Malaysia Case Law: Decisions & Judgments

Topic

Sovereign immunity

Legal area

Court

17 Feb 2023

1. ) ELISABETH REGINA MARIA GABRIELE VON PEZOLD 2. ) ANNA ELEONORE ELISABETH WEBBER (NEE VON PEZOLD) 3. ) HEINRICH BERND ALEXANDER JOSEF VON PEZOLD 4. ) MARIA JULIANE ANDREA CHRISTIANE KATHARINA BATTHYANY (NEE VON PEZOLD) 5. ) GEORG PHILIPP

Citation

WA-24NCC-322-07/2021 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

WA-24NCC-322-07/2021 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The High Court has jurisdiction under the ICSID Act and s 23(2) CJA to recognise the ICSID annulment decision as binding; Article 54 imposes an unequivocal duty to recognise ICSID awards which is not defeated by Article 55 immunity from execution; absence of bespoke procedural rules does not preclude recognition or service out of jurisdiction under Order 11 r 1(1)(M) ROC 2012; the Defendant cannot invoke sovereign immunity to resist recognition; the German and Swiss BIT provisions do not restrict enforcement to Zimbabwe and MFN clauses permit broader enforcement; concerns of double recovery a…
10 Jun 2021

LFL SDN BHD KERAJAAN MALAYSIA

Citation

WA-24-46-09/2020 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

WA-24-46-09/2020 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The High Court struck out OS 46 and OS 51 because it has no jurisdiction to adjudicate on the validity or enforcement in Malaysia of a foreign sovereign's statutory direction (POFMA) where the foreign state (Singapore) is recognised as a foreign sovereign and the act complained of is governmental (acta jure imperii) attracting sovereign immunity; consequently the claims were plain, obvious, frivolous and an abuse of process and had no prospect of success.
3 Feb 2021

SUBRAMANIAM A/L LETCHIMANAN (NO. K/P: 680618-08-5993) THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Citation

W-01(A)-66-01/2020 (Mahkamah Rayuan)
Court

A
Case number

W-01(A)-66-01/2020 (Mahkamah Rayuan)

The Court of Appeal held the High Court erred in quashing the Minister's s.20(3) referral: the question whether restrictive sovereign immunity applies is a mixed question of fact and law requiring fact-finding by the Industrial Court; the Minister correctly referred the unresolved dispute because it raised serious issues for adjudication; delay did not justify quashing the reference absent demonstrated prejudice; therefore the Industrial Court must be allowed to determine jurisdictional immunity as a preliminary issue.
8 Jan 2020

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1. MENTERI SUMBER MANUSIA MALAYSIA. 2. MAHKAMAH PERUSAHAAN MALAYSIA. 3. SUBRAMANIAM A/L LETCHIMANAN.

Citation

WA-25-342-07/2019 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

WA-25-342-07/2019 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The Minister's referral was quashed because the dismissal arose from employment performing sovereign/security functions of an embassy (acta jure imperii) rendering the applicant immune from Industrial Court jurisdiction; additionally an unexplained 11-year delay in referral was inordinate and rendered the Minister's exercise of discretion irrational and unlawful under judicial review principles.

Malaysia Case Law

1. ) ELISABETH REGINA MARIA GABRIELE VON PEZOLD 2. ) ANNA ELEONORE ELISABETH WEBBER (NEE VON PEZOLD) 3. ) HEINRICH BERND ALEXANDER JOSEF VON PEZOLD 4. ) MARIA JULIANE ANDREA CHRISTIANE KATHARINA BATTHYANY (NEE VON PEZOLD) 5. ) GEORG PHILIPP

LFL SDN BHD KERAJAAN MALAYSIA

SUBRAMANIAM A/L LETCHIMANAN (NO. K/P: 680618-08-5993) THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 1. MENTERI SUMBER MANUSIA MALAYSIA. 2. MAHKAMAH PERUSAHAAN MALAYSIA. 3. SUBRAMANIAM A/L LETCHIMANAN.