JUDGMENT

Lim Chong Fong JCA:

Introduction

[1] This is an appeal in respect of a dispute over the failure to deliver vacant possession of land for purposes of the development of a columbarium.

[2] The Appellant, who is the plaintiff in the High Court , is the secretary and representative of the Kwang Kheow Seah Association, Bagan Serai, Krian ("Association").

[3] The Respondent, who is the defendant in the High Court , is a private limited company involved in the development and construction of memorial parks as well as providing funeral and interment services ("Company").

[4] We heard the appeal on 14 November 2024 and 24 February 2025.

[5] We thereafter adjourned our decision to deliberate on the intricate issue of the land rights where the columbarium is situated. This is determinative of the appeal here.

[6] Now, having so deliberated, we give our unanimous decision below, together with the supporting reasons.

Background

[7] By a Gazette Notification No: 6754 dated 30 August 1932 ("Notification") made pursuant to the Land Code 1926, a piece of land was reserved as a cemetery ("Land"). The Notification reads as follows:

"In the exercise of powers vested in him by s 24(i) of "The Land Code, 1926", the Resident of Perak proclaims that parcel of land situated at Bagan Serai, described in the schedule hereto, and delineated upon revenue survey plan no 9,020, deposited in the office of the Superintendent of Revenue Surveys, Perak, Taiping, to be a reserve for the purpose of a place for interment of the dead of the Chinese Community, to be maintained by Bay Soo Yam and Bee Hup Seng or such other persons as the District Officer, Krian, may appoint in writing."

[8] Over the passage of time, the Land was eventually possessed and managed by the Association.

[9] By a written Joint Venture Agreement dated 14 April 2006 ("Joint Venture Agreement') made between the Company and the Association, the Company agreed to construct and manage a columbarium on the Land. The salient terms of the Joint Venture Agreement are as follows:

[10] During the course of development and construction of the columbarium, disputes arose between the parties in mid-2018. In this respect, the Association alleged that the Company, in breach of the Joint Venture Agreement, only built 2,400 columbarium lots instead of 10,000 lots.

[11] Additionally, according to the Association, the Company also failed to make payment of RM174,189.60 as at 4 July 2018 in breach of the Joint Venture Agreement.

[12] As a result, the Association, on 20 July 2018 and again on 12 September 2018, served notices of default on the Company pursuant to cls 4.01(c) and 6.01 of the Joint Venture Agreement to rectify its breach.

[13] However, in view of the Company's purported inaction, the Association on 13 October 2018 terminated the Joint Venture Agreement pursuant to cl 5.1 of the Joint Venture Agreement.

In The High Court

[14] Consequently, the Association, on 12 June 2019, initiated Civil Suit No: AB-22NCVC-14-06/2019 ("Suit") against the Company for breach of contract and claimed for the following reliefs (in Bahasa Malaysia):

"19. Dan Plaintif memohon untuk perintah-perintah, relif-relif dan/atau remedi-remedi berikut:

19.1 Deklarasi bahawa Perjanjian yang bertarikh 14 April 2006 di antara Kwang Kheow Seah dan Defendan (selepas ini dipanggil "Perjanjian Tersebut") telah ditamatkan dan menjadi batal dan tidak sah dan tidak berefek undang-undang pada 14 Oktober 2018 atau pada tarikh lain yang ditentukan atau ditetapkan oleh Mahkamah Mulia ini; atau secara alternatif, Deklarasi bahawa Perjanjian yang bertarikh 14 April 2006 di antara Kwang Kheow Seah dan Defendan (selepas ini dipanggil "Perjanjian Tersebut") telah ditamatkan pada 13 Oktober 2018 atau 18 Oktober 2018 atau pada tarikh lain yang ditentukan atau ditetapkan oleh Mahkamah Mulia ini;

19.2 Deklarasi bahawa Kwang Kheow Seah berhak mendapat pemilikan kosong iaitu vacant possession Hartanah yang dipegang di bawah Lot No 7654 Mukim Bagan Serai District