Bulletin_24

CLJ Bulletin, Vol 2004, Issue 24
15 May 2004

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Current Law Journal May (Part 1) 2004

FEDERAL COURT

Karunairajah Rasiah v. Punithambigai Poniah
(Parent’s legal duty to maintain child over 18 years of age - Whether duty extends until child completes tertiary education) [2004] 2 CLJ 365

HIGH COURT

Chong Tai Loe v. Karen Wong Wai Han
(Tort - Whether wife has right to sue husband’s paramour on tort of adultery) [2004] 2 CLJ 383

Hatijah Rejab lwn. Abdullah Saad
(Undang-undang tanah - Sama ada hartanah dipindahmilik atas dasar jual janji atau satu jualan terus) [2004] 2 CLJ 392

Hussin Mohd Ali v. Ho Kay Tat & Anor
(Defamation - Newspaper article - Defence of fair comment - Whether proved) [2004] 2 CLJ 407

Shamala Sathiyaseelan v. Dr Jeyaganesh C Mogarajah & Anor
(Constitutional law - Jurisdiction - Civil court - Application by wife to declare husband’s conversion of children to Islam null and void) [2004] 2 CLJ 416

SUBJECT INDEX

CIVIL PROCEDURE

Jurisdiction - Court - Application by wife to declare husband’s conversion of children to Islam null and void - Whether civil court has jurisdiction to hear application - Whether consent of husband enough to validate conversion of children to Islam - Whether legality of conversion within jurisdiction of syariah court - Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993, ss. 90, 91, 92, 95(b) - Federal Constitution, arts. 12(4), 121(1A) - Guardianship of Infants Act 1961, s. 5
Shamala Sathiyaseelan v. Dr Jeyaganesh C Mogarajah & Anor
(Faiza Tamby Chik J) [2004] 2 CLJ 416

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW

Jurisdiction - Civil court - Application by wife to declare husband’s conversion of children to Islam null and void - Whether civil court has jurisdiction to hear application - Whether consent of husband enough to validate conversion of children to Islam - Whether legality of conversion within jurisdiction of syariah court - Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993, ss. 90, 91, 92, 95(b) - Federal Constitution, arts. 12(4), 121(1A) - Guardianship of Infants Act 1961, s. 5
Shamala Sathiyaseelan v. Dr Jeyaganesh C Mogarajah & Anor
(Faiza Tamby Chik J) [2004] 2 CLJ 416

FAMILY LAW

Children - Maintenance - Parent’s legal duty to maintain child over 18 years of age - Whether duty extends until child completes tertiary education - Involuntary financial dependence for the purpose of pursuing tertiary education - Whether a mental or physical disability for duty to arise - Ching Seng Woah v. Lim Shook Lin (distinguished) - Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, ss. 52, 92, 93, 95
Karunairajah Rasiah v. Punithambigai Poniah
(Abdul Hamid Mohamad, Mohd Noor Ahmad & Pajan Singh Gill FCJJ) [2004] 2 CLJ 365

Family matters - Intentional interference with familial relations - Husband having adulterous relationship with paramour - Wife suing paramour on tort of negligence - Whether paramour’s conduct in having adulterous relationship amounts to tort of negligence - Whether wife can claim damages against paramour under s. 58 Law Reform (Marriage & Divorce) Act 1976 - Whether wife must petition for divorce and cite paramour as co-respondent - Whether law unsatisfactory - Whether Parliament must step in - Whether common law torts of adultery, enticement and harbouring a spouse relevant
Chong Tai Loe v. Karen Wong Wai Han
(Mohd Hishamudin Yunus J) [2004] 2 CLJ 383

ISLAMIC LAW

Infants - Conversion to Islam - Whether consent of one parent enough to validate conversion of children to Islam - Whether legality of conversion within jurisdiction of syariah court - Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993, ss. 90, 91, 92, 95(b) - Federal Constitution, arts. 12(4), 121(1A) - Guardianship of Infants Act 1961, s. 5
Shamala Sathiyaseelan v. Dr Jeyaganesh C Mogarajah & Anor
(Faiza Tamby Chik J) [2004] 2 CLJ 416

TORT

Criminal conversation/Adultery - Applicability - Whether wife has right to sue husband’s paramour on tort of adultery - Whether tort of adultery still part of common law of England - Whether applicable in West Malaysia pursuant to s. 3(1)(a) Civil Law Act 1956
Chong Tai Loe v. Karen Wong Wai Han
(Mohd Hishamudin Yunus J) [2004] 2 CLJ 383

Defamation - Newspaper article - Whether defamatory of plaintiff - Defence of fair comment - Whether proved - Whether words complained of were comments - Whether of public importance - Whether based on facts - Whether honestly made
Hussin Mohd Ali v. Ho Kay Tat & Anor
(Azmel Maamor J) [2004] 2 CLJ 407

Enticement - Applicability - Whether wife can sue husband’s paramour on common law tort of enticement - Civil Law Act 1956, s. 3(1)(a)
Chong Tai Loe v. Karen Wong Wai Han
(Mohd Hishamudin Yunus J) [2004] 2 CLJ 383

Harbouring a spouse - Applicability - Whether wife has right to sue husband’s paramour on common law tort of harbouring a spouse - Civil Law Act 1956, s. 3(1)(a)
Chong Tai Loe v. Karen Wong Wai Han
(Mohd Hishamudin Yunus J) [2004] 2 CLJ 383

Negligence - Committing adultery with another person’s spouse - Whether amounts to tort of negligence - Element of ‘carelessness’ in negligence - Adultery as an ‘intentional’ act - Whether wife can sue husband’s paramour for damages for negligence
Chong Tai Loe v. Karen Wong Wai Han
(Mohd Hishamudin Yunus J) [2004] 2 CLJ 383

