My visit to Ipoh for Pre-Mediation Conference

The venue for the Pre-Mediation Conference

Recently, I was appointed to handle a “Court referred” mediation in Ipoh. “Court referred” mediation means that the matter is kept in abeyance in Court while the parties sought private mediation to meet their needs. I have not been to Ipoh for many years and was pretty excited to go there to attend the Pre-Mediation Conference.

Pre-Mediation conference is where the Mediator will explain to the parties what is Mediation, the Mediation process, the objective of Mediation, confidentiality and basically to answer any questions the parties may have. Pre-Mediation is not compulsory but it certainly helps if the parties have not been to a Mediation before. In this particular Mediation, we have quite a number of parties involved. Many of them have not been to a Mediation before, therefore we have to use the Perak Bar as its venue to accommodate everyone.

I was the only passenger in the entire ETS coach!

The first step in getting to Ipoh is to determine the mode of transport. Driving would be too tiring and flying is not an option as there are no longer flights available from KL to Ipoh. Therefore, this only leaves me with one choice and that is by rail. I decided to try the Electric Transit Services (ETS). The time duration for the trip from KL to Ipoh and vice versa ranges from 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours. It depends on whether the train is an express train (meaning there  are no stops and takes 2 hours), limited stops (ie: 7 stops and  takes 2 hours and 15 minutes) or the normal ETS (which means 13 stops and  takes 2 1/2 hours). Due to my schedule, I took the ETS with limited stops to Ipoh and the normal ETS from Ipoh to KL.

The Pre-Mediation Conference was scheduled  in the afternoon. I had plenty of time, so I  decided to take the 10.45am ETS from KL Sentral. My wife, Jennifer dropped me at the station with enough time for a “teh tarik” and some cookies which I brought from home. When it was time to board the train, there were a number of charming stewardesses guiding us but  somehow I found myself in the wrong coach. Nevertheless, I just sat in that coach since it was empty. When the train was moving, the stewardess came to collect my ticket and informed me that I was sitting in the wrong coach. When I was going to remove my things, she just smiled and said, “It is going to be quite a long walk. Why don’t you just sit here and be comfortable?” I smiled and thanked her. Since the coach was empty, I had all the seats to myself. During the entire journey, I was surfing the internet with my IPAD 3G while listening to my MP3. I made a few phone calls to my friends Kenny Lai (lawyer and mediator) and Leong Cheok Keng (lawyer) who are practicing in Ipoh, to see if they are available for lunch. Both of them had prior appointments, so lunch will be very much on my own.

My lunch at the Old Town White Coffee in Ipoh

For lunch, Kenny Lai recommended me Miner’s Arm which unfortunately was closed, so I proceed to the Old Town White Coffee. I had the kway teow soup and their famous white coffee. I must say the kway teow was really smooth and soft. It virtually melted in my mouth. The service was excellent and the waiter who was not much older than me called me “Uncle” which I thought was quite amusing.

After lunch, I went to the Perak Bar for the Pre-Mediation Conference. During the Pre-Mediation Conference, I applied the “mirroring” technique to make the parties comfortable.  I was matching and synchronising my movements with the parties. The Pre-Mediation Conference lasted about an hour. 

With my old buddy, Edwin Gomez

After the Pre-Mediation Conference, I had about 2 hours of layover time before my ETS to KL. I decided to call up an old friend, Edwin Gomez whom I have not seen for years. Edwin Gomez used to work as the General Manager in one of the leading banks in KL. Today, he is retired and living in Ipoh. He dedicated a lot of his time in doing charity work. He helps out in the soup kitchen for the poor and homeless three times a week. Way to go, Edwin! Edwin came and picked me up for some hot thosai, "koli varuval" (dried chicken curry) and a round of “teh tarik”. Before I left I took a photo of Edwin and myself for we do not know when we will see each other again.

On my way back to KL on the ETS, it was raining heavily. This time, I got into the right coach. The coach was packed with every seat taken except the one next to mine. It was a relief but a bit awkward. As a Mediator, I am used to people approaching me and talking to me but when that did not happen, I felt strange but a good feeling nevertheless!