KUALA LUMPUR, 22 March – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has appointed three well-known figures in various fields as Resident Writers.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dato’ Dr. Zaini Ujang said, the appointment of Y.A.M. Tunku Besar Seri Menanti Tunku Ali Redhauddin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz as the UTM Royal Resident Writer, Datuk Johan Jaaffar, Chairman of Media Prima Berhad  and Dato’ Ghazali Dato’ Mohd Yusoff, Executive Chairman of Nusantara Technologies Sdn. Bhd, as UTM Resident Writers will enhance the intellectual culture among the university community.

They will be sharing their knowledge and expertise through book publication, seminars and public lectures to staff and students of UTM to encourage a vibrant knowledge culture towards high impact publication.

Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, Tunku Ali Redhauddin Ibni Tuanku Muhriz, is the eldest son of Duli Yang Maha Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan.

He graduated with a BA (Hons) in History, Social and Political Sciences in 1998 from Cambridge University. Then, he joined McKinsey & Company, the management consulting firm, for several years, receiving significant international exposure on projects in the Europe, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

In 2004, he joined Khazanah Nasional Berhad in its Investments Division, working on a number of transformational projects and new investments, both in Malaysia and in the region.

In early 2009, following the succession of his father, Tuanku Muhriz, to the throne of Negeri Sembilan, Tunku Ali was conferred the title of Tunku Besar Seri Menanti.

In 2010, Tunku Ali made the decision to leave Khazanah in order to pursue a degree at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, graduating in 2011 as an Edward S Mason Fellow with a Masters in Public Administration.

Presently, Tunku Ali is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Yayasan Munarah (focused on education, special needs children, healthcare and poverty issues), a Founding Trustee of Teach for Malaysia (dedicated to ending education inequity in Malaysia), a Board Member of Marlborough East (responsible for the set up of Marlborough College Malaysia, the first campus of Marlborough College outside the UK), and Chairman of Rakan Riang (which operates the Kidzania, a children’s Edutainment Theme Park).

He is also on the Boards of Asia Capital Reinsurance Malaysia (regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia), Themed Attractions and Resorts, Destination Resorts and Hotels, and Iskandar Malaysia Studios.

He is also an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army of Malaysia. Recently, he also served as the Patron for the Tunku Kurshiah Orchestra’s Royal Concert.

Tunku Ali feels very honoured to receive the UTM Royal Resident Writer and is keen to use it as an opportunity to delve into his passion for history, further exploring the history of Negeri Sembilan, and his family’s role in it.

Another residant writer the Chairman of Media Prima Berhad since 30 April 2009, a columnist in The New Straits Times Press (NSTP), Chairman of the Advisory Panel and the Prevention of Corruption under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

He is a member of the National Information Technology Council (NITC) and the Board of Trustees of MERCY Malaysia, as well as a Chairman of the Sri Nobel School, a private school.

Previously, he was appointed as the Chairman of Board of Directors at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) from 2006 to 2010, Board of Directors of Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (Aswara) from 2010 to 2011.

He joined the Group Chief Editor at Utusan Melayu (1992-1998) and became a member of the National Brains Trust on National Education of National Economic Action Council (NEAC).

The other resident writer, Dato’ Ghazali was born in Alor Gajah, Malacca. He graduated in economics and geography from Universiti Malaya. He has over 15 years experience in leadership and management.

He is the Board of Directors to the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA), Executive Director of the Honorary Business Council for Sustainable Development Malaysia, SIRIM Technical Committee for ISO 14000 and Panel Advisor on Energy Issues at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

In addition, he has worked in multinational corporations as the General Manager at the Dunlop Malaysia Industries Bhd. and Chief Executive of Arab Malaysian Banking Group.

Nusantara Technologies Sdn. Bhd. is a company in oil and gas industry and also in Power Generation & Utilities, Transportation, Construction & Infrastructure and Manufacturing sectors.