Eco realities on the east coast of Malaysia

Background and Purpose: Malaysia’s remarkable natural landscapes face increasing threats from the worsening global climate crisis, further exacerbated by local human activities such as improper waste management, deforestation, and pollution of air and waterways. This study assesses the current awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward environmental practices among communities on the East Coast of Malaysia ‒ Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang. Methodology: This study employed a cross-sectional research design and a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Primary data were collected using self-administered questionnaires which were distributed to 267 adults in the communities of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang between September and October 2024. This study utilised SPSS and SmartPLS 3.0 for data analysis. Findings: The findings reveal a positive influence of environmental awareness, knowledge, and attitude on environmental practices within these communities. Additionally, multigroup analysis shows that urban communities exhibit a stronger positive attitude toward environmental practices than rural communities. The results from this study extend the environmental literacy model by incorporating residential area (rural vs. urban) as a moderating variable, highlighting the need for differentiated approaches in environmental sustainability programs. Contributions: It contributes a valuable insight to policymakers and agencies to design any policies or programmes in addressing the unique challenges of rural and urban areas on Malaysia’s East Coast, thereby supporting the nation’s broader sustainability agenda. Keywords: Awareness, knowledge, attitude, environmental practices, multi-group analysis. Cite as: Hashim, N. H., Mohamad Ibrahim, R., Othman, A., Abdul Halim, B., & Sulong, Z. (2026). Eco realities on the east coast of Malaysia: Who knows more, who does more? Journal of Nusantara Studies, 11(1), 33-49. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol11iss1pp33-49

East coast · Environmental education · Natural (archaeology) · Nonprobability sampling · Rural area · Sustainability · Urban Sustainability · Urbanization · Creative Drama in Education · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Linguistic, Cultural, and Literary Studies