Attorney General of Brunei Nor Hashimah attends the ASEAN Law Forum 2025　

The Honourable Attorney General, Datin Seri Paduka Hjh Nor Hashimah binti Haji Muhammed Taib and officers from the Attorney General's Chambers attended the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 from August 19 to August 21, 2025, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia.

The opening of the ASEAN Law Forum 2025, hosted under Malaysia's Chairmanship of ASEAN, was launched by the Honourable Minister at the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), Dato'Sri Azalina Othman said, on August 19, 2025. It was attended by ASEAN Law Ministers and Vice Ministers, and the Minister of Law of Timor-Leste, as well as ASEAN senior law officials and high officials of ASEAN Dialogue Partners, including Japan's Vice Minister of Justice, and international legal experts from organizations such as the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Asian International Arbitration Centre and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). Through the plenary sessions and thematic parallel sessions, the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 engaged in high-level discussions with the objectives of providing a platform for dialogue on enhancing access to justice, strengthening legal cooperation, and promoting inclusive growth in the digital age.

The ASEAN Law Forum unites officials, practitioners, legal experts, policymakers and stakeholders from ASEAN member states and dialogue partners to participate in discussions on current matters related to ASEAN legal systems. The aim is to strengthen cooperation and the rule of law, and build an ASEAN Community that is inclusive, resilient, and future-ready.

Aligned with the theme "Enhancing Access to Justice in ASEAN Economic Community: Bridging Legal Cooperation for Inclusive Growth", the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 focused on advancing international commercial arbitration and mediation. It also addressed a broader range of contemporary legal issues and challenges comprehensively in areas relating to cross-border insolvency, online safety, cyber-related crimes, AI-driven legal innovation, and good governance.

The central outcome of the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 is the adoption of the Joint Statement on International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Development by the ASEAN Law Ministers on August 21, 2025. It was gracefully witnessed by Yang Amat Berhormat Dato'Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia. Also, in attendance at the ceremony was His Excellency Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary General of ASEAN. The Joint Statement declared and acknowledged commitments in vital areas such as regional economic development through alignment with existing international standard, leveraging innovation and technology and enhancing access to justice. This Joint Statement is also among the key deliverables of Malaysia's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025.

A group photo of the ASEAN Law Ministers and ASEAN Secretary General with YAB Dato'Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, along with the Attorney General of Malaysia at the ceremony of the Adoption of the Joint Statement on International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Development on August 21, 2025, at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. [Photo source:asean.org]

Adoption and Affirmation of Joint Statement on International Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Development by ASEAN Law Ministers. [Photo source:ASEAN Secretariat]