What Conciliation Means

Conciliation is the meeting stage almost every dismissal claim in Malaysia passes through before it can reach the Industrial Court.

What It Means

Once your Section 20 representation is filed, an officer from JPPM arranges conciliation, a session where you and your employer sit down to see if the dispute can be settled.

The officer does not decide who is right. Their job is to help both sides find common ground, or to confirm that no agreement is possible.

Why It Matters To You

Inside the meeting itself, solicitors are not permitted to represent either party, so you or your employer’s representative speaks directly to the officer without a lawyer in the room.¹

That makes preparation beforehand more important than usual, since the meeting is often your first real conversation with your employer since the dismissal happened.

What Happens In The Room

Expect a short, informal setting rather than a courtroom. The officer will ask each side what happened and what outcome they want, then look for room to compromise.

If the two sides cannot agree, your case does not stall. It is referred directly to the Industrial Court, without needing a separate ministerial screening step first.²

Bring your dismissal letter, contract, and a short written timeline, since a clear account of dates matters more in the room than a long explanation.