ILR Bulletin, Vol 1 2007
December 2007

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INDUSTRIAL LAW REPORTS ISSUE 12 of 2007

Breach of company rules and policies - Alleged cheating - Claimant issued with petrol card - No guidelines or directions as to usage - Claimant using card on a Sunday - Whether reasons proffered acceptable - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20(3) & 30(5)
Mohd Faizal Mohd Zaihan v. Prime Medic (M) Sdn Bhd
(Chew Soo Ho) [2007] 4 ILR 717

Breach of company rules and policies - Alleged cheating - Not stipulated in termination letter - No show cause letter issued by respondent - Effect of - Whether respondent had proven allegation of cheating against claimant - Whether claimant possessed the necessary intention - Effect of - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Mohd Faizal Mohd Zaihan v. Prime Medic (M) Sdn Bhd
(Chew Soo Ho) [2007] 4 ILR 717

Breach of company rules and policies - Claimant issued warning letter for late attendance prior to this - No recurrence of late attendance thereafter - Whether respondent could rely on spent misconduct to dismiss the claimant - Whether the respondent had condoned the claimant’s behaviour - Effect of - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Mohd Faizal Mohd Zaihan v. Prime Medic (M) Sdn Bhd
(Chew Soo Ho) [2007] 4 ILR 717

Breach of company rules and policies - Gross Negligence - Claimant failing to lock safe before going on leave - Banks procedural guidelines not followed - No losses suffered by the bank - Effect of - Bank losing trust and confidence in claimant - Whether claimant had breached duty and standard of care - Claimants position and length of service - Whether relevant - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Hongkong Bank Malaysia Berhad v. Jaafar Ahmad Thani
(Mohd Amin Firdaus Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 601

Breach of company rules and policies - Gross negligence - Whether claimants past acts of negligence could be used against him - Past acts of negligence unrelated to present act - When past records should be taken into account - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Hongkong Bank Malaysia Berhad v. Jaafar Ahmad Thani
(Mohd Amin Firdaus Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 601

Constructive dismissal - Benefits - Incentive sharing scheme - Whether it was agreed between the parties - Company paying the claimant some monies - Whether those monies were bonus payments - Whether company had proven bonus payments - Effect of - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Elya Designs Sdn Bhd v. Noor Affendi Md Ali
(Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 517

Constructive dismissal - Change in job function - Claimant suspected of misconduct and put on suspension - Prolonged suspension - Domestic Inquiry postponed several time - Whether claimant was partly to be blamed for his prolonged suspension - Effect of - Claimant asked to come back on temporary deployment to new position - Compliance by claimant - Claimant then requesting company for reinstatement to original position - Company not responding or complying - Claimant walking out of employment - Claimant claiming constructive dismissal - Effect of - Whether proper - Conduct of company - Whether mala fide - Whether fundamental breach of terms of employment - Whether justified claimant walking out of employment - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Securicor (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd v. Sithembaram AR Thuraisamy Pillay
(Zura Yahya) [2007] 4 ILR 508

Constructive dismissal - Change in job function - Claimant claiming constructive dismissal after performing temporary job function for over a month - Effect of - Whether it constituted delay on his part - Whether claimant had acquiesced to being in new position - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Securicor (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd v. Sithembaram AR Thuraisamy Pillay
(Zura Yahya) [2007] 4 ILR 508

Constructive dismissal - Change in salary - Claimant’s salary being reduced from a monthly salary to that based on an hourly rate - Reasons for the same - Whether it was a unilateral change - Effect of - Calculation of hourly rate of pay - Whether proper - Conduct of company - Whether mala fide - Whether fundamental breach of terms of employment - Whether justified claimant walking out of employment - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Elya Designs Sdn Bhd v. Noor Affendi Md Ali
(Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 517

Constructive dismissal - Hours of work - Claimant failing to attend at the office - Whether company had agreed to allow him flexi hours - Previous conduct of company - Effect of - Whether company’s method of ascertaining claimant’s attendance was accurate - Many employees of company not adhering to company’s attendance procedure - Claimant only one reduced to hourly rated employee - Whether there was disparity between treatment of claimant and other employees of the company - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Elya Designs Sdn Bhd v. Noor Affendi Md Ali
(Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 517

Constructive dismissal - Status - Claimant given new contract - Claimant not consulted on terms of new contract - Effect of - Terms less favourable - Effect of - Important terms in original contract of employment not included - Whether fundamental breach of terms of employment - Whether justified claimant walking out of employment - Whether there was a delay on claimant’s part in walking out - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Elya Designs Sdn Bhd v. Noor Affendi Md Ali
(Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 517

