Case Emplyment
Case Emplyment
Case Emplyment
(2) On the drawing of an adverse inference against the company for its A
failure to call Normimi and Teh as a witness, even if these two
witnesses had been called, it had been unlikely that they would have
given any new evidence and they would probably have given the
same evidence as they had given in the DI, which had not been
disputed by the claimant. Thus, no adverse inference would be drawn B
in this case (para 26).
(3) Not all misconduct deserves the punishment of dismissal. Dismissal
is only warranted if the employee has committed serious misconduct.
The misconduct complained of in this case had not been serious
misconduct which had justified the claimant’s dismissal. The e-mails C
sent by the claimant to Normimi and his utterances to her, could not
be said to constitute insubordination, although they had been rude and
discourteous. The e-mails had arisen due to the claimant’s
unhappiness with the manner in which the restructuring had been
conveyed to him, which the evidence had suggested had been abrupt D
and hasty. It could have been an isolated incident and there had not
been any evidence to indicate that it had happened before. Further,
the probability was that he had been provoked in his meeting with
Normimi when he had been confronted and reprimanded. Also, there
had been no evidence to suggest that the company had taken into E
account mitigating factors before dismissing him, which it should
have done. The exchange of words and fracas in this case seemed to
have arisen due to a lack of communication and/or miscommunication
between the parties (paras 28 & 29).
[Dismissal without just cause or excuse - Claimant awarded backwages and F
compensation in lieu of reinstatement in the sum of RM46,800.]
Award(s) referred to:
DTS Trading Sdn Bhd v. Wong Weng Kit [2008] 1 ILR 548 (Award No. 222 of 2008)
Goodyear Malaysia Bhd v. National Union of Employees in Companies Manufacturing
Rubber Products [1986] 1 ILR 522 (Award No. 88 of 1986) G
Holiday Inn, Kuching, Sarawak v. Puan Elizabeth Lee Chai Siok, Sarawak [1990] 2 ILR
262 (Award No. 255 of 1990)
AWARD
(NO. 168 of 2017)
C Andersen Ong Wai Leong:
Reference
[1] This is a reference from The Honourable Minister of Human
Resources, Malaysia to the Industrial Court of Malaysia under s. 20(3) of
D the Industrial Relations Act 1967 in respect of the dismissal of Mohd
Irwan Bin Arifin (“the claimant”) by his employer, Aluminium Company
of Malaysia Berhad (“the company”) on 16 January 2014.
[2] The case was previously tried and concluded by the former
Chairman, Yang Arif Puan Hapipah Binti Monel who had retired from the
E Industrial Court. I have since taken over the conduct of this matter as the
new Chairman of this court. I have been requested to deliver and prepare
the Award for this matter. Parties have on 20 October 2016 given their
consent for me to deliver and prepare the Award without the need for the
case to be heard de novo. I further rely on the authority of Bax Global
F (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd v. Sukhdev Singh Pritam Singh & Anor [2011] 2 CLJ 534
where the court held that s. 23(6) of Industrial Relations Act 1967
(“IRA”) allows another chairman to continue hearing a part-heard case
and the new Chairman can hand down the Award in such cases.
[3] Therefore, this Award is written based on my reading, perusal and
G evaluation of the facts and evidence contained in the notes of proceedings
prepared by the former Chairman, Yang Arif Puan Hapipah Binti Monel
and gleaned from the documents made available to me.
Facts
H [4] Pursuant to the company’s letter of offer dated 25 April 2013, the
claimant commenced employment on probation with the company on
2 May 2013 as Senior Human Resources Specialist.
[5] The claimant via the company’s letter dated 1 September 2013 was
re-designated as Senior Facilities Services Co-ordinator with the company
I effective from 1 September 2013 and was placed under the General
Services Department / Section of the company, in charge of general
services and maintenance works.
400 Industrial Law Reports [2017] 1 ILR
[7] The claimant was unhappy with this new arrangement and the
manner Puan Normimi has handled the Restructuring which to him was
not professionally done. He complained that inter alia there was no general
announcement or prior discussion with him on the matter and he did not
receive any official letter informing him of such arrangement. C
Subsequently, exchange of emails and words ensued between the claimant
and Puan Normimi.
[8] On 19 December 2013, during a meeting attended by the claimant
and Puan Normimi, angry arguments and quarrels broke out between
D
them. This was witnessed by several of their colleagues who were also
present at the meeting.
[9] The company issued a show cause letter dated 23 December 2013
to the claimant for the incident that took place on 19 December 2013 and
the emails sent by the claimant to Puan Normimi prior to that.
E
Accordingly, the claimant via letter dated 25 December 2013 replied to
the allegations raised in the company’s show cause letter.
