03 Sep 2025

MLJ Alerts: Sept 2025 (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

"[106] This case is a timely reminder that problems do not disappear into thin air and that some problems are like the proverbial tin can that is being kicked down the road. There is a costs to be paid for indecisiveness and sometimes future generations are made to bear what previous generations have not adequately addressed.

[107] Looking back at the whole broad big picture, this dispute could have been resolved much earlier with all due diligence by all parties. As Virginia Satir, a well-known psychologist said: ‘The problem is not the problem but coping is the problem.’ May this judgment provide to some extent the certainty and the ability to cope with the consequences and fall-out of one’s decision though first taken some seven decades ago."

- Abang Iskandar PCA

Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd v The Government of Malaysia & Ors and other appeals [2025] 5 MLJ 768 [CA]

Week 1 Updates

1. Kerajaan Malaysia v LFL Sdn Bhd and another appeal [2025] 5 MLJ 444 [FC]

Coram	ABANG ISKANDAR PCA , NALLINI PATHMANATHAN, ZABARIAH YUSOF, RHODZARIAH BUJANG AND HANIPAH FARIKULLAH FCJJ
Catchwords	Civil Procedure — Jurisdiction — Immunity of foreign sovereign
Outcome	Appeal 16 allowed and Appeal 17 dismissed.
Counsel Names	Shamsul Bolhassan (with Liew Horng Bin) (Senior Federal Counsel, Attorney General’s Chambers) for the appellant. Gurdial Singh Nijar (with Latheefa Koya, Shahid Adli, and Abraham Au) (Daim & Gamany) for the respondent.

2. Queensway Nominees (Asing) Sdn Bhd & Ors v ISM Sdn Bhd and another appeal [2025] 5 MLJ 467 [CA]

Coram	RAVINTHRAN, MARIANA YAHYA AND LIM CHONG FONG JJCA
Catchwords	Companies and Corporations — Oppression — Minority shareholders
Outcome	Appeal 1220 allowed with costs of RM200,000 here and below subject to allocator; Appeal 1341 dismissed with no order as to costs.
Counsel Names	Gopal Sreenevasan (with Celine Chelladurai, Michelle Chew, Melody Tan Kar Yen and Kelviin Manuel Pillay) (Celine & Oommen) for the appellants. Cecil Abraham (with Sunil Abraham, Mohd Irwan bin Ismail, Polwin Sua Shiang Nian and Yap Jing Wen) (Cecil Abraham & Partners) for the respondent.

3. Gunalan a/l Pechimutu v Pacific & Orient Insurance Co Bhd & Anor [2025] 5 MLJ 505 [CA]

Coram	RAVINTHRAN, CHOO KAH SING AND AHMAD KAMAL JJCA
Catchwords	Civil Procedure — Intervener — Right to intervene
Outcome	Appeals dismissed.
Counsel Names	Soosay Nathan (with GK Ganesan, G Naidu, Teo Han Ley, Lee Yen Yee, Jusween Kaur, and TP Vaani) (Teo & Assoc) in Civil Appeal No J-04(IM)-493–10 of 2022 for the appellant. Soosay Nathan (with GK Ganesan, G Naidu, Teo Han Ley, Lee Yen Yee, Jusween Kaur, and TP Vaani) (Teo & Assoc) in Civil Appeal Nos J-04(IM)-579–12 of 2022 and J-04(IM)-580–12 of 2022 for the appellant. Kamalanathan Ratnam (with Vinod a/l R Kamalanathan and Muhammad Azim Akif bin Saiful Bahari) (Vinod Kamalanathan & Assoc) in Civil Appeal No J-04(IM)-493–10 of 2022 for the first respondent. Lee Sooi Kee (SK Lee) in Civil Appeal No J-04(IM)-493–10 of 2022 for the second respondent. Kamalanathan Ratnam (with Vinod a/l R Kamalanathan and Muhammad Azim Akif bin Saiful Bahari) (Vinod Kamalanathan & Assoc) in Civil Appeal Nos J-04(IM)-579–12 of 2022 and J-04(IM)-580–12 of 2022 for the first respondent. Not represented in Civil Appeal Nos J-04(IM)-579–12 of 2022 and J-04(IM)-580–12 of 2022 for the second respondent.

