The federal territories syariah court (mswp) today launched its sulh centre and introduced a sulh fast-track service:rack service, enabling selected cases to be resolved in a significantly shorter timeframe, with some settlements reached in as little as an hour. Religious Affairs Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Zulkifli Hasan said the initiative is part of efforts to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of Syariah Court services.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Zulkifli explained that the Fast-Track service allows some cases to be resolved in less than a day, while others conclude in about an hour. He shared these insights with reporters after inaugurating the MSWP Sulh Centre, which also includes a podcast studio for enhancing public engagement and disseminating information regarding Syariah Court services. Present at the event were Syariah Judiciary Department director-general Datuk Mohd Amran Mat Zin and Federal Territories Chief Syariah Judge Mohd Asri Tahir.
Zulkifli noted that the government is reviewing additional measures to further enhance the fast-track system. This includes efforts to strengthen the legal framework, improve human resource competency, and expand training for sulh officers to ensure the dispute resolution mechanism remains effective and relevant.
The Sulh Centre is a rebranding of the Sulh Section, first introduced in 2001. Its role has been expanded to cover five core areas: sulh council, arbitration (hakam), reconciliation (islah), advisory and mediation, as well as analytics and strategic planning, addressing a broader range of civil (mal) cases.
Statistics for 2022 and 2023 indicated that 88 per cent of cases referred to the sulh process were resolved through mutual agreement, with the success rate expected to rise to 90 per cent in 2024, demonstrating the effectiveness of the sulh approach in amicable dispute resolution.
During the event, 43 arbitrators, comprising court officers and qualified individuals, were appointed to bolster arbitration services under the Sulh Centre.