SEASSR Vol. 7, No. 2 (July-Dec 2022)

Abdul Rahman Embong, PhD, is Emeritus Professor in Sociology of Development from the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia where he served for many years as a principal research fellow until retiring in January 2018. While at IKMAS, he was concurrently the inaugural Principal Fellow at the Malaysian Institute of Integrity (2015 to 2017). He was President of the Malaysian Social Science Association (PSSM) for ten years between 2000 and 2010, and the Association’s Special Advisor from 2010 till the present. He is a founding Life Member and Fellow of the Academy of Professors Malaysia (FAPM), and sits on its first Executive Council (2019–2021). He has written many articles and books, including State-led Modernization and the New Middle Class in Malaysia (2002 PalgraveMacMillan); Negara-bangsa: Proses dan Perbahasan (Nation-state: Processes and Debates) (2006 2nd ed.; UKM Press); Transforming Malaysia: Dominant and Competing Paradigms (eds. with Anthony Milner & Tham Siew Yean 2014 ISEAS); Connecting Oceans: Malaysia as a Maritime Nation (eds., with H-D Evers & Rashila Ramli 2019 UKM Press); Connecting Oceans: Malaysia as a Nusantara Civilisation (eds., with H-D Evers & Rashila Ramli 2020 UKM Press); Sains Sosial Malaysia:Meneruskan Tradisi, Menanggapi Transformasi Sosial (Malaysian Social Science: Engaging Tradition and Social Transformation) (2022,IIUM Press), and Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic and Governance in Malaysia: With Lessons from the 1997-1998 Asian Financial Crisis (authored with Anis Yusal Yusoff, UM Press 2022). Email: rahmanhe@ukm.edu.my.

Alizan Mahadi, MSc, is a Senior Director of Research at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia. Previously, he served as the Special Officer to the Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Alizan has led and participated in various significant policy research projects including being the project director for reviewing the 2nd National Policy on Climate Change and an author for the Voluntary National Report (VNR). He was also the lead researcher for the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on the Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG), a founding member of the CSO-SDG Alliance and the executive secretary for the Society for the Promotion of SDGs. He has a MSc in Sustainable Development from University of Uppsala, Sweden and is currently undertaking his PhD at the School of Media and Governance at Keio University, Japan. Email: alizan@isis.org.my.

Fatimah Tajuddin, MA, obtained her Bachelor of Human Sciences in Psychology from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), and completed her Master’s Degree in Media and Mass Communication Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). She is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA) UKM. Her research focuses on facilitating social cohesion and the thinning of inter-ethnic boundaries by using Malaysian independent films as a critical educational tool. She is also the co-founder of Pertubuhan Naratif Malaysia (NARATIF), a civil society organization in education advocacy that is guided by the motto “scholarship for activism and activism for scholarship.” She is also a lecturer in the field of intercultural communication and social science. Currently, she is the Programmes Lead for Architects of Diversity, an NGO championing Diversity Education in Malaysia. Email: fatimahtajuddin86@gmail.com.

Faridah Mydin Kutty, PhD, is a senior lecturer at the Center for the Study of Leadership & Education Policy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. She obtained her Ph.D. in Higher Education (Student Development) in 2014 at the University of Southampton, UK. Her expertise and areas of interest include student development, adult learning, and educational psychology. Email: faridah_mydin@ukm.edu.my.

Husyairi Harunarashid, MClinEpi is a medical doctor, a clinical epidemiologist at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz which is the teaching hospital of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), located in the southern end of Kuala Lumpur. He has collaborated with the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS) UKM in the various projects on social inclusion and policy studies since 2015. Email: husyairi@ppukm.ukm.edu.my.

Lilia Halim, PhD, is a professor in science education at the STEM Enculturation Research Centre, Faculty of Education, UKM. She obtained her PhD from King’s College London, UK. and was the Dean of Faculty of Education, UKM for several years. Her research interests include teachers’ professional development and effective science learning. Email: lilia@ukm.edu.my.

Muhamad Azwan Abd Rahman, PhD, is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). He was also appointed as an associate fellow at the Institute of Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Thought (IPDM), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) March 2021-December 2021. In April – December 2022, he was appointed as an Associate Fellow for the Indonesia-Thailand-Singapore Institute (ITS-INSTITUTE), School of Government, UUM. He is currently President of the Malaysian Narrative Association (NARATIF). Email: azwanrahman@ukm.edu.my.

