27 February 2023

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INTRODUCTION
Recently, the High Court of Penang has resolved the confusion on the correct mode to challenge an Industrial Court Award in the High Court by interpreting Sections 33C and 20(3) of the Industrial Relations Act 1967. This decision by Justice Anand Ponnudurai in Aneka Retail (M) Sdn Bhd v Industrial Court Malaysia & Ors explained the correct mode to challenge an Industrial Court Award in the High Court.

BACKGROUND FACTS
The two Respondents were former employees of the Applicant company. In April and May 2020, they did not receive their salaries at all and accordingly, they contended that they have been constructively dismissed from 8.6.2020. The Respondents made their representations pursuant to Section 20 of the Industrial Relations Act 1967 (“the IR Act”). The dispute was then referred to the Industrial Court by the Minister of Human Resources (“the HR Minister”) by a letter dated 6.1.2021 pursuant to Section 20(3) of the 1967 Act. The Industrial Court held the Respondents were constructively dismissed due to fundamental breaches of their employment contract and awarded back wages and compensation. The Applicant filed an application pursuant to Order 53 of the Rules of Court (“the ROC”) 2012 for leave to apply for an order of certiorari to quash the Industrial Court Award Nos. 1630 of 2022 and 1631 of 2022, both dated 25.7.2022. The application for leave was met with objection by the Attorney General’s Chambers (“the AGC”) on the grounds that the Applicant should instead file an appeal under Section 33C of the 1967 Act.

ISSUES
Whether the Applicant had correctly utilised judicial review proceedings or ought to have filed an appeal under Section 33C of the IR Act as amended.

Essentially, the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2020 (“the 2020 Amendment Act”) introduced several amendments to the principal IR Act which took effect on 1.1.2021. The amendments are, amongst others, as follows:

1. The amendment of Section 20(3) of the IR Act removed the HR Minister’s discretion to refer any representation for unfair dismissal of a workman to the Industrial Court. Instead, the Director General of Industrial Relations (“the DG”) shall refer the representations to the Industrial Court for an award where he is satisfied that there is no likelihood of the representations being settled; and

2. The insertion of Section 33C of the IR Act which allows the party dissatisfied with the Industrial Court Award to appeal to the High Court.

Section 33C of the IR Act (Appeal against an award to the High Court) provides as follows:

(1) If any person is dissatisfied with an award of the Court made under section 30 such person may appeal to the High Court within fourteen days from the date of receipt of the award.

(2) The procedure in an appeal to the High Court shall be the procedure in the Rules of Court 2012 [P.U.(A) 205/2012] for an appeal from a Sessions Court with such modifications as the circumstances may require.

(3) In dealing with such appeals, the High Court shall have like powers as if the appeal is from the Sessions Court.

DECISION OF THE HIGH COURT
The objection taken by the AGC was that Section 33C of the amended IR Act should apply as the HR Minister’s reference (dated 6.1.2021) and the Industrial Court Award (dated 25.7.2022) were made after the amendment introduced by the 2020 Amendment Act (effective 1.1.2021).

In dismissing the AGC’s objection and granting leave to the Applicant, the High Court held that the Applicant had correctly commenced the proceedings by way of judicial review. Prior to the amendment introduced by the 2020 Amendment Act, any party aggrieved by the Industrial Court Award would utilise judicial review proceedings to quash an Industrial Court Award. Subsequent to the amendment (effective 1.1.2021), Section 33C of the IR Act states that any person dissatisfied with the Industrial Court Award may appeal to the High Court. Further, the 2020 Amendment Act has also amended Section 20 of the IR Act in that the HR Minister’s discretion to refer the workman’s unfair dismissal representation to the Industrial Court for an award has been removed. Instead, the DG shall refer the representations to the Industrial Court for an award where he is satisfied that there is no likelihood of the representations being settled. Therefore, the High Court opined that if the representation was referred to the Industrial Court by the DG, then an appeal ought to be filed under Section 33C of the IR Act to challenge any Industrial Court Award. On the other hand, if the representation was referred by the HR Minister, then judicial review would be the proper application. In this present case, the date of the HR Minister’s letter, i.e. 6.1.2021, is irrelevant as it was the HR Minister who was exercising his discretion in referring the representation. Further, the High Court referred to the saving and transitional provision in Section 35 of the 2020 Amendment Act and held that the Applicant was entitled to utilise judicial review proceedings as if the IR Act has not been amended.

