GAN GEOK DUAN MANOJAYAN A/L RAJAMANI
The writ of distress was properly issued under s.5 of the Distress Act 1951; the defendant's substantive grounds based on absence of a written tenancy were unreasonable given the evidence of an agreed tenancy and the defendant's contribution to its informality; the defendant's late filing of a replying affidavit was...
Source-derived case information.
- Citation
- BA-76-50-06/2025 (Mahkamah Majistret)
- Parties
- Plaintiff: Gan Geok Duan; Defendant: Manojayan A/L Rajamani
- Court
- Magistrates' Court
- Jurisdiction
- Malaysia
- Judgment Date
- 25 September 2025
- Case Number
- BA-76-50-06/2025 (Mahkamah Majistret)
- Procedural Posture
- Magistrate Court Civil Writ of Distress Proceedings / Decision on Defendant's Applications to Set Aside and to Suspend Writ; Appeal Filed to High Court by Defendant
- Outcome
- Defendant's applications to set aside the writ of distress and to suspend its execution were dismissed; defendant's replying affidavit was expunged; costs awarded to plaintiff.
- Legal Topics
- Writ of Distress, Setting Aside Writ, Suspension of Execution, Strike Out/expunge Affidavit, Abuse of Process, Costs
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
Gan Geok Duan
Plaintiff
Manojayan A/L Rajamani
Defendant
Procedural Posture
Magistrate Court Civil Writ of Distress Proceedings / Decision on Defendant's Applications to Set Aside and to Suspend Writ; Appeal Filed to High Court by Defendant
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether the writ of distress was validly issued under the Distress Act 1951
- 2 Whether the defendant's application to set aside the writ and to suspend execution should be allowed
- 3 Whether the defendant's late filing of a replying affidavit justified expunging it as an abuse of court process
Ratio Decidendi
The writ of distress was properly issued under s.5 of the Distress Act 1951; the defendant's substantive grounds based on absence of a written tenancy were unreasonable given the evidence of an agreed tenancy and the defendant's contribution to its informality; the defendant's late filing of a replying affidavit was an abuse of process and was expunged; accordingly both applications to set aside the writ and to suspend execution were dismissed with costs.
Court Disposition
Defendant's applications to set aside the writ of distress and to suspend its execution were dismissed; defendant's replying affidavit was expunged; costs awarded to plaintiff.
Orders
- Application to set aside writ of distress dismissed with costs RM1000
- Application to suspend execution of writ of distress dismissed with costs RM1000
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
1 paragraphs
BA-76-50-06/2025 Kand. 51 20/02/2026 15:44:30 DALAM PERKARA MAHKAMAH MAJISTRET DI SHAH ALAM DALAM NEGERI SELANGOR DARUL EHSAN GUAMAN NO: BA-76-50-06/2025 RAYUAN NO: BA-11A-10-10/2025 ANTARA GAN GEOK DUAN (NO.K/P: 730605-01-6324) … PLAINTIF DAN MANOJAYAN A/L RAJAMANI … DEFENDAN (NO.K/P: 911226-10-5997) [Berniaga Dalam Gaya dan Nama Shaman Golden Age Enterprise [No.Perniagaan: 202203111406 (CT0105253-U)] ALASAN PENGHAKIMAN (LAMPIRAN 11 DAN LAMPIRAN 13) (Permohonan Defendan untuk mengenepikan writ distres dan penggantungan writ distres terhadap Plaintif) [1] Defendan telah memfailkan Notis Permohonan Pengenepian Writ Distres di Lampiran 11 dan Permohonan Menggantungkan Pelaksanaan Writ Distres pada Lampiran 13. [2] Setelah meneliti permohonan Defendan bersama-sama dengan Afidavit dan Hujahan Bertulis kedua-dua pihak, Mahkamah ini telah menolak kedua-dua permohonan Defendan dengan kos sebanyak RM1,000.00 untuk setiap permohonan dan Defendan tidak berpuas hati dengan keputusan tersebut telah memfailkan rayuan ke Mahkamah Tinggi. S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal Selain itu, Mahkamah turut menggugurkan (expunge) Afidavit Balasan Perayu/Defendan atas kelewatan pemfailan tanpa kebenaran atau alasan munasabah. [3] Rayuan Perayu/Defendan adalah terhadap keseluruhan keputusan Majistret Mahkamah Majistret yang terkhilaf dari segi fakta dan undang-undang apabila menolak Permohonan Perayu/Defendan (Lampiran 11), mengugurkan Afidavit Balasan Perayu/Defendan (Lampiran 21) dan perintah kos bagi Permohonan Perayu/Defendan (Lampiran 13) terhadap Responden/Plaintif. A. RINGKASAN TUNTUTAN PLAINTIF [4] Plaintif adalah tuanpunya premis di satu lot kedai dua (2) tingkat