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Recently, the Malaysian government has targeted to achieve the 20% renewable-energy goal by 2025. Despite the Malaysian government’s having taken initiatives in promoting the use of renewable energy for more than a decade, to date, more than three-quarters of the electricity supply in Peninsular Malaysia is generated from the burning of fossil fuels. Apparently, the development of renewable energy is still slow and in its infancy. The current study intends to identify the predictors (environmentalism, cost, knowledge and personal innovativeness) that influence the residential intention to adopt solar photovoltaic (PV) in Klang Valley. This study adopts the technology acceptance model as the theoretical framework to analyse the mediation effect on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness between the determinants and the intention to adopt solar PV. Self-administered questionnaires are used to collect data from non-solar PV users who stay in Klang Valley. Structural equation modelling analysis was carried out on the 200 samples from data collection. The findings demonstrated that environmentalism is having a significant impact on the intention to adopt solar PV, followed by knowledge. The perceived usefulness mediates the relationship between the predictors and the intention to use solar PV, although no mediation effect was found for the perceived ease of use. Lastly, several implications are highlighted to the policymakers and solar-market practitioners to improve the existing policies and promote solar PV adoptions among residents.

Malaysia has a long way before achieving the 20% renewable-energy penetration by 2025. Currently, merely 2% of the country’s electricity is generated by renewable energy sources including solar power. Unlike the abundant literature about solar energy, qualitative studies that focus on experts’ opinions on the weaknesses of residential solar-energy policies have received less attention, particularly in the context of Malaysia. Understanding the flaws in the existing policies would lead to creating a better policy framework for solar-energy development. Thus, this study aims to identify the shortcomings of the current government initiatives and policies that deter solar photovoltaic adoption among households from experts’ perspectives. Experts also provide recommendations for better future policy design and implementation. This study employs a qualitative research approach (via semi-structured interviews) in collecting experts’ viewpoints. Key concerns emerging from the interviews include insufficient financial support, lack of awareness programmes and subsidized electricity tariffs. Also, interviewed experts suggest sufficient financial incentives, increased public awareness programmes and comprehensive legislation aimed at safeguarding consumer interests as a means to raising solar-energy adoption in the country. This underlines the need for policymakers to create public awareness, provide financial support and develop regulatory measures aimed at managing solar companies for the sake of solar development in Malaysia.

The demand on global halal cosmetics market is anticipated to reach USD 53 billion by the end of 2023. In fact, the rising awareness about percutaneous essence of conventional cosmetic products has made consumers shift to “halal” cosmetics. Malaysia is one of the country in providing full support to promote “halal” certification process on halal cosmetic products. Products certified “halal” by JAKIM are Halal products as it is safe to consume, nutritious and also the products are quality controlled. In accordance to it, the purpose of this research conducted is to identify the intention in consuming halal cosmetic products among Muslim females in West Malaysia. As aforementioned, this study has identified five factors that influence consumers’ intention in consuming halal cosmetic products. These factors served as independent variables namely functional value, conditional value, social value, epistemic value and emotional value which is extracted from the Theory of Consumption Value (TCV). This research employed a structured online survey targeting approximately 400 Muslim females from the age 16 to 60 years old in West Malaysia. Data obtained was analysed using Partial Least Square- Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that conditional value, emotional value and epistemic value has positively contributed significantly on the intention in purchasing halal cosmetic products. On the other hand, functional value and social value has revealed being insignificant on intention to purchase halal cosmetic products. This study further contributed by providing a comprehensive theoretical framework on the intention to purchase halal cosmetic products.

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