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On Monday 4th of May 2009, Mr. Jeremy Joseph, the Chairman of the Shipping and Admiralty Law Committee, Mr. Tony Woon the treasurer of the Bar Council, and Ms. Ahalya Mahendra, who is a member of the Shipping and Admiralty Law Committee met the Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat to discuss the setting up of an admiralty court.  Also present at the meeting were Dato’ Captain Hj Abdul Rahim Abd Aziz (Special Maritime Advisor, MOT), En.Abdullah Basiron (Secretary, Maritime Division, MOT), Dato’ Captain Ahmad (Director-General, Jabatan Laut Semenanjung Malaysia).

 

Mr. Jeremy Joseph advanced a good case for the setting up of an Admiralty Court in the country. He said that our maritime laws are lagging behind other countries and that we are losing out to Singapore.  He said that the industry would benefit from a centralised one stop centre in Kuala Lumpur for the hearing of maritime related cases and the appointment of a specialist judge well versed in the issues.  In addition to the setting up of an admiralty court, he said that we also need to institute a proper system for Maritime Arbitration and mediation.

Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat welcomed the idea and added that the Admiralty Court issue was discussed earlier that day during an Economic Council meeting. He said that in the event it is set up, he would like to get the Bar Council and media involved in the branding process.

Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat also said that he welcomed more regular contacts with the professional bodies, like the Bar Council.  He said he would write to the Chief Justice to support the Bar Council’s proposal to set up the Admiralty Court as soon as possible.