Introduction:

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Legal Network Series

CLJ 2016 Volume 2 (Part 6)

FEDERAL COURT

Inas Faiqah Mohd Helmi (A Child Suing Through Her Father And Next Friend; Mohd Helmi Abdul Aziz) v. Kerajaan Malaysia & Ors
Arifin Zakaria CJ, Md Raus Sharif Pca, Abdull Hamid Embong, Hasan Lah, Abu Samah Nordin FCJJ
(Tort - Medical negligence - Infant suffered from quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy from child birth and treatment at hospital - Claim for general, special and future damages) [2016] 2 CLJ 885 [FC]

COURT OF APPEAL

Sarah Sayeed Majangah & Anor v. Lembaga Getah Malaysia & Anor
Lim Yee Lan, Hamid Sultan Abu Backer, Nallini Pathmanathan JJCA
(Contract - Formation - Subject to contract - Specific performance) [2016] 2 CLJ 905 [CA]

HIGH COURT

Cheah Wei Ping lwn. Warta Kekal Sdn Bhd
Mariana Yahya H
(Kontrak - Tanah Rizab Melayu - Pembelian tanah oleh orang bukan Melayu - Prasyarat perjanjian jual beli - Pembatalan Tanah Rizab Melayu) [2016] 2 CLJ 918 [HC]

Dato' Ting Ching Lee & Ors v. Ting Siu Hua
Alwi Wahab JC
(Civil Procedure - Striking out - Counterclaim for recovery of gambling debt) [2016] 2 CLJ 933 [HC]

Desiree Couture Sdn Bhd & Anor v. Anne F Co Ltd & Ors
Azizul Azmi Adnan JC
(Contract; Tort - Joint venture agreement - Termination - Defamation - Appointment of debt collector - Whether independent contractor - Vicarious liability) [2016] 2 CLJ 942 [HC]

Kiu Su Sieng & Ors v. Registrar Of Lands And Surveys, Kuching Division
Rhodzariah Bujang J
(Land Law - Registrar's caveat - Application for removal of caveats) [2016] 2 CLJ 959 [HC]

Kovalan Rajoo v. Hanif Muhamad Pauzi
Choo Kah Sing JC
(Damages - Appeal against quantum - Fracture of pubic tubercle) [2016] 2 CLJ 965 [HC]

Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
Wong Kian Kheong JC
(Civil Procedure; Company Law; Evidence - Setting aside earlier judgment or order in fresh suit - Striking out - Double derivative action - Fraud on minority - Commencement of common law derivative action in Malaysia against company incorporated in England - Judicial notice - Opinions on English law) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

SUBJECT INDEX

CIVIL PROCEDURE

Judgments and orders - Setting aside - Setting aside earlier judgment or order in fresh suit - Fraud or collusion - Whether judgment or order obtained by fraud or collusion could be invalidated - Evidence Act 1950, s. 44
Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
(Wong Kian Kheong JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

Striking out - Action - Action against solicitors - Defence of legal privilege - Whether suit could be struck out by reason of legal privilege - Evidence Act 1950, s. 126(1)
Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
(Wong Kian Kheong JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

Striking out - Action - Double derivative action - Existence of several cause of action - Non-disclosure of any reasonable cause of action after plaintiff filed application for discovery and interrogatories - Whether claim could be struck out
Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
(Wong Kian Kheong JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

Striking out - Action - Examination on restitutionary remedy at interlocutory stage - Allegation of illegality - Whether trial needed to determine availability of restitutionary remedy - Whether suit ought to be struck out
Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
(Wong Kian Kheong JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

Striking out - Counterclaim - Application for - Counterclaim for recovery of gambling debt - Whether against public policy and illegal - Whether counterclaim maintainable - Civil Law Act 1956, s. 26(2), (4) - Contracts Act 1950, ss. 24, 31
Dato' Ting Ching Lee & Ors v. Ting Siu Hua
(Alwi Wahab JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 933 [HC]

Striking out - Counterclaim - Counterclaim made against first plaintiff alone - Whether application to strike out counterclaim could be made against second and third plaintiffs jointly - Whether all plaintiffs entitled to be heard in course of justice - Failure to invoke O. 18 r. 19(1)(a) Rules of Court 2012 - Whether fatal
Dato' Ting Ching Lee & Ors v. Ting Siu Hua
(Alwi Wahab JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 933 [HC]

