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This study aimed to develop the construct validity for the Malay version of the Paffenbarger physical activity questionnaire (PPAQ) by adapting the original questionnaire to suit the local context.

The PPAQ was adopted and translated into the Malay language and modified to reach good content agreement among a panel of experts. A total of 65 participants aged 22–55 years old, fluent and literate in the Malay language were selected. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to investigate construct validity. Reliability of this adapted instrument was analyzed according to types of variables.

The panel of experts reached a consensus that the final four items chosen in the adapted Malay version of PPAQ were valid and supported by a good content validity index (CVI). In total, two domains consonant with the operational domain definition were identified by PCA. Based on scores from intensity and duration of exercise, the study further divided the group into who were physically active and those who chose the unstructured physical activity. Relative reliability after a 14-day interval demonstrated moderate strength of agreement with an acceptable range of measurement error.

PPAQ has been used worldwide but was less familiar in the local context. The Malay-four item PPAQ will provide the locally validated version of physical activity questionnaire. In addition, the authors have improved the original PPAQ by dividing the question items into two distinct domains which will effectively identify those who are physically active and those who are involved in unplanned exercise. Nevertheless, further research is recommended in bigger and heterogeneous samples along with a number of reliability tests.

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to assess internal structure of the four-item version of PPAQ. This analysis successfully identified two components with eigenvalue more than one in the Malay four-item PPAQ. Based on this, the authors were able to separate pool of population into two groups, which are physically active and unplanned exercise (involved in unstructured exercise). The ability of the validated questionnaire to divide the population into various intensities of physical activity is a novel one, which may be useful in many public health studies where high intensity of physical activity; hence, greater energy expenditure is associated with increased longevity, better health benefit and improved cognitive function.

In addition, the second domain “unplanned exercise” was successfully grouped together. Implication of the unplanned exercise component is to identify pool of population with active lifestyle awareness and choose the unstructured exercise instead of vigorous and formal exercising. Even though the amount of intensity and duration of incidental exercise does not reach recommended public health recommendation, it has been proven that preferred healthier lifestyle is positively associated with better cognition in later life.

The adapted Malay version of PPAQ has sound psychometric properties and could assist in differentiating groups of population based on their physical activity.

This paper seeks to investigate the influence of government and foreign affiliates, particularly; multinational companies on corporate social reporting (CSR) development in an economy, where CSR awareness is low coupled with weak pressure group activism.

This is a cross sectional study that focuses on the information contained in the annual reports for year 2002/2003. This research uses content analysis as method to measure the extent CSR.

Based on regression analysis, the study evidences on the impact of government influence. However, the impact of foreign affiliation variables is not evident. Institutionalisation of the government's aspirations and commitment to CSR is perhaps the most appropriate description for Malaysian CSR practice.

There are two main limitations of this study. Firstly, this study examines the annual reports for one year. Secondly, this study is annual reports centric. It does not examine any other stand alone reports that the respondents might have produced on the subject of society and the environment.

This study provides justification for government's role in promoting CSR practice. The impact is evidenced although there are no direct concerted efforts at that time by the government in respect of CSR policy implementation. The significant role is attributed to the unique Malaysian socio economic structure.

This study contributes to the CSR literature particularly in the context of economies where governments play a significant role in promoting economic development. It provides empirical evidence of the influence of government and foreign affiliates. It also adds to the literature by explaining the phenomenon from the Institutional perspective and its relevance to a developing economy.