Fixed term contract - Claimant being terminated before duration of contract completed - No reasons adduced for the same - Confusion as to actual duration of contract - Effect of - Conduct of the respondent - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
KPMG Consulting (ASPAC) Sdn Bhd v. Christopher M Meneze
(Franklin Goonting) [2007] 4 ILR 678

Misconduct - Claimant forwarding e-mail meant as a joke - Company taking the contents of the e-mail seriously - Company not in possession of e-mail attachment - Whether the company had a duty to investigate the validity of contents before taking action - Whether the company had acted fairly - Company accepting claimant’s resignation based on contents of e-mail - Whether equitable - Effect of - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Overseas Courier Services (M) Sdn Bhd. v. Yeak Sing Meow
(Chew Soo Ho) [2007] 4 ILR 621

Misconduct - Claimant forwarding e-mail meant as a joke - Contents of e-mail had not specifically mentioned resignation - E-mail not addressed or directed to company - Claimant confronted on contents 2 months after e-mail sent out - Effect of - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Overseas Courier Services (M) Sdn Bhd. v. Yeak Sing Meow
(Chew Soo Ho)  [2007] 4 ILR 621

Misconduct - Malingering - Claimant on sick leave but spotted in a shopping complex - Whether her explanation had been acceptable to the bank - Whether the bank had managed to prove the misconduct against the claimant - Effect of - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20(3) & 30(5)
Ambank Berhad v. Rasidah Othman
(Mohd Amin Firdaus Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 656

Misconduct - Whether claimant had indicated an intention to resign - Claimant put on suspension and then given time limit of an hour to pack - Claimant escorted out of the office by police - Whether that constituted reasonable conduct by the company for someone under suspension - Effect of - Whether the claimant had left the office voluntarily - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Overseas Courier Services (M) Sdn Bhd. v. Yeak Sing Meow
(Chew Soo Ho) [2007] 4 ILR 621

Misconduct - Whether proven by company - Whether sufficient proof adduced by company - Company condoning such practises in the past - Delay of 8 years by company in bringing it up - No reasons adduced for the delay - Whether company had successfully discharged its evidential burden - Effect of - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Sugantheran Thangavelu v. TDM Berhad
(Mary Shakila Azariah) [2007] 4 ILR 691

Misconduct - Whether claimant singled out - Claimant complying with company procedures at all material times - Effect of - Whether the company had been on a fault finding mission - Intention of company - Whether mala fides existed - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Sugantheran Thangavelu v. TDM Berhad
(Mary Shakila Azariah) [2007] 4 ILR 691

Notice of termination - Forced resignation - Circumstances under which claimant tendered resignation letter - Whether claimant coerced to tender resignation letter - Whether proven - Whether the claimant had indicated any intention to resign prior to resignation letter - Conduct of respondent officers - Treatment of claimant after tendering his resignation letter - Whether claimant had been dismissed with just cause and excuse by the company - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20(3) & 30(5)
William Gohumpul v. Chubb Malaysia Sdn Bhd
(P Iruthayaraj D Pappusamy) [2007] 4 ILR 562

Notice of termination - Manner in which claimant was terminated - Whether it smacked of victimization - Claimant’s letter of employment issued by respondent - Whether claimant merely on secondment at respondent company - Whether the claimant was a workman within the definition of the Industrial Relations Act 1967 - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 2 & 20(3)
KPMG Consulting (ASPAC) Sdn Bhd v. Christopher M Meneze
(Franklin Goonting) [2007] 4 ILR 678

Retrenchment - Redundancy - Company undergoing reorganization - New Managing Director not using claimant’s services - Claimant’s services slowly phased out to other employees - Effect of - Claimant terminated based on a redundant job description - Whether carried out by the company bona fide - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Erramah Narasiah v. OSN Network Sdn Bhd
(Rajendran Nayagam) [2007] 4 ILR 637

Retrenchment - Redundancy - Whether claimant had notice of retrenchment - Whether claimant ought to have known - Whether company should have discussed the matter with the claimant at the outset - Whether principles of natural justice came into play - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Erramah Narasiah v. OSN Network Sdn Bhd
(Rajendran Nayagam) [2007] 4 ILR 637

Victimisation - Whether claimant had managed to prove existence - Effect of - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20(3) & 30(5)
Ambank Berhad v. Rasidah Othman
(Mohd Amin Firdaus Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 656

