Malaysian Community Mediation

This study investigates the mediations of 127 village leaders (ketua kampungs) and 52 religious leaders (imams) in Malaysia. These mediators rely heavily on techniques of meeting with disputants (separately and together), listening to the disputant's side, information gathering, and calling for concessions. They also use three distinct strategies: a “meet separately†strategy, an assertive strategy, and a strategy based on information gathering. The imams rely more on prayer, moral principles, listening, and third-party advice and call less often for concessions. Imams use a unique “meet together†strategy and prayer strategy.