The “Pay first Argue Later: Making Sense of Adjudication Under CIPAA 2012” seminar was successful held on 14th May 2013 at the Convention Hall, Block B12, Faculty of Built Environment, UTM. It was jointly organized by the Master of Science in Construction Contract Management Programme, the Department of Quantity Surveying, UTM, the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA) and the Royal Institutions of Surveyors Malaysia, Johor Bahru Branch. The Dean of the Faculty of Built Environment, Associate Professor Dr. Roslan Amirudin had delivered the opening speech and officiated the seminar. In his opening speech he spoke about the importance of understanding the law set out in CIPAA 2012. The sole speaker of the seminar was the distinguished Professor Datuk Sundra Rajoo, the Director of Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA).
In his presentation, Professor Datuk Sundra Rajoo deliberated on the main content of the 2012 Act, its main aims, the conditions and procedures for referring payment disputes to adjudication. He also explained the qualification required to become registered adjudicators. He also informed the participants that KLRCA is the authority that is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Act. The Centre is now drafting the necessary regulations for the purpose of enforcing the Act in June 2013.
The seminar agenda was divided into two sessions. Each session provided informative insights of the CIPAA 2012. The first session was essentially an introduction to statutory adjudication generally and then proceeded with an explanation of the adjudication process, jurisdiction of arbitrator and adjudication authority. The second session concentrated on the CIPAA regulations: registration and administration of adjudication, appointment of adjudicator, costs of adjudication, adjudicator’s fee, adjudication proceedings and exemptions.
This one day event had attracted an impressive 100 participants from various professionals in the construction industry such as architects, quantity surveyors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and the other surveyors. They had actively participated in the question and answer sessions. Several pertinent issues were brought up. The participants’ main concerned was basically about the strategies to embrace the implementation of CIPAA 2012 and the need for more qualified adjudicators. The seminar had receive remarkable support from the industry players and many of them had indicated interest to participate in any upcoming programme.
To the organizing committee of the Seminar on Pay First Argue Later: Making Sense of Adjudication under CIPAA 2012, a hearty congratulation and thank you is surely due for a job well done.