industrial court malaysia - Malaysian Legal and Tax Information Centre

the relevant factors into consideration, the Tribunal comes to the conclusion that
reinstatement would not be desirable or expedient in the circumstances of the
case, it may Award compensation instead of reinstatement to the workman in
spite of the fact that his discharge or dismissal was invalid owing to some
infirmity in the impugned order”.
In Fung Keong Rubber Manufacturing (M) Sdn. Bhd. v. Lee Eng Kiat & Ors
[1981] 1 MLJ 238, the Federal Court observed:
“Reinstatement, a statutorily recognized form of specific performance, has
become a normal remedy and this coupled with a full refund of his wages could
certainly far exceed the meagre damages normally granted at common law. The
speedy and effective resolution of disputes or differences is clearly seen to be in
the national interest, but it is also apparent that any attempt to impose a legal
obligation without a prior exploration for a voluntary conciliation could aggravate
rather than solve the problem. To this end the Director General is empowered by
section 20 of the Act to offer assistance to the parties to the dispute to expedite a
settlement by means of conciliatory meetings”.
Reading Malhotra further at page 941, the following passage states the matter
clearly:-
“No hard and fast rule can however be laid down for the exercise of the discretion
of the Tribunal, as in each case, it must, in a spirit of fairness and justice in
keeping with the objective of industrial adjudication, decide whether it should, in
the interest of justice, depart from the general rule. Fair play towards the
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