Muhammad Rahimi Hasan, PhD, is the Secretary and Co-Founder of Pertubuhan Naratif Malaysia (NARATIF) and concurrently Executive Secretary of Malaysian Social Science Association (PSSM) since 2022. He obtained his Bachelor of Social Sciences (Political Science) (2012) and Master of Social Science (Political Science) (2014) both at the National University of Malaysia (UKM). He hold a PhD from the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS) (2022) UKM. Active in academic activism and policy advocacy with NARATIF, he is also currently attached with the Political Science Program, Faculty of Social Science, UKM and Open University Malaysia (OUM) as a part time lecturer and tutor. Email: muhdrahimihasan@gmail.com.

Nik Adi Sukiman Nik Ahmad Fauzi, MSc, is an Administrative and Diplomatic Officer who has served for over 18 years in several government departments and ministries such as the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs and currently the Prime Minister’s Department Malaysia. He has passed his doctoral study on human trafficking at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and is awaiting UKM Senate approval. He received his Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) in 1999 and Master of Science (Human Resource) in 2003 from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). One of his publications is “Towards a Maritime Policy in Malaysia: Outline of a Comprehensive Framework” (co-authored with Rashila Ramli), a chapter in Connecting Oceans: Malaysia as a Maritime Nation (edited by H-D Evers, Abdul Rahman Embong & Rashila Ramli) published by UKM Press in 2019. His research interest is in policy studies and international relations with a focus on human security, human trafficking and migration patterns. Email: nikadisukiman@gmail.com.

Philip TN Koh, LLM (London) is Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya. An accomplished and respected senior lawyer, he is currently Adjunct Professor at University of Malaya and Monash University Malaysia. Besides his LLM (London), he also obtained his LLB (Hons) from the University of Malaya and MA from the Australian Catholic University. Email: tongnge@hotmail.com.

Rashila Ramli, PhD, is Professor in Political Science and Principal Research Fellow and former Director (2013-2018) of the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM); she is also a Visiting Principal Fellow at the UNUInternational Institute of Global Health. Her areas of specialization are Human Security, Gender and Development and Public Policy while her research areas are on Human Security, Promoting Social Inclusion through SDGs and Public Policies. In the public domain, Rashila was the immediate past President of the Malaysian Social Science Association (PSSM), a post she held for eight years between 2014-2022. She is a Member of the Council of Security Cooperation in Asia Pacific (CSCAP) Malaysia since 2012, former Assistant Secretary-General of the National Council for Women’s Organizations (NCWO) Malaysia from 2010-2020, Co-Chair of the Malaysian SDG Academic Network since 2020, and works closely with the All Party Parliamentary Group on SDGs (APPGM-SDG) Parlimen Malaysia. Email: rashila@ukm.edu.my.

Viswanathan Selvaratnam, PhD., is a third generation Malaysian of Indian descent. He pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Malaya which was then in Singapore and postgraduate studies (Master in Economics) at the Delhi School of Economics University of Delhi, and University of Manchester where he obtained his PhD in sociology. He taught at the University of Malaya for many years since the late 1960s before proceeding to teach briefly at the National University of Singapore. He had a stint at the World Bank before going into full retirement. He is a Life Member of the Malaysian Social Science Association. Email: selvaratnam432@gmail.com.

Wahyudi Akmaliah, MA, is a researcher at the Research Center for Society and Culture at the National Research and Innovation Agency (PMB-BRIN), Jakarta, Indonesia. Currently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. at the Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore. He has completed his MA in Cultural Studies from Universitas Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta, as well as an MA in International Peace Studies from the University for Peace Costa Rica. His research interests are in the Sociology of Knowledge, New Media, Islam, Political Violence (explicitly focusing on Southeast Asian Muslims), Network Society, and Religious Orientation. He has authored numerous publications, having written Politik Sirkulasi Budaya Pop: Media baru, Pelintiran Agama, dan Pergeseran Otoritas (2019) and Menggadaikan Ingatan: Politisasi Islah di Kalangan Korban Priok (2009). Likewise, Wahyudi has also written for various journals, such as the Journal of Indonesian Social Sciences and Humanities, the Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies (IJIMS), Al-Jāmi‘ah: Journal of Islamic Studies, Studia Islamika, and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. Email: wahyudiakmaliah@gmail.com.

Zaharul Abdullah, PhD, is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Business, Economics & Social Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). Prior to this, he was a research officer at the Academy of Professors Malaysia. He holds a PhD in Political Economy of Development from the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). He completed his BA and MA both in Political Science also from UKM. His research interests include globalisation, the role of the state in development, China studies and Southeast Asia-China relations. Email: encikzaharul@gmail.com.