Can I be forced into arbitration if my contract has an arbitration clause?

Generally, no, not unilaterally. Under the Arbitration Act, Chapter 387 of the Laws of Malta, a valid, written arbitration agreement is binding on the parties, and if you attempt to bring proceedings in the ordinary courts despite an existing arbitration clause covering the dispute, the other party can typically apply to have those court proceedings stayed in favour of arbitration, since Maltese courts generally respect and enforce properly concluded arbitration agreements rather than allowing a party to simply bypass them because court litigation feels more familiar. The main exceptions where a court might still proceed are situations where the arbitration clause itself is found to be invalid, unenforceable, or does not actually cover the specific dispute in question, which is why the exact wording of your arbitration clause matters considerably. Before deciding how to proceed, it would be worth having a lawyer review the specific arbitration clause in your contract to confirm it clearly covers this type of dispute and is validly drafted, and if so, begin the arbitration process by filing a notice with the Malta Arbitration Centre, which administers domestic arbitrations conducted under Maltese law.