Professional Documents
Culture Documents
JUSTICE
7 MARCH 2023
HABIBAH OMAR
Senior Lecturer
FACULTY OF LAW
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
Email: habib597@uitm,edu.my
©Habibahomar@UiTMlaw 1
AN OVERVIEW
Administrators of a State or public authorities Actions/decisions of the State or public
must act; make decisions or create rules based authorities can be subject of Judicial Review
on the concept of Rule of Law where: by the court under Administrative Law.
• Their acts/ decisions and rules made must •Section 25(2), Courts of Judicature Act
be within the sanction of the law and 1964, Paragraph I of the Schedule :
controlled by law Power to issue to any person or authority directions,
• Exercise of discretionary powers must not orders or writs, including writs of the nature of
be inconsistent with the Rule of Law habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition,
quo warranto and certiorari, or any others, for
the enforcement of the rights conferred by Part II of
the Constitution, or any of them, or for any
purpose.
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SUBSTANTIVE/ SIMPLE UV
(Illegality – GCHQ case)
AUDI ALTERAM
PARTEM
EXTENDED UV FAILURE TO OBSERVE
(Wednesbury unreasonableness)
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
NATURAL JUSTICE
JUDICIAL REVIEW IN
PROPORTIONALITY
Failure to observe procedural rules
(GCHQ cse) laid down in legislative instrument
(mandatory procedure)
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◦ Natural justice is the Creation of the Common Law (Courts) to ensure that the
administrators or public authorities act with fairness.
◦ Public authorities are expected to act fairly and in good faith
◦ A procedural safeguard against improper or wrongful exercise of power by public
authorities.
◦ Natural Justice is a FLEXIBLE and INFORMAL concept – NOT RIGID and
NOT STRICT in administrative application – WHY?
• Mak Sik Kwong v MOHA [1975]2MLJ175 – issues related to administration are
very wide and broad, hence difficult to set a rigid scheme
• To prevent administrative inefficiency and waste of resources
• Cannot be equated with procedures in the court of law
NATURAL
• ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY vs RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS
◦ Regarded as embedded within the Federal Constitution, hence requires no express
JUSTICE
stipulation in the Federal Constitution or Acts of Parliament.
◦ Part of good administration practice to encourage just and right decision of public
authorities – GOOD GOVERNANCE
◦ To inject accountability of public authorities in the exercise of discretionary powers in
rule-making and decision-making.
◦ Common law rules of Natural Justice has two main component:
• Audi Alteram Partem (right to be heard/ duty to act fairly)
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• Nemo Judex In Causa Sua (rules against bias)
AUDI ALTERAM
PARTEM
(RIGHT TO BE HEARD)
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◦ HOL in Ridge v Baldwin [1963] 2ll ER 66 – The Magna Carta of
natural justice (CK Allen, Law and Orders, 242, 1965).
◦ Datuk Hj Mohammad Tufail bin Mahmud & Ors v Dato
Ting Check Sii [2009] 4 MLJ 165 – Right to be heard is an
integral part of natural justice in Malaysia (FC).
AUDI
◦ For example: Power of dismissal, revocation of licence or permit
could not be exercised without giving the person an opportunity ALTERAM
to be heard and defend his case.
◦ AAP is a fair hearing process which may not necessarily brings PARTEM (AAP)
about a fair outcome (end).
◦ AAP is a flexible concept to be decided on merit based on each
case.
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6
Requirement of
prior Notice
Reasons
for
Rules on
decisions AAP REQUIRES Hearing
OBSERVATION
OF THE
FOLLOWING
PROCEDURES
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RULES RELATING TO
NOTICE
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NOTICE
(to allow the person to adequately prepare his case)
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◦ Length of time given to a person prior to the hearing of his
case.
◦ The duration of the notice must be sufficient for the person to
file his objection/ prepare his defence.
◦ Khoo Cheng & Ors (as the administrators of the Estate of
Gan Hong Kok, the deceased) Gan Hong Yock [2005] 3 NOTICE
MLJ614 – the notice for an order of sale of the deceased estate
was not given to the 4-6th appellants. On appeal, the COA held
that the respondents' failure to serve OS 852 for an order of distribution
and the administrators' failure to serve their application for order of sale
and notice of hearing fixed on 16 June 1998 on the fourth to sixth
appellants constituted a clear violation of the rules of natural justice. ADEQUATE IN
◦ Phang Moh Shin v Commissioner of Police [1967]2MLJ186 TIME
Q: What is the duration of a notice for it to be an adequate notice?