4. Edisijuta Parking Sdn Bhd v TH Universal Builders Sdn Bhd & Anor [2025] 5 MLJ 524 [CA]

Coram	WONG KIAN KHEONG JCA
Catchwords	Civil Procedure — Injunction — Erinford injunction
Outcome	Order accordingly.
Counsel Names	Nadesh Ganabaskaran (with Nurul Hibbah bt Abdul Khalid) (Malek Gan & Partners) for the appellant. Megat Abdul Munir bin Megat Abdullah Rafaie (with Alya Tadwini bt Talhah, Nik Mohamad Syakhir bin Mohd Yasin and Puteri Humaira bt Megat Abdul Munir) (Zain, Megat & Murad) for the first respondent. Mohd Iskandar bin Ismail (with Nur Syahirah bt Mohd Sani and Muhammad Faris bin Muhamad Fazly) (Basharuddin Iskandar) for the second respondent.

5. Datuk Roger Tan Kor Mee & Ors v Hayatunnisah Sulaiman [2025] 5 MLJ 549 [CA]

Coram	SUPANG LIAN, AZIZUL AZMI ADNAN AND ALWI ABDUL WAHAB JJCA
Catchwords	Administrative Law — Judicial review — Certiorari and mandamus
Outcome	Order of High Court set aside; appeal allowed; cross-appeal dismissed with costs of RM30,000 here and below subject to allocatur.
Counsel Names	Thavalingam C Thavarajah (with Aida Yasmin Cheree Mohamad and Muhammad Taqiyuddin Mohd Redzuan) (T Thavalingam & Co) for the appellant. Ebrina Zubir (Maniam Nair & Co) for the respondent.

6. Mohd Nazri bin Wahab dan satu lagi lwn Pendakwa Raya [2025] 5 MLJ 566 [CA]

Coram	CHE MOHD RUZIMA, AZMI ARIFFIN DAN CHOO KAH SING HHMR
Catchwords	Prosedur Jenayah — Rayuan — Rayuan terhadap sabitan dan hukuman
Outcome	Rayuan perayu-perayu ditolak; keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi terhadap sabitan dikekalkan.
Counsel Names	Mohd Fazaly Ali bin Mohd Ghazaly (The Law Chambers of Fazaly Ali) bagi pihak perayu pertama. Hisyam Teh Poh Teik (Kee Wei Lon dan Ee Gen You bersamanya) (Hisyam Teh) bagi pihak perayu kedua. How May Ling (Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Jabatan Peguam Negara) bagi pihak responden.

7. SPPT Development Sdn Bhd v Worldwide Plantation Sdn Bhd [2025] 5 MLJ 625 [CA]

Coram	NANTHA BALAN, COLLIN SEQUERAH AND FAIZAH JAMALUDIN JJCA
Catchwords	Civil Procedure — Res judicata — Estoppel
Outcome	Appellant’s appeal dismissed with costs of RM30,000 to be paid by appellant to respondent, subject to allocatur.
Counsel Names	David Gurupatham (with Mirdhulekha Muralidharan and Eirena Hoon Tian Ping) (David Gurupatham & Koay) for the appellant. Sri Dev Nair (with Aznim bt Azhar and Nabilah Aryssa bt Mohamad Askandar) (Raja Nor & Su Lynn) for the respondent.

Week 2 Updates

1. Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Singapore v Pacific & Orient Insurance Co Bhd [2025] 5 MLJ 657 [CA]

Coram	SUPANG LIAN, WONG KIAN KHEONG AND AZHAHARI RAMLI JJCA
Catchwords	Civil Procedure — Reciprocal enforcement of judgments — Setting aside registration of foreign judgment
Outcome	Appeal allowed; High Court's decission set aside; and Singapore judgment registration restored.
Counsel Names	Chong Yee Leong (with Kwong Chiew Ee, Melvin Ng Yet Ting and Cassandra Oh Wan Yee) (Rahmat Lim & Partners) for the appellant. Dhinesh Bhaskaran (with Wong Jia Jing) (Shearn Delamore & Co) for the respondent.

