We believe that weaving together different perspectives and expertise creates something strong and beautiful
Welcome to Tocang Links!
At Tocang Links, we believe that weaving together different perspectives and expertise creates something strong and beautiful – much like a braid.
Our name reflects this: ‘Tocang’ is inspired by the Hokkien thau-chang (頭鬃), meaning ‘braid’, symbolising how growth comes from nurturing connections and the cross-pollination of ideas. It also honours the Malay word tukang (craftsperson), reflecting a thoughtful, hands-on approach to cultivating relationships and driving collaboration across disciplines.
We encourage open and respectful conversations, creating a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing their unique insights. This allows us to develop practical solutions that benefit both people and the planet.
Our Values
Connecting Diverse Perspectives
The best ideas come to life when different minds connect. We weave unique experiences into every project, approaching complex problems with both creativity and a clear sense of purpose.
Rooted in Connection
Real change starts with building strong relationships. We’re dedicated to creating networks that help people and organisations succeed, ensuring our work leads to lasting, tangible impacts for both our communities and the environment.
Guided by
Curiosity
Learning is at the heart of how we grow. We nurture a culture where everyone feels encouraged to lead, question assumptions, and share knowledge. This allows us to continue to evolve and act with intention.
Our Team
Photo credit: Andrew Hughes
In 2021, Nadiah was named one of the top 40 individuals in Prestige’s 40 Under 40, an annual list recognising Malaysia’s most successful, innovative, and influential young people.
Nadiah Rosli – Founder and Managing Director
Nadiah’s professional journey has been anything but linear, and she wholly embraces the adventures and misadventures that have shaped her inter- and transdisciplinary practice. Weaving together her experience as an environmental journalist, communications specialist, and project manager, she views environmental science as an inherently relational practice. Whether working with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) or the Earthworm Foundation, she leads initiatives defined by intention, equity, and an ethic of reciprocity. She views this approach as a catalyst for new ways of thinking and creating, and extends this ethos across her entire network of practitioners and community partners.
A Chevening Scholar, Nadiah earned her MLitt in Environment, Culture and Communication at the University of Glasgow’s School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Supported by fellowships from the World Conference of Science Journalists, the Ettore Majorana Foundation, and the MIT Media Lab Open Ocean Initiative, she channels this exploration of science, culture, and nature directly into her environmental journalism, publishing with outlets including VICE, Public Radio International, and New Naratif. Venturing into the performing arts, she also designs and develops science-arts collaborations – most notably serving as the scriptwriter for the puppet show ASLI – Resonance in Our Roots, which translates environmental themes through Indigenous and local folktales from Malaysia.
Nadiah leads complex, multi-stakeholder programs anchored in community building. As a Project Director at Internews, she managed an EU-funded program to promote good governance in Malaysian media. More recently, as the Capacity Development Program Manager at the Ocean Discovery League, she designed frameworks to enhance diversity and representation in deep-sea research. Guided by a commitment to centering community voices and stories that are often overlooked, she continues this work as a consultant through capacity sharing and strategic communications for organisations such as OceanX, Earth Journalism Network, Macaranga, and ThinkCity.
Pursuing her ‘ocean joy’ through every new collaboration, Nadiah brings this same curiosity to a diverse range of personal interests. She is currently writing her first movie screenplay, diving, training in Muay Thai, and learning the art of beekeeping.
Credit: Delegation of European Union to Malaysia
Nadiah Rosli joins Internews as Malaysia Project Director
Credit: Eco-Business
Our Advisors
Photo by: Jenni Szlosek Chow
Dr. Jenni Szlosek Chow
Dr. Jenni Szlosek Chow is an oceanographer and advocate dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems and advancing ocean equity. By bridging the gap between rigorous science and inclusive policy, she ensures marine conservation remains a global priority. Dr. Chow specializes in amplifying traditional ecological knowledge to inform modern strategies, building inclusive frameworks that address climate change through nature-based solutions. A chemical oceanographer by training with a PhD from Stony Brook and a BS from MIT, her work focuses on cultivating collaborative, science-based pathways to promote ocean equity and safeguard the delicate interplay between marine biodiversity and human activity.
Photo by: Louisa Ponnampalam
Dr Louisa Ponnampalam, Co-Founder & Executive Director, MareCet
Dr Louisa Ponnampalam is a leading Malaysian marine scientist, recognised for her pioneering work in the ecology and conservation of cetaceans and dugongs across Southeast Asia. As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The MareCet Research Organization, she has spent over two decades bridging the gap between rigorous research and public advocacy, ensuring the organization’s work directly informs national policy. Her efforts focus on building local research capacity across Southeast Asia and ensuring marine conservation is prioritized at the highest levels.
Dr Ponnampalam is the first Malaysian to receive the esteemed Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation in 2014, and her contributions have been recognized both globally and nationally, including the National Youth Premier Award (Special Category) in 2014 by the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the 2025 Malaysia’s Top 30 Women of Excellence. She currently serves as a Regional Coordinator for the IUCN Species Survival Commission and is a member of the International Whaling Commission’s Bycatch Expert Panel.
A dedicated mentor, Dr Ponnampalam has supervised numerous postgraduate students and continues to support early-career scientists throughout the region. Outside the research field, she is a devotee of the performing arts, a passionate dog lover, and the author of a children’s book inspired by her favourite marine mammal species, the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise.