HIGHLINE SHIPPING SDN BHD v 1. ) INTAN WAZLIN BINTI AB WAHAB 2. ) DANNY NG HEAN TEE 3. ) TAI KUANG NENG 4. ) RUZI BIN SUPERMAN 5. ) NORMIZAH BINTI JAMIAN 6. ) WAN BAIZURAH BINTI WAN HUSIN 7. ) VICRAN A/L ELANGGOVEN 8. ) MOHD HAFILDZ BIN ASHA'ARI 9. ) NORA AZILIDA BINTI MAMAT 10. ) RADZIAH BINTI MOHD OMAR 11. ) GEORGE MASILAMONEY 12. ) ANNAMAL GIRIJA 13. ) VISWASEGAR A/L RASIAH 14. ) MOHD FAUZI BIN SALEH 15. ) SHAHRUL ANUAR BIN MAT ZAIN 16. ) SUHANA BINTI MOHD ZUBIR 17. ) HASLIZA BINTI ZAKARIA...

w-01a-142-03-2021 Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) 20 October 2025 • W-01(A)-142-03/2021 • 71 min read
40 cases cited (0 SG, 40 foreign)

Catchwords

Judicial Review - dismissal without just cause or excuse - representations were referred to the Industrial Court pursuant to s.20(3) of the Act. . - Whether s.29(a) can be used to substitute or join a non-employer entity. - Whether the Industrial Court can disregard separate legal personality to secure employee remedies. -Whether corporate group relationships justify joinder/substitution. -Limits of equitable jurisdiction under s.30(5) vis-à-vis Salomon principle. -Conflict between industrial justice and corporate law orthodoxy. -Permissibility of extending liability beyond the employer. -Effect of employer’s insolvency on employee rights.

Practice Areas

Judicial Review - Whether s.29(a) can be used to substitute or join a non-employer entity. - Whether the Industrial Court can disregard separate legal personality to secure employee remedies. -Whether corporate group relationships justify joinder/substitution. -Limits of equitable jurisdiction under s.30(5) vis-à-vis Salomon principle. -Conflict between industrial justice and corporate law orthodoxy. -Permissibility of extending liability beyond the employer. -Effect of employer’s insolvency on employee rights.

Judges (3)

Lim Chong Fong Coram Noorin binti Badaruddin Coram S. Nantha Balan a/l E.s. Moorthy Delivered

Counsel (10)

Louis Ambrose & Partners Firm Muhendaran Sri Firm Robert Low & Ooi Firm Alex De Silva Counsel Appellant Chong Wan Loo Counsel Respondent Jessica Chew Harn Hwei Counsel Appellant Khong Mei-Yan Counsel Respondent Muhendaran Suppiah Counsel Respondent Nathaniel Low Khern Ming Counsel Respondent Ryan Ng Chin Wern Counsel Respondent

Parties (41)

EM SHIPPING Sdn Bhd Respondent HUB SHIPPING Sdn Bhd Respondent Highline Shipping Sdn Bhd Appellant Hubline Berhad Respondent MAHKAMAH PERUSAHAAN MALAYSIA Respondent Annamal Girija Respondent Asrulwanir bin Mohamed Li Respondent Danny Ng Hean Tee Respondent Emeliya binti Abd Rahman Respondent George Masilamoney Respondent Hasliza binti Zakaria Respondent Intan Wazlin binti Ab Wahab Respondent Lee Nga Ching Respondent Manimoli a/p Subramaniam Respondent Mohd Fauzi bin Saleh Respondent Mohd Hafildz bin Asha'ari Respondent Nazri bin Mohamad Hizi Respondent Nor Afidah Awang Respondent Nora Azilida binti Mamat Respondent Normizah binti Jamian Respondent Norzihan binti Ariffin Respondent Norzilawati binti Sungip Respondent Nurul Esyantie Respondent Radziah binti Mohd Omar Respondent Rafidah binti Ab Aziz Respondent Ruzi bin Superman Respondent Shafizan bin Sharidan Respondent Shahrul Anuar bin Mat Zain Respondent Subathra Devi Respondent Subhan Shah bin Fesul Respondent Suhana binti Mohd Zubir Respondent Sulaiman bin Lebai Ujang Respondent Tai Kuang Neng Respondent Thanabalan a/l Supramania Respondent Vicran a/l Elanggoven Respondent Viswasegar a/l Rasiah Respondent Wan Baizurah binti Wan Husin Respondent Xxxx Respondent Zaiful Azrulnizam Respondent Zarinah binti Ahmad Musa Respondent Zuneidah binti Mohamad Noor Respondent

Case Significance

HIGHLINE SHIPPING SDN BHD v 1. ) INTAN WAZLIN BINTI AB WAHAB 2. ) DANNY NG HE... is a Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) decision dated October 20, 2025 (citation: w-01a-142-03-2021). <p>Highline Shipping Sdn Bhd appealed the Industrial Court's joinder of it as a party to unfair dismissal proceedings in the same case as w-01a-128-03-2021. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal on the same grounds, upholding the separate legal personality doctrine and making no order as to costs given the claimants lost their jobs through no fault of their own.</p> The panel comprised Lim Chong Fong, Noorin binti Badaruddin and S. Nantha Balan a/l E.s. Moorthy, with S. Nantha Balan a/l E.s. Moorthy delivering the judgment.

Key issues: Judicial Review - dismissal without just cause or excuse - representations were referred to the Industrial Court pursuant to s.20(3) of the Act. ..

Summary

Highline Shipping Sdn Bhd appealed the Industrial Court's joinder of it as a party to unfair dismissal proceedings in the same case as w-01a-128-03-2021. The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal on the same grounds, upholding the separate legal personality doctrine and making no order as to costs given the claimants lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

What was the outcome of HIGHLINE SHIPPING SDN BHD v 1. ) INTAN WAZLIN BINTI AB WAHAB 2. ) DANNY NG HE...?

<p>Highline Shipping Sdn Bhd appealed the Industrial Court's joinder of it as a party to unfair dismissal proceedings in the same case as w-01a-128-03...

Statutes Cited

Industrial Relations Act 1967 (Cap 177)
s 30(5)

Cases Cited (40)

UK (14)
[1897] AC 22 [1937] 2 All ER 227 [1937] 4 All ER 101 [1938] 4 All ER 115 [1938] 4 All ER 116 [1951] 2 KB 366 [1955] 1 All ER 725 [1955] 1 WLR 483 [1957] 1 WLR 464 [1962] 2 QB 173 [2007] EWHC 99 [2008] EWHC 2380 [2013] 2 AC 415 [2013] UKSC 34
MY (25)
[1980] 1 MLJ 109 [1981] 1 MLJ 304 [1983] 2 MLJ 49 [1986] 1 MLJ 382 [1988] 3 MLJ 332 [1995] 1 AMR 622 [1995] 1 MLJ 281 [1995] 2 MLJ 317 [1996] 4 CLJ 747 [2000] 1 CLJ 503 [2003] 4 MLRH 352 [2004] 1 CLJ 849 [2004] 1 MLJ 626 [2004] 2 AMR 104 [2005] 3 CLJ 355 [2005] 4 AMR 525 [2005] MLJU 225 [2014] 3 MLJ 785 [2015] 3 AMR 197 [2015] 3 CLJ 1053 [2015] 4 MLJ 613 [2020] 5 MLJ 58 [2021] 3 MLJ 622 [2022] AMEJ 0032 [2022] MLJU 80
IN (1)
AIR 1950 SC 304