Who is Samirul Ariff? Tell me more about Samirul Ariff?

Samirul Ariff Othman is a Malaysian economist, international relations analyst, and public intellectual known for his insights on economic and geopolitical issues. He is currently an adjunct lecturer at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) and a senior consultant with Global Asia Consulting (GAC). He was previously a senior researcher at the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) and has worked as a consultant for government agencies and international organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).

Educational Background

Samirul Ariff received a Master of International Relations degree from Macquarie University, Australia. He also studied at the Sydney Institute of Business and Technology (SIBT), taking courses in Economics, Finance, and Marketing. His academic journey includes a background in Applied Science (Microbiology) and Business Administration at the undergraduate level.

Notably, he initially pursued medical studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) but did not complete the degree. Before transitioning into economics and international relations, he worked as a Medical Laboratory Technologist specializing in Biochemistry and Microbiology.

Professional Career & Influence
• He has been actively involved in economic and geopolitical research, planning, and organizing high-profile conferences, such as:
• National Economic Outlook Conference (NEOC)
• MIER’s Corporate Economic Briefing (CEB)
• MIER’s National Economic Briefing (NEB)
• ADB–Asian Think Tank Development Forum
• Research Institutes’ Network (RIN) Meeting
• Samirul is a frequent commentator on Malaysian, regional, and global economic and political issues. His analyses have been featured in leading publications, including:
• The New Straits Times
• The Edge Malaysia
• FMT Business (Free Malaysia Today)
• Sinar Daily News
• BusinessToday Malaysia
• The Star
• Focus Malaysia
• The Sun
• Malay Mail
• Utusan Malaysia
• Berita Harian
• Dewan Ekonomi (Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka)
• His insights have been quoted internationally in media such as Kyodo News (Japan), The Mainichi Newspaper, and other Turkish, Vietnamese, and Indonesian news outlets.

Personal Background & Early Life
• Born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Samirul Ariff was bathed in Zam Zam water and circumambulated around the Kaaba as an infant.
• He had an international upbringing, attending:
• Pre-school in Thailand
• Elementary school at St. Mary’s International School, Tokyo, Japan
• He later studied at MRSM Jasin, Malaysia, where he pursued Pure Science, won academic awards, and represented MRSM Jasin in a science quiz competition.
• His late father was a diplomat under Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wisma Putra), shaping his early exposure to global affairs.

Intellectual Journey & Autobiographical Reflections

Samirul has written about his unconventional career path in a piece titled:
“From Petri Dishes to Policy Papers: Bridging Science, Economics, and Identity.”
This essay chronicles his shift from science to macroeconomics, driven by his deep interest in policy, global affairs, and economic analysis following the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis.

Philosophy & Interests
• Samirul describes himself as transitioning from microbiology to macroeconomics, combining a scientific mindset with policy analysis.
• He is deeply engaged in economic policy, international relations, and strategic issues, particularly concerning Malaysia’s economic direction, geopolitical positioning, and the socio-economic development of Malays and Bumiputera.
• His worldview is shaped by a mix of scientific rigor, economic insight, and a strong grounding in Malay-Muslim identity and values.

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