yang beralamat di No. 25 Jalan Salung 33/26, Seksyen 33, 40400 Shah Alam, Selangor (selepas ini dirujuk sebagai “Premis tersebut”) dan Plaintif telah bersetuju menyewakan Premis tersebut kepada Defendan dengan sewa bulanan sebanyak RM3200.00 untuk tempoh selama dua belas (12) bulan bermula dari 15 Mei 2024 hingga 14 Mei 2025. Defendan merupakan penyewa Premis tersebut. [5] Menurut Perjanjian Sewaan bertarikh 15 Mei 2024, Defendan dikehendaki membayar wang sewa sebanyak RM3200.00 pada atau sebelum 15 haribulan setiap bulan. Defendan juga dikehendaki membayar bil elektrik, bil air, caj Indah Water sepanjang tempoh sewaan Premis tersebut. S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal [6] Atas kegagalan Defendan menjelaskan tunggakan sewa, bil elektrik, bil air dan caj Indah Water walaupun surat Plaintif bertarikh 28 Februari 2025 dan notis tuntutan peguamcara Plaintif bertarikh 7 April 2025 telah diserahkan kepada Defendan maka Plaintif telah memfailkan Saman Pemula (Ex-Parte) beserta Afidavit Sokongan untuk mengeluarkan Writ Distres terhadap Defendan di Mahkamah Majistret Shah Alam Saman Pemula No. BA-A74-99-06/2025. Perintah untuk mengeluarkan Writ Distres telah dibenarkan oleh Mahkamah pada 16 Jun 2025. [7] Writ Distres telah dilaksanakan oleh Bailif Mahkamah pada 10 Julai 2025 jam 10.30 pagi di Premis tersebut Kandungan 9 dan laporan bailiff telah difailkan di bawah 17 Julai 2025 di bawah Kandungan 16. [8] Selanjutnya, Defendan telah pada 14 Julai 2025 memfailkan permohonan untuk mengenepikan Writ Distres (Kandungan 11). Atas permohonan Defendan tersebut, pelaksanaan dan lelongan awam Distres telah ditangguhkan oleh Mahkamah sementara menunggu pelupusan permohonan Defendan. PRINSIP UNDANG-UNDANG [9] Seksyen 5 Akta Distres 1951 menyatakan seperti berikut:- 5 Power of court to order discharge of debtor (1) If at any time it appears to the satisfaction of a court that any debtor arrested or confined in prison by order of the court is unable from any cause to pay any sum recovered against him (whether by way of satisfaction of a claim or counterclaim or by way of costs or otherwise), S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal or any instalment thereof, and ought to be discharged, the court may order his discharge upon such terms (including liability to re-arrest if the terms are not complied with) as the court thinks fit. (2) Where an order of commitment issued by one court has been sent to another court for execution, that other court shall have the same power as the court in which the order commitment was made of ordering the discharge of the debtor under this section. [10] Aturan 18 Kaedah 19 (1)(b), (c), dan/atau (d) Kaedah-kaedah Mahkamah 2012 memperuntukkan seperti berikut: “19. Pembatalan pliding dan pengendorsan (A. 18 k. 19) (1) Mahkamah boleh pada mana-mana peringkat prosiding memerintahkan supaya dibatalkan atau dipinda mana-mana pliding atau pengendorsan, apa-apa writ dalam tindakan itu, atau apa-apa jua dalam mana-mana pliding atau dalam pengendorsan, atas alasan bahawa: (a) ia mendedahkan kausa tindakan atau pembelaan yang tidak munasabah, mengikut mana-mana yang berkenaan; (b) ia mengaibkan, remeh atau menyusahkan; (c) ia boleh menjejaskan, menghalang atau melengahkan perbicaraan tindakan itu dengan adil; atau (d) ia selainnya adalah suatu penyalahgunaan proses Mahkamah, dan boleh memerintahkan tindakan itu digantung atau ditolak atau penghakiman dicatatkan dengan sewajarnya, mengikut mana-mana yang berkenaan. S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal (2) Tiada keterangan boleh diterima atas suatu permohonan di bawah subperenggan (1)(a). (3) Kaedah ini hendaklah, setakat mana yang boleh dipakai, terpakai bagi suatu saman pemula seolah-olah saman itu adalah suatu pliding”. [11] Dalam kes Bandar Builders Sdn Bhd & 2 Ors v. United Malayan Banking Corporation Bhd [1993] 1 MLRA 611; [1993] 4 CLJ 7, Mahkamah Agung memutuskan bahawa prinsip yang mahkamah bertindak dalam melaksanakan kuasanya di bawah A. 18 k. 19(1) Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah Tinggi 1980 adalah mantap. Prosedur ringkasan ini hanya boleh digunakan apabila ia boleh dilihat secara terang bahawa sesuatu tuntutan itu jelas tidak boleh dikekalkan. Selama mana pliding mendedahkan kausa tindakan atau membangkitkan persoalan yang layak ditentukan oleh hakim, maka pernyataan bahawa kes itu lemah