MARITIME INSTITUTE OF MALAYSIA

OFFICIAL PORTAL

Researchers

Centre Head

Muhammad Haikal Amran

Position: Researcher - Maritime Security and Diplomacy
Email: haikal@mima.gov.my

Qualifications

  • B.A. (Hons) International and Strategic Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM)

Research Interest

  • Traditional and non-traditional security in the South China Sea
  • International law of the sea and the maritime rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific
  • Joint development prospects in areas of overlapping claims
  • Critical maritime infrastructure resilience

Overview

Haikal Amran is a Researcher at the Centre for Maritime Security and Diplomacy. His research examines the intersection of maritime security, international law of the sea, and regional diplomacy in the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific, with particular attention to how legal and institutional frameworks, such as UNCLOS 1982 and ASEAN as a regional bloc, hold up under geopolitical pressure.His work spans regional maritime economic resilience and the durability of the maritime rules-based order; non-traditional maritime security issues such as the governance of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; the protection of critical underwater infrastructure; and the prospects for joint development of maritime resources in areas of overlapping maritime claims against the backdrop of today’s geopolitical volatility in the Indo-Pacific. He also contributes policy inputs to Malaysian ministries and agencies on various ASEAN dialogue partnerships and relevant bilateral maritime engagement. He holds a BA in International and Strategic Studies from Universiti Malaya and is an alumnus of the Law of the Sea Summer Academy 2025 at Kadir Has University, Istanbul, under a scholarship by the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore.
Researcher - Maritime Security and Diplomacy

Muhammad Haikal Amran

Email: haikal@mima.gov.my

Muhd Nazmi Zuhairi Azmen

Position: Researcher - Maritime Security and Diplomacy
Email: nazmi@mima.gov.my

Qualifications

  • B.A (Southeast Asian Studies), University of Malaya (UM)

Research Interest

  • Maritime Security & Maritime Domain Awareness
  • Straits of Malacca & Regional Maritime Governance
  • Asean Regional Studies
  • Ocean Governance & Blue Economy
  • Maritime Diplomacy & Strategic Affairs

Overview

Nazmi is a maritime researcher specialising in ASEAN regional studies, maritime security, maritime governance, shipping, ports and strategic maritime affairs. As a former Researcher at MIMA’s Centre for Straits of Malacca and currently a Researcher at the Centre for Maritime Security and Diplomacy, his research focuses on the intersection between maritime security, regional geopolitics, maritime trade and ocean governance. His areas of interest include dark fleet activities, maritime domain awareness, safety and security of navigation, shipping and port development, maritime decarbonisation, marine spatial planning, blue economy and maritime diplomacy. His work adopts a policy-oriented approach, with particular attention to Malaysia’s maritime interests, the Straits of Malacca and wider developments in the Indo-Pacific.

Researcher - Maritime Security and Diplomacy

Muhd Nazmi Zuhairi Azmen

Email: nazmi@mima.gov.my

Researchers

Muhammad Haikal Amran

Position: Researcher - Maritime Security and Diplomacy
Email: haikal@mima.gov.my

Qualifications

  • B.A. (Hons) International and Strategic Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM)

Research Interest

  • Traditional and non-traditional security in the South China Sea
  • International law of the sea and the maritime rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific
  • Joint development prospects in areas of overlapping claims
  • Critical maritime infrastructure resilience

Overview

Haikal Amran is a Researcher at the Centre for Maritime Security and Diplomacy. His research examines the intersection of maritime security, international law of the sea, and regional diplomacy in the South China Sea and the wider Indo-Pacific, with particular attention to how legal and institutional frameworks, such as UNCLOS 1982 and ASEAN as a regional bloc, hold up under geopolitical pressure.His work spans regional maritime economic resilience and the durability of the maritime rules-based order; non-traditional maritime security issues such as the governance of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; the protection of critical underwater infrastructure; and the prospects for joint development of maritime resources in areas of overlapping maritime claims against the backdrop of today’s geopolitical volatility in the Indo-Pacific. He also contributes policy inputs to Malaysian ministries and agencies on various ASEAN dialogue partnerships and relevant bilateral maritime engagement. He holds a BA in International and Strategic Studies from Universiti Malaya and is an alumnus of the Law of the Sea Summer Academy 2025 at Kadir Has University, Istanbul, under a scholarship by the Centre for International Law, National University of Singapore.
Researcher - Maritime Security and Diplomacy

Muhammad Haikal Amran

Email: haikal@mima.gov.my

Muhd Nazmi Zuhairi Azmen

Position: Researcher - Maritime Security and Diplomacy
Email: nazmi@mima.gov.my

Qualifications

  • B.A (Southeast Asian Studies), University of Malaya (UM)

Research Interest

  • Maritime Security & Maritime Domain Awareness
  • Straits of Malacca & Regional Maritime Governance
  • Asean Regional Studies
  • Ocean Governance & Blue Economy
  • Maritime Diplomacy & Strategic Affairs

Overview

Nazmi is a maritime researcher specialising in ASEAN regional studies, maritime security, maritime governance, shipping, ports and strategic maritime affairs. As a former Researcher at MIMA’s Centre for Straits of Malacca and currently a Researcher at the Centre for Maritime Security and Diplomacy, his research focuses on the intersection between maritime security, regional geopolitics, maritime trade and ocean governance. His areas of interest include dark fleet activities, maritime domain awareness, safety and security of navigation, shipping and port development, maritime decarbonisation, marine spatial planning, blue economy and maritime diplomacy. His work adopts a policy-oriented approach, with particular attention to Malaysia’s maritime interests, the Straits of Malacca and wider developments in the Indo-Pacific.

Researcher - Maritime Security and Diplomacy

Muhd Nazmi Zuhairi Azmen

Email: nazmi@mima.gov.my

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