SEASSR Vol. 9, No. 2 (Jul-Dec 2024)

Abdul Rahman Embong, PhD, a development sociologist, and long- time serving social scientist, was a Professor and Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), UKM for more than two decades until he retired in January 2018, and was earlier conferred Emeritus Professor in Sociology of Development in 2009. He was also the founding Principal Fellow at the Institut Integriti Malaysia (January 2015 – Dec 2017) and delivered the inaugural public lecture in the Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Premier Lecture Series on Integrity. He has been in the leadership position of the Malaysian Social Science Association for the last three decades, notably as President between 2000 until 2010, and the Association’s Special Advisor since then until today. He is one of the Founding Members of the Academy of Professors Malaysia established in March 2019; as well as its Life Member and Fellow of the Academy of Professors Malaysia. A renowned scholar, Professor Rahman has delivered many keynote addresses, public lectures and invited papers at national and international conferences. He is the founding Chief Editor of the Southeast Asian Social Science Review (SEASSR), a flagship publication of the Malaysian Social Science Association published twice yearly since 2016. He has written and/or edited more than 30 books, one of the most important being his work on the middle class entitled, State-led Modernization and the New Middle Class in Malaysia (PalgraveMacmillan, 2002). His policy speeches, statements and opinion pieces as President of the Malaysian Social Science Association were published in Malaysian Studies: Looking Back Moving Forward (Malaysian Social Science Association, 2010). His latest books are Sains Sosial Malaysia: Mewarisi Tradisi, Menanggapi Transformasi Masyarakat (Malaysian Social Science: Embracing Tradition and Engaging Social Transformation) (IIUM Press 2022), and Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic and Governance in Malaysia: With Lessons from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis (co-author Anis Yusal Yusoff; with Ishak Shari) published by University of Malaya Press, 2022. After officially retiring from the university, he has embarked on a post-retirement work plan to complete a number of books including his memoirs, stays closely connected to academia and civil society, and plays the role of policy research advisor for a number of commissioned projects undertaken by younger colleagues. He is also active in organising roundtables and giving invited lectures on leadership and on various national and international issues. Email: rahmanhe@ukm.edu.my.

Affezah Ali, Master of Psychology, is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Taylor’s University, Malaysia. She graduated with a Master of Psychology (Industrial and Organisational Psychology) from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Psychology, specializing in Cyberpsychology. As an academic for 15 years, she is actively involved in teaching, research, and education administration. She has also been involved in research and consultation for governmental and private organisations mainly on mental health issues in the workplace, mentoring and psychological support in the workplace, training need analysis, social impact, cyberpsychology, online privacy, and literacy. She is also actively involved in the study involving low socioeconomic populations, the deaf, and the rare disease community. Email: affezah.ali@taylors.edu.my.

Cecilia Ng, PhD, is currently in retirement mode, after spending a large part of her life in academe and civil society, particularly with women’s rights organisations. She feels blessed to have known Professor Syed Husin Ali as her PhD supervisor, mentor and friend in his political journey. Email: cncs77@gmail.com.

Chin Yee Whah, PhD, is a Professor of Sociology at the School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. He served as Deputy Dean of Community and Industry Networks at the same school from 2010-2012. He has been an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Business Studies at New Era University College (Malaysia) since 2020. He received international grants from SEASREP, Toyota Foundation (1998), and CRISE, University of Oxford (2006). He was Visiting Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore (2007), Affiliate Fellow at the International Institute for Asian Studies, Amsterdam (2007), Research Fellow at the Asia Research Centre, Copenhagen Business School (2010), and recipient of Taiwan Fellowship (2019). He is a Fellow and Council Member of the Academy of Professors Malaysia (APM); he also serves as the Chairman of the Social Cohesion and National Unity Cluster of APM since 2021. He is an editorial board member for Southeast Asian Social Science Review (SEASSR), Kajian Malaysia, and the Malaysian Journal of Chinese Studies (MJCS). His research interests include Chinese entrepreneurship, ethnic enterprise development, knowledge management, small and medium enterprises, research methods, active aging, and industrial relations. E-mail: ywchin@usm.my.

