ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

Judicial review – Appeal – Making fraudulent dental claim and instructing personnel at dental clinic to prepare receipt under own name despite not receiving treatment – Treatment received by spouse – Whether there was misconduct – Employee dismissed from employment – Industrial Court found dismissal was without just cause and excuse – Decision affirmed by High Court – Whether Industrial Court and High Court erred – Whether decision made based on evidence adduced
Institute Of Technology Petronas Sdn Bhd/ Universiti Teknologi Petronas v. Amirul Fairuz Ahmad & Anor
(Hanipah Farikullah, Azizah Nawawi & Hadhariah Syed Ismail, JJCA) [2023] 2 ILR 242

CIVIL PROCEDURE

Striking out – Writ of summons and statement of claim – High Court claim – Appeal against – Employee claimed against employer for negligence and torts of emotional distress, harassment and bullying – Application by employer to strike out writ of summons and statement of claim – Whether essentially claim for constructive dismissal – Whether High Court lacked requisite jurisdiction to hear and determine claim – Whether ought to have been pursued via s. 20 of Industrial Relations Act 1967 – Whether claim abuse of process – Rules of Court 2012, O. 18 r. 19(1)(a), (b), (d)
7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn Bhd v. Ashvine Hari Krishnan
(Azizah Nawawi, Abu Bakar Jais & S Nantha Balan JJCA) [2023] 2 ILR 209

CONTRACT

Breach – Employment contract – Absenteeism – Absence from work for five days without authorisation, approval and without informing employer – Employee caused disruption in work due to continuous absence – Employee dismissed from employment – Whether there was breach of employment contract by employee – Whether employer justified in treating contract of employment as having been repudiated – Whether employee terminated employment with employer unilaterally – Employment Act 1955, s. 15(2)
Sivanesan Durairajah v. Aegis BPO Malaysia Sdn Bhd
(Azwarnida Affandi) [2023] 2 ILR 370

Employment contract – Breach – Employee assigned and re-assigned to acting positions before being informed by employer to return to original designation – Whether employer’s conduct in breach of fundamental term of employee’s contract of employment – Whether re-assignment required valid justification – Whether within employer’s prerogative to transfer, assign and re-assign employee
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd v. Mohan Vythialingam & Anor And Another Appeals
(Lee Swee Seng, Azizah Nawawi, See Mee Chun JJCA) [2023] 2 ILR 264

Employment contract – Master-servant relationship between employeremployee – Duty to perform duly and faithfully – Foreman misdiagnosed cars on numerous occasions – Whether there was breach of duty by employee – Employee dismissed from employment – Whether dismissal with just cause or excuse
Mohammad Fauzi Award v. Motoria Sdn Bhd
(Suraiya Mustafa Kamal) [2023] 2 ILR 300

Employment contract – Non-issuance – Employee employed by employer without written contract of employment – Employee dismissed from employment – Employee demanded for payment of salary but told by employer to produce employment contract – Whether non-issuance of employment contract neglect in duties and responsibilities – Lack of proper documentation of employment terms, conditions and tenure
Lim Ee Wan v. Cheetah International Express Sdn Bhd
(Augustine Anthony) [2023] 2 ILR 342

Employment contract – Termination – Non-issuance of termination letter – Employee verbally dismissed by employer – Employer refused to give written termination or dismissal letter – Lack of proper documentation – Whether conduct of employer justified – Whether unfair labour practice, victimisation and mistreatment of employee
Lim Ee Wan v. Cheetah International Express Sdn Bhd
(Augustine Anthony) [2023] 2 ILR 342

LABOUR LAW

Dismissal – Constructive dismissal – Employee assigned and re-assigned to acting positions before being informed by employer to return to original designation – Whether acting position permanent – Whether there was demotion – Whether there was constructive dismissal
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd v. Mohan Vythialingam & Anor And Another Appeals
(Lee Swee Seng, Azizah Nawawi, See Mee Chun JJCA) [2023] 2 ILR 264

Dismissal – Constructive dismissal – Forced resignation – Employee refused to accede to employer’s instruction – Allegation that instruction by employer not within employee’s authority and job scope, unethical and unprofessional – Employer demanded for employee’s resignation – Employee resigned under protest – Whether claimant coerced into resigning – Whether resignation voluntary – Whether there was constructive dismissal – Whether reinstatement to former position appropriate remedy
Khairur Rijal Saibu v. Shui Xing Ventures Sdn Bhd
(Vanithamany Sivalingam) [2023] 2 ILR 358

Dismissal – Misconduct – Claim – Making fraudulent dental claim and instructing personnel at dental clinic to prepare receipt under own name despite not receiving treatment – Treatment received by spouse – Whether there was misconduct – Employee dismissed from employment – Whether dismissal made with just cause or excuse
Institute Of Technology Petronas Sdn Bhd/ Universiti Teknologi Petronas v. Amirul Fairuz Ahmad & Anor
(Hanipah Farikullah, Azizah Nawawi & Hadhariah Syed Ismail, JJCA) [2023] 2 ILR 242

