The objective of this study is to examine the factors that influence students to choose accounting as their academic program. Utilising the Theory of Reasoned Action, the study predicted that students' intention to choose accounting as their academic program is influenced by their attitude towards accounting subject and subjective norm. Data were collected via survey of which approximately 400 sets questionnaire were sent to accounting students of Universiti Teknologi MARA Kelantan. From this amount, 340 students responded with the response rate of 85.0 percent. The results were analyzed using SPSS 17 and from the findings, it can be concluded that both attitude towards accounting program and subjective norms are positively related in influencing students' decision to choose accounting as an academic program. The findings provide useful insights for policy makers, accounting professional bodies and higher learning institutions in formulating strategies to promote the accounting program to tertiary students.

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Firms have tendencies to manipulate their financial statements when it is at risk of bankruptcy due to financial distress. Based on the Fraud Diamond Theory, there are four factors that motivate firms to perpetrate fraud, namely pressure, opportunity, rationalization and capability. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of these fraud diamond factors on the likelihood of fraudulent financial reporting among financially distressed firms in Malaysia. In addition, this study investigated whether the new amendment of code of corporate governance on risk management practices can mitigate the effect of these four factors on the likelihood of fraudulent financial reporting. Based on a sample of 53 financially distressed firms from 2014 until 2019, this study found that two fraud diamond factors which are pressure and capability significantly influenced firms’ financial distress and thus influenced the likelihood of fraud. The study found that risk management can reduce pressure and thus reduce the likelihood of fraud of financially distressed firms. Meanwhile, distressed firms change directors to replace with competent ones. Nevertheless, the study found that distressed firms may increase their risk disclosures to cover up their distress by changing directors. This study investigated the prevalence of fraud among distressed firms. Furthermore, it extends the literature of risk management among distressed firms. Keywords: fraud, fraud diamond, risk management, financial distress