السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ Dr. Dzul Afiq Zakaria is a passionate thinker and an accomplished artist, designer, researcher, and academician with more than a decade of experience in art and design. Actively involved in the art scene and design industries; His past experience with corporate organization as an art director in the publishing and media industry includes a stint as a senior designer in an advertising studio with portfolios of covers for high-profile clients. Dzul’s passion for both his creative practice and academic career fuels his continuous exploration of aesthetics and innovation. Dr. Dzul balances an easygoing nature with a determined focus on achieving goals. His artistic journey is influenced by figures like Willem de Kooning, Syed Ahmad Jamal, Yusof Ghani, and John Lennon, to name a few, who knew their own minds and found strength and creativity within—qualities that resonate deeply with Dzul's own approach to art and life. The world is all the better for it. His artwork blends abstract expressionism with the rich cultural traditions of Islamic and Malay art. His doctoral research explored the intricate relationship between spirituality, culture, and artistic expression, offering profound reflections on the legacy of these traditions. Through his exploration of complex patterns, symbolic themes, and cultural narratives, Dzul’s art connects the historical with the contemporary. His work is both intellectually rigorous and spiritually resonant, making him not only a painter but also a philosopher of art. Beyond painting, Dr. Dzul excels in graphic design and multimedia, treating it as a visual language that communicates complex ideas. His contributions to art philosophy, aesthetics, and design, now, particularly within the context of Islamic and Malay traditions, are both transformative and significant. Dr. Dzul is a person who is quiet by nature and intentional by choice. He finds meaning in silence, structure in chaos, and beauty in simplicity.

Assoc. Prof (I) Ar Sarly Adre Sarkum is an architecture futurist, sustainability proponent and design activist. He founded the hybrid architectural design firm [SA]2 or Sarly Adre Sarkum Architecture Sdn Bhd which combines cutting edge architectural design solutions with extensive researched based explorative approach to solve challenging integrated design problems. The firm has won several international competitions and represented the country in several in world class exhibitions. He is currently a Past President on Council in the Malaysia Green Building Council which is under the auspices of the World Green Building Council. He was also the Deputy President of Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia  (The Malaysian Institute of Architects) for 2017-2019. He currently is a GBI facilitator, previously was one of the accreditation panel for the GBI Green Rating Tool. He was the editor in chief for ‘Architecture Malaysia’ magazine which is the premier architecture journal for the Malaysian Institute of Architects. He holds 2 degrees in architecture, one from the University of Liverpool UK and the other from University of Science Malaysia. Currently he is the academic Advisor to the Masters of Green Architecture in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). UM has also appointed him as Assoc. Prof. (Industry) for the University. Currently he is managing and coordinating the 3 niche labs for the final year for the UM Master of Architecture Programme namely, Green & Sustainable Architecture Lab (GSAL), Urban & Community Architecture Lab (UCAL) and Heritage & Conservation Architecture Lab (HCAL). 

Dr. Shafa'atussara Silahudin, born in Muar, Johor, is a distinguished Senior Lecturer and Programme Coordinator of Socio-Culture/Malay Arts at the Academy of Malay Studies, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. She was a Guest Researcher (2021-2022) at the Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, Netherlands. Her academic journey includes a Doctoral Degree from Leiden University, after completing her thesis titled 'Malay Singing in Pahang Villages: Identity and Practice', supervised by Prof. Dr. Bernard Arps and Dr. Suryadi at the Leiden Institute for Area Studies. She also obtained her Master of Malay Studies in Performing Arts and Bachelor of Science in Biohealth (Honors) from Universiti Malaya. Dr. Shafa's academic and community engagement roles span several years. She was an Assistant Fellow (2006-2007) and College Fellow/Secretary (2008-2013) at Kolej Kediaman Tun Syed Zahiruddin (Ninth Residential College) and held a fellowship at Universiti Malaya Community Engagement Centre (UMCares) from 2022-2023.  Dr. Shafa specializes in traditional/heritage music, Southeast Asian music history, alternative culture (including punk rock), arts community, popular media and music care. She is actively involved in interdisciplinary research, notably a project on music care for caregivers and older adults, collaborating with faculties of Medicine, Business and Economics, Creative Arts and Education under an IIRG grant (2022-2025). Her ethnographic research covers hybrid online-offline expressive cultural fields involving performers, industry professionals and audiences. As a traditional music practitioner in Malaysia, Dr. Shafa has recorded over 300 songs and has performed across Southeast Asia, China, Australia and the Netherlands. Her music performance videos are publicly accessible online. Dr. Shafa has an extensive publication record that includes: The book 'Malay Singing in Pahang Villages: Identity and Practice' published in 2023 by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) which was also the subject of her doctoral thesis. Co-authoring 'Wacana Pantun Melayu' in 2016, alongside Prof. Dr. Salinah Ja'afar, Associate Professor Dr. Tengku Intan Marlina Tengku Mohd Ali, and Malaysian National Laureate Datuk Dr. Zurinah Hassan, also published by DBP. Additional scholarly works from 2023 to present include topics such as music care for older adults and caregivers, Malay music in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and reflections on music education and music community post-COVID-19.  Dr. Shafa has received multiple prestigious awards acknowledging her artistic and academic excellence: Darjah Paduka Mahkota Perak (P.M.P.) awarded in conjunction with Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah's 68th birthday, recognizing her distinguished contributions to arts and culture. Anugerah Cemerlang Universiti Malaya (ACUM) 2024 for Arts, Culture & Creativity (Academic Staff), highlighting her outstanding academic and creative achievements. Anugerah Penggiat Seni (Seni Berbahasa) Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur in 2023. Anugerah Biduan Syair ASEAN in 2022. Anugerah Bitara Syair Nusantara in 2021. Champion, International Dendang Syair Competition in 2019. Skim Latihan Akademik Fellowships by Universiti Malaya 2008-2011 & 2013-2016. Significance and Impact: Dr. Shafa's body of work consolidates traditional Malay music and cultural heritage with contemporary academic inquiry and community engagement. By marrying ethnographic research with artistic practice, she fosters greater understanding and preservation of Malay cultural identity. Her interdisciplinary approach, involving collaborations across various university faculties and international ties, notably with Leiden University, underlines her impact on music care, cultural sustainability and the arts both within Malaysia and beyond. Her multifaceted achievements illustrate her role as key figure who bridges academia, arts, and community outreach, advancing Southeast Asian music and Malay arts scholarship while promoting cultural care practices and supporting artists and caregivers alike.