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◦ Refer to the details of the case against the part - the allegation/charge must be clearly
particularised to enable the person to answer the allegation/charge.
◦ There is no standard form of notice that detailed out the allegation.
◦ Factors to take note:
v Notice must be stated in clear, specific and unambiguous term
Perkayuan OKS No 2 Sdn Bhd v Kelantan State Economic Development Corp
[1995]1 MLJ401; [1996] 2 CLJ 270
• The Federal Court held that the notice was inadequate as the particulars set out were
unspecific, ambiguous and vague.
• Vague notice is not notice in law.
NOTICE
v All allegations have to be communicated prior to the hearing – if actions/decisions
are taken/made on grounds that are not communicated, such notice is invalid
Othman Bin Ali v Telekom Malaysia Bhd [2004] 4 MLJ 18. The High Court
ruled that : ADEQUATE
• There were two reasons for the appellant’s dismissal but the appellant was not notified of the
second reasons of his dismissal.. The rules of natural justice and fair play
demanded that the material facts supporting the second reason must be
included in the charge against the appellant and that he has been given
IN TERM
reasonable opportunity of giving his explanation for it.
• If the appellant was dismissed for something he was not 'charged’ or in which he was not
given the chance to give explanation – a violation of the rules of natural justice which caused
injustice and prejudice to the appellant.
Other cases : Abdul Rahman bin Isa v Public Service Commission, Msia
[1991]2MLJ240; Phang Moh Shin’s case
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Notice must be clear,
specific and
unambiguous
ADEQUATE IN TERM
if actions/decisions
All allegations have to taken/made on the
be communicated grounds that are not
prior to the hearing communicated, such
notice is invalid
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◦ There MAY NOT BE A standard form of notice
◦ absence of formal notice/ existence of irregularity or technical
defects on notice MAY NOT amount to breach of Natural Justice MUST THERE
if the defects is CURABLE
BE A
◦ The question is - has the person been prejudiced by it? STANDARD
◦ Lim Ko & Anor v Board Of Architects [1966] 2 MLJ 80
• The facts reflect that the first appellant was sufficiently informed of the
FORM OF
nature of the allegation against him through prior communications
with the Board - there is no merit in this objection in his case when he
NOTICE?
claimed that he was not given detailed notification of the charge against
him.
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13
RULES ON HEARING
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◦ Refers to fair hearing – a person must be given a fair opportunity to
make representation (defend himself)
◦ There is no fixed hearing procedure to be followed
◦ There can be hearing through interview, consultation, discussion, written
representation or oral representation - Ketua Pengarah Kastam
v Ho Kwan Seng [1977] 2 MLJ 152 – The Federal Court expressed that:
… the hearing may take many forms and strict insistence upon an inexorable
right to the traditional courtroom procedure can lead to a virtual administrative
breakdown. That is because a formal hearing is too slow, too technical and too
costly.
RULES ON
◦ The Court has to decide if fair hearing has been accorded based on each
case.
HEARING
◦ Some cases require less formal procedure of representation and some
require formal procedure of representation.
◦ The right to be heard is implicit in our system notwithstanding the
absence of any statutory/constitutional provision for an inquiry or a fair
hearing - Ketua Pengarah Kastam v Ho Kwan Seng [1977] 2 MLJ 152,
FC
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The complexity of the case The technicality involved
TYPES OF
REPRESENTATION
DEPENDS ON:
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RULES ON HEARING
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ORAL HEARING OR WRITTEN
REPRESENTATION?
◦ 2 ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED:
• When should oral/written representation be given? Before or after decision?
§ In Ketua Pengarah Kastam v Ho Kwan Seng [1977] 2 MLJ 152, the written representation was made by the respondent
after the decision to cancel the agency was made and it was held to be valid.
§ Issue – will representation after decision made serves the purpose?
