Kuala lumpur: The government will offer a free mediation service for legal disputes involving all types of contracts valued under RM250,000. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said announced that the service is expected to be available to the public by May.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Azalina stated that individuals wishing to utilize the pro bono service must first submit their legal disputes to the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC). She emphasized that the assistance is provided because current mediation processes only occur after parties have filed their cases in court. The new service aims to help resolve disputes through mediation, with legal costs being covered by AIAC.

Azalina shared these updates after attending the Artiste Symposium, officiated by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and attended by notable figures such as Deputy Minister Teo Nie Ching, Communications Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah, and National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) Chairman Datuk Hans Isaac.

In her speech, Azalina highlighted that mediation is introduced as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism under the Legal Aid and Public Defence Bill 2025, as part of ongoing legal reforms. She noted that this approach is faster, more flexible, and cost-effective compared to litigation, providing significant benefits to parties, including artistes dealing with contractual, copyright, or commercial disputes without incurring high legal costs.

Azalina reiterated that the initiative aligns with the government's commitment to ensuring that access to justice is available to all Malaysians, not just certain groups. Additionally, she reported that the number of bankruptcy cases discharged in 2025 exceeded expectations, reaching 204,000 cases, up from 176,000 in 2024.