Khoo Ying Hooi, PhD, is an Associate Professor of International Relations and Human Rights at Universiti Malaya (UM). Her research centres on human rights and democracy in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on civil society, Southeast Asian politics, and the domestic politics of Malaysia and Timor-Leste. She also examines how the geopolitics of Southeast Asia shapes domestic political developments, rights discourses, civic spaces, and institutional contestations. In addition, she works extensively on human rights education and academic freedom. She is the author of “The Bersih Movement and Democratisation in Malaysia” (SIRD/ ISEAS/ Lexington Books, 2020) and “Seeds of Dissent (Gerakbudaya, 2015). Furthermore, Ying Hooi has also co-edited several volumes, such as “Social and Political Deglobalisation: Covid-19, Conflict and Uncertainties in Malaysia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2023), “Marginalisation and Human Rights in Southeast Asia” (Routledge, 2022) and “Rethinking Human Rights and Peace in the Post-Independence Timor-Leste through Local Perspectives” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022). Her co-author paper (with C. Leong, I. Faik, F. Tan and B. Tan, 2020), “Digital organising of a global social movement: from connective to collective action," won the 2021 Best Paper Award at the Information and Organization and was Runner-Up in the 2021 Special Interest Group-Grounded Theory Methodology (SIG-GTM).  Ying Hooi is the Editor-in-Chief of the Malaysian Journal of International Relations (MJIR) and sits on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, the Journal of Southeast Asian Human Rights (JSEAHR), and the Indonesian Law Review (ILREV).  Ying Hooi has been appointed to the International Advisory Council by the Timor-Leste government for Centro Nacional Chega! (CNC), a public institute tasked to institutionalise memory and promote human rights. She is also a founding member of the Southeast Asian Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEA-CAF). She received several fellowships, including the Mellon/ SAR Academic Freedom Fellowship by Scholars at Risk (SAR), the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) Curriculum Fellowship, and visiting fellowships at Kyushu University, Mahidol University, Humboldt University of Berlin and Beijing Foreign Studies University. She has served as a judge in several local and international human rights awards, including the Amnesty International Philippines Ignite Awards and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) Human Rights Awards. Between 2013 and 2016, Ying Hooi was involved in the diplomatic training course for the Institute of Diplomatic Studies (IDS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in Timor-Leste. Additionally, she has contributed to consultancies for organisations like the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), the Democracy Academy of Malaysia, and Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research and Education in Southeast Asia (SHAPE-SEA). In addition to her academic roles, Ying Hooi has extensive experience in the field of human rights and democracy in Southeast Asia. These roles include serving as a Scientific Member in the Observatory of Political Alternatives in Southeast Asia (ALTERSEA), Vice-Chair in the Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (PROHAM), and Board Member in the Innovation of Change - East Asia Governance Circle (EAGC). Before entering academia, Ying Hooi garnered experience in corporate sectors and served as the Head of International Issues and Cooperation at the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM). Her involvements include the ASEAN human rights body (now AICHR) in the ASEAN Charter, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Malaysia in Geneva and the SUHAKAM Amendment Bill 2009.  

Dr Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin is an Associate Professor, consultant psychiatrist and smoking cessation specialist from University Malaya. He is the coordinator of the Nicotine Addiction Research Group of UMCAS and is the primary investigator for the Grand Challenge Grant (GC004-15HTM) investigating gaps in upscaling existing smoking cessation services in Malaysia. The training that his team developed, is one of three pathways to be a certified smoking cessation provider. He is a technical and expert advisor to the Ministry of Health for policy documents including the Tobacco Control National Strategic Plan 2015-2020 document and mQuit Services project which is involved in strengthening the "O" of MPOWER. As part of his interest, he is involved with both local and international organization in tobacco control and cessation and is active in communicating his ideas on tobacco control in social, mass and scientific media in Malaysia and abroad. He tweets at @MyNarcc and can be found at http://www.narcc.um.edu.my

Norrodzoh Binti Hj Siren or the name in her writing, Nor Raudah Hj Siren was born in Sabak Bernam, Selangor. Starting school at  National Primary School, Batu 38, Sabak Bernam Selangor and continued to Secondary School, SAMT Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Batu 38 Sabak Bernam, Selangor. She attended  at the University of Malaya (1988) and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Writing) in 1992 from the Writing Department, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (1989-1992). Then obtain biasiswazah UM to pursue a Master of Arts (Media) in 1998.  As a lecturer in the Department of Da'wah and Human Development, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya since 1999. She was entrusted as Head of Department of Da'wah and Human Development in 2003- 2005, and got a Gift Training Study Leave for a Doctorate in the field of rhetoric writing (2005-2008). Was awarded his doctorate in 2010. She returned to hold the position as head of Department of Da'wah and Human Development (2011-2013). After finished doctorate, she continue the study and got a Bachelor's in Islamic Studies (Da'wah and Leadership) from National University of Malaysia in 2013. As a Lecturer she got three time for Excellent Employee Award and two time for Excellent Employee Certificate. She also wrote books, chapters of book, articles in journals etc. Her main areas of writing and research are media, education and da'wah.  In the social field, she have a lot of energy to contribute to the local community as a YDP PIBG National Primary School of Bukit Kuchai from 2002 to 2009. Involved in Alumni Media Studies, UM as Treasurer and Alumni ALSAMTiS (secondary School Alumni) as Vice President. Also involved in the Cooperative Seri Murni Puchong as a Member of the Board and now involved in Kelab Mantap Daie as a Secretary.