Mainly divided
into:
Producing material witness or
documents (evidence)
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q All incriminating evidence used in the proceedings must be
made available to the person alleged - to provide opportunity to
comment/ rebut/ criticise the evidence
§ anything that restricts, or appears to restrict, the defendant's ability to present
his case may be a breach of procedural fairness - for example, a defendant is
generally entitled to notice of evidence that might assist his case. It is a breach
of natural justice for the prosecution to conceal such evidence: R v
Leyland Justices, ex p Hawthorn [1979]QB283. RULES
§ Abdul Rahim Bin Abdullah v Polis Di-raja Malaysia [1998] MLJU 117 –
disclosure of material document is part of right to defend oneself RELATING
§ B Surrinder Singh Kanda v Government of Federation of Malaya [1962]
MLJ 169 – The Report of the Board of Inquiry contained a severe
TO
condemnation of the Appellant, disclosed to the adjudicating officer but was
not given to the Appellant. EVIDENCE
• It was held - within the right to be heard is a right for the accused man to
know the case which is made against him. He must know what evidence
has been given and what statements have been made against him and he
must be given a fair opportunity to correct or contradict them. The judge
must not hear evidence or receive representations from one side behind
the back of the other.
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◦ In Rohana Bte Ariffin & Anor v Universiti Sains Malaysia [1989] 1 MLJ 487, the
applicants had, through their solicitors (before the commencement of the
proceedings before the disciplinary authority), requested for all relevant
information and documents in the possession of the disciplinary authority on the
ground that without such material it would be difficult to put up an adequate
defence. They were told that only copies of documents as the board deemed fit
would be supplied at the hearing. Some documents deemed confidential would not
be supplied by the board. This was held to be in breach of the rules
RULES
of natural justice.
◦ Producing material witness or documents (evidence)
◦ In oral hearing, the party has the opportunity to produce the evidence to rebut their
case or to support the allegation RELATING
◦ In Malayawata Steel Bhd v Union of Malayawata Steel Workers [1978] 1 MLJ 87
– the applicant wished to call witnesses to adduce evidence relating to the matter in
dispute at the hearing before the Industrial Court. The application was denied. The
TO
parties were not only denied calling of witness but also denied the opportunity of
cross-examining the witnesses. EVIDENCE
◦ It was held that there had been a denial of natural justice in that the applicant was not
allowed to call witnesses and was therefore not given a reasonable opportunity of presenting
its case.
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Providing reasons for decision will safeguard against arbitrary and
unfair decision; promote transparency and contribute to good
administration – GOOD GOVERNANCE
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Reasons for decision are encouraged when:
Exist The
legitimate decision The
The party decision
has a right expectation affects
that reasons fundamental appears
of appeal irrational on
should be rights or
given livelihood its face
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In later cases, duty to give reasons for decision was regarded as part of
procedural fairness to be read in the context of fundamental liberties
in the Federal Constitution, Articles 5(1) and 8(1)
◦ Hong Leong Equipment Sdn Bhd v Liew Fook Chuan And Another
Appeal [1996] 1 MLJ 481
◦ Kelab Lumba Kuda Perak v Menteri Sumber Manusia, Malaysia & O
rs [2005] 5 MLJ 193
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NEMO JUDEX IN
CAUSA SUA
(RULES AGAINST BIAS)
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◦ This is the doctrine of independence and impartiality - a decision-
maker must approach a matter with an open mind – objectively, fairly,
impartially; free of prejudgment and prejudice.
◦ Originally applied only to Courts but has been adopted as universal
application of vast range of decision makers.
◦ An adjudicator has to be impartial and neutral to ensure public
confidence in the public administration of justice.
◦ An adjudicator will be disqualified from determining any case in which
THE BASIC
he may be, or may fairly be suspected to be biased.
◦ ‘bias’ may be generally defined as partiality or preference which is not
PRINCIPLES
founded on reason and is actuated by self-interest whether pecuniary or
personal. OF NEMO
◦ Indian Supreme Court in Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport
Corporation v Satyanarayan Transporters AIR 1965 SC 1303, p 1306 JUDEX IN
states that ‘…no one can act in a judicial capacity if his previous conduct gives
ground for believing that he cannot act with an open mind. The broad principle which
is universally accepted is that a person trying a cause even in quasi-judicial
CAUSA SUA
proceedings, must be able to act above suspicion of unfairness.’
He must not
He must not be a TEST OF REAL
have interest in
party to the the matter in DANGER OF
dispute dispute BIAS
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He who investigate/ file a complaint, must not decide.
◦ Collins v Lane, Cornish and Worcester Norton Sports Club Ltd [2003] LLR 19.
