Mala Rajo Sathian is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Southeast Asian Studies and the founding coordinator of the Thai studies programme, both at Universiti Malaya, Malaysia. She previously held visiting research affiliations at Prince of Songkla University, Pattani campus, Thailand, and as a Fulbright Scholar at the Department of Anthropology, Harvard University, US. Her areas of research include Thailand, south Thailand and north Malaysia, relating to ethnicity and marginalisation, diasporas, conflict, governance and histories of nation building. Her publications include: Siamese in Malaysia: Beyond sixty years of heritage (2018) and various articles and chapters on ethnic minorities, identity, conflict and methodology in area studies.  She hopes to advance a message of peace and tolerance towards minority communities living in multicultural Southeast Asia through her research and writing.

Faizuri Bin Abd Latif was born in 1972 in Jerteh, Besut, Terengganu. He holds a Bachelor of Usuluddin (BA Hons) in Aqidah and Philosophy from al-Azhar University, Egypt (1996), a Master’s degree in Usuluddin from the University of Malaya (2003), and subsequently completed his PhD at the University of Malaya in 2009. He is currently serving as an Associate Professor at the Department of Usuluddin and Da'wah, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya. Throughout his tenure as a lecturer in the Department of Usuluddin and Da`wah, he has been actively writing various articles related to aqidah, Islamic thought, aqidah in the Malay world, and other related areas. In addition, he has been involved in presenting seminar papers at both national and international levels. To date, he has produced more than 50 articles in national and international journals. He has also authored several books, two of which were published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP). At the Department of Usuluddin and Da`wah, he has been entrusted with several administrative responsibilities, in addition to teaching various undergraduate and postgraduate courses such as Aqaid al-Islamiyyah, Contemporary Issues in Aqidah and Islamic Thought, Bibliographical Studies in Aqidah and Islamic Thought, Studies on Deviant Teachings in Malaysia, Islamic Philosophy, Introduction to Usuluddin Studies, Works on Aqidah and Islamic Thought, Discourse on Kalam and Islamic Philosophy and others.

Professor Juliana Othman is an applied linguist and teacher educator at the Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, with over 30 years of experience in language education. She has held key leadership roles, including Chair of the Centre for Research in Language Education (CRiLE), Head of the Department of Language & Literacy Education (2015–2018), and Deputy Director of the Centre for the Initiation of Talent and Industrial Training, driving impactful research and curriculum reforms. Her academic excellence has earned her prestigious recognitions, such as the Fulbright Scholar Fellowship, Visiting Scholar appointments at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Washington, and the Asian University Alliance Scholar.  Prof. Juliana plays a vital role in enhancing academic standards as an External Program Assessor and consultant for leading universities and education programs. Her research, supported by the British Council, the Ministry of Education, and Universiti Malaya, focuses on teacher professional development, second language pedagogy, and bilingual education, directly influencing policy and classroom practices. Beyond academia, Prof. Juliana actively contributes to national and international educational advancement. She has served as an External Program Assessor for leading institutions locally and internationally, such as Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa and UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia, ensuring academic rigor in language education programs. As a consultant and advisor, she has played a key role in shaping curriculum frameworks, including the BED Primary program at the Institute Pendidikan Guru Ilmu Khas and Universiti Utara Malaysia. A prolific author and advocate, she has published extensively on language education and has been instrumental in shaping national and institutional curriculum frameworks. Through her leadership and scholarship, she continues to elevate language education standards and empower educators, making a lasting impact in the field.