[1] On 18 August 1998 this court granted the appellant (plaintiff in the lower court) leave to appeal. It was against the decision of the court of Appeal given on 10 November 1997 in Mahkamah Rayuan Civil Appeal No N-02-251-96 which had allowed the appeal of the respondent. The leave granted was limited to the following issue:

Whether the court of Appeal was correct in law in their interpretation of the proper construction for rr 3 and 27(a) of the Legal Profession (Practice & Etiquette) Rules 1978 and their application of the same against the respondent, in particular:

(a) the proper construction and meaning of the words "personal relationship" within r 3 of the Legal Profession (Practice & Etiquette) Rules 1978; and

(b) the proper construction and meaning of the words "directly pecuniarily interested" within r 27(a) of the Legal Profession (Practice & Etiquette) Rules 1978.

[2] This court also in granting leave gave consequential orders that the decision of the court of Appeal was to be suspended and further that the cases in which the respondent or her legal assistants are involved as advocates or solicitors, were postponed until after the disposal of this appeal