SOCAR MOBILITY MALAYSIA SDN BHD v 1. ) GOBALAN A/L ARUMUGAM, SEBAGAI BAPA YANG SAH DAN PENANGGUNGAN KEPADA PAVITHRA DEIWI A/P GOBALAN, SIMATI, UNTUK DIRI SENDIRI 2. ) AANATHAVALI A/P SUBRAMANIAM, SEBAGAI IBU YANG SAH DAN PENANGGUNGAN KEPADA PAVITHRA DEIWI A/P GOBALAN, SIMATI, UNTUK DIRI SENDIRI 3. ) VEKNESWARAN A/L BALAKRISHNAN

ja-12b-25-04-2025 High Court (Mahkamah Tinggi) 11 March 2026 • JA-12B-25-04/2025 • 26 min read

10 cases cited (0 SG, 10 foreign)

Catchwords

Tort – Negligence – Road traffic accident – Rented vehicle – Alleged brake failure – Whether proven – Balance of probabilities – Consistent eyewitness evidence – Absence of skid marks – Investigating officer’s findings – Evidence – Res ipsa loquitur – Applicability – Control over mechanical condition vs driving – Evidential burden – Evidence – Adverse inference – s 114(g) Evidence Act 1950 – Disposal of material evidence – Failure to preserve vehicle – Negligence – Duty of care – Car-sharing operator – Non-delegable duty – Passengers as foreseeable class – Defences – Volenti non fit injuria – No knowledge of specific risk – Not established – Liability – Apportionment – Driver’s contributory negligence – Speed at intersection – 90:10 upheld – Damages – Quantum – Loss of actual earnings – Legality principle – Loss of earning capacity – Multiplier-multiplicand – Practice – Appeal – Appellate interference – No misdirection – Cross-appeal – Competency – Order 8 r 55 ROC 2012

Practice Areas

Judges (1)

Noradura binti Hamzah Delivered

Counsel (8)

Teo & Associates Firm Zul Rafique & Partners Firm Mohamad Danial bin Mohd Firdaus Counsel Appellant Muhammad Hibri bin Nazim Counsel Appellant Nan Muhammad Ridhwan bin Rosnan Counsel Appellant Saif Aslam bin Lokman Counsel Appellant Sera Counsel Respondent Teo Han Ley Counsel Respondent

Parties (4)

SOCAR MOBILITY MALAYSIA Sdn Bhd Appellant Aanathavali a/p Subramaniam, Sebagai Ibu Yang Sah Dan Penanggungan Kepada Pavithra Deiwi a/p Gobalan, Simati, Untuk Diri Sendiri Respondent Gobalan a/l Arumugam, Sebagai Bapa Yang Sah Dan Penanggungan Kepada Pavithra Deiwi a/p Gobalan, Simati, Untuk Diri Sendiri Respondent Vekneswaran a/l Balakrishnan Respondent

Statutes Cited

Evidence Act 1950 (Cap 56)

Cases Cited (10)

UK (2)

[1932] AC 562 [1950] 1 All ER 392

MY (8)

[1981] 1 MLJ 212 [1985] 1 MLJ 50 [1989] 3 MLJ 112 [1995] 2 MLJ 770 [2003] 2 MLJ 97 [2005] 2 MLJ 1 [2016] 5 MLJ 557 [2019] 5 MLJ 159

Judgment

Read the full judgment on the official Malaysia Courts portal.

Read on eJudgment

Source: eJudgment (ja-12b-25-04-2025)