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WHO WE ARE

Nurul Izzah Anwar was formerly Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh, serving her third term in the Malaysian legislature up to the year 2022. Her long political career began with the creation of the People’s Justice Party (KEADILAN) in 1999 where she played a vital role in its establishment. To this day, she remains a member of KEADILAN after serving as the political party’s Vice President from 2010-2018. She is currently serving her fourth stint as Vice President after her reappointment in 2022. Prior to being an MP, Nurul Izzah was known as a strong proponent of political and civil rights with a special interest in prisoners of conscience, bent on pursuing a holistic reform agenda to expand Malaysia’s democratic space. Her current work on the ground revolves around projects that empower the most vulnerable segments of her constituency. Some of her initiatives as MP for Permatang Pauh include Program ROSE in collaboration with Universiti Malaya (a cervical cancer screening program for underserved women based at the University of Malaya Medical Centre), the Permatang Pauh Women’s Project (upskilling B40 women), and the 2021 Permatang Pauh Multidimensional Poverty Study headed by Professor Fatimah Kari, a forerunning expert in Malaysian multidimensional poverty. She also recently launched 'Talian Prihatin', a telephone service providing free mental health support catered to her constituents. Run by trained volunteers, the hotline offers private individual counselling, while also operating as a port of call for victims of domestic violence. Her initiatives and programs are often the result of active collaborations with a range of NGOs, academic institutions, and other local entities to ensure that these programs remain sustainable within the local ecosystem in the long run.

Nurul Izzah Anwar

Chairperson

Nurul Izzah Anwar was formerly Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh, serving her third term in the Malaysian legislature up to the year 2022. Her long political career began with the creation of the People’s Justice Party (KEADILAN) in 1999 where she played a vital role in its establishment. To this day, she remains a member of KEADILAN after serving as the political party’s Vice President from 2010-2018. She is currently serving her fourth stint as Vice President after her reappointment in 2022. Prior to being an MP, Nurul Izzah was known as a strong proponent of political and civil rights with a special interest in prisoners of conscience, bent on pursuing a holistic reform agenda to expand Malaysia’s democratic space.

Her current work on the ground revolves around projects that empower the most vulnerable segments of her constituency. Some of her initiatives as MP for Permatang Pauh include Program ROSE in collaboration with Universiti Malaya (a cervical cancer screening program for underserved women based at the University of Malaya Medical Centre), the Permatang Pauh Women’s Project (upskilling B40 women), and the 2021 Permatang Pauh Multidimensional Poverty Study headed by Professor Fatimah Kari, a forerunning expert in Malaysian multidimensional poverty. She also recently launched 'Talian Prihatin', a telephone service providing free mental health support catered to her constituents. Run by trained volunteers, the hotline offers private individual counselling, while also operating as a port of call for victims of domestic violence.

Her initiatives and programs are often the result of active collaborations with a range of NGOs, academic institutions, and other local entities to ensure that these programs remain sustainable within the local ecosystem in the long run.

Prior to founding SERI, Rashaad worked as a policy advisor to a Malaysian Member of Parliament. He also was as an analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore with a research focus on federalism, institutionalism and public policy, publishing in academia as well as in media. Rashaad also spent four years as an editorial manager at an e-commerce An avid musician, Rashaad has played drums in local bands for over 10 years and can still be found behind the kit at live music venues across the city.

Rashaad Ali

Managing Director

Prior to founding SERI, Rashaad worked as a policy advisor to a Malaysian Member of Parliament. He also was as an analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore with a research focus on federalism, institutionalism and public policy, publishing in academia as well as in media.

Rashaad also spent four years as an editorial manager at an e-commerce An avid musician, Rashaad has played drums in local bands for over 10 years and can still be found behind the kit at live music venues across the city.

Helmy is a co-founder of SERI and its first CEO. A practising respiratory specialist, he is the Head of the Lung Centre at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur and a co-founder of Asthma Malaysia, a NGO advocating greater empowerment for patients with asthma.  One of twenty global recipients of the Inter Academy Medical Panel's Young Physician Leader award and a part of Tatler's Gen T, Helmy was appointed as a technical adviser on tobacco control and a special adviser to two previous Health Ministers. He is a columnist with The Star, and is regularly sought after by the media for his views on issues related to policy.

