musharakah & Mudharabah) or known as EBF. This study applied the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as the underlying theory to analyze the determinants that influence the intention of Malaysian users' of financing to participate in EBF. The analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), with a total of 250 respondents. According to the findings, only attitudes (ATT) about equity-based financing (EBF) had a positive and significant impact on Malaysian users of financing involvement in EBF during pandemic Covid-19. Subjective Norms (SNORMS) and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBControl) turn out to be non-significant factors for users of financing in Malaysia. The results of the study could lead to advancements towards Islamic banking and finance, as well as positive implications for practitioners. Focusing on ATT to establish customer-oriented products of financing connections within banks could help EBF applications be better managed. This study applied TPB for the first time to Malaysian users' financial decisions in the area of EBF during the pandemic Covid-19.

Mental health illness becomes one of the major illnesses in Malaysia aside from heart disease. It was recently reported that 29.2% of Malaysians are suffering from mental health illness which increases threefold from the previous year. Majority of the Malaysians suffering from mental health illness comes from the lowest income group. Tins shows that the lowest income group has less opportunity to seek treatment due to the cost. Even though other countries have started to offer mental health insurance such as the United States of America. United Kingdom. Australia and recently Singapore. Malaysia is still way behind in offering coverage for mental health illness. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to study the mental health takaful from the perspective of Maqasid shariah. The results from this study show that mental health takaful is able to meet the requirement of Maqasid shariah and preserve the benefits of. and prevent harm to human wellbeing. Furthermore, this study will provide an insight to the takaful industry for developing new products that could help mental health disorder patients. � 2020, Sciedu Press.