09 Feb 2026

MLJ Alerts: Feb 2026 (Appellate Court)

The Malayan Law Journal Alerts is a complimentary blog series that brings the most recently published case reports powered by Lexis+® Malaysia.

Quote of the Month

" [35] ... The Federal Constitution recognises that the Rulers have prerogatives that are both ordinary and discretionary, pardon falling in the latter. However, these powers are not unlimited and there are safeguards and limits to be observed, according to the Constitution which provides for the powers. Ultimately, these powers must be exercised judiciously and for the public good."

- Alice Loke J

Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Hj Abd Razak v Menteri Dalam Negeri & Ors [2026] 7 MLJ 818 [HC]

Week 1 Updates

1. Pengerang Refining Company Sdn Bhd v Sinopec Engineering (Group) Co Ltd & Anor and another appeal [2026] 1 MLJ 636 [CA]

Coram AZMI ARIFFIN, MOHD FIRUZ AND ONG CHEE KWAN JJCA
Catchwords Contract — Performance bond — Whether call on bond unconscionable
Outcome Both appeals dismissed.
Counsel Names

  • Lim Chee Wee (with Marcus Tan Seng Peng and Eunice Kwong Sook Wen) (Ricky Tan & Co) for the appellant (defendant).• Sanjay Mohan (with Muhd Naazraj and Siew Suet Mey) (Sanjay Mohan) for the appellant.

  • Thayananthan a/l Baskaran (with Ng Faye Xiang and Leezzie John) (Baskaran) for the respondent.

2. Mohammad Abdullah bin Mohamed lwn Pendakwa Raya [2026] 1 MLJ 647 [CA]

Coram AHMAD ZAIDI IBRAHIM, AZMAN ABDULLAH AND AZMI ARIFFIN HHMR
Catchwords Prosedur Jenayah — Rayuan — Rayuan terhadap sabitan dan hukuman
Outcome Rayuan tertuduh terhadap sabitan dan hukuman ditolak; keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi dikekalkan.
Counsel Names

  • Afifuddini Ahmad Hafifi (Aina Melina bersamanya) (Salehuddin Saidin & Assoc) bagi pihak perayu.

  • Asmah Musa (Solehah Noratikah Ismail bersamanya) (Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Jabatan Peguam Negara) bagi pihak pendakwaan.

3. Minister of Finance & Ors v Natsteel Holdings Pte Ltd [2026] 1 MLJ 699 [CA]

Coram RAVINTHRAN, SEE MEE CHUN AND WAN AHMAD FARID JJCA
Catchwords Civil Procedure — Judicial review — Certiorari
Outcome Appeal allowed and High Court's decision set aside.
Counsel Names

  • Afifuddini Ahmad Hafifi (Aina Melina bersamanya) (Salehuddin Saidin & Assoc) bagi pihak perayu.• Kogilambigai Muthusamy (Federal Counsel, Attorney General's Chamber) for the appellants.

  • Ho Pui Yan (with Manshan Singh) (Skrine) for the respondent.

4. Lee Kean Choon v Khoo San & Ors [2026] 1 MLJ 936 [FC]

Coram WAN AHMAD FARID CHIEF JUSTICE, VAZEER ALAM AND LEE SWEE SENG FCJJ
Catchwords Land Law — Jurisdiction of the court — Appeals to the court
Outcome Appeal allowed with costs here and below in the sum of RM30,000 against first respondent and RM20,000 against second and third respondents respectively; decisions of both High Court and Court of Appeal set aside.
Counsel Names

  • M Rajenthirakumar R Malaiapan (with Tee Tai Tzian, Lee Lin Jun and Hiu Yeat Fong) (Tee Tai Tzian & Sim) for the appellant.

  • Terence Chan Kah Meng (with Chai Bitt Yen and Yeap Xi Jin) (Ting & Ting) for the first respondent.

  • Hani Aziza bt Ismail @ Aziz (with Namirah Hanum bt Mohamed Albaki and Nur Syafinaz Hayati bt Kamarrudin) (Selangor State Legal Advisor's Office) for the second and third respondents.

