Mohd Radwan - Director Appointment by Written Resolution
Mohd Radwan - Director Appointment by Written Resolution
Mohd Radwan - Director Appointment by Written Resolution
And
And
And
BETWEEN
GROUNDS OF JUDGMENT
Introduction
[2] This Court allowed the application and ruled that there was a breach
of the Act when the Second Defendant was appointed via a written
resolution. This is contrary to an express provision under the
constitution of the company which provides for the appointment of
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directors to be carried out via a general meeting. This had attracted
the prohibition contained under section 302(2)(a) of the Act.
Background
[4] The First Defendant was appointed as director in the Third Defendant
on 4.9.2018. The Fourth Defendant is the Company Secretary who
was appointed by the Third Defendant’s board after the appointment
of the First Defendant on 6.9.2018.
[5] Sometime in 2015, relationship between the Plaintiff and the Second
Defendant turned sour. It led to a situation where there was deadlock
at the Board of Director’s level. Both the Plaintiff and Second
Defendant no longer could cooperate together. The company’s
financier filed a lawsuit against the Third Defendant which resulted in
the relationship between the two founding members of the company
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to deteriorate even further. The deadlock resulted in the company not
being able to function in its ordinary course of business.
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on 4.9.2018 when the Second Defendant, as a major shareholder
signified his agreement to the Proposed Resolution by way of email.
[11] It was argued by the Plaintiff, that section 302(2)(a) of the Act was a
carve out intended by Parliament to allow the provision of the AOA to
take primacy over the Act. The Latin maxim of generalia specialibus
non derogant was therefore, applicable.
[12] The Defendants on the other hand, argued that Section 290(1) of the
Act provides that a resolution of members of a private company (of
which the Third Defendant is one) shall be passed either by a written
resolution or a meeting of members. As the Third Defendant is private
company, the said provision allows for an option to be chosen when
passing a resolution. It was argued that Article 67 of the AOA cannot
override the provision of the Act (section 290(1)) as the strict
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prohibition in section 32(2) of the Act states that a provision of any
AOA which contravenes the Act has no effect. That essentially, was
the gist of the Defendants’ argument.
Analysis
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(3) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the
constitution adopted under subsection (1) shall be binding
on the company, its directors and its members.
[15] It was argued by counsel for the Defendants that the passing of a
private company’s resolution can either be passed by a written
resolution or a meeting of members. As such, an option is given to
members to determine the appropriate mode of passing a resolution.
In this regard, section 290 of the Act was alluded to. It reads as
follows:
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(a) by a written resolution; or
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(b) in the case of a private company, in accordance with
the terms of appointment.
[17] This in turn will require the examination of what Ordinary Resolutions
mean under the Act. Section 291 provides that an ordinary resolution
may be passed by members or a class of members representing a
simple majority by either voting in person or proxy at a members
meeting or by way of a vote on a written resolution. Section 291
provides as follows:
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[18] It was contended that a written resolution cannot be passed to
remove a director. However, it is silent where appointment of
directors is concerned. Reference is made to section 297 which reads
as follows:
[20] Counsel for the Plaintiff on the other hand, sought to rely on section
302(2)(a) of the Act. It was argued that when a written resolution is
moved, it cannot contravene the written law or the constitution of the
company. It reads as follows:
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(a) if passed, would be ineffective whether by reason of
inconsistency with any written law or the constitution;
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[23] It is obvious form a reading of Article 67 of the AOA, the appointment
of directors must be done at a general meeting. Even if the emphasis
is on the word “may”, it does not provide any other alternatives. As
such the words may refers specifically to the company convening a
general meeting.
[24] This Court is compelled to agree with counsel for the Plaintiff that this
represents a carve out of the general prohibition in section 32(2). It is
an exception specifically provided for by the Act and would fall under
the application of the maxim generalia specialibus non derogant. The
usage of that canon of construction is not alien in its application. This
can be seen in Qatar Islamic Bank v Asian Finance Bank Bhd &
Ors [2015] 7 MLJ 445 Wong Kheng Kong J at paragraph 42(b) held:
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written resolution, would be ineffective if it is inconsistent with any
written law or the constitution of the company.
