SINGAPORE - Community mediation has to be the first step in resolving neighbour disputes, and Singapore’s approach is less about determining fault and more about preserving relationships, said Law Minister Edwin Tong on April 11.

He said that the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) shows that mediation works – about 80 per cent of its cases are successfully resolved.

“Mediation tends to be successful, if you bring parties together,” he said at the Institute of International Mediators Annual Conference 2026 at York Hotel Singapore.

“They know that they are neighbours, they know that they are contracting parties. They know that they got to work with one another... (Mediation) is therefore a natural first step in resolving community disputes, and overall, preserving that very important social fabric and trust in Singapore.”

But it remains a challenge for people to choose mediation, if it is left to the parties to do so on their own, he said.

Fewer than 30 per cent of cases registered with the centre proceed to mediation, as parties may hesitate over who should make the first move.

There are concerns about pride, appearing weak or “losing face”, Mr Tong said.

To address this, legislative changes were introduced in 2025 to give authorised officers the power to require disputing parties to attend mandatory mediation sessions.

If disputes persist, the Community Relations Unit can step in with abatement orders to address the underlying nuisance directly.

The framework has been piloted in Tampines over the past year. Mr Tong said the Government has studied its effectiveness and is refining its processes before expanding it.

Mediation sessions are not about establishing blame, he stressed.

“It is not about determining... fault or who is liable. It is about finding a solution that is common to both,” he said, noting that officers do ...