PUNCAK NIAGA CONSTRUCTION SDN BHD v ABRAHAM A/L P. JOSEPH

ba-12bncvc-59-09-2024 High Court (Mahkamah Tinggi) 22 May 2025 • BA-12BNCvC-59-09/2024 • 22 min read

14 cases cited (0 SG, 14 foreign)

Catchwords

CONTRACT — Contract rescinded due to fraudulent misrepresentation of defendant — Defendant's degree lacked recognition and legitimacy — Whether defendant fraudulently misrepresented his qualifications, thereby inducing plaintiff to enter the employment contract — Whether defendant knowingly or recklessly made a false representation — Whether contract lawfully rescinded by plaintiff — Whether contract void ab initio for fraudulent misrepresentation — Whether plaintiff entitled to recover all salaries and payments made to defendant during his period of employment — Contracts Act 1950, ss 10, 14, 17, 18, 19 CONTRACT — Breach of contract — Whether plaintiff’s unilateral waiver of the notice period without compensation constituted a breach of contract — Whether defendant entitled to claim three months’ salary in lieu of notice EVIDENCE — Admissibility — Witnesses — Failure to call makers of emails to prove their contents — Whether presumption of adverse inference should be invoked for failing to call material witnesses — Evidence Act 1950, s 114(g) TRIAL — Whether trial judge misdirected herself by favouring defendant’s oral testimony over plaintiff's documentary material — Whether appellate intervention necessary

Practice Areas

CONTRACT EVIDENCE

Judges (1)

Jamhirah binti Ali Delivered

Counsel (6)

CK Lim Law Chambers Firm Rajagopal & Co. Firm David Yii Hee Kiet Counsel Appellant Lim Choon Khim Counsel Appellant Nurul Idayu Binti Harun Counsel Appellant Remi Pereira Counsel Respondent

Parties (2)

PUNCAK NIAGA CONSTRUCTION Sdn Bhd Appellant Abraham a/l P. Joseph Respondent

Case Significance

PUNCAK NIAGA CONSTRUCTION SDN BHD v ABRAHAM A/L P. JOSEPH is a High Court (Mahkamah Tinggi) decision dated May 22, 2025 (citation: ba-12bncvc-59-09-2024). The case was decided by Jamhirah binti Ali.

Key issues: TRIAL — Whether trial judge misdirected herself by favouring defendant’s oral testimony over plaintiff's documentary material — Whether appellate intervention necessary.

What was the outcome of PUNCAK NIAGA CONSTRUCTION SDN BHD v ABRAHAM A/L P. JOSEPH?

PUNCAK NIAGA CONSTRUCTION SDN BHD v ABRAHAM A/L P. JOSEPH is a High Court decision dated May 22, 2025. The case was heard by Jamhirah binti Ali. See the full judgment for details.

Statutes Cited

Contracts Act 1950 (Cap 136)

s 10

Evidence Act 1950 (Cap 56)

s 114(g)

Cases Cited (14)

UK (4)

[1935] AC 243 [1941] 2 All ER 205 [1947] AC 484 [2013] 1 WLR 2477

MY (10)

[1969] 2 MLJ 209 [1969] 2 MLJ 49 [1981] 1 MLJ 24 [1995] 3 MLJ 395 [1996] 2 MLJ 517 [1999] 2 MLJ 500 [2015] 6 MLJ 810 [2016] 2 MLJ 428 [2020] 12 MLJ 67 [2023] 3 MLJ 503

Judgment

Read the full judgment on the official Malaysia Courts portal.

Read on eJudgment

Source: eJudgment (ba-12bncvc-59-09-2024)