THE NEW STRAITS TIMES PRESS (MALAYSIA) BERHAD v AIDEAH COMMUNICATION SDN BHD

02f-30-08-2024w Federal Court (Mahkamah Persekutuan) 7 April 2025 • 02(f)-30-08/2024(W) • 85 min read
50 cases cited (4 SG, 46 foreign)

Catchwords

Best Endeavour; Burden of Proof; Commercial Contract; Construction; Contra Proferentem; Generalia Specialibus; Guarantee; Post-Formation Conduct; Reasonable Endeavour.

Practice Areas

Best Endeavour; Burden of Proof; Commercial Contract; Construction; Contra Proferentem; Generalia Specialibus; Guarantee; Post-Formation Conduct; Reasonable Endeavour.

Judges (3)

Abdul Karim bin Abdul Jalil Coram Ahmad Terrirudin bin Mohd Salleh Delivered Zabariah binti Mohd Yusof Coram

Counsel (10)

Firoz Julian Firm Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership Firm Amina Qistina Binti Mohd Idris Counsel Respondent Bahari Yeow Tien Hong Counsel Respondent Choo Shi Jin Counsel Appellant Dato' Firoz Hussein Counsel Appellant Datuk DP Naban Counsel Respondent Harel Nieryan Counsel Appellant Nur Nabila Roslee Counsel Appellant Saritha Devi Kirupalani Counsel Appellant

Parties (2)

AIDEAH COMMUNICATION Sdn Bhd Respondent THE NEW STRAITS TIMES PRESS BERHAD Appellant

Case Significance

THE NEW STRAITS TIMES PRESS (MALAYSIA) BERHAD v AIDEAH COMMUNICATION SDN BHD is a Federal Court (Mahkamah Persekutuan) decision dated April 7, 2025 (citation: 02f-30-08-2024w). <p>The New Straits Times Press appealed the Court of Appeal's decision in a dispute over a revenue sharing agreement for the production of automotive editorial content, focusing on the true construction of clauses governing guaranteed revenue and best endeavours obligations. The Federal Court examined principles of contractual interpretation including the contra proferentem rule and the distinction between general and specific contract provisions. The appeal was dismissed and the Court of Appeal The panel comprised Abdul Karim bin Abdul Jalil, Ahmad Terrirudin bin Mohd Salleh and Zabariah binti Mohd Yusof, with Ahmad Terrirudin bin Mohd Salleh delivering the judgment.

Key issues: Best Endeavour; Burden of Proof; Commercial Contract; Construction; Contra Proferentem; Generalia Specialibus; Guarantee; Post-Formation Conduct; Reasonable Endeavour..

Summary

The New Straits Times Press appealed the Court of Appeal's decision in a dispute over a revenue sharing agreement for the production of automotive editorial content, focusing on the true construction of clauses governing guaranteed revenue and best endeavours obligations. The Federal Court examined principles of contractual interpretation including the contra proferentem rule and the distinction between general and specific contract provisions. The appeal was dismissed and the Court of Appeal's decision was affirmed.

What was the outcome of THE NEW STRAITS TIMES PRESS (MALAYSIA) BERHAD v AIDEAH COMMUNICATION SDN BHD?

<p>The New Straits Times Press appealed the Court of Appeal's decision in a dispute over a revenue sharing agreement for the production of automotive ...

Statutes Cited

Contracts Act
s 75
Contracts Act 1950 (Cap 136)
s 26 s 71
Evidence Act 1950 (Cap 56)
s 92

Cases Cited (50)

SG (1)
[2014] SGCA 16
SLR (3)
[2000] 3 SLR(R) 670 [2004] 1 SLR(R) 118 [2014] 2 SLR 905
UK (27)
[1893] AC 351 [1922] 1 AC 256 [1954] 1 WLR 1273 [1970] AC 583 [1975] 3 All ER 99 [1976] WLR 989 [1990] 1 All ER 512 [1994] 3 All ER 932 [1997] AC 749 [1998] 1 WLR 896 [2002] 1 WLR 94 [2003] EWCA Civ 1127 [2003] EWCA Civ 1606 [2004] 1 AC 919 [2004] 1 WLR 3251 [2005] EWCA Civ 102 [2006] EWHC 3166 [2008] EWCA Civ 584 [2009] 1 AC 1101 [2009] UKHL 38 [2010] EWHC 1535 [2013] EWCA Civ 200 [2014] 1 All ER 807 [2014] EWCA Civ 1103 [2015] EWCA Civ 671 [2015] UKSC 36 [2023] EWHC 2623
AU (1)
[2014] HCA 7
MY (18)
[1972] 2 MLJ 62 [1979] 2 MLJ 229 [1983] 1 MLJ 220 [1989] 3 MLJ 155 [1997] 2 MLJ 221 [2005] 2 MLJ 1 [2005] 3 MLJ 1 [2009] 6 MLJ 783 [2010] 1 MLJ 765 [2015] 3 CLJ 717 [2015] 7 MLJ 445 [2017] 2 MLJ 819 [2018] 2 MLJ 177 [2019] 10 CLJ 731 [2019] MLJU 728 [2020] 12 MLJ 67 [2021] 1 MLJ 629 [2022] 3 MLJ 294