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e multiple regressions as presented in Table 11 showed that the family interaction on intangible assets and CSR disclosure relationship was significant with a p-value of .018 in 2007. This reflected that companies with higher family members sitting on the board would protect the internal information exposed to the outside parties. Therefore, they decided not participate and disclose more CSR information in their annual reports. Such a finding consistent with prior studies that have been carried out by previous researchers (Darus et al., 2009; Lopez-Ituriaga et al., 2009; Mohd Ghazali, 2007). Besides, most of the Malaysian companies faced financial difficulties as a result of the economic crisis which led them to reduce the amount of cost by keeping the CSR disclosure descriptive in nature which fulfilled the disclosure requirement (Belal, 2001; Imam, 2000).

However, no significant results were found in 2006 and 2008 as shown in tables 14 and 16. This entailed that the board of directors who had a family relationship with other board members did not aggressively reduce the number of CSR activities and disclosures in recovering from the global economic crisis but increased the amount of disclosures which almost double from 2007’s disclosure. It seems that they have realized the importance of the CSR disclosures for the companies’ development and growth during an economic crisis (Haron et al., 2004) and as a result of the government’s efforts in promoting CSR Darus et al., 2009; Rashid & Lodh, 2008). Hence, hypothesis H2a is only accepted for 2007.

Moreover, hypothesis H2b also predicts that the higher the percentage of family members on the board, the weaker will be the positive relationship between tangible assets and the extent of CSR disclosure. The significant result was found in 2006 with a p-value of .039. This was consistent with that of Darus et al., (2009) and Mohd Ghazali (2007) who further proved that family members on the board tended to collaborate in minimising the huge amount of money invested in CSR activities. Thousands or even millions of money were spent for employees’ welfare, customers’ satisfaction as well as for society and environmental issues. By reducing some activities it led to the reduction in costs and the disclosure was kept brief and inclusive in nature to meet the disclosure requirement. This was due to the principal-agent relationship being present where maximisation of profits kept being the main goal of the companies’ owners and managers in running the businesses.

However, no significant negative interaction effects of family ownership were found after the government took an effort to make CSR disclosure as a mandatory disclosure as shown in Tables 11 and 12. This implied that members of the board of directors in Malaysia especially family members have realized the importance of CSR activities to their companies’ success as well as to comply with the mandatory disclosure requirement. Besides, the government’s assistance during the economic crisis through budgets was the main driver for the companies’ survival (Haron et al., 2004). The companies’ disclosure may have been affected due to the competing needs of resources for the companies’ growth and sustainability in 2007. Good relationship with employees, suppliers and customers were the main source of competitive advantages (Galbreath, 2004; Fahy, 2002; Canto & Gonzalez, 1999). Therefore, companies pa