 

Week 2 Updates

1.Gumusut-Kakap Semi-Floating Production System (Labuan) Ltd v Sabah Shell Petroleum Co Ltd and another appeal [2026] 1 MLJ 710 [CA]

Coram CHE MOHD RUZIMA, WONG KIAN KHEONG AND ONG CHEE KWAN JJCA
Catchwords Arbitration — Arbitral tribunal (‘AT’) — Jurisdiction
Outcome GK's appeal allowed in part and arbitral tribunal’s award varied.
Counsel Names

  • Cyrus Das (with Lim Chee Wee, Lee Shih, Kwan Will Sen, Muayyad bin Khairulmaini and Emily Ho Mei Li) (Lim Chee Wee Partnership) for the appellant.

  • Christopher Leong Sau Foo (with Janet Chai Pei Ying, Chloe Chew Khe Ying and Umesh Nerwin Nair a/l Sivakumar) (Chooi & Co) for the respondent.

2. Public Islamic Bank Bhd v Edwin Cassian a/l Nagappan @ Marie [2026] 1 MLJ 793 [CA]

Coram AZIZAH NAWAWI, COLLIN SEQUERAH AND ALWI ABDUL WAHAB JJCA
Catchwords Hire Purchase — Repossession — Instalments in arrears
Outcome Appeal allowed; decision of the High Court judge set aside; decision of magistrate court reinstated with no order as to costs.
Counsel Names

  • Tan Hong Kait (with Divani Keruna Nithi) (Sidek Teoh Wong & Dennis) for the appellant.

  • Absent for the respondent.

3. Iris Corp Bhd v Tan Sri Razali bin Ismail & Ors [2026] 1 MLJ 807 [CA]

Coram RAVINTHRAN, CHOO KAH SING AND AHMAD FAIRUZ JJCA
Catchwords Companies and Corporations — Directors — Breach of duty
Outcome Appeal dismissed with costs; decision of JC affirmed.
Counsel Names

  • Siew Yew Ming (with Chan Mun Fei and Ng Seng Yi) (Raja Eleena Siew Ang & Assoc) for the appellant.

  • Ivanpal Singh Grewal (with Keshvinder Kaur a/p Harvinder Singh) (AJ Ariffin, Yeo & Harpal) for the first respondent.

  • Mohd Rizal Bahari (with Mohd Amirfarid Mohd Nawawi) (Bahari & Bahari) for the second respondent.

  • Elisabeth Lye (Zainal Abidin & Co) for the third respondent.

  • Mohamad Nufail Altaf bin Mohd Zaim Munir (Raja Riza & Assoc) for the fourth respondent.

  • Andrew Chiew Ean Vooi (with Andrew Chang Weng Shan and Komal Kaur Dhaliwal) (Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill) for the fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth respondents

Week 3 Updates

1. Pendakwa Raya lwn Mohd Razin bin Razali dan satu lagi dan lain-lain rayuan [2026] 1 MLJ 848 [CA]

Coram AZMAN ABDULLAH, AZMI ARIFFIN DAN CHOO KAH SING HHMR
Catchwords Prosedur Jenayah — Rayuan — Keputusan mahkamah tidak membenarkan permohonan pendakwaan
Outcome Rayuan dibenarkan.
Counsel Names

  • Yusaini Amer bin Abdul Karim (Iznina Hanim bt Hashim dan Najwa bt Bistamam bersamanya) bagi pihak perayu.

  • Ravishankar a/l SN Gandhi (Muhammad Nizam Adzha bin Zaidi bersamanya) (R Shankar Gandhi & Assoc) bagi responden pertama.

  • Nur A’minahtul Mardiah bt Md Nor (Tun Laila bt Tun Rafaee bersamanya) (Chambers of Aminahtul Mardiah) bagi pihak responden kedua.

2. Projek Lebuhraya Usahasama Bhd v Zakaria bin Hamid (biological father of the deceased, Azizi bin Zakaria) & Anor and another appeal [2026] 1 MLJ 878 [CA]

Coram AHMAD ZAIDI IBRAHIM, COLLIN SEQUERAH AND FAIZAH JAMALUDIN JJCA
Catchwords Civil Procedure — Appeal — Apportionment of liability and quantum of damages
Outcome Appeals dismissed; and High Court's decision affirmed.
Counsel Names

  • Krishna a/l Dallumah (with Thirunaaukarasu a/l Thoppasamy and Yong Yoong ***) (Thiru Jegatish & Assoc) in Civil Appeal No A-04(NCvC)(W)-444–10 of 2023 for the appellant.

  • Athithan a/l Singaravelu (with Illavarasi Thiruchelvam) (Athi & Seelan) in Civil Appeal No A-04(NCvC)(W)-447–10 of 2023 for the appellant.