• Here, the appellant, who was a member of Worcester Norton Shooting Club,
was removed from the membership of the club by the committee. He brought a
motion against the club, the motion was dismissed by the recorder who heard the
case.
AN
• On appeal to the Court of Appeal, his claimed was allowed. One of the grounds
in allowing the appeal was that the chief range officer who was responsible for
putting the complaints before the committee on behalf of the range officers
ADJUDICATOR
took part in the decision. In the circumstances the Court of Appeal held that
the rule against bias was undermined. MUST NOT BE
◦ Darshan Singh v Farid Kamal Hussain (Sued on behalf and for the Board Of
Members and Kelab Sukan Pulau Pinang) [2005] 3 MLJ 502; 6 AMR 608; [2004]
4 CLJ 410
A JUDGE IN
• LY Hong gave evidence before the Disciplinary Committee and he also sat on
the Main Committee to hear the appeal from the Disciplinary Committee
HIS OWN
• LY Hong acted both as a witness and as a judge
• This is contrary to the rule against bias. There exist a real likelihood of bias on CAUSE
the part of tribunal hearing the appeal. LY Hong who had personal knowledge
of the incident may in all likelihood have a strong influence on the other
members of the Main Committee in the course of their deliberation. For that
reason as a general rule a witness after having given evidence should not be
allowed to sit on the enquiry or the appellate body.
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◦ In Rohana’s case, Mr Ogle (the Registrar)
◦ the complainant in this case
◦ had shown active partisanship in the proceedings before the
disciplinary authority
◦ present throughout the deliberations of the disciplinary authority
and no reasons were given as to the necessity for his presence
there.
PRESENCE AT
◦ Even though Mr Ogle did not discuss the case with members of
the disciplinary authority nor did he take part in their deliberations
THE
and decision-making, his presence reflected air of authority that
was against rules of biasness
PROCEEDINGS
◦ It was held that the presence of Mr Ogle breached the rule against
bias as it is important that the complainant or prosecutor should
not participate in a decision or in an appeal from a decision, and
should not even appear to participate.
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Decision maker has real bias against
ACTUAL the party – actual partisanship or
hostility
BIAS Decision maker has prejudged the
case against the party
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RULE AGAINST BIAS (RECUSE CASE)
(2 categories of disqualification)
AUTOMATIC NON-AUTOMATIC
DISQUALIFICATION DISQUALIFICATION
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Locabail (UK) Ltd v Bayfield Properties Ltd and another & Other
Appeals [2000] QB 451, [2000] 2 WLR 870, [2000] 1 All ER 65 – what
may or may not give rise to a real danger of bias will depend on the facts,
which may include the nature of the issue to be decided
NO POSSIBILITY OF REAL
DANGER OF BIAS POSSIBILITY OF REAL
(CANNOT BE BASED ON) DANGER OF BIAS
There were personal friendship or animosity between the judge and any person involved in the case; or if the judge
religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, age, class, means or sexual orientation; judge’s were closely acquainted with any person involved in the case, particularly if the credibility of that individual could
or his family’s social or educational or service or employment background or history; or be significant in the decision of the case or to be decided by the judge, he had in a previous case rejected the
previous judicial decisions; or extra-curricular utterances (whether in textbooks, lectures, evidence of that person in such outspoken terms as to throw doubt on his ability to approach such person's
evidence with an open mind on any later occasion; or the judge had expressed views, particularly in the course of
speeches, articles, interviews, reports or responses to consultation papers); or previous the hearing, in such extreme and unbalanced terms as to throw doubt on his ability to try the issue with an
receipt of instructions to act for or against any party, solicitor or advocate engaged in a objective judicial mind (see Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568); or if, for any other reason, there were real
case before him; or membership of the same Inn, circuit, local Law Society or chambers ground for doubting the ability of the judge to ignore extraneous considerations, prejudices and predilections and
(see KFTCIC v Icori Estero SpA (Court of Appeal of Paris, 28 June 1991, International bring an objective judgment to bear on the issues before him. The mere fact that a judge, earlier in the same case
Arbitration Report Vol 6 8/91)). or in a previous case, had commented adversely on a party or witness, or found the evidence of a party or witness
be unreliable, would not without more found a sustainable objection.
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CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE
TO THE RULE OF NATURAL JUSTICE
FAILURE TO
OBSERVE
NATURAL JUSTICE
DECISION
NULL
AND
VOID
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THANK YOU
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