The mediation centre, which is under the patronage of the Bar Council, offers a streamlined alternative for parties to resolve disputes – thus bypassing the complexities of court processes.

MIMC chairman Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor emphasised the court’s strong endorsement of mediation as a less cumbersome means to settle disputes.

A former Malaysian Bar president, Fareed also said mediation was crucial in alleviating the “substantial backlog” of court cases.

“The mediator will facilitate parties to discuss their problems and find a middle path to resolve it.

“We believe everything can be mediated, except for criminal charges.

“However, mediation is a voluntary process, and no one should be coerced into it,” he told reporters.

He said the mediators’ role is to “put some sense in the involved parties’ heads” for a consensus to be reached.

MIMC has more than 200 registered mediators.

Also present at the event were Justice Surya Kant of India’s Supreme Court and Malaysian Bar president Karen Cheah.