atau tidak mungkin berjaya bukan alasan untuk pliding itu dibatalkan. B. ALASAN-ALASAN BAGI PERMOHONAN DEFENDAN [12] Defendan menyatakan Plaintif, sebagai tuan tanah, seharusnya menyediakan perjanjian sewa bagi mengesahkan sewa, tempoh, serta obligasi kedua-dua pihak. Kegagalan Plaintif berbuat demikian menyebabkan kedudukan Defendan tidak menentu, malah menyekat Defendan daripada menjalankan perniagaan secara sah. [13] Defendan juga menyatakan Plaintif kini cuba mengambil kesempatan dengan menuntut sewa lampau sedangkan kegagalan itu berpunca S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal daripada kecuaian dan kelalaian Plaintif sendiri. Tuntutan sewa lampau sebagai bentuk paksaan adalah salah guna proses. [14] Tindakan Plaintif ini adalah abuse of process dan harus ditolak oleh Mahkamah. Prinsip keadilan memihak kepada Defendan kerana Defendan telah lama menduduki premis dengan pengetahuan dan izin Plaintif. [15] Plaintif tidak boleh dengan sengaja mengelak menyediakan dokumen perjanjian, kemudian menuntut bayaran sewa lampau melalui mekanisme distress. [16] Prinsip undang-undang ekuiti menyatakan bahawa seseorang tidak boleh mendapat manfaat daripada kesalahannya sendiri (no one can take advantage of his own wrong). C. DAPATAN MAHKAMAH [17] Kelewatan pemfailan Afidavit oleh Defendan adalah satu abuse process of court dan tiada alasan munasabah dikemukakan oleh peguamcara Defendan apabila Mahkamah bertanya berkenaan kelewatan tersebut. Tambahan pula, Plaintif turut membantah pemfailan lewat Afidavit Balasan Defendan walhal kedua-dua permohonan ini adalah dari Defendan sendiri. Memandangkan tiada alasan munasabah dan kelewatan pemfailan Afidavit Balasan adalah tanpa kebenaran S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal Mahkamah justeru Mahkamah telah menggugurkan Afidavit Balasan tersebut. [18] Mahkamah merujuk kes kes Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar v Mohd Rasyiq Mohd Alwi (2023) 3 CLJ 832 di perenggan 29, 30 dan 37 seperti berikut:- “[29] As a result of his late appearance, the defendant was not permitted to serve his defence without the court's leave. This is in accordance with O. 12 r. 5 of the Rules of Court 2012 which specifically states: Late appearance (O. 12, r. 5 ) 5(1) A defendant may not enter an appearance in an action after judgment has been entered therein except with the leave of the Court. (2) Except as provided by paragraph (1), nothing in these Rules or any writ or order thereunder shall be construed as precluding a defendant from entering an appearance in an action after the time limited for appearing, but if a defendant enters an appearance after that time, he shall not, unless the Court otherwise orders, be entitled to serve a defence or do any other thing later than if he had appeared within that time. [30] According to this provision, though an appearance can be entered after the time limited for appearance and before judgment, leave must first be obtained from the court in order to extend the time to serve the defence. … [37] Considering the issues raised in this court again, it is obvious that non-compliance with procedures clearly falls under the definition S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal of abuse of the court's process. This being the case, this court is of the opinion that the defendant's failure to seek leave before filing his statement of defence and amended statement of defence amounts to an abuse of the court's process and his defence must therefore be struck out under O. 18 r. 19(1)(d) of the Rules of Court 2012. As per this rule: Striking out pleadings and endorsements (O. 18, r. 19 ) 19(1) The Court may at any stage of the proceedings order to be struck out or amended any pleading or the endorsement, of any writ in the action, or anything in any pleading or in the endorsement, on the ground that: (a) it discloses no reasonable cause of action or defence, as the case may be; (b) it is scandalous, frivolous or vexatious; (c) it may prejudice, embarrass or delay the fair trial of the action; or (d) it is otherwise an abuse of the process of the Court, and may order the action to be stayed or dismissed or judgment to be entered accordingly, as the case may be.” [19] Mahkamah ini turut merujuk kes Tan Kim Swee v. Pegawai Pentadbir Pusaka Harta Pusaka Norazmi Ahmad [2001] 1 CLJ 719 di mana dapatan Mahkamah Tinggi dalam kes tersebut adalah seperti berikut:- ”Findings ... where a defendant desires to defend the whole or any part of the claim he must file and caused to be served on the plaintiff his defence before the return date of the summons, unless time has been enlarged S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal by consent or by an order of court and failure to comply with the time fixed for defence either by the rule itself or by consent or by the order of court places the defendant in default of defence. ... 