INDEKS PERKARA

UNDANG-UNDANG TANAH

Pindahmilik - Jual janji - Sama ada hartanah dipindahmilik atas dasar jual janji atau satu jualan terus - Sama ada keterangan menyokong transaksi jual janji
Hatijah Rejab lwn. Abdullah Saad
(Zainal Adzam Abd Ghani PK) [2004] 2 CLJ 392

Current Law Journal May (Part 2) 2004

FEDERAL COURT

Majlis Perbandaran Klang v. Zakiyah Samad
(Local government - Rates - Rate of assessment) [2004] 2 CLJ 429

PP v. Wan Mohd Kamil Wan Mohamad
(Criminal law - Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 - Section 12(2) [2004] 2 CLJ 434

COURT OF APPEAL

Chong Kim Sang v. Metatrade Sdn Bhd
(Labour law - Employment - Workman - Whether claimant a workman) [2004] 2 CLJ 439

Ong Thye Peng v. Loo Choo Teng & Ors
(Trusts - Trust property - Sale - Sanction of court) [2004] 2 CLJ 458

Tan Chee Kern v. PP
(Criminal procedure - Sentence - Imprisonment for life - Whether means imprisonment for 20 years) [2004] 2 CLJ 482

HIGH COURT

Fujitsi Computer Systems (M) Sdn Bhd & Anor v. Nordin Md Yasin & Anor
(Labour law - Employment - Dismissal - Backwages) [2004] 2 CLJ 486

SUBJECT INDEX

CRIMINAL LAW

Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 - Section 12(2) - Conviction - Possession of dangerous drugs - Propriety of conviction - Accused convicted and sentenced on a reduced charge of possession of cannabis under s. 12(2) Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 - Whether s. 6 the applicable provision for possession of cannabis - Whether s. 12(2) applied to possession of Indian hemp - Whether miscarriage of justice occasioned - Whether proviso to s. 92(1) Courts of Judicature Act 1964 applicable
PP v. Wan Mohd Kamil Wan Mohamad
(Abdul Malek Ahmad, Mohd Noor Ahmad FCJJ & Hashim Yusoff JCA) [2004] 2 CLJ 434

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

Sentence - Imprisonment for life - Whether means imprisonment for 20 years - Definition of ‘imprisonment for life’ in s. 2 Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 - Specifically excludes operation of s. 3 Criminal Justice Act 1953 - Whether sentence of ‘imprisonment for life’ for conviction under s. 4 Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 means imprisonment for whole natural life - Whether appellate court can substitute with imprisonment for 20 years
Tan Chee Kern v. PP
(Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, Abdul Aziz Mohamad & Nik Hashim JJCA) [2004] 2 CLJ 482

LABOUR LAW

Employment - Dismissal - Backwages - Principles in assessing - Claimant gainfully employed elsewhere soon after his dismissal - Remuneration received from new employment - Whether must be deducted from or set off against backwages to be awarded - Whether chairman considered such factors - Whether chairman exercised discretion properly - Whether High Court has reason to interfere
Fujitsi Computer Systems (M) Sdn Bhd & Anor v. Nordin Md Yasin & Anor
(Raus Sharif J) [2004] 2 CLJ 486

Employment - Workman - Whether claimant a workman - Contract of service - Claimant appointed executive director of company - Whether still an employee and a workman - Whether company paid claimant salary and contributed to his provident fund - Whether Industrial Court wrong to conclude that claimant was not a workman - Whether High Court wrong to refuse claimant’s application for certiorari and mandamus - Whether Industrial Court seised with jurisdiction to hear claimant’s representations - Whether Industrial Court’s threshold jurisdiction may be challenged by way of a preliminary objection
Chong Kim Sang v. Metatrade Sdn Bhd
(Mokhtar Sidin, Mohd Noor Ahmad JJCA & Mohd Ghazali Yusoff JCA) [2004] 2 CLJ 439

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Rates - Rate of assessment - Whether rates imposed by local authority can be objected to under s. 142(1) Local Government Act 1976 - Whether matter appealable to High Court under s. 145 Local Government Act 1976 - Distinction between capitalisation rate and rate of assessment
Majlis Perbandaran Klang v. Zakiyah Samad
(Steve Shim CJ (Sabah & Sarawak), Abdul Malek Ahmad & Abdul Hamid Mohamad FCJJ) [2004] 2 CLJ 429

TRUSTS

Trust property - Sale - Leave to sell trust property - Sanction of court - Whether judge had exercised discretion judiciously in granting sanction
Ong Thye Peng v. Loo Choo Teng & Ors
(Mohd Noor Ahmad FCJ, Richard Malanjum JCA & Mohd Ghazali
Yusoff JCA) [2004] 2 CLJ 458

Trust property - Sale - Sanction of court - Trustees entering into agreement to sell property in 1979 - Sanction obtained in year 2000 - Sale price thereof - Whether to be market price at time of application for sanction - Whether to be price as agreed to in 1979 - Whether agreement valid and binding - Probate and Administration Act 1959, s. 60(4) - Applicability
Ong Thye Peng v. Loo Choo Teng & Ors
(Mohd Noor Ahmad FCJ, Richard Malanjum JCA & Mohd Ghazali
Yusoff JCA) [2004] 2 CLJ 458

WORDS & PHRASES

"imprisonment for life" - Definition of - Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971, ss. 2, 4 - Whether means imprisonment for whole natural life - Whether means imprisonment for 20 years - Whether definition in s. 2 Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 excludes and prevails over s. 3 Criminal Justice Act 1953
Tan Chee Kern v. PP
(Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, Abdul Aziz Mohamad & Nik Hashim JJCA) [2004] 2 CLJ 482

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