2. Agasta Co Ltd & Anor v Autopulence Sdn Bhd and another appeal [2025] 5 MLJ 694 [CA]

Coram	NANTHA BALAN, AZIZUL AZMI ADNAN AND AHMAD KAMAL JJCA
Catchwords	Civil Procedure — Interpleader proceedings — Appeal
Outcome	Appeals allowed.
Counsel Names	Cyndi Chow Li Kian (with Kevin Chin Kwan Vui, Ho Yong Yi and Chin Hau Zhe) (Josephine, LK Chow & Co) for the appellants. Tan Shao Jia (with Wong Jun Wei) (Manjit Singh Sachdev Mohammad Radzi & Partners) for the respondent.

3. Tan Tai Kwan lwn Pendakwa Raya [2025] 5 MLJ 712 [CA]

Coram	AHMAD ZAIDI IBRAHIM, AZMAN ABDULLAH DAN AZMI ARIFFIN HHMR
Catchwords	Prosedur Jenayah — Kesalahan di bawah s 17(b) Akta Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia 2009 ('ASPRM') — Rayuan terhadap sabitan dan hukuman
Outcome	Rayuan tertuduh ditolak, rayuan pihak pendakwaan dibenarkan.
Counsel Names	Wong Chiang Kiat (Jason Ng Kau dan Michelle Paula Liong bersamanya) (Jason Ng & Partners) bagi pihak perayu. Aznika bt Mohd Anas (Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar dan Wan Nur Iman bt Wan Ahmad Afzal bersamanya) (Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia) bagi pihak responden.

Week 3 Updates

1. Lembaga Minyak Sawit Malaysia v KYROX Sdn Bhd & Anor [2025] 5 MLJ 736 [CA]

Coram	RAVINTHRAN, MOHAMED ZAINI MAZLAN AND AHMAD KAMAL JJCA
Catchwords	Civil Procedure — Judicial review (‘JR’) — Whether decision was amenable to JR
Outcome	Appeal dismissed with costs of RM10,000 subject to allocator; High Court's decision affirmed.
Counsel Names	Najib bin Zakaria (with PG Cyril a/l PG Chandradasa and Syibratun @ Sarahnoor Ahmad) (Najib Hisham Isa) for the appellant. Mohd Rizal Bahari bin Md Noor (with Mohd Amirfarid bin Mohd Nawawi) (Bahari & Bahari) for the respondent. Lee Wei Ting (with Vernise Ng) (Loh Ivan & Lee ***) watching brief for FIMA Bulking Services Bhd, FIMA Palmbulk Services Sdn Bhd and FIMA Butterworth Installation Sdn Bhd.

2. Chanravathane a/p S Ponnudurai (from Messrs SP Chanra) v Majlis Peguam Malaysia [2025] 5 MLJ 750 [CA]

Coram	SUPANG LIAN, MOHD NAZLAN AND AZIZUL AZMI ADNAN JJCA
Catchwords	Legal Profession — Disciplinary Board (‘DB’) — Appeal against DB’s decision
Outcome	Appeal dismissed and High Court's decision affirmed.
Counsel Names	Amarjeet Singh (with Avtar Singh and Chanravathane S Ponnudurai) (SP Chanra) for the appellant. Jack Yow Pit (with Ong Eng Hong) (Rahmat Lim & Partners) for the respondent.

