JUDGMENT

Shahnaz Sulaiman J:

[1] This is a judicial review application filed by the Applicant, Sharifah Marhaini Binti Syed Ali to challenge the decision made by the Respondents in respect of the Applicant's position as the Secretary of the First Respondent.

Reliefs Sought

[2] The reliefs sought by the Applicant in this judicial review are reproduced below:

"a. Suatu arahan dalam bentuk certiorari untuk membatalkan keputusan Responden Pertama dalam menurunkan jawatan Pemohon daripada Setiausaha Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya ("MBPJ") kepada Pengarah Jabatan Khidmat Pengurusan Secara Khas Untuk Penyandang;

b. Suatu deklarasi bahawa Pemohon merupakan Setiausaha MBPJ terkini yang sah di sisi undang-undang;

c. Suatu deklarasi bahawa keputusan kenaikan pangkat Pemohon ke jawatan Setiausaha MBPJ melalui surat yang dikeluarkan oleh Responden Pertama pada 27 September 2022 dikekalkan;

d. Suatu arahan dalam bentuk mandamus yang mengarahkan Responden Pertama untuk mengembalikan jawatan Setiausaha MBPJ kepada Pemohon dan Pemohon dibenarkan memegang jawatan ini sehingga tarikh wajib persaraannya iaitu pada 5 October 2023;

e. Gantirugi am ditaksirkan;

f. Gantirugi teruk;

g. Bahawa lain-lain relif lanjutan yang difikirkan suaimanfaat oleh Mahkamah Yang Mulia ini agar sesuai dengan fakta dan keadaan kes; dan

h. Kos permohonan ini ditanggung oleh Responden-Responden."

Factual Background

[3] The Applicant is a former Acting Mayor and Secretary of the First Respondent.

[4] The First Respondent is a local authority, and a statutory body governed under the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171) whilst the Second Respondent is the current Secretary of the First Respondent.

[5] The Applicant had been a long-serving officer of the First Respondent since 1 November 1989 and had received several promotions over the course of her career, serving the First Respondent for approximately 34 years. On 20 May 2021, she was appointed as the Secretary of the First Respondent by the State Secretary for a term of two (2) years, from 20 May 2021 to 19 May 2023. During this tenure, she was also appointed as the Acting Mayor (Menanggung Kerja Jawatan Datuk Bandar) of the First Respondent for a maximum period of six (6) months, effective from 1 June 2021, until a new mayor was appointed. Subsequently, on 27 September 2022, her appointment as Secretary was confirmed as permanent by the First Respondent, to remain in effect until her retirement on 5 October 2023.

[6] However, on 14 June 2023, while the Applicant was still serving as the Secretary of the First Respondent, the Second Respondent was appointed to the position of Secretary of the First Respondent. In light of this, the Applicant sought clarification from the Mayor of the First Respondent via an email on 23 June 2023. On 21 August 2023, the First Respondent informed the Applicant that she would be "placed as Director, Department of Management Services, under a Special Assignment for the Incumbent" (Pengarah, Jabatan Khidmat Pengurusan secara Khas Untuk Penyandang), effective retrospectively from 12 June 2023.

[7] The Applicant was of the view this reassignment constituted a demotion from her position as Secretary of the First Respondent, and given that the Second Respondent had been appointed to the very role previously held by the Applicant, the Applicant filed an application for Judicial Review on 13 September 2023.

Principles Relating To Judicial Review

[8] Prior to considering and analysing this application, it would be prudent for this court to be reflect on the legal principles relating to judicial review. Order 53 Rules of court 2012 provides for the procedures for an application for judicial review.

[9] It is trite that the decision of a public authority may be reviewed by this court on the grounds of illegality, irrationality, procedural impropriety or disproportionality. This review is not confined to the decision-making process but also to the merits of the decision

[10] The Federal court in Akira Sales & Services (M) Sd