PUBLIC BANK BERHAD v 1. ) NATIONAL FEEDLOT CORPORATION SDN BHD (P-1) 2. ) NATIONAL MEAT & LIVESTOCK CORPORATION SDN BHD (P-2) 3. ) AGROSCIENCE INDUSTRIES SDN BHD 4. ) REAL FOOD COMPANY SDN BHD (P-4) 5. ) Dato' Sri Dr Mohamad Salleh Bin Ismail (P5)

02f-14-05-2024w Federal Court (Mahkamah Persekutuan) 17 June 2025 • 02(f)-14-05/2024(W) • 16 min read

11 cases cited (0 SG, 11 foreign)

Catchwords

Bank – Customer Relationship – Duty of confidentiality – Implied contractual term – Statutory duty under section 97(1) of BAFIA – Damages – Nominal damages – Failure to prove loss – Claim for general, aggravated and exemplary damages.

Practice Areas

Bank

Judges (3)

Abdul Rahman bin Sebli Coram Abu Bakar bin Jais Coram Hasnah binti Dato' Mohammed Hashim Delivered

Counsel (9)

Shafee & Co. Firm Shook Lin & Bok Firm Chan Kok Keong Counsel Appellant Noor Farhah Binti Mustaffa Counsel Respondent Sarah Abishegam Counsel Respondent Suhail Shamsuddin Counsel Respondent Tan Sri Dato' Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah Counsel Respondent Tharrence Anthony Counsel Respondent Tiang Min Min Counsel Appellant

Parties (6)

AGROSCIENCE INDUSTRIES Sdn Bhd Respondent NATIONAL FEEDLOT CORPORATION Sdn Bhd (P-1) Respondent NATIONAL MEAT & LIVESTOCK CORPORATION Sdn Bhd (P-2) Respondent PUBLIC BANK BERHAD Appellant REAL FOOD COMPANY Sdn Bhd (P-4) Respondent Dato' Sri Dr Mohamad Salleh bin Ismail Respondent

Case Significance

PUBLIC BANK BERHAD v 1. ) NATIONAL FEEDLOT CORPORATION SDN BHD (P-1) 2. ) NAT... is a Federal Court (Mahkamah Persekutuan) decision dated June 17, 2025 (citation: 02f-14-05-2024w). <p>Public Bank appealed its liability for breaching customer confidentiality by disclosing banking information of the National Feedlot Corporation group and Dato' Sri Dr Mohamad Salleh. The Federal Court dismissed Public Bank's appeal on liability and allowed the respondents' cross-appeal on damages, setting aside the Court of Appeal's nominal damages award and granting RM30 million each in equitable, exemplary, and aggravated damages totalling RM90 million.</p> The panel comprised Abdul Rahman bin Sebli, Abu Bakar bin Jais and Hasnah binti Dato' Mohammed Hashim, with Hasnah binti Dato' Mohammed Hashim delivering the judgment.

Summary

Public Bank appealed its liability for breaching customer confidentiality by disclosing banking information of the National Feedlot Corporation group and Dato' Sri Dr Mohamad Salleh. The Federal Court dismissed Public Bank's appeal on liability and allowed the respondents' cross-appeal on damages, setting aside the Court of Appeal's nominal damages award and granting RM30 million each in equitable, exemplary, and aggravated damages totalling RM90 million.

What was the outcome of PUBLIC BANK BERHAD v 1. ) NATIONAL FEEDLOT CORPORATION SDN BHD (P-1) 2. ) NAT...?

<p>Public Bank appealed its liability for breaching customer confidentiality by disclosing banking information of the National Feedlot Corporation gro...

Cases Cited (11)

UK (5)

[1900] AC 113 [1935] 1 KB 354 [1942] AC 601 [1951] AC 601 [1971] 1 QB 113

MY (6)

[2007] 1 CLJ 611 [2007] 2 MLJ 229 [2020] 10 CLJ 1 [2020] 12 MLJ 67 [2020] 8 AMR 227 [2020] MLJU 1469