[26] This Court is of the opinion that where there is a specific provision
that allows for an exception under the Act, such exception must be
taken as a literal approval to derogate from the general provision.
[27] In Luggage distributors (M) Sdn Bhd [1995] 3 CLJ 520 at page
550, the Court of Appeal held as follows:
“There is another compelling reason for holding that the respondents have
no caveatable interest in the land. It lies in the rule of construction
expressed in the maxim generalibus specialia derogant. Where there are
two provisions of written law, one general and the other specific, then,
whether or not these two provisions are to be found in the same or
different statutes, the special or specific provision excludes the operation
of the general provision.”
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The rule is, that whenever there is a particular enactment and a
general enactment in the same statute and the latter, taken in its
most comprehensive sense, would overrule the former, the
particular enactment must be operative, and the general enactment
must be taken to affect only the other parts of the statute to which it
may properly apply.”
See also Public Prosecutor v. Chew Siew Luan [1982] 2 MLJ 119.
(Emphasis added)
[28] This Court is of the opinion that there is no incongruity between the
constitution/AOA and the Act if such interpretation is made. The
prohibition under section 32(2) merely operates as notice that when a
company adopts a constitution, any provision of the constitution that
contravenes the Act cannot be sustained. However, section 302(2)(a)
cures the inconsistency as it provides primacy of the constitution/AOA
over the Act.
[31] This Court is of the view that even before the object is met (as
suggested by counsel), the manner in which such resolution was
moved must first be in accordance with the constitution/AOA of the
company. It cannot mean that the law is not concerned with the
manner in which the resolution was moved. Such an interpretation
would suggest that it is open for parties to disregard the constitution
of the company. This renders the specific provision of the
constitution/AOA otiose. It cannot be so.
[33] In the early case of Wong Kim Fatt v Leong & Co Sdn Bhd & Anor
[1976] 1 MLJ 140, Chang Min Tat J held as follows:
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“He made two concessions, one was that a member was bound by the
Articles of Association as a matter of contractual obligation which he had
undertaken by subscribing thereto. With respect, he is of course right. To
contend otherwise would mean he had to prove, for example, the following
passage from the judgment of Lord Herschell M.R. in Welton v
Saffery [1897] AC 299 at page 315, wrong:
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any right beyond that which the contract with the company gives.”
(emphasis added)
See also Ling Beng Hui v Ling Beng Sung [1990] 2 MLJ 186;
Fairview Schools Bhd v Indrani a/p Rajaratnam (No. 2) [1998] 1
MLJ 110.
[34] In Beh Chun Chuan v Paloh Medical Centre Sdn Bhd &
Ors [1999] 3 MLJ 262 at 268 Kang Hwee Gee J observed that:
[35] The effect of a constitution when adopted, will bind the company and
the members to the same extent as if the constitution had been
signed and sealed by each member and contained covenants on the
part of each member to observe all the provisions of the constitution.
(see section 33(1) of the Act).
[36] This Court is of the firm view section 302(2)(a) can be interpreted
literally upon a plain reading of the said provision. There is no
ambiguity in such an interpretation. Conversely, the argument taken
by counsel for the Defendants in his submission urged this Court to
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read section 290(1) of the Act, in light of section 32(2) read together
with section 619, rendering Article 67 of the AOA to be inconsistent
with section 290(1) of the Act. The latter approach as suggested,
would be an interpretation that does not support the plain meaning of
the provision.
“It is elementary that the primary duty of a court is to give effect to the
intention of the legislature as expressed in the words used by it and not
outside consideration can be called in aid to find that intention. A statute
must be constructed in a manner which carries out the intention of the
legislature. The intention of the legislature must be gathered from the
words of the statue itself. If the words are unambiguous or plain, they will
indicate the intention with which the statute was passed and the object to
be obtained by it. When the language of the law admits of no ambiguity
and is very clear, it is not open to the courts to put their own gloss in order
to squeeze out some meaning which is not borne out by the language of
the law.”
