The convening authority of a Court-Martial must have command over the accused; failure to establish this renders the proceedings ultra vires, necessitating retrial.

Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid JCA:

Introduction

[1] This is an appeal by Sarjan (U) Ahmad Zaini Bin Zainon (the Appellant) against the decision of the High Court dated 6 February 2024 in dismissing the Appellant's application for Judicial Review (JR) wherein the Appellant sought to obtain an Order of Certiorari to quash the Sendayan Air Force Court-Martial (the Court-Martial) dated 22 September 2021 (the Decision) which found the Appellant guilty of the charge of contravening Standing Order under s 51 of the Armed Forces Act 1972 (the Act) and subsequently sentenced the Appellant to a term of imprisonment for a period of 150 days under the same section,

[2] We heard the arguments of the parties on 22 January 2025 and 19 March 2025, and thereafter reserved our decision. On 20 May 2025 we allowed the Appellant's appeal and ordered the case to be remitted for retrial before a reconstituted Court-Martial. Our reasons now follow.

Background Facts

[3] The Appellant is a former Sarjan Udara of the Malaysian Air Force and was stationed at Cawangan Tadbir, Pengkalan Udara Jugra, Banting from 3 July 2017 until 22 April 2022.

[4] Pursuant to s 51 of the Act, the Appellant was charged as follows:

"PERTUDUHAN PERTAMA

MELANGGAR PERINTAH-PERINTAH TETAP YANG BERTENTANGAN DENGAN SEKSYEN 51, AKTA ANGKATAN TENTERA 1972

laitu kamu, di Pejabat Ajutan Pengkalan Rejimen, Pada 9 Disember 2019 jam lebih kurang 1200H, telah melanggar Perintah Tetap Rejimen TUDM, Bahagian 2, Perintah No 56, didapati di dalam air kencingnya mengandungi dadah berbahaya jenis Methamphetamine, iaitu satu perintah yang diketahui oleh kamu atau sepatutnya kamu mengetahuinya.

PERTUDUHAN ALTERNATIF KEPADA PERTUDUHAN PERTAMA

SATU PERBUATAN YANG MEMUDARATKAN KEADAAN BAIK DAN TATATERTIB PERKHIDMATAN YANG BERTENTANGAN DENGAN SEKSYEN 87, AKTA ANGKATAN TENTERA 1972

laitu kamu, di Pejabat Ajutan Pengkalan Rejimen, pada 9 Disember 2019 jam lebih kurang 1200H, telah didapati di dalam air kencing kamu mengandungi dadah berbahaya jenis methamphetamine, oleh demikian satu perbuatan yang memudaratkan keadaan baik dan tatatertib perkhidmatan"

[5] Kolonel Dr Norazrin Bin Shamsudin (the 1st Respondent) is the Director of the Legal Division, TUDM Markas Tentera Udara (MTU) based in Pengkalan Udara Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan.?

[6] The 1st Respondent, acting as the Convening Authority pursuant to s 104 of the Act, had issued a Convening Order (Perintah Sidang) for a Court-Martial on 22 October 2020.

[7] The Court-Martial took place on 27 October 2020, 3 March 2021,4 March 2021, 31 March 2021, 1 April 2021,25 May 2021 and 27 May 2021. Submissions took place on 11 August 2021. The Decision was given on 22 September 2021.

[8] The Appellant had filed a Petition against the decision on 7 October 2021. The Petition was addressed to the Panglima Tentera Udara (the 3rd Respondent).

[9] The 1st Respondent, as Confirming Officer, had on 29 November 2021 confirmed the finding of the Court-Martial. The finding was promulgated on 8 December 2021.

[10] The Competent Authority discharged the Appellant from service pursuant to reg 61(1)(j) of the Armed Forces (Terms of Service of Regular Forces) Regulations 2013 (Discharge Decision) on 22 April 2022.

In The High Court

[11] On 31 March 2022, the Appellant filed this application for JR, praying for the following reliefs:

i. Suatu perintah certiorari bahawa keputusan Mahkamah Tentera Udara Sendayan bertarikh 22 September 2021 yang telah memutuskan bahawa Pemohon disabitkan bersalah atas pertuduhan melanggar perintah-perintah tetap yang bertentangan dengan s 51 Akta Angkatan Tentera 1972 dan dihukum di bawah peruntukan yang sama dengan hukuman tahanan selama tempoh 150 hari adalah tidak sah dan terbataf.

ii, Suatu deklarasi atau pengisytiharan bahawa tahanan Pemohon dari tarikh 22 September 2021 sehingga 3 Januari 2022 adalah penahanan salah;

iii. Suatu deklarasi/pengisytiharan bahawa Perintah yang dikeluarkan dalam Perintah Tetap Rejimen Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia Jugra iaitu pereng