{
  "id": 14375121,
  "title": "AIAC handles up to 900 cases a year, mostly construction disputes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/aiac-handles-up-to-900-cases-a-year-mostly-construction-disputes",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-14T05:21:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/10/1555174/aiac-handles-900-cases-year-mostly-construction-disputes"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in Malaysia manages an average of 850 to 900 cases each year, primarily concerning construction payment disputes. CEO Datuk Danesh Chandran Velaitham mentioned that the majority of these cases are settled through adjudication under the Construction Industry Payment and Adjudication Act 2012. AIAC is also broadening access to dispute resolution via its complimentary commercial mediation service, which has handled close to 20 cases since its inception in May. The Malaysian government has inquired about raising the service's RM250,000 claim limit to RM500,000, reported Velaitham at a press conference during the eighth Asia ADR Week 2026. The conference, held in collaboration with stakeholders from the alternative dispute resolution industry, aims to attract more international commercial disputes to Malaysia. AIAC's Pro Bono Commercial Mediation Initiative, launched on May 18, addresses 26 categories of commercial disputes. Velaitham highlighted the conference's tagline, \"The World Resolves Here,\" as a testament to AIAC's goal of attracting cases from across the globe. He emphasized the importance of events like Asia ADR Week in raising international awareness of AIAC's services, noting that many people are unaware of the center's 50-year presence in Malaysia since 1978 under a host country agreement between Malaysia and the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: The Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) handles between 800 and 900 cases annually, most involving construction payment disputes, as it seeks to attract more international commercial disputes to Malaysia.",
  "key_points": [
    "AIAC handles 850-900 construction dispute cases annually in Malaysia.",
    "CEO Datuk Danesh Chandran Velaitham oversees the center.",
    "AIAC expands services with free mediation and aims to attract international disputes."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Expanding mediation services and hosting international conferences signals the center's strategic shift toward attracting global commercial disputes beyond its traditional focus on domestic construction payment disagreements.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}