Deadlock situation
[38] The dilemma faced by the Second Defendant in this case was his
inability to convene a meeting due to the breakdown in relationship
between him and the Plaintiff. It is before this Court that the Second
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Defendant holds 60% shares while the Plaintiff holds the remaining
40%.
[41] As can be seen from the Affidavit in Reply of the Second Defendant,
he was having difficulty in convening a meeting. See paragraph 6
and paragraph 10 (i) to (iii). It was admitted that the Board of
Directors of the Third Defendant was in a deadlock (“buntu”). Further,
it was admitted by the Second Defendant that he and the Plaintiff
were no longer cooperating and working together. As such, the
Second Defendant decided to appoint the First Defendant as an
additional Director. The mode of which was done by way of a
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circularized written resolution signed by a single director namely the
Second Defendant.
[42] It is also clear form the Affidavit in Reply of the Second Defendant
that his actions to circulate the written resolution stems from the
impracticability of convening a general meeting. A read of his
affidavit would lead to an understanding that even if the meeting was
convened, it would be inquorate as the Plaintiff will not attend. In fact,
there was no evidence of the email sent by the Second Defendant to
the Plaintiff requisitioning the meeting was responded to by the
Plaintiff.
[44] The Second Defendant must resort to what is provided under the Act.
This Court is of the firm view that the solution to the deadlock can be
resolved by having recourse to section 314 of the Act which provides
as follows:
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(a) to call for a meeting of members of a company in any
manner in which meetings of that company may be
called; or
(3) Where such an order is made, the Court may give such
ancillary or consequential direction as the Court thinks
expedient.
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(5) A meeting called, held and conducted in accordance with an
order under this section shall be deemed for all purposes to
be a meeting of the company duly called, held and
conducted.
[45] The predecessor to section 314 of the Act is section 150 of the
Companies Act 1965 (the “1965 Act”). It is in parimateria with the
section 314 of the Act. In LOW SON SIANG @ LOO SOON SIONG
v LEE KIM YONG [1998] MLJU 467, Malik Ishak J (as he then was)
held as follows:
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and clearly "two members present in person shall be a quorum".
Here, the defendant refused to attend the EOGM and surely this
court has the discretion to call for such EOGM with a quorum of
one as sought for by the plaintiff in enclosure 4.”
[46] The Court in LOW SON SIANG @ LOO SOON SIONG v LEE KIM
YONG (supra) went on to direct a general meeting as it was
impracticable to call it by any other means.
[47] The Court of Appeal case of Tamabina Sdn Bhd & Anor v
Nakamichi Corporation Berhad [2016] MLJU 462 section 150 of
the 1965 Act was interpreted as follows:
“[4] The gist of the section is that, if for any reason it is impractical to call a
meeting or to conduct a meeting in the manner prescribed the articles of
association of the company or the Act, Court may on its own motion or on
an application of any director or any member entitled to vote at the
meeting or personal representative of such member order a meeting to be
called held and conducted in such manner as the Court thinks fit. The key
phrase in the section is 'if for any reason it is impracticable' to call or
conduct a meeting.”
[48] From the above discussion, it is patently clear that recourse must be
made to section 314 of the Act by parties in a situation where a
deadlock has occurred at the Board level. Section 314 of the Act
clearly does not preclude a court form convening a meeting by the
attendance of one single shareholder. The onus lies on the party
seeking to move the court to order such a meeting by demonstrating
that it is impracticable to do so under the normal provisions of the
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company’s AOA. The Second Defendant failed to resort to the above
provisions of the Act.
[49] Given that this Court is of the opinion that the written resolution was
ineffective, it is of the view that other alternative arguments raised by
the parties were no longer necessary to be considered. Parties too,
had not pursued the other points assiduously as the crux of the issue
was on the interpretation of section 302(2)(a) of the Act.
Conclusion
[50] In the circumstances, this Court is of the view that the resolution
passed on 4.9.2018 was against the constitution/AOA of the company
in particular, Article 67. As such, the resolution was ineffective by
virtue of subsection 302(2)(a) of the Act. The application in Enclosure
1 is therefore allowed. Cost of RM 10,000 as agreed upon by parties
is awarded to the Plaintiff.
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Counsels :
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