Dr. Issa Khan joined in 2015 at the Department of Shariah and Management, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya as a Senior Lecturer after completing his Ph.D. in Takaful (Islamic Insurance) with Bright Sparks Scholarship from the University. He was also awarded an amount of money for completing this degree within three to four years. Prior he had been awarded the University of Malaya Fellowship for the Master's Programme in Islamic Financial Transactions.   In 2014,  he received Bronze Medal Award from APIUM Academic Open Week (Minggu Terbuka Akademik) and the Best Paper Award from Islamic Finance and Property Research Seminar (Seminar Penyelidikan Kewangan Dan Kehartaan Islam), the University of Malaya in 2013.  Moreover, he achieved his B.A.(Hon’s) degree in Islamic Studies and Da’wah from Darul Ihsan University, Bangladesh. Earlier, he completed Takmil (Dawra Hadith) in Hadith from Jamiyah Arabiyah Makzanul Ulum, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.    

Born in Muar, Johor, Dr. Shafa is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Coordinator of Malay Studies at Academy of Malay Studies, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. She is a Guest Researcher affiliated with Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, Netherlands. Dr. Shafa was a Fellow at Universiti Malaya Community Engagement Centre (UMCares) for 2 years (2022-2023). Dr. Shafa experienced as Assistant Fellow (2006-2007) and College Fellow/Secretary (2008-2013) at Kolej Kediaman Tun Syed Zahiruddin (Ninth Residential College). In 2013-2019, Dr. Shafa lived in Leiden, Netherlands to continue her doctorate studies. Starting in January 2024 until present, Dr. Shafa serves as College Fellow/Treasurer at the same residential college.  Dr. Shafa obtained her Doctoral Degree from Leiden University, Netherlands on a thesis titled "Malay Singing in Pahang Villages: Identity and Practice" under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Bernard Arps (promotor) and Dr. Suryadi (co-promotor) from Leiden Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, Netherlands. Dr. Shafa earned her Master of Malay Studies in Performing Arts and Bachelor of Science in Biohealth (Honors), both from Universiti Malaya. Dr. Shafa specialises in heritage/traditional music, Southeast Asia music history, alternative culture (including punk rock), arts community, popular media and music care. Currently, she is working on a project - music care for caregivers - with her team members from Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Business and Economics, Faculty of Creative Arts and Faculty of Education. This project is under IIRG grant (2022-2025). As an ethnographer whose research sites exist between the online and offline in hybrid fields, Dr. Shafa's interdisciplinary music and/or expressive culture research moves with performers, industry professionals and audiences. In 2023, Dr. Shafa published her book titled "Malay Singing in Pahang Villages: Identity and Practice" (Publisher: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka). In 2016, Dr. Shafa with Associate Professor Dr. Salinah Ja'afar, Associate Professor Dr. Tengku Intan Marlina Tengku Mohd Ali and Datuk Dr. Zurinah Hassan (Malaysian National Laureate) published a book titled "Wacana Pantun Melayu" (Publisher: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka). In 2024, Dr. Shafa received Darjah Paduka Mahkota Perak (P.M.P.) in conjunction with Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah's 68th birthday. Dr. Shafa was awarded Anugerah Penggiat Seni (Seni Berbahasa) Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur in 2023, Anugerah Biduan Syair ASEAN in 2022 and Anugerah Bitara Syair Nusantara in 2021. Also, Dr. Shafa was awarded Skim Latihan Akademik Fellowships (2008-2011 & 2013-2016) from Universiti Malaya. Dr. Shafa is a traditional music practitioner in Malaysia and has recorded more than 300 songs. She experienced in performing music in Southeast Asian Countries, China, Tasmania and the Netherlands. Her videos of music performance can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/@syafasara/videos

Dr. Thanalachime Perumal joined academic life as a senior lecturer in Faculty Languages and Linguistics at  The University of Malaya since 15 July 2016. Currently, she is a lecturer for Tamil Program at the Department of Malaysian Languages and Applied Linguistics. She completed her Doctoral degree  (Discourse Analysis) at University Putra Malaysia; her Masters of Modern Languages at the University of Malaya,  her Diploma in Language & Culture at University Malaya and completed teaching certificate  (Tamil) at Raja Melewer Teaching College. Her main research interests are Discourse Analysis, Tamil teaching, and learning, Media discourse, and translations. Her teaching interests are broadly within Discourse Analysis (esp Media discourse), Sociolinguistic and Translation. She welcomes proposal for Ph.D. or Master research project on any aspect of Global Tamil, areas of particular interest include: Tamil language in higher education, Language ideological debates relating to global Tamil, Intelligibility issues relating to the spread of Tamil, Attitudes towards Tamil Language, Tamil language in higher education contexts around the world, Tamil Special Purpose (CSP) in Mass Media and Language structure-Tamil syntax.