Dismissal – Poor performance – Allegations of – Employer alleged that employee performed poorly – Employee placed under performance improvement plan and later dismissed – Whether employee poor performer – Whether evidence pointed towards contrary – Whether employer’s moves orchestrated to rid employee of company – Whether employer’s acts mala fide – Whether there was victimisation and unfair treatment – Whether dismissal with just cause or excuse
Cliford Lawrence Patrick v. Mims Medica Sdn Bhd
(Syed Noh Said Nazir) [2023] 2 ILR 398

Dismissal – Unfair labour practice, victimisation and mistreatment of employee – Employee verbally dismissed by employer – Employer refused to give written termination or dismissal letter – Whether unfair labour practice, victimisation and mistreatment of employee – Whether dismissal with just cause or excuse
Lim Ee Wan v. Cheetah International Express Sdn Bhd
(Augustine Anthony) [2023] 2 ILR 342

Misconduct – Absenteeism – Excessive medical/sick, emergency and unpaid leaves – Employee dismissed from employment – Duty to attend work – Whether discharged – Whether dismissal with just cause or excuse
Mohammad Fauzi Award v. Motoria Sdn Bhd
(Suraiya Mustafa Kamal) [2023] 2 ILR 300

Misconduct – Tardiness – Frequent lateness to work – Employee placed under plan for improvement but did not improve – Defiance of employer’s instructions to be punctual – Whether dismissal with just cause or excuse
Mohammad Fauzi Award v. Motoria Sdn Bhd
(Suraiya Mustafa Kamal) [2023] 2 ILR 300

TORT

Damages – Claim for – Employee claimed against employer for negligence and torts of emotional distress, harassment and bullying – Whether allegations of torts simply ‘building blocks’ for complaint of constructive dismissal – Whether established – Whether abuse of process of court for employee to file common law action at civil court – Whether employee ought to have gone to Industrial Court – Whether employee ought to have pursued statutory dispute resolution mechanism/process to obtain remedies under Industrial Relations Act 1967
7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn Bhd v. Ashvine Hari Krishnan
(Azizah Nawawi, Abu Bakar Jais & S Nantha Balan JJCA) [2023] 2 ILR 209

WORDS AND PHRASES

‘acting’ – Employment – Employee assigned and re-assigned to acting positions before being informed by employer to return to original designation – Whether ‘acting role’ means temporary position and assignment
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd v. Mohan Vythialingam & Anor And Another Appeals
(Lee Swee Seng, Azizah Nawawi, See Mee Chun JJCA) [2023] 2 ILR 264

INDEKS PERKARA

KONTRAK

Kontrak perkhidmatan – Kontrak tempoh tetap – Pekerja ditawarkan kontrak tempoh tetap – Kontrak dibaharui dan disambung beberapa kali untuk jangka masa panjang – Sama ada tindakan syarikat membaharui kontrak perkhidmatan pihak menuntut setiap tahun menunjukkan pihak menuntut adalah pekerja tetap syarikat – Kontrak tidak dibaharui – Sama ada berlaku penamatan atau kontrak perkhidmatan semata-mata telah tamat – Sama ada kontrak tempoh tetap perkhidmatan boleh berubah menjadi kontrak pekerjaan
Azrell Mohamad lwn. National Aerospace & Defence Industries Sdn Bhd
(Mohd Zulbahrin Zainuddin) [2023] 2 ILR 387

TORT

Kecuaian – Kecuaian pekerja – Kemalangan jalan raya – Pekerja berkhidmat sebagai pemandu lori tanker – Pekerja terlibat dalam kemalangan jalan raya dan menyebabkan kerugian dan kerosakan – Pekerja ditamatkan perkhidmatan – Sama ada kemalangan diakibatkan oleh kecuaian pekerja – Sama ada pekerja bertindak konsisten dengan hubungan fidusiari majikan – pekerja – Sama ada kecuaian pekerja mewajarkan penamatan perkhidmatan
Zin Mohd Noor lwn. Taiko Acid Works Sdn Bhd
(Zulhelmy Hasan) [2023] 2 ILR 317

UNDANG-UNDANG BURUH

Pekerjaan – Pemecatan – Pekerja dalam tempoh percubaan – Pihak menuntut/pekerja dalam tempoh percubaan ditamatkan perkhidmatan – Prestasi yang tidak memuaskan dan kegagalan mencapai sasaran syarikat – Sama ada majikan ada memberi apa-apa amaran pada pekerja – Sama ada pemecatan dibuat atas sebab dan alasan adil – Sama ada pengambilan kedudukan jawatan asal sesuai diperintahkan – Sama ada pampasan sebagai ganti rugi pengembalian ke jawatan asal boleh diawardkan
Mohammad Ikhwan Rahman lwn. Seni Design
(Amrik Singh) [2023] 2 ILR 285

Pekerjaan – Penamatan – Pekerja berkhidmat sebagai pemandu lori tanker – Pekerja terlibat dalam kemalangan jalan raya dan menyebabkan kerugian dan kerosakan – Pekerja ditamatkan perkhidmatan – Sama ada kemalangan diakibatkan oleh kecuaian pekerja – Sama ada penamatan perkhidmatan atas sebab yang adil dan munasabah
Zin Mohd Noor lwn. Taiko Acid Works Sdn Bhd
(Zulhelmy Hasan) [2023] 2 ILR 317