ANNOUNCEMENT
December 29, 2017
KLRCA 2017 Year End Review and a Look Ahead to 2018
Greetings from KLRCA! As 2018 approaches, we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been a part of our journey this year.
KLRCA witnessed a number of monumental milestones in 2017 such as the launch of KLRCA’s Arbitration Rules 2017 which provided for enhanced provisions such as joinder of additional parties, consolidation of proceedings and technical review of awards to name a few, at the Kuala Lumpur International ADR Week 2017. KLIAW 2017 was KLRCA’s showcase event of the year with 65 distinguished speakers and more than 200 delegates from around the globe participating in discussions covering current issues and challenges facing the international ADR landscape.
In March, KLRCA together with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) held our first Pre-Moot for the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot. The successful inaugural edition saw a total of 36 participating teams with over 160 participants from 15 countries, and more than 110 arbitrators across the globe. In 2018, KLRCA will be expanding the competition to host up to 70 teams.
In August, KLRCA launched its own building contracts – the “Standard Form of Building Contracts”, creating history in the process by becoming the first arbitral institution in the world to do so. The launch was followed by roadshows in Johor, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak, and in total, hosted over 2,200 participants. A comprehensive website portal was introduced where users can customise and download their contract forms for free. The vision for year 2018, is to work on additional contracts and enhance user experience on the website portal.
KLRCA also has signed a number of important MoUs in 2017 with esteemed institutions such as the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC in Paris, Beijing Arbitration Commission (BAC) and the Cairo Regional Center for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), contributing to a total of 48 signed MoUs as of 2017.
Other 2017 milestones include;
- A record high of 927 ADR cases handled.
- The strides made by KLRCA in positioning itself as a key and trusted ADR player in China’s monumental Belt and Road initiative which currently covers 69 economies across three continents making up one-third of the world’s GDP.
- The signing of the Host Country Agreement between Malaysia and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) which will see the PCA establishing an office at KLRCA’s Bangunan Sulaiman for the conduct of its dispute resolution proceedings in Malaysia.
- Over 80 capacity building and knowledge sharing ADR events held comprising of evening talks, lectures and presentations delivered at seminars and conferences locally and abroad, as well as Certification programmes.
- KLRCA’s Sports Arbitration involvement which covered the organising of specialised certification courses spearheaded by globally renowned course directors, and championing of the development of ADR in the Malaysian and Asian sporting world that eventually led to the KLRCA being introduced as an independent body resolving disputes at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games
Following the success of 2017 and in line with our continuous efforts in shaping KLRCA as an international ADR hub, KLRCA will be rebranding as Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC). The new identity will spearhead an era of development and expansion, both for the Centre and the global ADR ecosystem.
What to expect in 2018;
- The introduction of KLRCA’s online case management system which is the product of several months of intricate coding by expert global programmers working closely with the Centre’s Legal Services team.
- A special edition of the Kuala Lumpur International ADR Week (KLIAW) consisting of several key conferences and networking events to commemorate our 40th Anniversary celebrations.
- A dedicated ADR in Construction Symposium
- Roadshows across Asia showcasing our new Arbitration Rules and the introduction of AIAC.
- Revision of all KLRCA products including our mediation rules
- Renewed focus on our Domain Name Dispute Resolution (DNDR) services. The appointment of KLRCA’s Director Datuk Professor Sundra Rajoo as the incoming 2018 Chairman of the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre (ADNDRC), will ensure an elevated emphasis on developing the area of DNDR across the region.
- Continuous cutting-edge upgrades to the Centre’s audio visual, video conferencing, live broadcast, court recording and transcription systems in view of KLRCA’s promise to offer a complete and live virtual hearing experience.
- Enhanced topical and interactive ADR talks, conferences, seminars, lectures and certification courses; international arbitration moot competitions; and a host of other timely ADR related programmes.
In the coming weeks and months, KLRCA’s new identity, the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) will be unveiled through our official website, events, and communication channels. We look forward to sharing this next phase of our journey while continuing to spur the global ADR industry.
On that note, we would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a happy and successful New Year!