Dr Helmy Haja Mydin

Senior Policy Advisor

Helmy is a co-founder of SERI and its first CEO. A practising respiratory specialist, he is the Head of the Lung Centre at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur and a co-founder of Asthma Malaysia, a NGO advocating greater empowerment for patients with asthma. 

One of twenty global recipients of the Inter Academy Medical Panel's Young Physician Leader award and a part of Tatler's Gen T, Helmy was appointed as a technical adviser on tobacco control and a special adviser to two previous Health Ministers. He is a columnist with The Star, and is regularly sought after by the media for his views on issues related to policy.

I am a Malaysian oncologist with a passion for global oncology and social justice. I believe that quality healthcare is a fundamental human right. I currently co-lead a research programme at St George's University of London with Professor Sanjeev Krishna, focusing on developing affordable therapeutics and diagnostics for cancer in Low and Middle Class Income Countries (LMICs). Our work brings together interdisciplinary experts from academia, global health and industry, with research collaborations in Malaysia, Vietnam, India and Senegal. Our current research is focused on drug repurposing for cancer and affordable point-of-care diagnostics for HPV DNA screening for cervical cancer. We also work with community health care champions in rural communities on removing barriers to equitable healthcare access and delivery

Yolanda Augustin

Senior Strategy Advisor

I am a Malaysian oncologist with a passion for global oncology and social justice. I believe that quality healthcare is a fundamental human right. I currently co-lead a research programme at St George's University of London with Professor Sanjeev Krishna, focusing on developing affordable therapeutics and diagnostics for cancer in Low and Middle Class Income Countries (LMICs).

Our work brings together interdisciplinary experts from academia, global health and industry, with research collaborations in Malaysia, Vietnam, India and Senegal. Our current research is focused on drug repurposing for cancer and affordable point-of-care diagnostics for HPV DNA screening for cervical cancer. We also work with community health care champions in rural communities on removing barriers to equitable healthcare access and delivery

Hwong Joshua is the Head of Data Management and Public Affairs consultant in SERI. With a passion for leveraging data to drive insights, he leads a skilled team in collecting, analyzing, and translating complex datasets into actionable strategies. His experience of working in a major audit firm as a data consultant within the assurance line of service helps foster a data-driven culture that empowers SERI to make informed decisions. He has worked with a Member of Parliament for eight years, in the legislative branch of the government as well as the executive. He brings insights from various government agencies to imbue SERI with a more practical and efficient approach in policy advisory. Joshua remains an advocate for social justice and good governance in Malaysia and has a passion for creating videos to spread awareness for the need of political reform.

Hwong Joshua

Data Management and Public Affairs

Hwong Joshua is the Head of Data Management and Public Affairs consultant in SERI. With a passion for leveraging data to drive insights, he leads a skilled team in collecting, analyzing, and translating complex datasets into actionable strategies. His experience of working in a major audit firm as a data consultant within the assurance line of service helps foster a data-driven culture that empowers SERI to make informed decisions.

He has worked with a Member of Parliament for eight years, in the legislative branch of the government as well as the executive. He brings insights from various government agencies to imbue SERI with a more practical and efficient approach in policy advisory. Joshua remains an advocate for social justice and good governance in Malaysia and has a passion for creating videos to spread awareness for the need of political reform.

Syafiqa graduated from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) in International Affairs with interest in wealth and education gap before working as a parliamentary officer for Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament. Syafiqa previously was an intern with the Parliamentary Office of Lembah Pantai; where she eagerly learned how does this social work in real politics with real people. Optimistic in completing her Master of Political Science in 2021. If you don’t catch her in the office, Syafiqa might be at a nearby cafe; sipping a cup of coffee and having a slice of cake while drawing in her sketchbook and secretly thinking on how the world can be a better place.

Syafiqa Zakaria

Editorial

Syafiqa graduated from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) in International Affairs with interest in wealth and education gap before working as a parliamentary officer for Permatang Pauh Member of Parliament. Syafiqa previously was an intern with the Parliamentary Office of Lembah Pantai; where she eagerly learned how does this social work in real politics with real people.

Optimistic in completing her Master of Political Science in 2021. If you don’t catch her in the office, Syafiqa might be at a nearby cafe; sipping a cup of coffee and having a slice of cake while drawing in her sketchbook and secretly thinking on how the world can be a better place.