COMPANY LAW

Derivative action - Double derivative actions - Commencement of common law derivative action in Malaysia against company incorporated in England - Whether permission of English High Court required before filing suit in Malaysia
Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
(Wong Kian Kheong JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

Derivative action - Fraud on minority - Double derivative action and multiple derivative actions - Interest of justice - Safeguarding interest of company and shareholders - Whether double derivative actions and multiple derivative actions could be filed in Malaysia - Whether necessary in interest of justice to safeguard interest of company and shareholders
Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
(Wong Kian Kheong JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

Derivative action - Leave - Leave to commence common law derivative action - Whether leave of Malaysian court required before commencement of a common law derivative suit against Malaysian company
Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
(Wong Kian Kheong JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

CONTRACT

Formation - Subject to contract - Draft lease agreement - Whether an offer simpliciter could be revoked by a counter offer - Whether terms of agreement negotiated fit for execution - Whether parties reached consensus ad idem - Whether contract prima facie concluded - Unilateral act of one party seeking to withdraw from agreement - Whether amounted to breach of obligations
Sarah Sayeed Majangah & Anor v. Lembaga Getah Malaysia & Anor
(Lim Yee Lan, Hamid Sultan Abu Backer, Nallini Pathmanathan JJCA) [2016] 2 CLJ 905 [CA]

Joint venture - Joint venture agreement (`JVA') - Termination - Shipment of goods delivered prior to termination of JVA - Price of goods sold not determined in JVA - Whether price of goods sold should be wholesale price, agreed price under joint venture or ex-factory price - Whether plaintiffs returned unsold goods within reasonable time - Whether plaintiffs deemed to have appropriated goods - Whether plaintiffs liable for diminution in value of returned goods
Desiree Couture Sdn Bhd & Anor v. Anne F Co Ltd & Ors
(Azizul Azmi Adnan JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 942 [HC]

Specific performance - Refusal to grant - Appeal against - Draft lease agreement - Whether an offer simpliciter could be revoked by a counter offer - Whether terms of agreement negotiated fit for execution - Whether parties reached consensus ad idem - Whether contract prima facie concluded - Whether specific performance of lease agreement should be granted
Sarah Sayeed Majangah & Anor v. Lembaga Getah Malaysia & Anor
(Lim Yee Lan, Hamid Sultan Abu Backer, Nallini Pathmanathan JJCA) [2016] 2 CLJ 905 [CA]

DAMAGES

Quantum - Appeal against quantum - Fracture of pubic tubercle - Award of damages based on itemised injuries in each segment of bones surrounding pelvis - Whether damages awarded excessive - Whether pelvic injuries ought to be considered as one - Whether global sum should be awarded
Kovalan Rajoo v. Hanif Muhamad Pauzi
(Choo Kah Sing JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 965 [HC]

EVIDENCE

Judicial notice - Foreign law - Opinions on English law - Judicial notice of opinions on English law - Evidence Act 1950, s. 57(1)(b)
Ranjeet Singh Sidhu & Anor v. Zavarco Plc & Ors
(Wong Kian Kheong JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 975 [HC]

LAND LAW

Caveat - Registrar's caveat - Application for removal of caveats - Registrar lodged caveats against lands upon official request by police - Whether land owners charged with criminal offence - Whether under any police investigation - Failure to disclose police report justifying lodgement of caveats - Whether fatal - Whether caveats maintainable in law
Kiu Su Sieng & Ors v. Registrar Of Lands And Surveys, Kuching Division
(Rhodzariah Bujang J) [2016] 2 CLJ 959 [HC]

TORT

Damages - Negligence - Medical negligence - Infant suffered from quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy from child birth and treatment at hospital - Claim for general, special and future damages - Whether quantum of damages awarded appropriate and justified
Inas Faiqah Mohd Helmi (A Child Suing Through Her Father And Next Friend; Mohd Helmi Abdul Aziz) v. Kerajaan Malaysia & Ors
(Arifin Zakaria CJ, Md Raus Sharif PCA, Abdull Hamid Embong, Hasan Lah, Abu Samah Nordin FCJJ) [2016] 2 CLJ 885 [FC]

Defamation - Defamatory statements - Appointment of debt collector by defendant to collect amount owed by plaintiff - Debt collector issued flyers referring plaintiff as cheat - Relationship between defendant and debt collector - Whether debt collector an independent contractor - Whether defendant vicariously liable for defamation - Whether defendants participated in defamation
Desiree Couture Sdn Bhd & Anor v. Anne F Co Ltd & Ors
(Azizul Azmi Adnan JC) [2016] 2 CLJ 942 [HC]

