KL Arbitration Centre Goes Global, Taps India

By P. Vijian NEW DELHI, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is gearing to position itself as a premier regional arbitration centre -- wooing companies from emerging economies China and India to capitalise on its friendly and inexpensive services. The Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA) is confident that Malaysia, being a "neutral ground", is well-placed to resolve international commercial disputes despite tough competition from neighbouring players. "We are a Common Law country with an excellent judiciary, a strong Bar (Council); more importantly we are cost-effective and a rejuvenated centre, and totally a neutral ground," Sundra Rajoo, director of KLRCA, told Bernama. Set up in 1978, under the aegis of the Asia-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO), KLRCA was the region's pioneer but failed to impress global companies, while its close competitors -- Singapore and Hong Kong -- blossomed. In 2010, KLRCA handled only about 60 cases while the Singapore International Arbitration Centre heard 168 cases and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre recorded 624 disputes. But Sundra, instrumental in transforming the once-laggard office, said that with "rebranding" and "regular overseas roadshows", they are well-placed to offer the dispute resolution mechanism to global clients. Former Chief Justice Zaki Azmi -- part of the centre's ongoing Delhi and Mumbai roadshows -- added that the arbitration-friendly judiciary could compete with any international players. "We can assure business people that cases can be settled within a very short time. We can deliver the same justice as in other centres around the world," said Zaki. Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee said the autonomous body has matured to handle arbitration disputes and boasted several pull factors. "The judiciary is least likely to interfere. KLRCA is independent of the Malaysian judiciary. In fact, reported cases show that the judiciary has been supportive of arbitration. "In addition we have a pool of talented lawyers, many foreign-educated and multi-lingual. They speak English, Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia," added Lim. -- BERNAMA Malaysia