JUDGMENT

Mohd. Azmi FJ:

This is an appeal from an order of the learned Judicial Commissioner at Alor Star dated 23 May 1982 dismissing the appellant's origination motion to set aside the order made by Mr. Cheah Yew Seng, the Assistant Director of Labour Sungei Petani in Labour Case No. 10/1981, wherein the appellant was ordered to pay RM445,917.34 to the respondents as termination benefits under reg. 8 of the Employment (Termination and Lay-off Benefits) Regulations 1980 - PU (A) 278/80 ("the 1980 Regulations" for short).

The respondents were rubber estate workers employed by Bukit Lembu Division of the appellant company which was referred to in the proceedings as KMS Estate. The other part of the appellant's rubber estate was known as the Railway Division with which the present appeal is not concerned. All the respondents were "employees" within the meaning of s. 2(1) Employment Act 1955 (revised 1981), and when there was a change of ownership of Bukit Lembu Division by virtue of a sale by the appellant to the National Land Finance Co-operative Society Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "NLF"), the respondents made a joint claim under s. 72 of the Employment Act to the Labour Office