Negligence - Medical negligence - Claim for damages - Infant suffered from quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy from child birth and treatment at hospital - Assessment of future loss and damage - Standard of proof - Whether on a balance of probabilities - Whether trial judge placed strict proof or specific proof as basis for claim for future damage - Whether resulted in huge reduction in compensation - Whether sum awarded appropriate and justified
Inas Faiqah Mohd Helmi (A Child Suing Through Her Father And Next Friend; Mohd Helmi Abdul Aziz) v. Kerajaan Malaysia & Ors
(Arifin Zakaria CJ, Md Raus Sharif PCA, Abdull Hamid Embong, Hasan Lah, Abu Samah Nordin FCJJ) [2016] 2 CLJ 885 [FC]

INDEKS PERKARA

KONTRAK

Perjanjian jual beli tanah - Tanah Rizab Melayu - Pembelian tanah oleh orang bukan Melayu - Prasyarat perjanjian jual beli - Pembatalan Tanah Rizab Melayu - Penyerahan hak milik daftar asal tanpa endorsmen Tanah Rizab Melayu - Sama ada prasyarat dipenuhi oleh plaintif - Sama ada defendan harus menyerahkan hak milik baru kepada plaintif - Sama ada perjanjian sah menurut undang-undang - Sama ada plaintif berhak ke atas ganti rugi - Akta Kontrak 1950, s. 24
Cheah Wei Ping lwn. Warta Kekal Sdn Bhd
(Mariana Yahya H) [2016] 2 CLJ 918 [HC]

UNDANG-UNDANG TANAH

Rizab Melayu - Pembelian Tanah Rizab Melayu - Prasyarat perjanjian jual beli - Pembatalan Tanah Rizab Melayu - Penyerahan hak milik daftar asal tanpa endorsmen Tanah Rizab Melayu - Sama ada prasyarat dipenuhi oleh plaintif - Sama ada defendan harus menyerahkan hak milik baru kepada plaintif - Sama ada perjanjian sah menurut undang-undang
Cheah Wei Ping lwn. Warta Kekal Sdn Bhd
(Mariana Yahya H) [2016] 2 CLJ 918 [HC]

LNS Article(s)

1. CAN A BODY CORPORATE BE AN AUTHOR OF A COPYRIGHT WORK?* ^{[Read excerpt]}
   MADAN MOHAN** [2016] 1 LNS(A) xxiv

[2016] 1 LNS(A) xxiv

SINGAPORE

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CAN A BODY CORPORATE BE AN AUTHOR OF A COPYRIGHT WORK?*

MADAN MOHAN**

Introduction

The Court of Appeal, in the case of Asia Pacific Publishing Pte Ltd v. Pioneers & Leaders (Publishers) Pte Ltd [2011] SGCA 37 (“Asia Pacific Publishing”) recently adjudicated upon the issue of a body corporate as the author of a copyright work.

Factual Matrix

The appellant, Asia Pacific Publishing Pte Ltd and the respondent, Pioneers & Leaders(Publishers) Pte Ltd (both incorporated as a private limited company under Singapore law) were in the business of publishing horse racing magazines, Racing Guide (“RG”) and Punter’s Way (“PW”), respectively.

The respondent alleged that between the period of 30 June 2007 and 5 June 2008, the appellant had infringed their copyright by copying and reproducing the compilation of tables which were materially similar to their proprietary compilation. The compilation of tables in dispute was a set of four tables that adopted the horse-racing information in the following sequence: (i) Race Card (which included information on participating horses, their recent physical status, their equipment, jockeys and their recent performances and strike rates of their trainers); (ii)Results Panel (which consisted of forecast on potential winners and blank spaces for readers to fill in the actual result); (iii) Track Work (which consisted of the performance of the horses before the race day for up to 21 days); and (iv) Records of Past Performances (which consisted of detailed history of each horse, including its pedigree, owner and stable, stake money it has won and past performances in the last six runs).

. . .

* This article was originally published in the (August/2012) issue of the Singapore Law Gazette (www.lawgazette.com.sg), the official publication of the Law Society of Singapore, published by LexisNexis. Reproduced with permission.

** Yeo-Leong & Peh LLC. E-mail: madanmohan@ylp.com.sg.

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