Section 35 of the 2020 Amendment Act (Saving and transitional provisions) is reproduced as follows:

(1) Complaints made under section 8, disputes referred under subsection 9(1A), claims for recognition made under section 9, representations for reinstatement made under section 20 of the principal act, and all proceedings commenced or awards made before the Industrial Court in relation to a reference under subsection 8(2A), subsection 20(3) and section 26 before the coming into operation of this act shall proceed and have effect as if the principal act had not been amended by this act.

(2) All rules and regulations, forms, directions and letter of authorizations made, issued or granted under the principal act shall, to the extent that the rules and regulations, forms, directions and letter of authorizations are consistent with the principal act as amended by this act, continue to be in force until such rules and regulations, forms, directions and letter of authorizations are revoked or amended.

(3) Any investigation, trial or proceedings done, taken or commenced under the principal act immediately before the coming into operation of this act, shall be dealt with as if the principal act had not been amended by this act.

It is undisputed that the representations were made by the Respondents in 2020 prior to the amendments taking effect. Thus, the High Court, in applying Section 35 of the 2020 Amendment Act, opined that the Applicant was entitled to proceed via judicial review proceedings as if the IR Act had not been amended by the 2020 Amendment Act. Accordingly, the High Court dismissed the objection taken by the AGC.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
In determining the proper mode to challenge an Industrial Court Award in the High Court, the relevant factor would be to look at who had referred the representation to the Industrial Court. The fact that the HR Minister’s reference was made after the amendment is irrelevant in determining the correct mode of challenge in the High Court. If the reference was made by the HR Minister, this meant that the HR Minister had exercised his powers under Section 20(3), pre-amendment and therefore, the mode of challenge would be by way of judicial review and not by way of appeal (post-amendment).

In any event, Section 35 of the 2020 Amendment Act allows the dissatisfied party to proceed via judicial review proceedings provided the representation was made before the 2020 Amendment Act takes effect.

Authors

Wong Keat Ching

John Bong Peng Chung (Pupil-in-Chambers)

Disclaimer: The contents do not constitute legal advice, are not intended to be a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.

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Notis Perlindungan Data Peribadi

Kami di ZUL RAFIQUE & partners menghormati kepentingan privasi dan sensitiviti data peribadi anda. Sebagaimana yang dikehendaki di bawah Akta Perlindungan Data Peribadi 2010, Notis Perlindungan Data Peribadi ini (“Notis”) bertujuan untuk memaklumkan kepada anda bagaimana kami mengumpul dan memproses data peribadi anda apabila anda melantik pihak kami untuk memberikan perkhidmatan. Bukan itu sahaja, Notis ini turut bertujuan untuk memaklumkan kepada anda bagaimana kami memproses data peribadi anda apabila anda mengakses dan menggunakan laman sesawang kami atau berhubung dengan kami melalui mesyuarat, seminar, ataupun persidangan.

Dengan melantik kami untuk memberikan perkhidmatan kami kepada anda dan juga dengan mengakses dan menggunakan laman sesawang atau berinteraksi dengan kami, anda dengan ini telah bersetuju dengan penggunaan, pengumpulan dan pemprosesan data peribadi anda oleh pihak kami mengikut cara yang dinyatakan dalam Notis ini.

Notis ini akan tertakluk kepada pindaan dan pengemaskinian dari masa ke semasa. Oleh itu, adalah disarankan supaya pihak anda menyemak Notis ini di laman sesawang kami dari masa ke semasa untuk memastikan sebarang pindaan atau pengemaskinian yang dilakukan adalah dalam pengetahuan anda. Dengan meneruskan perlantikan dan penggunaan khidmat kami selepas apa-apa pindaan atau pengemaskinian yang dilakukan terhadap Notis ini, ia secara langsung menandakan penerimaan anda terhadap pindaan atau pengemaskinian yang dilakukan terhadap Notis ini.

