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2025 MarsdenLR 4974

HIGH COURT MALAYA SHAH ALAM
LE APPLE BOUTIQUE HOTEL (KLCC) SDN BHD – Appellant
Versus
THUM MAY YIN & ANOR – Respondent
[Civil Suit No: BA-22NCVC-500-12-2021]



Petitioner Advocates:Edward Kuruvilla,Soh Lip Shan with him ,Respondent Advocate: Gan Khong Aik,Gwee Xi Wen with him

Directors must act in the best interest of the company, avoiding conflicts of interest as mandated by the Companies Act.

Headnote:This judgment pertains to a writ action filed by the Plaintiff against its directors for breach of fiduciary duties and statutory obligations as outlined in the Companies Act 2016. The court found that the directors acted contrary to their duties by initiating a winding up petition against the Plaintiff, thereby breaching fiduciary duties with an ulterior motive to affect the Plaintiff's claims. The primary issues revolved around conflicts of interest and the subjective/objective tests for directors' duties, concluding that both Defendants failed to present a bona fide defense against these breaches. The court granted the summary judgment as requested.

Table of Content
1. plaintiff's action against directors for breach. (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. director duties and fiduciary obligations. (Para 6 , 13 , 14)
3. defendants' arguments for resisting claims. (Para 16 , 17 , 40)
4. legal standards on directors' duties. (Para 18 , 19 , 20)
5. court's conclusion and ruling. (Para 54 , 56)
Khadijah Idris J:

[1] The Plaintiff, a company, filed this writ action against the 1st Defendant and 2nd Defendant who are directors of the Plaintiff company for breach of fiduciary duties, statutory duties and/or breach of fidelity.

[2] The reliefs sought against both the defendants are pleaded at para 19 of the Plaintiff's Statement of Claim ("SoC") which is produced below:

19. Dengan yang demikian, Plaintif menuntut terhadap Defendan-defendan seperti berikut:

Terhadap Defendan Pertama

(a) satu Deklarasi bahawa Defendan Pertama telah melanggar kewajipan fidusiarinya, kewajipan berkanunnya dan/atau kewajipan kesetiaannya yang terhutang kepada Plaintif dalam kapasitinya sebagai seorang Pengarah Plaintif;

(b) satu Perintah bahawa Defendan Pertama menanggung rugi Plaintif berhubung dengan semua kerugian, kos dan perbelanjaan berkenaan dan/atau berkaitan dengan Tuntutan Plaintif terhadap PGCG Assets dan Petisyen Penggulungan Keen Solution, yang berbangkit daripada Tindakan-Tindakan Defendan Pertama;

(c) ganti rugi umum;

(d) ganti rugi teruk dan/atau ganti rugi teladan;

(e) ganti rugi berekuiti;

(f) kos atas dasar tanggung rugi;

(g) selanjutnya dan/atau sebagai alternatif, ganti rugi yang akan ditaksirkan oleh Mahkamah Tinggi terhadap Defendan Pertama, termasuk ganti rugi yang berterusan;

Terhadap Defendan Kedua

(h) satu Deklarasi bahawa Defendan Kedua telah melanggar kewajipan fidusiarinya, kewajipan berkanunnya dan/atau kewajipan kesetiaannya yang terhutang kepada Plaintif dalam kapasitinya sebagai seorang Pengarah Plaintif;

(i) satu Perintah bahawa Defendan Kedua menanggung rugi Plaintif berhubung dengan semua kerugian, kos dan perbelanjaan berkenaan dan/atau berkaitan dengan Tuntutan Plaintif terhadap PGCG Assets, yang berbangkit daripada Tindakan-Tindakan Defendan Kedua;

(j) ganti rugi umum;

(k) ganti rugi teruk dan/atau ganti rugi teladan;

(l) ganti rugi berekuiti;

(m) kos atas dasar tanggung rugi;

(n) selanjutnya dan/atau sebagai alternatif, ganti rugi yang akan ditaksirkan oleh Mahkamah Tinggi terhadap Defendan Kedua, termasuk ganti rugi yang berterusan;

Terhadap Defendan Pertama dan Defendan Kedua

(o) satu Perintah untuk faedah pada kadar lapan peratus (8%) setahun ke atas apa-apa jumlah wang yang diperintahkan oleh Mahkamah Yang Mulia ini kepada Plaintif dari tarikh kemungkiran sehingga tarikh pembayaran penuh dan/atau penyelesaian oleh Defendan Pertama dan Defendan Kedua masing-masingnya;

(p) satu Perintah untuk faedah selepas penghakiman pada kadar lima peratus (5%) setahun ke atas hutang penghakiman dari tarikh Penghakiman ini hingga ke tarikh penyelesaian penuh dan muktamad; dan

(q) apa-apa relif lanjut dan relif lain sebagaimana yang difikirkan sesuai dan munasabah oleh Mahkamah Yang Mulia ini.

[3] By way of encl 54, the Plaintiff seeks for summary judgment to be entered against the 1st Defendant and 2nd Defendant in terms of para 19 of the Plaintiff's SoC.

[4] After considering the pleadings, affidavit evidence and submissions this Court allowed encl 54. The reasons are stated below.

Background Facts

[5] For ease of reference the facts upon which the Plaintiff relies to support its application for summary judgment are tabulated below:

[6] It is the Plaintiff's case that the Defendants have breached their fiduciary duties, statutory duties and duties of fidelity owed to the Plaintiff in their capacities as directors of the Plaintiff with the intention to impede, frustrate, interfere or obstruct the Plaintiff's Claim against PGCG Assets.

1st Defendant's Purported Breach

[7] In respect of the 1st Defendant, the instances of breach related to the 1st Defendant's role or participation or involvement in the winding up petition filed

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