Top 5 Restructuring & Insolvency Cases in Malaysia for 2020

We continue the Top 5 cases series with the top five restructuring & insolvency cases in Malaysia for the year 2020. You can also read the 2019 edition. This year’s cases range from restraining orders, judicial management and voluntary arrangement in bankruptcy. Continue reading

First Malaysia Decision on a Persons Unknown Injunction

The High Court has issued its grounds of judgment dated 22 December 2020 in the Zschimmer & Schwarz case (now reported as Zschimmer & Schwarz GmbH & Co KG Chemische Fabirken v Persons Unknown & Anor [2021] 7 MLJ 178). The Court granted novel orders for a Mareva freezing injunction and proprietary injunction against Persons Unknown.

The Persons Unknown jurisdiction was justified in allowing for injunctive and tracing remedies against the unknown fraudster or fraudsters. The Court also allowed orders for substituted service on such Persons Unknown through email and a Dropbox link. Continue reading

The 10 Amendments to the Rules of Court 2012

 

I set out the ten amendments to the Rules of Court 2012 (ROC 2012) which comes into force on 15 December 2020. Some of these changes include service of court papers by electronic means, virtual hearings, and the restrictions on adjournments of trials. There are also minor additions to the Rules of the Court of Appeal 1994 (see the Rules of the Court of Appeal (Amendment) 2020) and to the Rules of the Federal Court 1995 (see the Rules of the Federal Court (Amendment) 2020).
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Top 5 Company Law Cases in Malaysia for 2020

This article kickstarts the series of the Top 5 cases for the year 2020. This follows last year’s Top 5 Company Law Cases in Malaysia for 2019, restructuring and insolvency cases, and arbitration cases. This year’s series will cover five areas: company law, tax, construction, restructuring and insolvency, and arbitration cases in Malaysia.

We start with this year’s top company law cases in Malaysia. I will do things a bit differently as there were a number of interesting company law decisions. So I group the cases (which are more than five) into five areas of company law issues. Continue reading

Case Update: Federal Court Decides that Restraining Order Can be Applied Without Notice

The Federal Court in Mansion Properties Sdn Bhd v  Sham Chin Yen & Ors [2021] 1 MLJ 527 (see the grounds of judgment dated 24 November 2020) held that the application for a restraining order in a scheme of arrangement can be made ex parte (without notice).

This makes it advantageous for a distressed company to seek urgent moratorium protection through a restraining order. The distressed company can then pursue the debt restructuring in a scheme of arrangement and to have stability.

The Federal Court reversed the Court of Appeal decision. I had covered the Court of Appeal decision in an earlier post. Continue reading

Judicial Management Statistics in Malaysia

On 26 and 27 October 2020, I spoke at the two-day webinar organised by the Companies Commission of Malaysia Training Academy. I was joined by Norhaslinda Salleh of the Companies Commission of Malaysia, Khoo Poh Poh of Ernst & Young and Jimmy Ng of Chooi & Co + Cheang & Ariff.

We covered a range of restructuring and insolvency topics. There were some interesting facts shared as well. Continue reading