Apakah Data Peribadi Yang Kami Kumpul?

Data peribadi secara amnya bermaksud apa-apa maklumat yang berkaitan dengan pengenalan diri anda. Tanggungjawab kami terhadap anda memerlukan kami mengumpul dan memproses data peribadi anda. Pemprosesan dan pengumpulan data peribadi anda bermula dari awal perkhidmatan kami bersama anda termasuklah sebarang interaksi diantara pihak kami dan anda, selepas itu, dari semasa ke semasa sepanjang tempoh pengambilan atau penggunaan khidmat kami.

Jenis data peribadi yang dikumpul dan diproses oleh kami adalah:

nama, tarikh lahir, kewarganegaraan, jantina, nombor kad pengenalan/passport, status kependudukan, alamat surat-menyurat, butiran perhubungan termasuk nombor telefon bimbit, pejabat dan kediaman dan faksimili, alamat email, butiran perbankan, maklumat kewangan / kepercayaan kredit;
kategori pekerjaan (sektor awam, kerajaan, bekerja sendiri, tidak bekerja atau lain-lain), nama majikan dan alamat pejabat, butiran hubungan dengan syarikat (sebagai contoh promoter, pengarah, pemegang saham);
maklumat-maklumat lain yang relevan dan perlu untuk:
- melantik kami untuk memberi khidmat guaman
- memberi khidmat guaman; dan
- menepati keperluan undang-undang dan pengawalseliaan.
apa-apa maklumat tambahan yang diberikan oleh anda atau pihak-pihak ketiga berkenaan dengan anda.

Sumber Data Peribadi

Kebanyakan data peribadi yang dikumpul oleh kami adalah data peribadi yang dikemukakan kepada kami oleh anda. Walaubagaimanapun, data peribadi anda juga boleh dikumpul oleh kami dari sumber-sumber yang lain termasuk tetapi tidak terhad kepada agensi pelaporan kredit, agensi atau jabatan kerajaan, pendaftaran awam, laman sesawang, media sosial, penerbitan, seminar, dan persidangan.

Bagaimana Kami Menggunakan Maklumat Peribadi Anda

Sebagai sebuah firma guaman, kami mengumpul dan memproses data peribadi anda untuk tujuan berikut:

pengesahan identiti anda;
berkomunikasi dengan anda termasuk memberikan maklum balas terhadap pertanyaan anda;
semua tujuan berkaitan dengan perlantikan kami;
untuk memberikan khidmat guaman;
untuk mematuhi keperluan undang-undang dan pengawalseliaan termasuklah perintah mahkamah;
bagi operasi harian kami dan tujuan pentadbiran termasuklah pengurusan fail, bil dan kutipan, audit, laporan, penyiasatan dsb.;
bagi tujuan menguatkuasakan dan mempertahankan hak-hak perundangan kami dan/atau mendapatkan nasihat perundangan;
menghantar bahan-bahan atau penerbitan termasuklah surat berita, artikel- artikel atau maklumat berkenaan majlis-majlis, persidangan-persidangan, seminar-seminar dan ceramah-ceramah yang mungkin menarik minat anda;
untuk mempromosi, menawar atau mengiklan perkhidmatan kami kepada anda;
untuk dihantar sebagai sumber rujukan berpotensi kepada (i) editor-editor / penyelidik-penyelidik di dalam penerbitan dan jurnal-jurnal dan/atau (ii) klien-klien / klien-klien berpotensi yang memohon rujukan kerja-kerja terdahulu berkaitan apa-apa cadangan, penghujahan, tawaran atau bidaan;
untuk membantu pencegahan, pengesanan atau penyiasatan jenayah atau kemungkinan aktiviti-aktiviti jenayah atau bagi pentadbiran keadilan;
tujuan audit dalaman dan keselamatan;
bagi tujuan lain sebagaimana yang diarahkan atau yang telah diberikan persetujuan oleh anda; dan
bagi segala tujuan lain berkaitan atau bersampingan dengan perkara-perkara di atas.