[10] Dissatisfied with the claimant’s reply, the company convened a
domestic inquiry on matter on 13 January 2014. The company leveled 6
charges against the claimant, to which the claimant pleaded not guilty to F
all of them. The charges made against the claimant are now produced here
as follows:
Charge 1
That on 19.12.2013 between 3.35 p.m. until 5.30 p.m. while attending the
meeting pertaining to your reporting line at Alcom Meeting Room 1 you G
had behave in a bad manner by raising you voice and at the same time
accusing of non-professionalism to Puan Normimi Binti Mansor, the
Company’s Human Resources Manager over her email sent to you on
16.12.2013 @ 5.44 p.m.
Charge 2 H
That on 19 December 2013 between 3.35 p.m. until 5.30 p.m. while
attending the meeting pertaining to your reporting line at Alcom Meeting
Room 1, you had challenged to fight with Puan Normimi Binti Mansor, by
shouting “you bawa you punya lawyer here and saya bawa Jabatan Buruh”
whilst refusing to accept Puan Normimi’s explanation on the content of her I
email dated on 16 December 2013 @ 6.08 p.m. to you was purely to advise
you to work together with Miss Angeline Tan ...
Mohd Irwan Arifin v.
[2017] 1 ILR Aluminium Company Of Malaysia Berhad 401
A Charge 3
That on 19 December 2013 between 3.35 p.m. until 5.30 p.m while
attending the meeting pertaining to your reporting line at Alcom Meeting
Room 1, you had acted in ill mannered, violently by shouting the words
“you shut up” and at the same time pointing your right hand’s index finger
B straight to Puan Normimi’s face when she asked if you understood the
content of her email to you dated 16 December 2013 @ 5.44 p.m …
Charge 4
That on 19 December 2013 between 3.35 p.m. until 5.30 p.m while
attending the meeting pertaining to your reporting line at Alcom Meeting
C Room 1, you have insulted Puan Normimi, the Company’s Human
Resources Manager by uttering the words “you ingat you besar ke?” when
she said - “You cannot talk to me like that, I am the Company’s officer and
we are currently in formal discussion.”
Charge 5
D That you had insulted Puan Normimi Binti Mansor, the Company’s Human
Resources Manager through claims of cronyism/hidden agenda via your
email dated 18 December 2013 @ 10.11 a.m. item no 2 which spelled as
follows:
… I was arranging with Angie over the telephone issue which
E suddenly you interrupted and mention the reporting line. Are you
and Angie (sctraching each other back?)
Charge 6
That you had insulted and rudely accused Puan Normimi Binti Mansor, the
Company’s Human Resources Manager involved in office politics through
F the last sentence of your email to her 18 December 2013 @ 10.11 a.m.
which read as follows:
…What I need is your professional action over these issues and not
on the office politics being played.
[11] The company found the claimant guilty of all 6 charges leveled
G
against him and the claimant was informed by the company of their
decision to dismiss the claimant via the company’s letter dated 16 January
2014 on the ground of serious misconduct. The claimant contended that
his dismissal from employment was without just cause and excuse.
A [18] With regards to the incident that took place in the meeting on
19 December 2013, the claimant when asked by the company’s counsel
during cross examination on the company’s Charge Nos. 1 to 4, disagrees
with the charges leveled against him. The claimant insisted that he did not
raise his voice or shout at Puan Normimi and ask her to “shut up”. He
B maintains that he was just being vocal and it was his character and manner
of speaking. He also denied making any challenge to Puan Normimi.
According to his reply in the Domestic Inquiry, he did not mean to
challenge Puan Normimi. He was just joking with Puan Normimi.
[19] The company’s witness, Che Jah Khairuddin (“COW3”) who was
C present at the meeting on 19 December 2013 together with the claimant
and Puan Normimi, confirmed in her Witness Statement that the claimant
was quarreling with Puan Normimi in the meeting. According to COW3,
the claimant raised his voice toward Puan Normimi and accused her of
being unprofessional. The claimant also pointed his finger at Puan
D Normimi and asked her to shut up.
[20] COW3’s evidence on the incident that took place during the
meeting on 19 December 2013 is consistent with the testimonies of Puan
Normimi and Mr. Teh Chin Hwee at the domestic inquiry. Mr. Teh Chin
Hwee (Mr. Teh) was the claimant’s immediate superior and was present
E in the meeting on 19 December 2013 together with Puan Normimi and
COW3.
[21] The company did not call Puan Normimi or Mr. Teh to give
evidence during the trial. The claimant’s counsel in his written
submissions argued that the company has failed to prove on the balance of
F
probabilities that the claimant has committed the alleged wrongdoings
during the meeting on 19 December 2013. The claimant’s counsel invites
this court to invoke the adverse inference under s. 114(g) of the Evidence
Act 1950 against the company for their failure to produce Puan Normimi
and Mr. Teh as witness to give evidence during trial.