Fadilah Puteh, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) MALAYSIA. She holds a PhD in Human Resource Development from the University of Nottingham. Her research interests are in the areas of HRD, and related fields, and is also an active consultant for various firms and government agencies. She has published books, chapters in books, and various papers in reputable journals. She is also a member of the Malaysian Social Science Association (PSSM), a professional body encompasses various academicians locally and internationally, which promote and highlight contemporary issues relating to social sciences and humanity in Malaysia. Email: fadilahputeh@uitm.edu.my.

Heng Siam-Heng, Ph.D., is a retired professor of management studies. He has held academic appointments at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, University of South Australia, National University of Singapore, Fudan University of China and four other Asian universities. His latest book is COVID-19 and the Structural Crises of Our Time (co-authored with Lim Mah Hui, and by ISEAS Publishing, Singapore). He has published 5 other books, several dozen journal papers and book chapters on business and management, Asian modernization, globalization, ASEAN, nation building, and postmodernism. He was the associate editor of the business weekly Asia360 ̊. He has contributed op-ed articles to South China Morning Post, China Daily (HK), China Watch, IPP Review, Edge (Malaysia) and Straits Times. Email: hsh9839@yahoo.com.

Koh Ngee Loke, PhD, is the HR Director at Ultra Clean Technology, a U.S. multinational corporation based in Penang, Malaysia. He has extensive experience in production and human resources, having worked at a Fortune 500 company from 1999 to 2015 in the Production, Material & Operation department, where he led a team of up to 400 to meet Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost (SQDC) goals. From 2016 to 2022, he was the Head of Human Resources at a U.S. multinational corporation specializing in electronics manufacturing services (EMS), managing HR for 2,000 employees, including over 700 foreign workers. His expertise includes Talent Acquisition, Compensation & Benefits, and Industrial & Employee Relations. Since 2022, he has been overseeing HR operations for Ultra Clean Technology in Malaysia and Thailand, focusing on IR/ER, recruitment, and legal compliance for three manufacturing plants. E-mail: knloke88@gmail.com.

Lai Yew Meng, PhD, is Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations and Dean of the Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language Learning (CPKLL) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah. He holds a Master of Arts (MA) in International Political Economy (IPE) and a PhD in Politics from the University of Warwick. His research interests include Japanese/Chinese foreign policy, Sino-Japanese relations, East Asian security, Malaysian politics and foreign policy, and Indonesia-Malaysia relations. Lai is also a member of the Consultative Council on Foreign Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Email: lyewmeng@ums.edu.my.

Munshi Naser, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh and also adjunct faculty at University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Australia. Currently, his research interest is policy research such as fiscal policy, energy policy, tourism and sustainability, as well as knowledge and innovation economy. He has more than 50 publications and does numerous volunteer jobs at home and abroad. Email: munshinaser-eco@sust.edu.

Philip Koh Tong Ngee, LLM, MA, is a senior advocate and solicitor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After obtaining his Bachelor of Law from University of Malaya in 1978, he went to read law at King’s College University of London, and obtained his Masters of Law (LLM) in 1980. He also obtained a Master of Arts (Theology) from the Australian Catholic University in 2003. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Malaya and University Monash Malaysia School of Business and Taxation. Email: philip.koh@mkp.com.my.

Puspa Melati Wan, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Taylor’s University, Malaysia. Identifying herself as a Clinical Sociologist and passionate about the community, Melati has worked with both local and international NGOs as well as managed grassroots empowerment programmes for various target groups. This includes community work with children of low-income households, single mothers, abused women and children, high-risk youths, transgendered individuals, senior citizens as well as the People with Disabilities. She is the Honorary Secretary of the Malaysian Social Science Association and the regional representative for International Sociological Association Research Committee for Clinical Sociology (RC-46). As an author of Clinical Sociology: Moving from Theory to Practice, Melati champions the need for sociologists to engage in applied work and work collaboratively with other experts to ensure impactful effort in the community. Email: WanMelati.WanAH@taylors.edu.my.