Penzahiran Maklumat Peribadi Anda

Di bawah keadaan-keadaan tertentu, kami boleh menzahirkan data peribadi anda kepada pihak ketiga seperti berikut:

mana-mana orang yang diarahkan oleh atau yang telah dipersetujui oleh anda;
mana-mana orang yang berkenaan bagi tujuan-tujuan perlantikan khidmat undang-undang dan/atau transaksi undang-undang termasuk tetapi tidak terhad kepada pihak lawan, perunding-perunding lain, institusi-institusi kewangan, badan-badan pengawalseliaan dsb;
mana-mana orang bagi tujuan pematuhan undang-undang dan pengawalseliaan;
Pihak pemproses data iaitu pihak ketiga yang akan berkhidmat bagi memproses data peribadi bagi pihak kami termasuk tetapi tidak terhad kepada storan arkib, pemberi khidmat kemasukan data, perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan sokongan komputer, perkhidmatan-perkhidmatan pemulihan bencana, bank-bank dan institusi-institusi kewangan dsb; dan
penasihat-penasihat profesional kami, termasuk tetapi tidak terhad kepada penasihat undang-undang, penasihat-penasihat cukai, penasihat-penasihat kewangan, juruaudit-juruaudit, broker-broker insurans dsb.

Kami juga boleh memindah data peribadi anda keluar dari Malaysia bagi tujuan-tujuan dan kepada pihak ketiga yang dinyatakan dalam Notis ini. Data peribadi anda juga akan dipindah keluar dari Malaysia jika anda berada di luar Malaysia.

Kewajipan untuk Memberi Data Peribadi

Kami mengakui bahawa anda mempunyai hak untuk menentukan maklumat yang diberikan kepada kami. Maklumat yang disenaraikan di atas adalah secara sukarela. Jika anda tidak memberi maklumat di atas atau mengehadkan cara bagaimana maklumat tersebut diproses, kami tidak dapat:

berkomunikasi atau berhubung dengan anda;
bertindak di dalam perlantikan atau transaksi undang-undang dan/atau memberi perkhidmatan kami kepada anda; dan atau
memberikan anda akses kepada laman sesawang kami.

Akses dan Pembetulan Data

Jika anda ingin:

mengakses maklumat peribadi anda;
memperbetulkan atau mengemaskini data peribadi anda; atau
menarikbalik persetujuan anda atau mengehadkan penggunaan data peribadi anda,

sila hantar permintaan bertulis anda kepada:

Penolong Pengurus Jabatan Sumber Manusia dan Pentadbiran

Zul Rafique & Partners
D3-3-8 Solaris Dutamas
No.1 Jalan Dutamas 1
50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Telefon : 03-6209 8228
Faksimile : 03-6209 8331

Caj pentadbiran akan dikenakan bagi permintaan di bawah perenggan (a), (b) dan (c) di atas.

Kami berhak untuk menolak permintaan anda jika dibenarkan di bawah undang-undang.

Penafian

Ketepatan dan kelengkapan data peribadi anda bergantung kepada maklumat yang anda berikan. Kami menganggap bahawa maklumat yang anda berikan adalah tepat, terkini dan lengkap melainkan jika anda memaklumkan sebaliknya kepada kami.

Kami menganggap bahawa maklumat pihak ketiga yang anda berikan kepada kami termasuk tetapi tidak terhad kepada maklumat majikan, maklumat rakan-rakan sekerja atau maklumat keluarga adalah tepat, terkini dan lengkap dan anda telah mendapatkan persetujuan yang sewajarnya untuk menzahirkan maklumat tersebut.

Percanggahan

Jika terdapat percanggahan diantara versi Bahasa Inggeris dan Bahasa Kebangsaan pada Notis ini, versi Bahasa Inggeris akan diguna pakai.

The mode to challenge an Industrial Court Award: Appeal or Judicial Review