  • Ayleswary a/p Bathamanathan (Sudesh Narinder & Partners) in Civil Appeal Nos A-04(NCvC)(W)-444–10 of 2023 and A-04(NCvC)(W)-447–10 of 2023 for the respondents.

3. Azman bin Teh (trading in the name and style of Perunding Trussmaju) v Chong Shao Fen & Anor [2026] 1 MLJ 900 [CA]

Coram AZMAN ABDULLAH, AHMAD FAIRUZ AND LIM HOCK LENG JJCA
Catchwords Civil Procedure — Damages — Appeal against
Outcome Appeal dismissed with costs.
Counsel Names

  • Palanivel a/l KV Sathasivam (with Siow Chang Yao) (Palani Aishah & Co) for the appellant.

  • Chong Shao Fen (with Lai Siow Lien) (Syarikat Chan Chow Wang) for the respondent.

Week 4 Updates

1. Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang v Sagamuda Civil Sdn Bhd [2026] 2 MLJ 1 [CA]

Coram WAN AHMAD FARID CHIEF JUSTICE, HASHIM HAMZAH AND AZIMAH OMAR JJCA
Catchwords Contract — Building contract — Extension of time (‘EOT’)
Outcome High Court’s decision set aside; appeal and appellant’s claim allowed; and respondent’s counterclaim dismissed.
Counsel Names

  • Lim Hock Siang (with Daniel Khoo Kelvin and Moy Jo Yin) (Presgrave & Matthews) for the appellant.

  • Amir bin Abu Bakar (with Amirul Azim bin Zainordin) (Shukor & Co) for the respondent.

2. Victor Saw Seng Kee (as joint liquidator of London Biscuits Bhd (in liquidation)) v Wong Weng Foo & Co & Anor and other appeals [2026] 2 MLJ 23 [FC]

Coram ABU BAKAR JAIS PCA, HASNAH HASHIM CJ (MALAYA) AND AHMAD TERRIRUDIN FCJ
Catchwords Companies and Corporations — Winding up — Liquidators
Outcome Appeals allowed.
Counsel Names

  • Christopher Leong (with Jacky Loi, Calvin Wong, Vivian Lim and Lim Jin Wen) (TY Teh & Partners) for Victor Saw.

  • Steven Tan Chee Qian (with Max Chuah Chern Tee and Low Han Shin) (Chuah Qian & Partners) for Wong Weng Foo & Co.

  • Lim Chee Wee (with Kwan Will Sen, Pang Huey Lynn and Manveer Singh Bagry) (Lim Chee Wee Partnership) for London Biscuits Bhd (in liquidation).

  • S Raven (S Muhillan, Janice Tay Shu *** and Samantha Sum Pui Si) (S Ravenesan) for Gabriel Teo Chun.

  • Rabindra S Nathan (with Sathya Kumardas, Saresh Mahendaren, Mohammed Daud Sulaiman and Chew Mingyih) (Shearn Delamore & Co) for Lim San Peen ((in the capacity as the liquidator for London Biscuits Bhd) (in liquidation)).

  • Benjamin John Dawson (with Koh San Tee and Nor Syazana bt Jamaluddin) (Benjamin Dawson) for the interveners (HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd, Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd, United Overseas Bank (M) Bhd, Malaysian Trustees Bhd and Bangkok Bank Bhd).

  • Ng Hooi Huang (with Lim Jia Wing and Tan Wey May) (Shook Lin & Bok) for the interveners (Malayan Banking Bhd and OCBC Bank (M) Bhd).

3. Mohd Suhairi bin Alias & Anor v Tune Insurance Malaysia Bhd & Ors [2026] 2 MLJ 45 [CA]

Coram RAVINTHRAN, MOHD NAZLAN AND CHOO KAH SING JJCA
Catchwords Insurance — Motor insurance — Policy of insurance
Outcome Appeal dismissed.
Counsel Names

  • GK Ganesan (with Kameswary a/p Ramasamy, G Naidu, KN Geetha, TP Vaani and JN Lheela) (Kames & Assoc) for the appellants.

  • Satvinder Singh Gill (with Raymond Sivasothey and Roshvinder Singh) (Khalil Surinder & Assoc) for the first respondent.

  • Unrepresented and absent during High Court’s proceedings for the second and third respondents.

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