The interest in STI is positively related to the respondents' level of education. Regarding the most reliable source of information for STI, about half of the respondents (49%) chose television, followed by the Internet (19%), printed newspapers (13%) and books (9%).
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The 2014 Study on Public Awareness of Science, Technology and Innovation in Malaysia1 is the latest in a series of studies that began in 1994 when the first Public Awareness of Science and Technology Study was undertaken. 1 Note that throughout this report the 2014 STI Survey and the 2014 Study on Public Awareness of Science, Technology and Innovation in Malaysia refer to the same survey.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
To analyze changes in levels of understanding, interest and attitudes towards STI among Malaysians since 1996;. To identify efforts that can be implemented by the government to increase the level of understanding, interest and acceptance of STI among Malaysians; and.
PUBLIC INTEREST IN STI
Both men (87.0%) and women (80.9%) had the highest percentage of respondents who were interested or very interested in "the use of new inventions and technologies" (Appendix 1). In all three age groups, the highest percentage of respondents were interested or very interested in "the use of new inventions and technology".
KNOWLEDGE OF STI
Understanding of STI Terms and Concept
In contrast, very few Malaysians correctly answered the statement “antibiotics kill both viruses and bacteria”. These patterns were reflected in the individual statements, although it was observed that there were substantially higher percentages of correct responses among those who had completed tertiary education.
Pseudoscience
Most respondents believed that horoscopes were scientific or some kind of scientific, while faith healing and divination were not. The survey by ethnicity revealed a similar overall pattern, with most respondents believing that horoscopes were scientific or some sort of scientific, while faith healing and divination were not (Exhibits 14-15).
PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS STI
- Attitudes towards Scientific Research
- Public Attitudes towards STI, Scientific Research and Science
- Public Attitudes towards the Impact of STI
- Reasons for Low Science Stream Enrolment
- Public Attitudes about Specific STI related Issues
Regarding climate change, 89.7% of respondents had read or heard about it (Table 2-3 contains the details). It may be important to note that the Fukushima incident of March 11, 2011, in which a tsunami destroyed the nuclear power plant (now known as the “Fukushima Nuclear Disaster”) was still fresh in the public's memory.
INFORMATION SOURCES AND INVOLVEMENT
Sources of Information through Media
17.8% of respondents without formal education go online, followed by 16.6% with primary school education, 64.9% with secondary school education and 93.8% of respondents with tertiary education (Appendix 39). Magazine reading was lower among Chinese respondents (39.5%) and Internet use was lower among Indian respondents (49.1%). Malay respondents were more inclined to read magazines and listen to the radio than respondents from other ethnic groups, at 60.2% and 79.8% respectively (Appendix 40).
Television has been the primary source of media information for the Malaysian public since 1998, with more than 97.0% of respondents reporting watching it at least once a week, with the exception of 2008 (Figure 2-15). From 1998 to 2014, the number of subscribers to the latter two types of media has been slowly decreasing. Compared to 1998, newspaper readership has decreased by 6 percentage points, while radio has decreased by 4 percentage points.
Internet Usage
STI related Places
60.5% of female respondents use the Internet for education-related searches compared to every other male respondent. For respondents in the youth group, four out of five respondents (79.9%) use the Internet for entertainment, compared to 79.3% of respondents in the child group and 62.9% of the adult group. In addition, older respondents were more likely to use the Internet for the following: e-mail, religion, business, and politics.
When examined by age group, it was clear that the younger age groups were more likely to have visited STD-related places in the past twelve months. For example, only 15.0% of respondents without formal education had visited a zoo, compared to 37.9% of tertiary-educated respondents. Further analysis revealed that the percentage of respondents who said they had visited these STD facilities in the past twelve months has decreased.
Awareness of Government STI Programmes
WIF-KL 2013, which was made possible through the joint efforts of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and the Foundation for Innovation Malaysia (YIM), sought to build a new culture of innovation with Malaysia at the centre. As a continuation of the country's efforts to introduce scientific knowledge and innovation to the Malaysian public, 2012 was declared the Year of Science and National Innovation Movement or SGI2012 (Tahun Sains dan Gerakan Inovasi Nasional 2012). Science and Innovation Carnivals are pillar programs under SGI 2012 held in six zones across the country.
These carnivals of science and innovation are expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors in a single weekend. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) has been tasked with coordinating this national initiative with clients that include other government ministries and agencies as well as private companies. This program was run by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) as a continuation of previous programs such as Innovative Malaysia 2010 to increase the awareness and acculturation of science and mathematics among the Malaysian public.
Awareness of National STI related Policies
Views on Government Spending
Respondents in the child and youth age groups generally believed that the government spends too much on education, quality health care, roads and bridges, mass transportation, and national security. Adult respondents generally believe that the government spends too little on reducing crime (44.1%), eradicating poverty (42.0%), protecting the environment (38.1%) and supporting scientific research (34.0%) (Appendix 43 ). Respondents with no formal education had the general opinion that the government spends too little on reducing crime (49.4%), eradicating poverty (46.7%), protecting the environment (41.6%) and mass transportation (41.1%).
For Indian respondents, almost one in two believe that the government spends too little on eradicating poverty (49.4%) and reducing crime (48.1%). About one in three Indian respondents also believed that the government spends too much on roads and bridges (26.6%). For Other Bumiputera respondents, more than two out of five respondents think the government spends too much on national security (45.9%) (Appendix 45).
