Kuching textile heritage building set for RM10 million arbitration hub upgrade
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A heritage textile museum building in Kuching is to be upgraded into an Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) hub, with RM10 million in Sarawak government funding. Implementation is expected to begin in 2027, not immediately.
Law and Institutional Reform Minister Azalina Othman Said outlined the plan on October 19 after an agreement-exchange ceremony between the state government and AIAC at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex. The ceremony venue is separate from the heritage building selected for the office.
The proposal would give businesses in Sarawak and the wider Borneo region another venue for resolving international commercial disputes, rather than concentrating that activity in Kuala Lumpur. Azalina said the intention went beyond a small branch office, including attracting international lawyers and legal chambers to Kuching.
For local firms, the practical change would be access to dispute-resolution services closer to where they operate. It is not yet an announcement that the new office is accepting cases: the minister said implementation would start next year, including appointments to get operations running.
The RM10 million is an upgrade commitment, while the planned legal services and talent-development opportunities remain outcomes to be delivered. An operational opening date and the eventual arrangements for using the Kuching facility are the next milestones for businesses to watch.
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