Procedural impropriety - Whether findings of domestic inquiry had been arrived at fairly - Effect of - Whether the defect had been cured during hearing before the Court - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 30(5)
Sugantheran Thangavelu v. TDM Berhad
(Mary Shakila Azariah) [2007] 4 ILR 691

Documentary evidence - Production of Bank Negara Malaysia reports - Whether the Industrial Court could compel production - Banking secrecy involved - Whether Industrial Court came within the exceptions under s. 16 of the Central Bank of Malaysia Act 1958 - Banking & Financial Institutions Act 1989, ss. 97, 98, 98A & Central Bank of Malaysia Act 1958, s. 16
Malayan Banking Berhad v. Mohd Naim Abdullah & Anor Case
(Siti Saleha Abu Bakar) [2007] 4 ILR 586

Witness - Credibility - Contradictions - Reliance to be placed on witness - Evidence Act 1950
Elya Designs Sdn Bhd v. Noor Affendi Md Ali
(Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 517

Witnesses - Credibility of - Contradictory evidence given by witnesses - Effect of - Whether believable - Whether claimant had been dismissed with just cause and excuse by the company - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20(3)
William Gohumpul v. Chubb Malaysia Sdn Bhd
(P Iruthayaraj D Pappusamy) [2007] 4 ILR 562

Witness - Material contradictions between earlier testimony to bank’s witness and testimony in court - Effect of - Reliability of witness - Evidentiary value of his testimony - Medical witness not giving reasons for findings - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20(3) & 30(5)
Ambank Berhad v. Rasidah Othman
(Mohd Amin Firdaus Abdullah) [2007] 4 ILR 656

Procedure - Action - Adjournment of matter sine die - Whether Court had inherent jurisdiction to do - Whether expressly provided for in the Industrial Relations Act - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20, 29, 30(5) & 30(6)
Misran Tamam v. Pembangunan Pertanian Melaka Sdn Bhd
(Ong Geok Lan) [2007] 4 ILR 553

Procedure - Action - Transfer - Relative hardship suffered by parties - Effect of - Factors to consider - Financial Hardship - Whether only criteria to be taken into account - Industrial Relations Act 1967,
ss. 20(3) & Industrial Relations Regulations 1967, reg. 5
Sudirman Wan Mansor v. Kelab Golf Sarawak
(Ong Geok Lan) [2007] 4 ILR 501

Procedure - Action - Reinstatement application - Matter struck off as claimant had failed to comply with court directions - Many adjournments given to claimant to comply - Effect of - Claimant unable to afford legal counsel - Whether claimant had put forward good reasons to justify reinstatement - Industrial Relations Act 1967,
ss. 20(3) & 30(5)
Soon Ho Ping v. Bukit Kiara Resort Berhad
(Syed Ahmad Radzi Syed Omar) [2007] 4 ILR 650

Remedies - Compensation - Backwages - Whether Court had power to cap backwages to 24 months - Harun J practise direction - Not expressly provided for in the Industrial Relations Act 1967 - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20 & 30(5)
MBF Insurance Berhad v. Alphonse Raj JMS Nathan
(Tan Yeak Hui) [2007] 4 ILR 593

Remedies - Compensation - Backwages - Whether should be limited to 24 months - History of awards - Effect of - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 30 (5), 30 (6) item 1 and 3 Second Schedule & Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2007 (D.R.32/2007) cl. 22
World Technical Rubber Products Sdn Bhd v. Siau Hee Hin
(Soo Ai Lin) [2007] 4 ILR 667

Remedies - Compensation - Post dismissal income - Whether should be taken into account - Circumstances to consider - Industrial Relations Act 1967
KPMG Consulting (ASPAC) Sdn Bhd v. Christopher M Meneze
(Franklin Goonting) [2007] 4 ILR 678

Remedies - Compensation - Whether claimant had contributed to his dismissal - Claimant failing to mitigate his loss - Effect of - Claimant holding managerial position in company - Standard of conduct expected of him - Effect of - Claimant failing to explain the contents of the e-mail satisfactorily to the company - Whether dismissal without just cause or excuse - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 30(6)
Overseas Courier Services (M) Sdn Bhd. v. Yeak Sing Meow
(Chew Soo Ho) [2007] 4 ILR 621

