President
The President is elected at the General Assembly and holds office upon his election until the election of a new President at the next General Assembly. The President chairs all sessions of the General Assembly and the Governing Council. As the chief executive, he exercises general supervision over all ALA activities and ensures that the resolutions of the General Assembly or the Governing Council are implemented.
The Right Honourable Tun Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat was elected President on 21 Oct 2023 at the 14th General Assembly held in Malaysia. Prior to her election, she was the Chair of the ALA National Committee of Malaysia.
Her Ladyship was was born in Kota Bharu, Kelantan on 2 July 1959. Her Ladyship read law at University of Malaya and graduated with honours in 1982.
Her Ladyship began her career in the legal field as a Legal Officer at the Southern Kelantan Development Board (KESEDAR) in 1982 and later in 1984, as a Legal Officer at the Municipal Council of Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. Her Ladyship joined the Judicial and Legal Service in 1986 as an Assistant Parliamentary Draftsman, at the Drafting Division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers. Subsequently, her Ladyship served as a Magistrate at the Port Dickson Court, as a Federal Counsel at the Kuala Terengganu Legal Aid Bureau, as a Senior Assistant Registrar at the High Court at Seremban, as a Deputy Registrar at the High Court of Kuala Lumpur, as a Special Officer to the Right Honourable Chief Judge of Malaya, as a Special Officer to the Right Honourable Chief Justice, as a Judge of the Sessions Court at Kuala Lumpur cum Special Officer to the Right Honourable Chief Justice, and as the Registrar of the High Court of Malaya cum Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia. Her Ladyship’s final posting in the Judicial and Legal Service was as the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia from 2005 to 2006.
On 2 October 2006, Her Ladyship was appointed as a Judicial Commissioner of the High Court of Malaya at Kuala Lumpur. On 5 September 2007, Her Ladyship was elevated as a Judge of the High Court of Malaya at Kuala Lumpur. Her Ladyship also had the experience of serving as a Judge of the High Court of Malaya at Shah Alam, Selangor.
On 8 January 2013, Her Ladyship’s final posting as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. On 26 November 2018, Her Ladyship was appointed as a Judge of the Federal Court. On 2 May 2019, Her Ladyship was appointed as the Chief Justice of Malaysia.
Vice Presidents
The Chair of the National Committee of each ASEAN country is ex-officio a Vice President.
The seniority of the Vice-Presidents is in the alphabetical order of the names of the ASEAN countries, following the country of the President.
Secretary-General
The Secretary-General heads the Secretariat, the principal office of ALA. She has custody of the seal and records of ALA, attends and keeps minutes of all sessions and meetings of the General Assembly and the Governing Council, and appoints ALA employees and agents. The Council or President may prescribe other functions to her or require her to discharge other duties from time to time.
Ms. Bharti Seth was elected as the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Law Association (ALA) on 21st October 2023 at the 14th General Assembly held in Malaysia.
Ms. Seth is the founder and principal of Bharti Seth & Associates, a boutique legal firm in Kuala Lumpur, established in 1993. Prior to founding her own firm, Ms. Seth was a partner in the dispute resolution department of one of Malaysia’s largest and most prestigious law firms. For over three decades, her practice has been exclusively dedicated to high courts and appellate courts. She specializes in a broad range of areas, including corporate and commercial litigation, shareholder disputes, banking matters, construction issues, intellectual property, land disputes, estate conflicts, and family law.
Her contribution to ASEAN Law Association of Malaysia (ALA Malaysia) is extensive, having served in various significant positions. She served as the Hon. Treasurer of ALA Malaysia from 1985 to 1991 and from 1995 to 2006. She was the Hon. Secretary of ALA Malaysia from 2007 to 2024. Additionally, she has also served as the Acting Secretary General of the ASEAN Law Association from 2003 to 2004.
Ms. Seth is actively engaged in a variety of legal and professional organizations. She has represented the Malaysian Bar as Counsel and has contributed as a member of both the Rules Committee and the Social Committee. From 2003 to 2024, she played a pivotal role as an active Committee Member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn Alumni Association, Malaysia. Additionally, she has been a member of the Medico-Legal Society of Malaysia from 1987 to 2024 and the Inns of Court Malaysia from 2016 to 2024.
Ms. Seth was called to the Bar of England and Wales at the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in 1978 and she was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1979.
She is also empanelled as an Arbitrator since 2006 with the then Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration, now known as Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC). Ms. Seth is currently both an Arbitrator and an Adjudicator with the AIAC and she continues to assume these roles till today.
