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2023 MarsdenLR 855

HIGH COURT MALAYA SHAH ALAM
CHEW BEN BEN & ANOR – Appellant
Versus
PP – Respondent
[Criminal Application No: BA-44-257-09/2022]

Petitioner Advocates:Bernard Francis ,Respondent Advocate: Low Chin Hew,Zende Lim Wai Keong

The absence of precedent does not constitute a question of law of unusual difficulty, and the Sessions Court is competent to adjudicate corruption cases under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act.

Headnote:(A) Criminal Procedure Code - Section 417 - Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 - Section 17A - Motion to transfer cases from Sessions Court to High Court denied - Applicants argued that unusual questions of law regarding 'adequate procedures' would arise, citing lack of precedent - Court found no evidence of unusual difficulty, affirming the competency of the Sessions Court Judge to handle the matter. (Paras 1-53)

(B) Legal Standard for Transfer - The threshold under s 417(1)(b) requires extraordinary circumstances for transfer; mere novelty of legal issues is insufficient. (Paras 40-44)

Facts of the case:
The Applicants faced corruption charges under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, with claims that the complexity of the law warranted a transfer to the High Court due to the absence of precedent. (Paras 1-3)

Findings of Court:
The Court determined that the Sessions Court Judge was competent to address the legal issues and that the Applicants failed to meet the threshold for transfer. (Paras 51-52)

Issues: Whether the Applicants' case presented questions of law of unusual difficulty justifying transfer to the High Court. (Paras 20-21)

Ratio Decidendi: The Court emphasized that the lack of precedent does not alone justify transfer; the Sessions Court is fully capable of handling the case. (Paras 45-52)

Result: Transfer application dismissed.

Table of Content
1. transfer of case application (Para 1 , 2 , 3)
2. grounds for transfer under s 417 cpc (Para 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9)
3. respondent's arguments against transfer (Para 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18)
4. court's interpretation of s 417 powers (Para 20 , 21 , 22 , 23)
5. corporate liability under s 17a (Para 25 , 26 , 27 , 28)
6. defence of adequate procedures (Para 30 , 31 , 32 , 33)
7. criteria for unusual difficulty in law (Para 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 45 , 46)
8. conclusion on transfer application (Para 50 , 51 , 52)

Norsharidah Awang J:

Introduction

[1] This motion is filed by the Applicants under s 417 of the Criminal Procedure Code to seek the Honourable Court's exercise of its jurisdiction and power to transfer the Applicants' Case No BA-62R-20-03/2021 and BA-62R-21-03/2021 from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

[2] The charges preferred against the Applicants in the Sessions Court are as follows:

BA-62R-20-03/2021:

"Bahawa kamu, sebagai suatu organisasi komersial, di antara 29 Jun 2020 dan 14 Oktober 2020, di No 22-2, Block 4, Kinrara Niaga 3, Jalan BK 5A/2B, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, di dalam daerah Petaling, di dalam Negeri Selangor, telah melakukan kesalahan oleh kerana seseorang yang bersekutu dengan kamu iaitu seorang pengarah kamu bernama Chew Ben Ben (No. K/P: 570614-08-5083) telah secara rasuah memberikan kepada Mazrin Ramli (No. K/P: 800410-07-5079) yang merupakan Ketua Pegawai Operasi Syarikat Deleum Primera Sdn Bhd (No. Syarikat: 963891-W) suatu suapan bagi faedah dirinya, iaitu wang sejumlah RM321,350.00 (Ringgit Malaysia Tiga Ratus Dua Puluh Satu Ribu Tiga Ratus Lima Puluh), dengan niat untuk memperoleh perniagaan bagi kamu iaitu memastikan kamu dianugerahkan dengan subkontrak bertajuk "Provision of Workboat, Master and Crew and other Associated Marine Services and Offshore Support Related to the Workboat together with other Marine Support Spread for Maintenance, Construction and Modification Services for Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (Package C (Offshore) - Peninsular Malaysia Gas) ("Sub-contract"); Sub-Contract No: DPSB/PRISTINE/MCM/2019/001", oleh yang demikian kamu telah melakukan suatu kesalahan di bawah perenggan 17A(1)(a) Akta Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia 2009 [Akta 694] yang boleh dihukum di bawah subseksyen 17A(2) Akta yang sama.

BA-62R-21-03/2021:

"Bahawa kamu, di antara 29 Jun 2020 dan 14 Oktober 2020, di No 22-2, Block 4, Kinrara Niaga 3, Jalan BK 5A/2B, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, di dalam daerah Petaling, di dalam Negeri Selangor, telah secara rasuah memberikan kepada Mazrin Ramli (No. K/P: 800410-07-5079) yang merupakan Ketua Pegawai Operasi Syarikat Deleum Primera Sdn Bhd (No. Syarikat: 963891-W) suatu suapan bagi faedah dirinya, iaitu wang sejumlah RM321,350.00 (Ringgit Malaysia Tiga Ratus Dua Puluh Satu Ribu Tiga Ratus Lima Puluh), sebagai upah baginya melakukan suatu perkara yang sebenar, iaitu, memastikan syarikat Pristine Offshore Sdn Bhd [No. Syarikat: 201401005396 (1081475-A)] dianugerahkan dengan subkontrak bertajuk "Provision of Workboat, Master and Crew and other Associated Marine Services and Offshore Support Related to the Workboat together with other Marine Support Spread for Maintenance, Construction and Modification Services for Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (Package C (Offshore) - Peninsular Malaysia Gas) ("Sub-Contract"); Sub-Contract No: DPSB/PRISTINE/MCM/2019/001", dan oleh yang demikian kamu telah melakukan suatu kesalahan di bawah perenggan 16(b)(A) Akta Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia 2009 [Akta 694] yang boleh dihukum di bawah subseksyen 24(1) Akta yang sama.

[3] The criminal motion is filed by the Applicants when the learned Sessions Court Judge allowed the preliminary objection of the Prosecution pertaining to the application made by both Applicants under s 177 of the Criminal Procedure Code .

II. Applicants' Submission

The Ground Of Transfer Under Section 417 Of The CPC

[4] The reason for this application is that there will be "some question of law

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2023 MarsdenLR 855

HIGH COURT MALAYA SHAH ALAMCHEW BEN BEN & ANOR – AppellantVersusPP – Respondent[Criminal Application No: BA-44-257-09/2022]

The absence of precedent does not constitute a question of law of unusual difficulty, and the Sessions Court is competent to adjudicate corruption cases under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act.

Cases Referred (5)

HIGH COURT MALAYA SHAH ALAM
CHEW BEN BEN & ANOR – Appellant
Versus
PP – Respondent
[Criminal Application No: BA-44-257-09/2022]