International 03
- PUBLIC INTEREST IN STI
- PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF STI ISSUES
- Understanding of STI Terms and Concept
- Pseudoscience
- PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS STI
- Scientific Research
- STI, Scientific Research and Science
- SPECIFIC STI ISSUES: CLIMATE CHANGE
- SPECIFIC STI ISSUES: NUCLEAR POWER
- INFORMATION SOURCES AND INVOLVEMENT
- Source of Information for STI
- STI related Places
- PUBLIC AWARENESS OF STI RELATED GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES
Public knowledge of STIs in Malaysia is much lower than in the US (as of 2014) and the EU (as of 2005) by a margin of approximately 20 percentage points, respectively. Other countries answer the ISSP question “Do you think a rise in the world's temperature caused by climate change is extremely dangerous for the environment, very dangerous, somewhat dangerous, not very dangerous. In the US, television was the most important source of current information and news, similar to Malaysia.
According to a 2012 survey of scientific literacy in Taiwan, television was the primary source of public information, with 96% of respondents watching television at least once a week. Studies in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan show that television is the primary source of STI information for the public, except for the United States. In the 2012 Survey of Scientific Literacy, Taiwan, respondents believed that the government spent too little on education, a little too little on developing alternative energy, and a little too much on poverty alleviation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- CHANNELS AND SOURCES FOR DISSEMINATING STI KNOWLEDGE
- INTEREST AND KNOWLEDGE IN STI
- STI ATTITUDES
- STI PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES
- RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STI SURVEYS
- OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Television was the main source of STD information for all Malaysians, regardless of their level of education. But schools are also the most important channels for increasing public literacy about STDs. Nevertheless, these institutions should conduct evaluations and assessments of visitors' experiences and consider how they can further contribute to increasing public awareness of STDs.
This approach would truly fully utilize the power of the Internet to reach those who cannot or are unable to travel to these institutions. It should be designed to help institutions understand the effectiveness of their programs, the impact they have made in relation to their contributions and level of effort, and measure the level of achievement of desired results. More analysis needs to be done to improve understanding of the public's attitudes, preferences and understanding of such issues as, for example, the relationship between culture and learning.
Public Interest in Selected STI Issues, by Gender
Public Interest in Selected STI Issues, by Locality
Public Interest in Selected STI Issues, by Age Group
Correct Answers to Questions on Scientific Concepts and Statements, by Gender
Correct Answers to Questions on Scientific Concepts and Statements, by Locality
Correct Answers to Questions on Scientific Concepts and Statements, by Age Group
Public Assessment of Selected Pseudoscience Topics, by Gender
Public Assessment of Selected Pseudoscience Topics, by Locality
Public Assessment of Selected Pseudoscience Topics, by Age Group
Public Assessment of Scientific Research, by Ethnicity
Public Assessment of Scientific Research, by Educational Attainment
Public Attitudes toward Science and Technology, by Gender
Public Attitudes toward Science and Technology, by Age Group
Public Attitudes toward Science and Technology, by Ethnicity
Reasons for Low Science Stream Enrolment, by Gender
Reasons for Low Science Stream Enrolment, by Locality
Reasons for Low Science Stream Enrolment, by Ethnicity
Source of Information through Media, by Locality
Source of Information through Media, by Age Group
Source of Information through Media, by Educational Attainment
Source of Information through Media, by Ethnicity
Mailing of survey introduction letter
Maps and directories were provided to identify the location of EBs and selected LQs. If the address was incomplete, the interviewer identified the selected LQ based on the location marked on the survey map. The LQ ID listed in the LQ directory is additional information to help the interviewer identify the selected LQ.
This was because DOSM usually attached a completion card to the LQ's front door after they completed their survey.
Field survey
Supervision
- INTERVIEWER SELECTION AND TRAINING PROCEDURES
- TERMINOLOGY
The revisit was conducted by the interviewer, the supervisor, or supervisor and interviewer, depending on the degree of discrepancy/ambiguity in the information given. The first classroom training for the interviewers took place on December 7, 2013 at the PE Research office. The supervisor guided the interviewer during the first few conversations (average 2 to 3 conversations) for on-the-job training (OTJ).
During these interviews, the supervisor would ensure that the interviewees knew how to read the map and address, how to greet respondents and introduce themselves, and how to get their cooperation. Interviewers were allowed to work on their own after the supervisors were satisfied with their quality.
Interest and Knowledge in STI (Question 7)
Attitudes towards STI
Government Programmes and Policies
- STATISTICAL FORMULA
Please indicate whether you are not interested, interested or very interested. .. interested Uncertain a) New scientific discoveries. Aspects Positive effect Negative effect No effect Not sure. a) Cost of living b) Public health care c) Working conditions d) The environment e) Lifestyle .. f) World peace g) Job creation h) Food security. Severe floods caused by extreme rainfall and storms, and prolonged hot weather and drought are symptoms of climate change.
Do you favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose any changes in your lifestyle in order to contribute to reducing emissions and impacts of climate change?. The reactor vessel in a nuclear power plant is capable of exploding like an atomic bomb. Do you favor, favor, oppose or strongly oppose the use of nuclear energy to generate electricity in Malaysia?.