G
[22] It is trite law that for dismissal cases the quantum of proof is on the
balance of probabilities even if the misconduct complained of is of
criminal in nature [see the case of Telekom Malaysia Kawasan Utara v.
Krishnan Kutty Sanguni Nair & Anor [2002] 3 CLJ 314].
H [23] Whilst, it is reckoned that Puan Normimi and Mr. Teh are relevant
witnesses for the company, failure by the company to call them to give
evidence during trial is not fatal on the facts. The claimant has never
denied the emails sent to Puan Normimi and he admitted to the notes of
proceedings of the Domestic Inquiry at pp. 28 to 59 of COB1 during cross
examination by the company’s counsel. The claimant’s counsel also did
I
not object or challenge the said notes of proceedings during trial. COW3
has also confirmed the incident that took place in the meeting room on
19 December 2013 and her testimony corroborates the evidence given by
Puan Normimi and Mr. Teh in the Domestic Inquiry.
404 Industrial Law Reports [2017] 1 ILR
[24] The company through COW3 has given evidence that Puan A
Normimi and Mr. Teh have resigned from the company. The company’s
counsel has informed this court that they have attempted to serve the
subpoena on Puan Normimi to secure her attendance in court and to be a
witness for the company. According to the counsel for the company, Puan
Normimi refused to accept the subpoena and their process server has left B
the subpoena in her mail box. No further explanation was given by the
company’s counsel with regards to the subpoena issued against Puan
Normimi. The company also did not provide any explanation as to why
Mr. Teh was not called as a witness.
[25] Having considered all the evidence put before this court, I am C
satisfied that on a balance of probabilities the claimant would have
committed the act complained of in the company’s Charge Nos. 1 to 4,
thereby misconducted himself. The claimant was a senior management
staff of the company and such behavior was unbecoming of one. The
claimant has acted aggressively and inappropriately toward Puan D
Normimi who was his superior in term of ranking in the company’s
hierarchy.
[26] It is the considered view of this court that had the company called
Puan Normimi and Mr. Teh as witness, likelihood they would have given
the same evidence as what they had given in the Domestic Inquiry. It is E
not likely that there will be any new evidence which would be adverse to
the company if Mr. Teh or Puan Normimi was called as a witness. As said
earlier, the alleged wrongdoings or act of misconducts are clear on the
facts and can be gleaned from the documents put before this court, which
were not disputed by the claimant. Therefore, no adverse inference will be F
drawn against the company for not calling Puan Normimi and Mr. Teh as
witnesses.
[27] In any event, it is an established principle that Industrial Court is
not bound strictly by the rule of evidence or the Evidence Act 1950.
Section 30(5) of the IRA requires that the court shall act according to G
equity, good conscience and the substantial merits of the case, without
regard to technicalities and legal form. In Telekom Malaysia Kawasan Utara
v. Krishnan Kutty Sanguni Nair & Anor, Justice Abdul Hamid, delivering
the judgment of the Court of Appeal stated as follows:
... the Industrial Court should not be burdened with the H
technicalities regarding the standard of proof, the rules of evidence
and procedure that applied in a court of law. The Industrial Court
should be allowed to conduct its proceedings as a “court of
arbitration”, and be more flexible in arriving at its decision, so long
as it gives special regard to substantial merits and decides a case in
I
accordance with equity and good conscience.
[28] Having established the misconduct committed by the claimant, we
must now consider whether the proven misconduct constitutes just cause
or excuse for the dismissal. Not all misconduct deserves the punishment
Mohd Irwan Arifin v.
[2017] 1 ILR Aluminium Company Of Malaysia Berhad 405
I [31] In the circumstances, this court having considered all the facts and
evaluated the totality of the evidence, both oral and documentary and
going by equity, good conscience and substantial merits of the case
406 Industrial Law Reports [2017] 1 ILR
A [36] This is a clear case where reasonable deduction has to be made for
contributory misconduct of the claimant. The dismissal was clearly
attributable to claimant’s own indiscretion. Also nowhere suggest that the
claimant has even made any attempt to apologize to Puan Normimi
immediately after the incident. Perhaps an earnest apology from the
B claimant could have done the trick and save the claimant from the
predicament he is in now.
[37] Accordingly, this court makes the following orders:
(a) Compensation in lieu of reinstatement
C RM4,500 x 2 months = RM9,000
(b) Backwages
RM4,500 x 24 months = RM108,000
Less 40% for contributory misconduct = (RM43,200)
D
Less 25% for post dismissal earning = (RM27,000)
Total = RM37,800
[38] The court orders that the company pays the claimant the sum of
E
RM46,800 less any statutory deductions, if any, to the claimant vide his
Solicitors, Messrs. Apandi Ali & Co within 30 days from the date hereof.