5.1      Membership and Categories of Membership

5.1.1   Subject to the provisions in this Constitution, membership of the Institute shall be open for application to any individual whose duties, activities, nature or work and/or business are such as to cause him to deal with, participate in, work in, or be exposed to or otherwise have an interest in the area of law and/or practice of arbitration and/or other means of alternative dispute resolution.

5.1.2   The members of the Institute shall consist of the following categories: Associate Members, Members, Fellows, Honorary Fellows and Retired Fellows / Members.

5.1.3   Unless otherwise provided for herein, every application for membership shall be made in a form which shall be prescribed by Council from time to time, seeking such particulars as Council may require and the same shall be submitted to the Honorary Secretary for Council’s due consideration. Council shall have absolute discretion, including whether or not to provide reasons, when approving or rejecting an application for membership having regard to the requirements for admission that are set out in this Constitution and/or Bye-Laws.

5.1.4   All applicants for membership shall satisfy Council of the following criteria:

(i)    Be 21 years of age and over; and

(ii)   Be in all respects a fit and proper person for admission.

5.2    Additional Requirements for Specific Categories of Membership

5.2.1     An applicant seeking admission as an Associate Member shall, in addition to the requirements set out at Clause 5.1.4 of this Constitution, satisfy Council that he has an interest in the law and practice of arbitration and other means of dispute resolution.

5.2.2     An applicant seeking admission as a Member or Fellow shall, in addition to the requirements set out at Clause 5.1.4 of this Constitution, satisfy Council that:

(i) He has knowledge of the law and practice of arbitration sufficient to qualify him for admission by passing such examination(s) as may be prescribed by Council for the category of membership for which the applicant has applied; and

(ii) He has such experience in the practice of arbitration and/or other means of dispute resolution in a profession, occupation or calling as Council may deem sufficient for the category of membership for which the applicant has applied.

5.3    Exemptions

5.3.1     Notwithstanding the requirements for admission to membership that are set out in this Constitution, Council may, in its discretion, provide for such exemptions and/or waivers as may be thought appropriate.

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5.6      Obligations and Rights of members

5.6.1   Every member, to the best of his ability, shall be bound to advance the objectives and interests of the Institute and shall observe the terms of this Constitution and Bye-Laws of the Institute as well as all rules and/or codes of conduct formulated by Council that are or may come to be placed in force from time to time.

5.6.2   Save for Honorary Fellows, all members shall pay such application fee and/or annual subscription or any other payment as may from time to time be prescribed by Council.

5.6.3   Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, every member, provided that he shall not be in arrears in the payment of any monies due and payable to the Institute, shall be entitled to receive notification of and to attend all General Meetings.

5.6.4   Only Fellows and Members shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings and to stand for and be elected onto Council. 

5.6.5   Only Fellows and Members shall be entitled to requisition for an Extraordinary General Meeting.

5.6.6   Every Honorary Fellow or Fellow or Member or Associate Member shall be entitled to affix the designation (respectively) “Hon.FSIArb” or “FSIArb” or “MSIArb” or “ASIArb” after his name. Retired Fellows and Retired Members shall be entitled to affix the designation “FSIArb (Retd)” or “MSIArb (Retd)” after his name as the case may be.

5.6.7   The privileges of a member shall be personal to himself and shall not be transferable and all such privileges shall cease immediately upon the removal of the member's name from the Register.

With effect from 29 Sept 2022

The three categories of membership in the Institute as per our Constitution are:

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

5.5.1 Associate Members shall be elected by the Council and every candidate for election shall:

5.5.1.1 at the date of application have reached the age of twenty-one (21) years, and

5.5.1.2 hold such professional qualification or have passed such examination as the Council may prescribe, and who have such knowledge of and interest in the subject of arbitration as the Council may deem sufficient to qualify him for admission as an Associate Member.

* An entrance fee of $150.00 and an annual subscription fee of $95.00 are payable. An Associate Member is entitled to affix the initials "ASIArb" after his name.

MEMBERS

5.4.1 Members shall be elected by the Council and every candidate for election shall:

5.4.2 at the date of application have attained the age of twenty-five (25) years; and

5.4.3 hold such professional qualification or have passed such examination as the Council may prescribe; and

5.4.4 have such knowledge and experience of the law and practice of arbitration as the Council may deem sufficient to qualify him for admission as a Member, or

5.4.5 satisfy the Council that he is in all respect a fit and proper person for admission to the Institute.

* An entrance fee of $240.00 and an annual subscription fee of $130.00 are payable. A Member is entitled to affix the initials "MSIArb" after his name.

FELLOWS
5.3.1 Fellows shall be elected by the Council and every candidate for election shall:

5.3.1.1 at the date of application have attained the age of thirty-five (35) years; and

5.3.1.2 Hold such professional qualification or have passed such examination as the Council may prescribe or has been exempted by the Council from any of these requirements; and

5.3.1.3 satisfy the Council that he is in all respects a suitable person for admission as a Fellow; and be able to provide the Council with evidence of his wide knowledge and experience of the law and practice of arbitration in a profession, occupation or calling as the Council may deem sufficient to qualify him to become a Fellow; or

5.3.1.4 Have not or been exempted from any of the requirements as set out in 5.3.1.2

Provided always that the Council may:

5.3.2 in exceptional circumstances waive the requirement that an applicant for election as a Fellow shall have attained the age of thirty-five (35) years.

5.3.3 in the case of candidates holding a professional qualification recognised by the Council as justifying such a waiver, waive the requirement for the completion of a period of supervised training.

* The entrance fee is $310.00 while the annual subscription fee is $215.00. A Fellow is entitled to affix the initials "FSIArb" after his name.

HONORARY FELLOWS

5.2.1  Honorary Fellows must be persons of distinction who by reason of their eminence and experience relating to arbitration, or who appear to the Council to be able to present important assistance in promoting the objects of the Institute. Proposal for election of Honorary Fellow shall be made by the Council of the Institute on its own initiative, and the Council must give a statement of the grounds on which he is recommended, provided always that the Council Members present and voting at the meeting at which the nomination is considered must be unanimous in favour of the nomination to secure its approval.

5.2.2  Honorary Fellows shall be entitled to the ordinary privileges of membership but they shall not be entitled to vote at General Meetings or to take part in the management of the Institute or to be elected as an Officer or a member of the Council, nor shall they be required to pay any entrance fee or annual subscription.

The current Honorary Fellows of the Institute are:

1.  Goh Joon Seng
2. Justice (Rtd) Khoo Leang Huat Warren
3. Tan Boon Chiang

RETIRED FELLOWS AND MEMBERS

5.7.1 Retired Fellows and Members shall be persons who:

5.7.1.1  have reached the age of sixty-five (65) years, and are not still engaged in any occupation directly or indirectly concerned with arbitration; and

5.7.1.2  have no right to vote at General Meetings of the Institute or take part in its management or to be elected as Officer Bearer or member of the Council but shall be required  to pay such annual subscription or other payment as may from time to time be prescribed by the Council;

5.8 If a Retired Fellow or Member does engage in any income earning activities as arbitrator, he shall forthwith   give written notice to the Honorary Secretary. If he wishes to remain as a member of the Institute, he shall apply for reinstatement as a Fellow or as a Member.