ASEAN LAW FORUM 2025 MARKS REGIONAL MILESTONE IN LEGAL REFORM AND COOPERATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marked the conclusion of the historic first ASEAN Law Forum, held from 19 to 21 August at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). The Forum represented an essential step forward in ASEAN's commitment to trust-building, strengthening its position on the global stage, and highlighting the significant strides made by our region towards enhancing legal reform. In this regard, the Legal Affairs Division, Prime Minister's Department wishes to express our utmost appreciation to Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for all the assistance and guidance in making this forum a success.

Building up to the Forum, and in alignment with the Malaysian Government's vision of enhancing regional cooperation and inclusivity, the groundwork was laid through bilateral engagements with ASEAN Member States through the ASEAN Tour, and the Kuala Lumpur Forum on International Arbitration held in 2024.

The Forum brought together policymakers, legal practitioners, academics, and stakeholders from ASEAN and beyond. Under the theme "Enhancing Access to Justice in the ASEAN Economic Community: Bridging Legal Cooperation for Inclusive Growth in the Digital Age", we addressed critical areas including arbitration, mediation, online safety, cross-border insolvency, cyber-related crimes, criminal and commercial law reforms, business and human rights, and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence in justice systems.

The discussions and dynamic engagement underscored our collective effort to address and resolve emerging challenges proactively, delivering tangible benefits domestically and regionally, seeking to ensure a consistent and predictable dispute resolution environment, which is essential for regional economic stability and business confidence.

Additionally, specialised panels effectively tackled essential matters such as Islamic finance and arbitration, sports arbitration, maritime arbitration and ESG in supply chains. These focused sessions have reinforced our strategic commitment to targeted legal reforms tailored to contemporary and future needs.

The Forum concluded with the adoption of a Joint Statement by ASEAN Law Ministers on International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Development. The adoption of the Joint Statement was signed by YB Dato' Sri Azalina Othman Said, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (law and Institutional Reform) on behalf of Malaysia, and witnessed by the Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim.

This commitment reflects our shared vision of enhancing legal standards and cooperation within ASEAN, solidifying rule-of-law foundations, economic resilience, and regional unity. This achievement underscores Malaysia's commitment to forward-thinking and practical legal reform, grounded in outcomes that strengthen the ASEAN legal ecosystem.

Prior to the adoption of the Joint Statement, YB Dato' Sri Azalina Othman and the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) YB M. Kula Segaran went on a regional tour across the ASEAN member states to engage directly with the Ministers of Law and Justice and the representatives from their national legal institutions.

These engagements and discussions are aimed to promote regional cooperation on the international commercial arbitration and mediation development, through the support and consensus of the Joint Statement led by Malaysia.

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