Week 4 Updates

1. Semantan Estate (1952) Sdn Bhd v The Government of Malaysia & Ors and other appeals [2025] 5 MLJ 768 [CA]

Coram	LEE SWEE SENG FCJ, AZIMAH OMAR AND WAN AHMAD FARID JJCA
Catchwords	Civil Procedure — Enforcement of civil liability — Mandamus
Outcome	Mandamus appeal dismissed and matter remitted back to High Court for assessment of adequate compensation; s 417 NLC appeal allowed; stay appeal dismissed; each party to bear their own costs.
Counsel Names	Cyrus Das (with Ira Biswas, Janet Chai Pei Ying, Alexie Ng Ying Ching and Abraham Kuah Juhn Wei) (Chooi & Co) for the appellant. Shamsul bin Bolhassan (with Ahmad Hanir Hambaly @ Aruwi, Nurhafizza Azizan, Liew Horng Bin, Saravanan Kuppusamy and Nuur Zul Izzati Zulkipli) (Attorney General’s Chambers) for the respondents.

2. Jaya Sudhir a/l Jayaram v Dato’ Seri Timor Shah Rafiq & Ors and another appeal [2025] 5 MLJ 808 [CA]

Coram	RAVINTHRAN, AZIMAH OMAR AND LIM CHONG FONG JJCA
Catchwords	Contract — Collateral understanding — Existence of
Outcome	Appeal 1904 dismissed with costs of RM50,000 in favour of first respondent (DST) and second respondent (NSSB) jointly; Appeal 1906 dismissed with costs of RM50,000 in favour of respondent (NSSB); costs of RM10,000 awarded to Jaya Sudhir in respect of encl 92 of Appeal 1904; cross-appeal of third respondent in Appeal 1904 (AMSB) dismissed with costs of RM25,000 in favour of first respondent (DST) and second respondent (NSSB).
Counsel Names	Cyrus Das (with Robert Low, Austen Pereira, Karen Yong Hwei Woon, Chong Lip Yi, Khong Mei Yan and Stephanie Chong Keh Yin) (Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership) in Civil Suit Nos W-02(NCC)(W)-1904–12 of 2020 and W-02(NCC)(W)-1906–12 of 2020 for the appellant. Pang Kong Leng (with Chok Zhin Theng, Lim See Kheng) (Cheah Teh & Su) in Civil Suit No W-02(NCC)(W)-1904–12 of 2020 for the first and second respondents. Lim Tuck Sun (with Anneliz Reina George and Mohamed Hazazi Khalaff bin Abdul Hamid) (Chooi & Co) in Civil Suit No W-02(NCC)(W)-1904–12 of 2020 for the third respondent. Olivia Loh (with Lai Ann Xing) (Gananathan Loh) in Civil Suit No W-02(NCC)(W)-1904–12 of 2020 for the fourth respondent. Pang Kong Leng (with Chok Zhin Theng, Lim See Kheng) (Cheah Teh & Su) in Civil Suit No W-02(NCC)(W)-1906–12 of 2020 for the respondent.

3. Silveron Builders Sdn Bhd v YHL Property Sdn Bhd [2025] 5 MLJ 830 [CA]

Coram	MOHD NAZLAN, CHOO KAH SING AND FAIZAH JAMALUDIN JJCA
Catchwords	Land Law — Caveats — Wrongful lodgment
Outcome	Appeal dismissed; and High Court’s decision affirmed.
Counsel Names	Mohammad Danial bin Hazizan (S Ravenesan) for the appellant. Wong Wan Ting (Gan & Lim) for the respondent.

4. Ketua Pentadbir Parlimen Malaysia, Parlimen Malaysia & Ors v Datuk Hj Idris bin Hj Buang & Anor [2025] 5 MLJ 845 [FC]

Coram	HASNAH HASHIM CJ (MALAYA), ZABARIAH MOHD AND ABDUL KARIM FCJJ
Catchwords	Constitutional Law — Legislation — Constitutionality
Outcome	Appeal allowed with no order as to costs; decision of Court of Appeal set aside; decision of High Court affirmed.
Counsel Names	Rahazlan Affendi bin Abdul Rahim (with Liew Horng Bin and Nur Syazwani bt Abdul Aziz) (Attorney General’s Chambers) for the appellant. Krishna Dallumah (with Steven Thiru, Shankar Ram Asnani, Indran Kumaraguru, Nasuha Badrul Din, Chong Jen * and Yong Yoong *) (Krishna Dallumah & Indran) for the respondents.

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