Sakinah is a graduate in Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Sociology) from Sciences Po Paris. Her passion for policy research began during her time volunteering as a writer and editor in Malaysian student organizations in France. She also ran a podcast with her best friend sharing about the challenges of studying abroad. Sakinah is interested in the issues of education, gender and urban inequality and how they intersect to affect individuals of the community. She volunteered in several NGOs working on those issues such as AFEV France and G4G Malaysia. A polyglot, she can handle French bureaucracy over the phone, and order food in Korean but she loves her Sarawakian dialect the most. During her free time, she reads tear-inducing books and binge-watching K-dramas.

Nur Sakinah Alzian

Senior Researcher

Sakinah is a graduate in Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Sociology) from Sciences Po Paris. Her passion for policy research began during her time volunteering as a writer and editor in Malaysian student organizations in France. She also ran a podcast with her best friend sharing about the challenges of studying abroad.

Sakinah is interested in the issues of education, gender and urban inequality and how they intersect to affect individuals of the community. She volunteered in several NGOs working on those issues such as AFEV France and G4G Malaysia.

A polyglot, she can handle French bureaucracy over the phone, and order food in Korean but she loves her Sarawakian dialect the most. During her free time, she reads tear-inducing books and binge-watching K-dramas.

Farah is a recent graduate in Economics and Finance from Taylor’s University, Malaysia. She has a growing passion for economic policy and development which began with her research experience on gender-based income disparities and poverty, as well as the role of education in children’s health and well-being. She dreams of bridging systemic gaps in our communities by tackling income inequality through effective policy implementation. Some of her regular activities include going on travel or hiking adventures, enjoying a good book, cooking up something new, or repeatedly trying to convince everyone that film photography is superior to digital.

Farah

Research Associate

Farah is a recent graduate in Economics and Finance from Taylor’s University, Malaysia. She has a growing passion for economic policy and development which began with her research experience on gender-based income disparities and poverty, as well as the role of education in children’s health and well-being. She dreams of bridging systemic gaps in our communities by tackling income inequality through effective policy implementation.

Some of her regular activities include going on travel or hiking adventures, enjoying a good book, cooking up something new, or repeatedly trying to convince everyone that film photography is superior to digital.

Kennard is a final year Psychology student in UCSI University. And he has a huge passion in researching and developing good economic policies as well as trying to improve the education system in Malaysia and the overall development of children so that the country’s economy can grow exponentially. He hopes to be able to help through raising awareness of current issues and through good policy implementations. Kennard is someone who appreciates the mundane things in life, exploring and taking pictures and videos whenever the opportunity arises. Other times, you can find him just curled up with a good book or with music he loves. Ask him about what he's reading, or what is he listening to, and he is unlikely to stop talking.

Kennard Lam

Research Associate

Kennard is a final year Psychology student in UCSI University. And he has a huge passion in researching and developing good economic policies as well as trying to improve the education system in Malaysia and the overall development of children so that the country’s economy can grow exponentially. He hopes to be able to help through raising awareness of current issues and through good policy implementations.

Kennard is someone who appreciates the mundane things in life, exploring and taking pictures and videos whenever the opportunity arises. Other times, you can find him just curled up with a good book or with music he loves. Ask him about what he's reading, or what is he listening to, and he is unlikely to stop talking.

Athirah is a final year student of East Asian Studies in Universiti Malaya. She is interested in policy research, particularly in education inclusivity, poverty traps and improving Malaysia's transportation system. She aspires to advocate for systemic changes that ensure equitable access to education, alleviate poverty, and enhance transportation infrastructure for the community. Athirah spends her leisure time volunteering in educational programs as a tutor. Other times, you can find her drinking 1L coffee to be more extra hyperactive. Her usual weekend activities are travelling to local places, enjoying a cafe date, and convincing her friends to go museum hopping.

Athirah Izzati

Intern Associate

Athirah is a final year student of East Asian Studies in Universiti Malaya. She is interested in policy research, particularly in education inclusivity, poverty traps and improving Malaysia's transportation system. She aspires to advocate for systemic changes that ensure equitable access to education, alleviate poverty, and enhance transportation infrastructure for the community.

Athirah spends her leisure time volunteering in educational programs as a tutor. Other times, you can find her drinking 1L coffee to be more extra hyperactive. Her usual weekend activities are travelling to local places, enjoying a cafe date, and convincing her friends to go museum hopping.

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