This study unravelled the economic impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on low-income households. The asymmetric economic impacts of the pandemic that are biased towards the poor, young, and women have been well established. However, micro evidence on the poor is limited, thus demanding detailed understanding to design an effective targeted assistance. In this study, data were gathered from face-to-face interviews using a sampling frame provided by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). Online data collection was dismissed to ensure all low-income households had the same chance to participate, as some might have no online access. Logistic regressions were estimated to identify the characteristics of households that suffered job loss and income reduction. The findings revealed that one in ten households experienced job loss during the pandemic, while one third survived with lower income. The extent of income reduction was rather severe, as the pandemic had reduced income generation by more than half among the affected households. The regression outcomes showed that the higher-income households among the low-income households had higher chances of experiencing income reduction. A similar scenario was noted for less-educated households. Notably, the adverse impacts were not biased toward female-headed households, as is widely perceived. There was no evidence that economic sectors explained job losses, but households involved in the agriculture, domestic, and transportation sectors had higher chances of suffering from income reduction. These results suggest that monetary government assistance should not rely on general indicators, such as female-headed households and below-poverty-line income (PLI). Instead, a more effective measure is to look at other characteristics, such as employment type, education level, and job sectors.

Purpose: The  aim  of  the  study  was  to  analyze  the  performance dimensions and performance analysis techniques applied in studies of Asian port performance   Theoretical framework: The lack of literature in the context of port performance dimensions in Asian was  the  theoretical  basis  of  the study. A related study on Asian port performance was analysed and listed in the study based on thematic approach.   Design/methodology/approach: The PRISMA Statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) was used to guide this research, based on the databases of the two most prominent sources of articles which is Web of Science and Scopus.   Findings: This review identified four main categories surrounding the dimensions of port performance, those being operational dimensions, dimensions surrounding customers’ perspectives, logistical dimensions, and organizational dimensions. Furthermore, the following three performance analysis approaches were identified as being preferred by researchers of the Asian region: efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness.   Research, Practical & Social implications: The current findings of this research have shown that most studies on Asian ports focus on their efficiency and competitiveness rather than their productivity. A productivity survey might give a better overview of port performance as it concerns the actual output of the ports.   Originality/value: The systematic literature review (SLR) approach were hardly found in study of port performance. At the same time, the PRISMA method were applied to synthesized previous studies on port performance in Asian is another niche of the study.