Contempt of Court

5 cases · July 2020 to November 2025

Case Volume by Year

1
20
4
25
2020–2025

Key Issues & Sub-Topics

Implied undertaking (Riddick principle) — Use of documents obtained under compulsion — Whether undertaking survives once documents are filed, marked and read in open court — Public documents — Related proceedings — Whether leave of court required — Grant of leave to commence committal proceedings — Appealability of leave order — Whether appeals are academic or premature — Res judicata and issue estoppel — Proper scope and application of Harman v Secretary of State — Malaysian position. 2 Leave to commence committal proceedings — Alleged false statements in affidavits — Prima facie threshold — Standard of proof — Whether mere falsity sufficient — Court’s duty at leave stage — Liberty of individual — Federal Constitution art 5 — Order 52 Rule 3 of the Rules of Court 2012 1 Committal proceedings — Injunction order — Whether non-compliance amounts to contempt — Burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt — E & E Equipment Sdn Bhd v. Speci Avenue (M) Sdn Bhd & Ors [2005] 6 MLJ 589 — Distinction between civil and criminal contempt — Tan Sri Dato' (Dr) Rozali Ismail & Ors v. Lim Pang Cheong & Ors [2012] 2 CLJ 849 — Federal Constitution, art 126; Courts of Judicature Act 1964, s 13; Rules of Court 2012, O 52 r 3. Injunction — Validity pending appeal — Principle that an order remains binding until set aside — Houng Hai Hong & Anor v MBf Holdings Bhd [1995] 3 AMR 3079, [1995] 4 CLJ 427 — Effect of appellate court setting aside injunction — Whether order operates ab initio — Houng Hai Hong & Anor v MBf Holdings Bhd [1995] 4 CLJ 427 Practice and Procedure — Committal — Leave to commence committal not equivalent to finding of contempt — Mere prima facie vetting — Standard of proof — Beyond reasonable doubt — Lim Chau Leng (P) v. Wong Chee Chong [2006] 1 AMR 151 and Foo Khoon Long v Foo Khoon Wong [2009] 9 MLJ 441. Digest: committal application dismissed. 1 Decision on application to set aside leave order granted pursuant to O. 52 r. 3(1) of the Rules of Court 2012 — grounds for setting aside — Notice pursuant to O.52 r.2B — non-compliance is not fatal — the right forum — Federal Court — as impugned comments implicate the judiciary as a whole — does not necessarily have to commence at High Court — Application dismissed Evidence Law — section 114A of Evidence Act — presumption of fact on publication — impugned comments were contemptuous — prima facie publication on news portal 1

Leave to commence committal proceedings — Alleged false statements in affidavits — Prima facie threshold — Standard of proof — Whether mere falsity sufficient — Court’s duty at leave stage — Liberty of individual — Federal Constitution art 5 — Order 52 Rule 3 of the Rules of Court 2012 1 case

Committal proceedings — Injunction order — Whether non-compliance amounts to contempt — Burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt — E & E Equipment Sdn Bhd v. Speci Avenue (M) Sdn Bhd & Ors [2005] 6 MLJ 589 — Distinction between civil and criminal contempt — Tan Sri Dato' (Dr) Rozali Ismail & Ors v. Lim Pang Cheong & Ors [2012] 2 CLJ 849 — Federal Constitution, art 126; Courts of Judicature Act 1964, s 13; Rules of Court 2012, O 52 r 3. Injunction — Validity pending appeal — Principle that an order remains binding until set aside — Houng Hai Hong & Anor v MBf Holdings Bhd [1995] 3 AMR 3079, [1995] 4 CLJ 427 — Effect of appellate court setting aside injunction — Whether order operates ab initio — Houng Hai Hong & Anor v MBf Holdings Bhd [1995] 4 CLJ 427 Practice and Procedure — Committal — Leave to commence committal not equivalent to finding of contempt — Mere prima facie vetting — Standard of proof — Beyond reasonable doubt — Lim Chau Leng (P) v. Wong Chee Chong [2006] 1 AMR 151 and Foo Khoon Long v Foo Khoon Wong [2009] 9 MLJ 441. Digest: committal application dismissed. 1 case

Decision on application to set aside leave order granted pursuant to O. 52 r. 3(1) of the Rules of Court 2012 — grounds for setting aside — Notice pursuant to O.52 r.2B — non-compliance is not fatal — the right forum — Federal Court — as impugned comments implicate the judiciary as a whole — does not necessarily have to commence at High Court — Application dismissed Evidence Law — section 114A of Evidence Act — presumption of fact on publication — impugned comments were contemptuous — prima facie publication on news portal 1 case

Key Statutes

Supreme Court of Judicature Act
cited in 2 cases
Civil Law Act 1956
cited in 2 cases
cited in 2 cases
cited in 2 cases
Rules of Court 2012
cited in 2 cases

Court Distribution

Key People & Firms

Cases