KOTA KINABALU: The Borneo International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation has launched its Pro Bono Mediation Initiative, here, today, to provide individuals and small businesses with greater access to professional dispute resolution services.
The initiative was officially launched by Deputy Chief Minister II/Minister of Finance Sabah, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun at BICAM Global ADR Horizons 2026.
Masidi said access to justice should not depend solely on a person’s financial capacity, particularly when the costs, time and pressures associated with disputes could affect livelihoods, family businesses, contractors, suppliers and communities.
“The Pro Bono Mediation Initiative brings professional mediation services closer to those who may not otherwise have access to them and provides a credible platform for suitable disputes to be resolved amicably, efficiently and with dignity,” he said.
Developed in collaboration with the courts and supported by the legal and mediation community, the initiative will complement the judicial process by encouraging earlier settlements, reducing unnecessary costs and helping parties resolve disputes before they become more entrenched.
Masidi said mediation was practical, humane and forward-looking as it allowed parties to be heard, preserved relationships and enabled solutions to be shaped by legal rights, commercial realities, community values and common sense.
He also commended the mediators and legal practitioners contributing their time and expertise to the programme, describing pro bono service as an important expression of professional responsibility and commitment to the public good.
Masidi said BICAM’s growth was important not only to the legal profession but also to Sabah, as a strong and independent dispute resolution institution contributed to investor confidence, commercial certainty and the State’s long-term economic competitiveness.
He reaffirmed the State Government’s continued support for BICAM while emphasising that its institutional independence must be preserved.
“Effective dispute resolution is not merely a legal service. It is part of the foundation for economic confidence, good governance and sustainable development,” he said.
BICAM Global ADR Horizons 2026 brought together judges, legal practitioners, arbitrators, mediators, industry leaders, academics and institutional partners to discuss international arbitration, investments, construction disputes, artificial intelligence and the evolving role of alternative dispute resolution in the region.
