Judiciary News and Current Issues

 

​1. The Honourable Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong together with a delegation of judges and judicial officers from the Brunei Darussalam Judiciary attended the 12th Meeting of the Council of ASEAN Chief Justices (CACJ) from 13-15 November 2025 at the invitation of The Honourable the Chief Justice of Singapore Sundaresh Menon. The meeting was attended by the Chief Justices and Heads of Delegations from the ASEAN member states.

2. The Chief Justice attended a series of side-line meetings and seminars alongside the 12th CACJ Meeting. On 14 November, the Brunei Darussalam delegation attended the ASEAN Insolvency Judges Meeting, a Seminar on the Transnational Practice of Law in ASEAN, the ASEAN Insolvency Judges and Practitioners Meeting and the ASEAN Intellectual Property (IP) Judges and Practitioners Meeting. 

3. At the opening session of the 12th Meeting of the CACJ on 15 November, Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong delivered his opening speech alongside fellow ASEAN Chief Justices, Heads of Delegation and the ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General.

4. In his opening speech Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong reaffirmed Brunei Darussalam’s shared commitment to supporting the work of the CACJ to maintain and strengthen international partnerships and regional solidarity among ASEAN judiciaries. He highlighted that “a secure, stable and prosperous ASEAN depends on our ability to adapt our justice systems to new and evolving challenges.” He added that “the well-being of the communities we serve, turns not only on traditional notions of justice but also on how effectively we can address emerging threats such as cybercrime, online scams, human trafficking, while also safeguarding our region from the far-reaching impacts of climate change.” The Chief Justice emphasized that “in confronting these new and complex challenges together, we must remain grounded in the rule of law, a foundation that is essential for our economic progress and social development.”

​5. During the meeting, the ASEAN Chief Justices and Heads of Delegation were presented with reports regarding the activities carried out, achievements made and working plans submitted by the CACJ’s nine working and study groups and two standing meetings of insolvency and intellectual property judges. The present working and study groups are:

i. Working Group on the ASEAN Judiciaries Portal;

ii. Working Group on Civil Proceedings;

iii. Working Group on Case Management and Court Technology;

iv. Working Group on Judicial Education and Training;

v. Working Group on Cross-Border Disputes Involving Children;

vi. Study Group on the Future Work of the CACJ;

vii. Working Group on ASEAN+ Meetings;

viii. Working Group on the Conduct of Videoconferencing Hearings; and

ix. Working Group on Climate Justice.