Beng Tiong Trading, Import and Export (1988) Pte Ltd v Maria Janda Achmad Bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Maria and Others

Beng Tiong Trading, Import and Export (1988) Pte Ltd v Maria Janda Achmad Bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Maria and Others

The court set aside the default judgment insofar as it affected the four applicants because, on balance, they demonstrated a defence with a real prospect of success on substantive points (nature of the beneficiaries agreement, possible condition precedent, and the applicability of CLPA s 35) and the overall justice of the case warranted relief despite unsatisfactory delay explanations; accordingly the judgment was varied under Order 13 r 8.

Citation
[2003] SGHC 232
Parties
Plaintiff: Beng Tiong Trading, Import and Export (1988) Pte Ltd; Defendant: Maria Janda Achmad Bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Maria; Defendant: Abd Rahim bin Awad bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias abd. Rahim Awad Wachdin; Defendant: Abd. Rachman bin Ali bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Abd. Rachman ali Wachdin; Defendant: Salim bin Hasan bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Salim Hasan W; Defendant: Ishak Bin Saad Bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Ishak Wachdin Be; Defendant: Quresh bin Muchsin bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Quraisj Wahidin S.H. alias Quresh Muchsin Wachdin; Defendant: Abubakar bin Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Abubakar Wahdin; Defendant: Abd Azis bin Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias abd. Aziz Wahdin; Defendant: Wachin bin Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Dr. H. Wachdin Achman; Defendant: Harith bin Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Harits Ahmad Wahdin; Defendant: Abd. Malik Muhammad Wachdin alias H. Abdul Malik Dr.; Defendant: Futum binti Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Futum; Defendant (trustee): The Public Trustee of Singapore; Defendant: Jak Alhadad & Co Pte Ltd
Court
General Division of the High Court
Jurisdiction
Singapore
Judgment Date
8 October 2003
Case Number
Suit 1255/1996
Procedural Posture
Civil Contract/property (specific Performance and Declaratory Relief) / Summons in Chambers to Set Aside Default Judgment (order 13 R 8)
Outcome
Application granted in part: order of court dated 19 July 1999 set aside insofar as it referred to the four applicants (1st, 9th, 10th and 12th defendants).
Legal Topics
Specific Performance, Declaratory Relief, Default Judgment, Setting Aside Judgment, Conveyancing and Law of Property Act S 35, Service of Process, Condition Precedent
Source Language
English
Civil Contract Property Trusts Civil Procedure Specific Performance Declaratory Relief Default Judgment +4 more

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Parties

Beng Tiong Trading, Import and Export (1988) Pte Ltd

Plaintiff

Maria Janda Achmad Bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Maria

Defendant

Abd Rahim bin Awad bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias abd. Rahim Awad Wachdin

Defendant

Abd. Rachman bin Ali bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Abd. Rachman ali Wachdin

Defendant

Salim bin Hasan bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Salim Hasan W

Defendant

Ishak Bin Saad Bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Ishak Wachdin Be

Defendant

Quresh bin Muchsin bin Achmad Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Quraisj Wahidin S.H. alias Quresh Muchsin Wachdin

Defendant

Abubakar bin Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Abubakar Wahdin

Defendant

Abd Azis bin Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias abd. Aziz Wahdin

Defendant

Wachin bin Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Dr. H. Wachdin Achman

Defendant

Harith bin Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Harits Ahmad Wahdin

Defendant

Abd. Malik Muhammad Wachdin alias H. Abdul Malik Dr.

Defendant

Futum binti Achmad bin Abdullah Wachdin Basharahil alias Futum

Defendant

The Public Trustee of Singapore

Defendant (trustee)

Jak Alhadad & Co Pte Ltd

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Civil Contract/property (specific Performance and Declaratory Relief) / Summons in Chambers to Set Aside Default Judgment (order 13 R 8)

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether the default judgment entered in favour of the plaintiffs should be set aside under Order 13 r 8
  2. 2 Whether the beneficiaries agreement was a contract for sale of estate properties or for conveyance of personal inheritance rights
  3. 3 Whether the proposed appointment of private trustees was a condition precedent to completion and whether failure of that mechanism invalidated the agreement

Ratio Decidendi

The court set aside the default judgment insofar as it affected the four applicants because, on balance, they demonstrated a defence with a real prospect of success on substantive points (nature of the beneficiaries agreement, possible condition precedent, and the applicability of CLPA s 35) and the overall justice of the case warranted relief despite unsatisfactory delay explanations; accordingly the judgment was varied under Order 13 r 8.

Court Disposition

Application granted in part: order of court dated 19 July 1999 set aside insofar as it referred to the four applicants (1st, 9th, 10th and 12th defendants).

Orders

  • Order of court dated 19 July 1999 set aside to the extent that references in paragraphs 1, 2 and 5 thereto are made to the 1st, 9th, 10th and 12th defendants