Acknowledgements
x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I praise and thank the Almighty God for giving me these opportunities and sending many wonderful people into my life as I journey through this achievement. As I reflect, many pitfalls were encountered along the way. Only with faith and trust in Him was I able to pull through each step of the way. Indeed as the Bible saying goes “I can do all things through His Son Jesus Christ who strengthens me”. I also thank Mother Marry for her constant intercession and prayers for me.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisors Assoc. Prof. Dr.
Yvonne Lim Ai Lian (Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya), Prof. Dr. Chua Kek Heng (Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya) and Dr. Aziz Shafie (Department of Geography, Faculty of Art and Social Sciences, University of Malaya) for providing me tremendous supervision, assistance, valuable advice, generosity and their endless encouragement in transforming this project into a priceless scientific output. My heartfelt thanks also go to our Head of Department, Prof. Dr. Rohela Mahmud for her support which had ultimately contributed to the success of this research project. Once more, thank you all for your tireless guidance and psychological support throughout my study duration.
My heartfelt appreciation goes to University of Malaya (i.e., High Impact Research Grant, UMRG and Post Graduate Research Fund) and Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) (i.e., E-Science fund) for the provision of funds to undertake the work outlined in this project. I am also indebted to my scholarship sponsor, University of Malaya SLAI scheme and Bright Spark Program and also to the Ministry of Higher Education for their financial assistance.
Acknowledgements
xi Sincere thanks also go to Prof. Simon Brooker and Dr. Rachel Pullan from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom for inviting me to attend the Spatial Epidemiology in Public Health Course at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine from 21st Feb to 24th March 2011. I am also indebted for their generosity to waiving the fees of this course. My PhD experience has been very fulfilling, more so with this London experience which was made possible by the financial support from our HIR grant. I am very grateful for the kind support and encouragement provided by the UM Vice Chancellor and assistance from the HIR secretariat. I have had a very productive experience from my project and also from the network of collaborators from other faculties and international institutions.
I would also like to acknowledge the Director, Department of Orang Asli Development (Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli, JAKOA) for the permission and technical assistance during this study. This project would also not materialize if not for the tremendous support of the Orang Asli communities particularly in Johor, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Kedah and Selangor for their direct or indirect involvement.
I am also indebted to all my fieldtrip members, Mr. Saidon Ishak and Mr.
Muhammad Aidil Roslan for their patience in supporting and assisting data collection and fieldwork activities throughout the course of this study. I would also like to thanks all the academic, non academic staff (especially Ms. Mazni Mohamed Ali and Mr.
Afiffudin Mohd Ali) and postgraduate students of Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine for their support and encouragement. To my fellow lab mates, Mr.
Muhammad Aidil Roslan, Mr. Tan Tiong Kai, Ms. Lee Soo Ching, Ms. Choy Seow Huey, Ms. Loraine Angal, Ms. Goh Xian Ting, Ms. Yap Nan Jium and Ms. Reena Richard, thanks for your support and friendship.
Acknowledgements
xii But most of all, I wish to dedicate this thesis to my beloved family members especially my wife (Ms. Flora Rubi), my mom (Mdm. Apit), my uncles (Uncle Amui, Uncle Sunang, Uncle Megit and Uncle Akui), my aunties (Aunty Nasip, Aunty Amoi), my brother (Anslem Ngui), parents in-law (Mr. Rubi and Mdm. Betty) and cousins for their tremendous encouragement and great moral support throughout the different stages of my life. Finally, I would like to dedicate this achievement to the memory of my beloved grandmother, Mdm. Clare Sidong Rupa who was more like a mother to me but did not live to see the fruits of her prayers. May her soul rest in peace.
