Tengku Dato’ Ibrahim Petra bin Tengku Indra Petra v Petra Perdana Bhd and another appeal [2018] 2 MLJ 177

COUNSEL & SOLICITOR:
Lim Kian Leong (Tan Wei Wei, Chris Lim Su Heng, Nur Khidmah bt Hazaisham and Colin Liew with him) (Chris Lim Su Heng) for the respondent.

FEDERAL COURT (PUTRAJAYA)

Company Law — Directors’ duties to act in best interest of company in divestments company’s shareholding — Whether directors acted in breach of statutory duties as set out in s 132(1) of the Companies Act 1965 — Whether there was dishonest assistance in various breaches of duty owed — Whether there was conspiracy by lawful and/or unlawful means to injure company vide divestments — Whether there were acts or omissions that caused company to suffer loss and damage in relation to divestments — Whether directors in breach of fiduciary, statutory or common law duties — Whether directors failed to act in best interest of company — Whether such failure caused losses and damages to company

Celcom (Malaysia) Bhd & Anor v Tan Sri Dato’ Tajudin Ramli & Ors And Another Case (No 3) [2018] 4 CLJ 86

COUNSEL & SOLICITOR:
Lim Kian Leong (Tan Keng Teck, Chai Jai Hui, Janet tang & Tobias Lim Koon Li with him) (Lim Kian Leong & Co) for the respondents.

HIGH COURT

EVIDENCE: Witness – Subpoena – Application to set aside – Witnesses subpoenaed to testify in court – Suits in relation to allegations of breach of fiduciary and statutory duties of directors and conspiracy to injure companies – Whether subpoenaed persons may apply to set aside subpoena before commencement of trial – Whether ground that evidence may be given by subpoenaed witnesses admissible – Whether court ought to exercise inherent jurisdiction of court to set aside subpoenas – Rules of Court 2012, O. 92 r. 4

Jackan Joy @ Victor Rajagopal & Anor v Ravintheran Govindasamy & Anor [2018] 1 LNS 213

COUNSEL & SOLICITOR:
Goh Gin Jhen (Lim Kian Leong & Co) for the 3rd defendant.

HIGH COURT

CIVIL PROCEDURE: Discovery – Documents – Bank statements – Claim for repayment of friendly loan – Defendant alleged money deposited into plaintiff’s bank account but unable to produce payment slips – Application for discovery of bank statements by defendant – Whether copies of bank statements requested were relevant – Whether bank statements showed deposit entries corresponding with amounts that defendants claimed to have deposited in plaintiff’s bank account – Whether elements for discovery as set out in case of Yekambaran Marimuthu v. Malayawata Steel Berhad [1994] 2 CLJ 581 were met

Engareh (M) Sdn Bhd v Stone World Sdn Bhd [2018] 1 LNS 199

COUNSEL & SOLICITOR:
Chan Kah Meng (Chai Jia Hui with him) (Lim Kian Leong & Co) for the Plaintiff.

HIGH COURT

DAMAGES: Appeal – Assessment of damages – Marble and granite stones – Whether plaintiff suffered continuous deprivation of use of stones – Whether assessment of value of stone must be based on current market value or value at date of judgment – Nominal damages – Whether nominal damages awarded by registrar was reasonable – Quantum meruit – Claim for rental fees for keeping stones – Trial judge ordered stones to be returned – Whether defendant entitled to claim for rental fees

Professor Emeritus dr Azman Awang & Anor v FSBM Ctech Sdn Bhd & Anor [2018] 1 LNS 120

COUNSEL & SOLICITOR:
Lim Kian Leong (Alvin Oh & Ooi Jian Rong with him) (M/s Sia Siew Mun & Co) for the Plaintiff.

HIGH COURT

CIVIL PROCEDURE: Striking out – Action – Action to impeach judgments of previous suits on ground of fraud – Res judicata – Action to reduce liability of plaintiff as former director of company – Whether plaintiff has sufficient interest and standing to commence suit – Whether principle of res judicata applicable where a fresh action has been commenced to set aside a prior judgment of court on ground of fraud – Whether a claim involving an allegation of fraud ought to be determined after a full trial – Whether plaintiff’s pleadings established a reasonable cause of action

Tan Sri Dato’ Tajudin Ramli v Rego Multi-Trades Sdn Bhd [2018] 7 CLJ 197

COUNSEL & SOLICITOR:
Lim Kian Leong (Janet Tang Yii Chi & Tobias Lim with him) (Lim Kian Leong & Co) for the appellant.

Court of Appeal (Putrajaya)

COMPANY LAW: Directors – Breach of fiduciary duties – Whether director acted in good faith in procuring company’s entry into investment management agreement with fund manager – Whether director misled company – Whether director attempted to verify financial viability of fund manager – Whether background checks done before signing of investment management agreement – Whether company suffered losses – Whether director intended to indemnify company – Whether director expressly undertook in personal capacity to make good any losses suffered by company – Whether letter of indemnity a legally binding and enforceable document – Whether letter of indemnity supported by valid considerations

COMPANY LAW: Separate legal entity – Board of directors – Whether holding company and subsidiary company separate legal entities – Board of directors’ resolution of holding company discharging director’s obligations under letter of indemnity – Whether holding company could write off debts of subsidiary company – Whether waiver of director’s obligation under letter of indemnity at holding company’s board of directors’ meeting invalid – Whether board resolution of parent or holding company binding on subsidiary company

Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd v Hisham Sobri & Kadir [2018] 7 CLJ 197

COUNSEL & SOLICITOR:
Lim Kian Leong (Foo Siew Yin with him) (Lim Kian Leong & Co) for the defendant.

HIGH COURT

PARTNERSHIP: Liabilities of partners – New partners – Firm of advocates and solicitors – Negligence and breach of contract – Company’s cause of action stemmed from firm’s act of issuing drawdown advice resulting in losses – Whether new partners were partners of firm at material time – Whether offence committed before new partners admitted as partners – Partnership Act 1961, s. 19(1) – Whether court has discretion to evaluate facts to determine liability of partner – Rules of Court 2012, O. 77 r. 4

CIVIL PROCEDURE: Striking out – Res judicata – Applicability – Whether instant suit one of several suits involving same subject matter – Whether cause of action obviously unsustainable – Whether action ought to be struck out – Rules of Court 2012, O. 18 r. 19(1)(a), (b) (d)

LIMITATION: Action – Accrual of – Starting point from which cause of action would run – Applying tests in Kamariyah Hamdan and Abdul Aziz Hassan – Whether more than six years had elapsed – Whether claim statute barred – Limitation Act 1953, s. 6(1)

Sabarudin Othman & Anor v Malayan Banking Berhad & Other Appeals [2018] 1 LNS 357

COUNSEL & SOLICITOR:
Chan Kah Meng (Tan Wei Wei with him) (Lim Kian Leong & Co) for the appellant.

COURT OF APPEAL (PUTRAJAYA)

Whether Plaintiff’s claim for items of the Third Party Notice should be allowed – Whether res judicata apply to preclude Third Party B from raising limitation as a defence against the plaintiff’s claim – Whether the Plaintiff’s claim is time barred – Whether Plaintiff can approbate and reprobate – Whether the learned judge’s finding of negligence against Third Party A and B is sustainable – Whether the alleged forgery of the 3rd defendant’s signature of the impugned documents has been established – Distinction between documents required by law to be attested and documents not required by law to be attested