Covid-19 Mediation Centre to swiftly resolve disputes

KUALA LUMPUR: The Covid19 Mediation Centre (PMC-19) is capable of swiftly resolving disputes between two parties affected by measures taken by the government to contain the Covid19 pandemic.

PMC-19 manager Sufian Hassan said the centre was established by the government as a platform to assist the public, including traders, resolve disputes due to the inability to perform contractual obligations without having to go through the court process.

Sufian said there were still many who were unaware of the role played by PMC-19, and making them clear was one of the main challenges faced by the centre, especially when it comes to helping Malaysians affected by the pandemic.

“The mediation platform is a quick alternative solution and has been widely practised around the world and this process helps a lot when it comes to outstanding cases in court. “The term mediation is rarely used, but if we look at most cases resolved out of court, they were also part of the mediation process,” he said in an interview on Bernama Radio yesterday.

PMC-19 was set up specifically to handle commercial disputes for contract categories as provided in Section 7 of the Temporary Measures for Reducing the Impact of Coronavirus Diseases 2019 (Covid-19) 2020 (Act 829), namely construction work contracts, construction consulting contracts and other contracts relating to the supply of materials, equipment or construction workers.

Act 892 was gazetted on Oct 23 last year and among others, it provides relief to contractual obligations that could not be implemented as a result of measures taken by the government to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

For further details, the public can visit www.pmc19.gov.my or its Facebook page, Pusat Mediasi Covid-19.