Partnership

12 cases · August 2018 to June 2026

Overview

Partnership appears in 12 reported Malaysia judgments (2018–2026).

In this practice area

Partnership collects the judgments concerned with the relationship between partners in a firm — the existence and terms of a partnership, the obligations partners owe one another, and the dissolution and winding up of the firm. The reasoning draws on the Partnership Act 1961 and the partners' own agreement, and the area is closely connected to company and trust law where the firm's assets and governance are in issue.

The existence and breach of a partnership are central subjects. Judgments declare whether a valid partnership exists between the parties and identify the clauses of a partnership agreement that a partner has breached — for example, by opening and operating an account for partnership monies in breach of the agreed banking arrangements, or by dealing unilaterally with commission monies belonging to the firm. The courts describe the mutual trust at the core of a small partnership and require that a partner's concerns be addressed through the mechanisms the partners themselves agreed rather than by unilateral action.

Relief and the preservation of assets form a distinct strand. The collection includes orders restraining a partner from dealing with disputed monies pending resolution, directions to convene a meeting to regularise the firm's affairs, and interim governance directions, together with an award of costs. The winding up of a partnership as an unregistered company, and whether a winding-up petition may be presented against it, links the area to insolvency, while alleged oppression and mismanagement under the Companies Act 2016 arise where the enterprise is corporate in form.

The cases sit mainly in the High Court, with a small number in the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court. As a whole the area shows how the Malaysian courts give effect to the bargain between partners — declaring the partnership, holding partners to their agreement, and preserving the firm's assets — while channelling their disputes into the governance mechanisms the partnership and the general law provide.

Case Volume by Year

1
18
2
24
4
25
5
26
2018–2026

Key Issues & Sub-Topics

Partner’s drawings — Unauthorised withdrawal — Cash cheques — Whether prior consent required — Course of dealing — Implied authority — Limits of implied consent — Substantial withdrawals without disclosure 1 Duty to account — Section 30 Partnership Act 1961 — Strict statutory duty — Failure to render true accounts — Whether breach automatically entitles restitution 1 Books and records — Right of access — Section 24(9) Partnership Act 1961 — Control of financial documents by one partner — Non-disclosure 1 Equal shareholding — 50:50 partnership — Disparity in drawings — Whether relevant in claim for recovery of specific sum — Distinction between account and restitution 1 Partnership property — Land — Whether disputed lands are partnership assets — Whether further affidavit resolves or materially affects issue — Triable issues remaining. 1 Partnership Law — Winding up petition — Set aside winding up petition -Unregistered Company — Unregistered company — Whether winding up petition can be made by a partnership under Part X of the Companies Act 1965 by virtue of the definition of “unregistered company” under s 314(1) of the Companies Act 1965 — Whether winding up petition can be made if the partners was not comprised of more than five partners Partnership — Partnership Law — Company Law — Execution by a partner of an absolute assignment — s4 (3) of Civil Law Act 1956 — Power of attorney — Irrevocable power of attorney for valuable consideration pursuant to s6(1) of the Power Attorney Act 1949 — Partner assigned his right and his interest in partnership -Whether a partner who entered a partnership pursuant to assignment can be deemed a partner — s33 Partnership Act 1961 — ss314(2) Companies Act 1965 — Right of assignee — Could an assignee be deemed a partner for the purpose of ascertaining the number of partners — Whether an assignment conferred on the assignee legal status as a partner in a partnership — Consent of the other partner to admit the assignee as a partner - 1

Duty to account — Section 30 Partnership Act 1961 — Strict statutory duty — Failure to render true accounts — Whether breach automatically entitles restitution 1 case

Books and records — Right of access — Section 24(9) Partnership Act 1961 — Control of financial documents by one partner — Non-disclosure 1 case

Equal shareholding — 50:50 partnership — Disparity in drawings — Whether relevant in claim for recovery of specific sum — Distinction between account and restitution 1 case

Partnership property — Land — Whether disputed lands are partnership assets — Whether further affidavit resolves or materially affects issue — Triable issues remaining. 1 case

Key Statutes

Rules of Court 2012
cited in 5 cases
Partnership Act 1961
cited in 1 case
Partnership Act
cited in 1 case
cited in 1 case
cited in 1 case
cited in 1 case
cited in 1 case
cited in 1 case
cited in 1 case
cited in 1 case

Court Distribution

Key People & Firms

How many Partnership cases are reported in Malaysia courts?

