Determinants of Well-Being among Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) Participants: The Role of Livelihood Assets, Socioeconomic Vulnerability and Resilience Strategies

This study investigates the influence of livelihood assets, socioeconomic vulnerability, and resilience strategies on the well-being of participants of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM). Guided by the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF), a quantitative research design was employed using structured questionnaires distributed to 375 micro-entrepreneurs in Hulu Langat, Selangor. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the extent to which the three independent variables predict well-being.
The findings reveal that livelihood asset ownership significantly and positively influences well-being (β = 0.287, p < 0.01), while socioeconomic vulnerability (β = 0.087, p = 0.083) and resilience strategies (β = 0.021, p = 0.665) show no significant effects. This suggests that the accumulation and effective utilisation of assets remain the key determinant of participants’ well-being, whereas coping strategies and vulnerability factors are less influential in this context.
The results underscore the importance of asset-building interventions and entrepreneurial support as part of Malaysia’s poverty alleviation strategies under the Eleventh and Twelfth Malaysia Plans. Future research could incorporate moderating variables such as gender, education, and business sector, and adopt a mixed-method or longitudinal approach to capture more nuanced and dynamic livelihood experiences.

sustainable livelihood framework, asset ownership, socioeconomic vulnerability, resilience strategies

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