Dr. Hashim Ismail was an academician in the field of Malay Studies. He has extensive teaching experience in higher learning institutions in Malaysia, ended up his services at the Academy of Malay Studies, University of Malaya in 1988, and held the position as Head of Department and Deputy Director. Currently, he is Director of the Center for Malay Excellence, University Malaya. He also has been appointed as the University Malaya Senate’s Member. At the same time, he was involved in several consulting and institutional development work in the country. Dr. Hashim served as an affiliate fellow at the International Institute of Asian Studies (IIAS), University of Leiden, Netherland in 2008. With the expertise and experiences, Dr. Hashim was recognized and awarded by several institutions such as the Gold Medal awarded the Malay Teachers' Union of West Malaysia, East Research Prize, Guest Writer Award at the National Library, Criticism Essay Prize for Kelantan, Kencana DBP Literary Prize and Critics Prize Essay Malaysia's Premier Literary Prize. As a result of his involvement, Dr. Hashim has published books such as Sastera Melayu Mutakhir (2000), Permuafakatan dan Kerukunan – Teras Peradaban Malaysia (2009), Tinta Di Dada Naskhah (2010), Hermeneutik – Reaksi Reformasi Kaum Muda(2010), Dekonstruksi Identiti Dalam Teks Melayu (2018), Paradigma Melayu (2017), Kebudayaan Kebangsaan Dicabar (2017), and a large number of articles published in journals, magazines and newspapers. He has also been a member of the Southeast Asian Literary Council (MASTERA) since 2007 and been a jury member of the SEA Write Award (Malaysia), MASTERA Literary Prize Panel, Utusan Group Literary Prize Panel, Malaysia Premier Literary Prize Panel, One Malaysia Essay Prize Panel, Sarawak State Literary Awards Panel, Selangor Literary Awards, Johore Literary Awards, Negeri Sembilan Literary Awards, and several other Literary Prizes in the country.

  Dr Benedict Francis is an associate professor and consultant psychiatrist at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya and was selected for the Brightsparks scholarship to pursue his Masters in Psychological Medicine at his alma mater, the University of Malaya. Subsequently, he completed a fellowship program in Aged Healthcare Services at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, in 2019. Dr Benedict is one of the research leads at the Psychological Medicine Research Unit and has been involved as principal investigator and sub-investigator for several international, multi-centre clinical trials including the ESCAPE-TRD, REMISSIO, ASPIRE, SUSTAIN-3, ROUTE 6, and CONNEX-2 trials. He has also published in several international and regional peer-reviewed journals and presented in international congresses. Dr Benedict has and continues to exhibit stellar leadership in his field. He was part of the Ministry of Health’s  National Advisory Board committee that drafted the guidelines for prescribing and dispensing Esketamine, a novel adjunct antidepressant treatment. In addition, he has been part of several steering commitees that paved new directions in mental health. For example, he was appointed to be part of the Southeast Asian steering committee to develop a patient decision aid for people living with schizophrenia. He is also part of the regional Asia Pacific steering commitee to develop a module for cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS). In 2023, he received the Excellent Service Award from the University of Malaya in recognition of his contributions. Dr Benedict is regarded as a Key Opinion Leader in the field of treatment resistant depression and schizophrenia and is a regular invited speaker at both local and regional events. He is actively involved in several associations at various levels. He is a life member of the Malaysian Psychiatric Association and a corresponding member of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology. He is also a member of the Asian College of Neuropsychopharmacology. Recently he was inducted as Fellow of the Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists. 

Dr. Murad Abdu Saeed is currently a senior lecturer in the Department of the English Language, Faculty of Language and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. He obtained his Ph.D. in 2016 and Master Degree in 2012 from the School of English Language Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). From 2019-2024, Dr. Murad worked as an associate professor in the Department of English Language and Translation, Qassim University. Previously, he worked as a postdoctoral in the Department of the English Language, Faculty of Language and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya (2016-2018). His main research interests are applied linguistics, academic writing, educational technologies in writing, feedback, feedback dialogue and collaborative writing. His research papers appear in journals such as Language Learning & Technology, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, Assessing Writing, International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Computers & Compositions, the Language Learning Journal, Journal of Research & Method in Education and Asian Education and Development Studies.