Abdul Malik Ishak J:

Introduction

[1] By way of a summons in chambers in encl 30, the plaintiff sought pursuant to O 20 r 5 of the Rules of the High 1980 ("RHC") and/or the inherent jurisdiction of the Court for the following prayers before the learned senior assistant registrar ("SAR"):

(i) The plaintiff be given leave to substitute the 3rd defendant with the names of the partners, namely Aznam Dato' Mansor, Ben Chan Chong Choon, Chia Loong Thye, DP Naban, Gan Khong Aik, lain Sedgley, Lambert Rasa-Ratnam, Lim Lee, Muthanna Abdullah, Ng Leong Huat, Nitin v. Nadkarni, Sanjay Mohanasundram, Tai Foong Lam, Thomas M.L. Lee, Vincent Chan Siew Onn, Wong Kian Kheong and Woo So Yin, as the 3rd-19th defendants to the present action.

(ii) The plaintiff be given liberty to amend the Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim as per Annexure "A" herein.

(iii) The service of the Amended Writ of Summons and Amended Statement of Claim upon the solicitors of the 2nd-19th defendants, Messrs Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill shall be deemed as if the Amended Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim has been served on each of the defendants individually.

(iv) The defendants be given liberty to reply to