Asian culture should play a stronger role in Singapore’s mediation process, according to the Chief Justice.

Speaking at the launch of the Singapore Mediation Centre’s new online dispute resolution tool, Disputemanager.com, his honour Yong Pung How says mediators should adopt a more interventionist approach to resolving disputes.

In traditional Asian culture, leaders from different racial groups took on a more active role in guiding disputing parties within their communities towards a resolution, Yong told the audience at the launch.

Increased awareness of individual rights and a “dispersal of traditional communities by urbanization” saw the rise of litigation.

Yong says that under the current mediation model, which is based on those of Western countries such as the US and Australia, mediators act more as facilitators, refraining from expressing their own views on the substance of a dispute.

Citing a survey that suggested disputing parties would appreciate guidance in reaching a settlement, Yong says: “With time, I hope to see the Centre develop an Asian model of mediation that tailors interest-based facilitative mediation to suit a predominantly Asian society like that of Singapore. This will provide the Centre with a unique product that it can export to the region.”

Yong says Asian values include a fear of losing “face”, usually a major obstacle to dispute settlement, and putting the interest of country and community before oneself.