14 days is to be considered reasonable time ... omission due to oversight on the part of respondent counsel cannot be accepted as sufficient cause warranting the exercise of the court's discretion. To hold otherwise, would mean that a party in breach would have an unqualified right to an extension of time and this would defeat the purpose of the rules which is to provide a time table for litigation.” [20] Setelah meneliti permohonan Defendan bersama-sama dengan Afidavit-afidavit dan Hujahan Bertulis yang difailkan oleh kedua-dua pihak, Mahkamah mendapati bahawa permohonan perintah writ distress adalah teratur sepertimana diperuntukkan di bawah Seksyen 5 Akta Distres 1951. [21] Mahkamah turut mendapati bahawa isu-isu yang dibangkitkan defendan telah dijawab oleh Plaintif terutama berkaitan ketiadaan perjanjian sewaan di mana jelas Defendan turut menyumbangcuai terhadap ketiadaan perjanjian sewaan tersebut dan menyebabkan perjanjian tersebut tidak disetemkan. [22] Selain itu, Mahkamah merujuk kes Swiss Planner Sdn Bhd v Plush Dollar (M) Sdn Bhd & Anor [2022] MLJU 803 di mana Mahkamah Tinggi telah memutuskan di m/s 13 seperti berikut:- “[91] In the circumstances, I find that the Defendants are required to pay rentals due to the Plaintiff including all charges, which includes but not limited to the S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal sewerage charges, from May 2016 to 8-10-2021. The obligation of the Defendants to pay such sums remains until 8-10- 2016 when the Plaintiff obtain the keys to the said premises back from the Defendants. [92] On the issue of the remaining tenancy period, I find as the Plaintiff did terminate the tenancy, in accordance with section 9.02 (a) (iii) of the Tenancy Agreement, the remaining tenancy period comes to an end. This is in accordance with section 9.02(b) of the Tenancy Agreement. The right of the Plaintiff to collect rentals and be paid the sums due to it continues until the possession of the premises or property is given back to the Plaintiff by the Defendants. As I have said earlier possession was given on 8 October 2021.” [23] Justeru itu, kegagalan Defendan sebagai penyewa dalam membayar sewaan kepada Plaintif atas alasan ketiadaan perjanjian sewaan adalah tidak munasabah dan justeru itu Plaintif sebagai pemilik premis berhak mendapatkan tunggakan sewa serta caj utiliti daripada Defendan. [24] Oleh itu, permohonan Defendan di Lampiran 11 untuk mengenepikan Writ Distres ditolak dengan kos sebanyak RM1000 dan bagi maksud Lampiran 13 penggantungan pelaksanaan Writ Distres oleh Df juga ditolak dengan kos sebanyak RM1000. D. KESIMPULAN [25] Berdasarkan pada alasan-alasan di atas, Mahkamah mendapati bahawa writ distress adalah teratur dan kegagalan Defendan sebagai S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal penyewa dalam membayar sewaan kepada Plaintif atas alasan ketiadaan perjanjian sewaan adalah tidak munasabah dan justeru itu Plaintif sebagai pemilik premis berhak mendapatkan tunggakan sewa serta caj utiliti daripada Defendan. [26] Oleh itu, permohonan Defendan di Lampiran 11 untuk mengenepikan Writ Distres ditolak dengan kos sebanyak RM1000 dan bagi maksud Lampiran 13 penggantungan pelaksanaan Writ Distres oleh Df juga ditolak dengan kos sebanyak RM1000. Bertarikh 20 Februari 2026 ………………………T.T..…..………………… ZUR AZUREEN BINTI ZAINALKEFLI MAJISTRET Mahkamah Majistret Sivil (5) Shah Alam Selangor Darul Ehsan Peguamcara Plaintif/Responden: TETUAN TEE TAI TZIAN & SIM 52B, 2nd Floor, Pelangi Avenue, Jalan Kelicap 42A/KU1, Off Jln Meru, 41050 Klang, Selangor [No. Ruj: TS.L.25.GGD-SGAE.121(L)] Peguamcara Defendan/Perayu: TETUAN PARI & PARTNERS Peguambela & Peguamcara No. 16-2A, 2nd Floor, Jalan Raya Barat, 41100, Klang, Selangor. [Ruj: PP/CR/4640/25] S/N rtzhbGgAqkaZ1GD0FhMoYw **Note : Serial number will be used to verify the originality of this document via eFILING portal