JUDGMENT

Suzana Muhamad Said J:

(After Full Trial)

Introduction

[1] Fourteen individual employees (plaintiffs) have commenced the present claim against their employer, Petroliam Nasional Berhad (commonly known as PETRONAS) (defendant), arising from the defendant's action of placing the plaintiffs on unpaid leave or leave without pay due to their unvaccinated status during the COVID-19 outbreak.

[2] The plaintiffs sought relief for loss of salary and benefits, and a declaration that the defendant acted discriminatorily towards the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs claim that:

a. Defendan membayar segala jumlah gaji dan manfaat tertunggak termasuk dan tidak terhad kepada gaji bulanan, pembayaran caruman Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP), Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (PERKESO), manfaat perubatan dan lain-lain manfaat yang diakibatkan oleh paksaan cuti tanpa gaji terhadap plaintif-plaintif dan berterusan beserta faedah pada kadar 5% setahun ke atas jumlah tersebut mulai daripada tarikh perintah / penghakiman tindakan ini sehingga ke tarikh penyelesaian penuh;

b. Selanjutnya dan/atau secara alternatifnya, suatu jumlah ganti rugi am untuk ditentukan dan/atau ditaksirkan oleh mahkamah yang mulia ini beserta faedah pada kadar 5% setahun ke atas jumlah tersebut mulai daripada tarikh perintah / penghakiman tindakan ini sehingga ke tarikh penyelesaian penuh;

c. Defendan membayar ganti rugi teruk dan/atau ganti rugi teladan sebanyak Ringgit Malaysia Tujuh Juta (RM7,000,000.00) beserta faedah pada kadar 5% setahun ke atas jumlah tersebut mulai daripada tarikh perintah / penghakiman tindakan ini sehingga ke tarikh penyelesaian penuh;

d. Suatu deklarasi bahawa arahan yang dikeluarkan defendan berkenaan larangan kemasukan plaintif-plaintif ke premis defendan dan tindakan-tindakan diskriminasi oleh defendan terhadap plaintif-plaintif adalah tidak menuruti perlembagaan dan/atau tidak sah;

e. Suatu arahan mahkamah agar defendan untuk mengeluarkan arahan alternatif bagi plaintif-plaintif dan pekerja-pekerja yang tidak divaksinasi dengan vaksinasi Covid-19 dalam menjalankan tugasan dan tanggungjawab mereka; dan

f. Kos

[3] The trial took place for 14 days on 22 January 2024, 23 January 2024, 24 January 2024, 22 April 2024, 23 April 2024, 4 November 2024, 5 November 2024, 6 November 2024, 9 May 2025, 13 June 2025, 20 June 2025, 18 July 2025, 25 July 2025 and 8 October 2025 respectively.

[4] Throughout the trial of this matter, all of the plaintiffs were called as witnesses, and the defendant called four (4) witnesses. The witnesses that testified were:

[5] The relevant cause papers and documents filed are as follows:

[6] The Agreed Notes of Proceedings for this matter have been filed in encls 96 and 97 (NOP).

[7] At the end of the trial, this court dismissed the plaintiffs' claim with costs. The reasons are as deliberated.

Brief Facts

[8] The plaintiffs, collectively, are employees of the defendant and refused the COVID-19 vaccination during the COVID-19 outbreak.

[9] According to the plaintiffs in their Statement of Claim, by a notice/announcement issued by the defendant on 27 August 2021 (notice), the plaintiffs were required to complete the online Form ED06 to update their vaccination status. The defendant's action is believed to have been carried out following the relaxation and/or permission to attend the workplace issued by the Ministry of Health and/or the National Security Council through public announcement.

[10] Following the notice, the defendant further announced that all employees are required to be physically present at the defendant's premises to carry out their duties. However, according to the plaintiffs, the defendant failed to provide any alternatives for them to perform their duties.

[11] Later in November 2021, the defendant asked the plaintiffs, who had refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, to sign a document either to receive compensation or to be granted leave without pay. The defendant has also retracted benefits, including EPF, SOCSO, and