Remedies - Reinstatement - Factors to consider - Claimant’s job still in existence in company - Increase in company sales and revenue - Change in management of company as opposed to ownership - Whether conducive to industrial harmony - Claimant’s reputation affected as industry very small - Effect of - Whether company had adduced evidence to justify a departure from the rule of reinstatement - Industrial Relations Act 1967, ss. 20(3) & 30 (5)
World Technical Rubber Products Sdn Bhd v. Siau Hee Hin
(Soo Ai Lin) [2007] 4 ILR 667

Remedies - Retirement benefits - Whether claimant entitled to payments under retirement scheme - Claimant reaching age of retirement whilst case pending before the Court - Effect of - Whether equitable and just for claimant to be awarded retirement benefits - Industrial Relations Act 1967, s. 20(3)
Securicor (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd v. Sithembaram AR Thuraisamy Pillay
(Zura Yahya) [2007] 4 ILR 508

Ketidakpatuhan terhadap polisi syarikat - YM tidur sewaktu masa kerja - Samada syarikat berjaya membuktikannya - Pengeluaran syarikat tidak terjejas - Samada pembuangan kerja YM adalah tanpa alasan atau sebab yang adil - Akta Mahkamah Perusahaan 1967, s. 20(3)
Ramatex Textiles Industrial Sdn Bhd lwn. Mat Sapuan Samion
(Abdul Aziz Khalidin) [2007] 4 ILR 485

Ketidakpatuhan terhadap polisi syarikat - YM tidur sewaktu masa kerja - Kesalahan pertama YM - YM telah berkhidmat dengan syarikat selama 10 tahun - Samada syarikat sepatutnya mengambil kira rekod perkhidmatan YM - Kesannya - Samada hukuman pembuangan kerja yang dijatuhkan oleh syarikat terlalu berat - Samada pembuangan kerja YM adalah tanpa alasan atau sebab yang adil - Akta Mahkamah Perusahaan 1967, s. 20(3)
Ramatex Textiles Industrial Sdn Bhd lwn. Mat Sapuan Samion
(Abdul Aziz Khalidin) [2007] 4 ILR 485

Notis penamatan - Samada YM didorong oleh responden untuk meletak jawatan - Samada responden telah menjanjikan pembayaran "retrenchment benefits" kepada YM - Andaian berdasarkan fakta kes dan keterangan - Tempoh perkhidmatan YM dengan responden - Kesannya - Samada pembuangan kerja adalah tanpa alasan atau sebab yang adil - Akta Mahkamah Perusahaan 1967, s. 20(3)
Francis Xavier Sinnappan Pillai lwn. OE Design Sdn Bhd
(Siti Khadijah Sheikh Hassan) [2007] 4 ILR 494

Notis penamatan - Samada kelakuan YM telah memburukkan kesnya - YM tidak mematuhi peraturan - peraturan syarikat - YM datang lewat ke pejabat tanpa alasan - Kesannya - Jawatan yang dipegang oleh YM - Samada pembuangan kerja adalah tanpa alasan atau sebab yang adil - Akta Mahkamah Perusahaan 1967, s. 20(3)
Francis Xavier Sinnappan Pillai lwn. OE Design Sdn Bhd
(Siti Khadijah Sheikh Hassan) [2007] 4 ILR 494

Prosidur - Tindakan - YM telah menulis kepada Jabatan Perhubungan Perusahaan - YM kemudiannya telah menulis kepada Pengarah Perhubungan Perusahaan - Samada aduan YM telah dibuat di luar jangkamasa yang ditetapkan bawah Akta Perhubungan Perusahaan 1967 ("Akta") - Surat mana yang merupakan aduan YM - Samada kedua-dua surat tersebut boleh dibaca bersama - Samada peruntukan Akta telah dipatuhi - Samada mahkamah mempunyai bidangkuasa untuk menentukan jika aduan telah dibuat di dalam jangkamasa yang ditetapkan di bawah Akta - Kesannya - Akta Perhubungan Perusahaan 1967, ss. 20(1), 20(1A), 20(3) dan 30(5) & Akta Kerja 1955 s. 69
Zahari Ibrahim lwn. Lee Wah Sawmill Sdn Bhd
(Abd Rahman Abdol) [2007] 4 ILR 643

Remedi - Pampasan - Samada YM telah dijanjikan "retrenchment benefits" oleh responden - Bukti - Jumlah global - Akta Mahkamah Perusahaan 1967
Francis Xavier Sinnappan Pillai lwn. OE Design Sdn Bhd
(Siti Khadijah Sheikh Hassan) [2007] 4 ILR 494

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