12 reported Malaysia judgments (2018–2026) involve Partnership.

What does the Partnership area cover?

It covers the relationship between partners in a firm: the existence and terms of a partnership, the duties partners owe one another, and the dissolution and winding up of the firm, drawing on the Partnership Act 1961 and the partners' own agreement.

How do the courts treat a partner acting unilaterally?

The judgments emphasise the mutual trust at the core of a partnership and require that concerns be addressed through the mechanisms the partners agreed, rather than by unilateral action. Where a partner deals alone with partnership monies in breach of the agreement, the court may declare the breach and grant relief.

What relief is available in a partnership dispute?

The collection includes orders restraining a partner from dealing with disputed monies, directions to convene a meeting to regularise the firm's affairs, interim governance directions, and costs, together with the winding up of a partnership treated as an unregistered company. Any order is stated in the court's own terms.

Cases

wa-24ncvc-1830-04-2026
YAP KIEN FOONG v CHONG CHIANG HAN
9 June 2026
MYHC
ja-24ncvc-135-01-2026
1. ) SURESH A/L DORASAMY 2. ) KAYTRE A/P DORASAMY v 1. ) PARTIBAN A/L DORASAMY 2. ) KAYTRI SERVICES SDN. BHD. 3. ) KAYTRI SERVICES
13 May 2026
MYHC
ma-11b-13-10-2025
NG KIAN TEK v NG HUI JOO
4 May 2026
MYHC
wa-12bncc-5-03-2025
1. ) CHONG WUI EN 2. ) CHONG HUI YI v WONG SHEN NEE
19 April 2026
MYHC
aa-12b-47-12-2024
1. ) SEE SUK LING 2. ) HONG CHAU YEE v B.I.G INDUSTRIAL GAS SDN. BHD
3 March 2026
MYHC
wa-29ncc-1189-07-2024
PEMIUTANG PENGHAKIMAN KOONG LIN LOONG (Selaku wakil pertubuhan The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia) PENGHUTANG PENGHAKIMAN NUR SYAFEENAZ FARHANAH BINTI ROSMAN
3 November 2025
MYHC
b-02a-1132-07-2024
LIM KIEN HUAT v 1. ) HO SHEN LEE (M) SDN BHD (Dalam Liquidasi) 2. ) TAN KEN MENG 3. ) KHOO CHUN FUN 4. ) MAJLIS PEGUAM MALAYSIA
22 September 2025
MYCOA
wa-22ncvc-142-03-2020
Bukit Kiara Properties Services Sdn Bhd v Gunalan & Associates PIHAK KETIGA VERVE SUITS MONT' KIARA MANAGEMENT CORPORATION (VSMKMC)
29 July 2025
MYHC
wa-22ncvc-765-12-2024
PERINTIS GEMILANG SDN. BHD. v 1. ) CHEE BEE GAIK 2. ) CHEE SOON AUN 3. ) LIM KIM CHEW 4. ) SARINA BT JUSOH
16 July 2025
MYHC
wa-12bncvc-159-12-2023
Mohd Yusof Bin Bajuri v Warga Edaran Sdn Bhd
4 September 2024
MYHC
wa-22ncvc-323-06-2023
GO NATURE INTERNATIONAL SDN BHD v Rahmat Bin Hassan (Sebagai Pemilik Tunggal Di Bawah Nama Geemart Venture No. Pendaftaran: 201803396495 (Tro199862-d) PIHAK KETIGA 1. ) Ahmad Redhuan Bin Mamat 2. ) NARDONI SDN BHD 3. ) ADRED SDN BHD
16 July 2024
MYHC
rayuan-sivil-no-w-02i-49-07-2015w
TRA MINING (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD DIDENGAR BERSAMA MOHD AFRIZAN BIN HUSAIN v THEIN HOCK TECK & 4 LAGI DIDENGAR BERSAMA THEIN HOCK TECK & 4 LAGI
7 August 2018
MYFC