THEORIES OF CORPORATE INSOLVENCY: A PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CORPORATE RESCUE MECHANISMS UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT 2016

This paper aims to provide an examination of the theories that underpin corporate insolvency as developed in the US and the UK, and apply that to the two novel corporate rescue mechanisms; the corporate voluntary arrangement and judicial management, which are embedded in the Companies Act 2016 (CA 2016) of Malaysia. This paper adopted a doctrinal and theoretical approach to law. The tension in the corporate rescue mechanisms in the CA 2016 between creditors and other stakeholders of a company affected the objectives on corporate insolvency in Malaysia. This paper identified the theories that are reflected in the corporate rescue mechanisms in the CA 2016– a gap within the provisions which was left out in the process that ranged from consultancy and leading up to the drafting of the CA 2016. In addition, the objectives of introducing the corporate rescue mechanisms were identified. These findings may pave the way to reform the corporate rescue law in order to enhance its conformity with the objectives of corporate rescue in Malaysia. This in turn would facilitate the recovery of financially distressed companies and the minimisation of the loss of employment.

HAK MENJALANKAN PERNIAGAAN DAN KAWALAN DALAM PERNIAGAAN FRANCAIS DI MALAYSIA

Perniagaan francais melibatkan pemberian hak oleh francaisor kepada francaisi untuk menduplikasi keseluruhan sistem perniagaan francaisor dengan bayaran yuran tertentu. Risiko untuk gagal dalam perniagaan adalah rendah memandangkan perniagaan ini sudah terbukti berjaya dan sentiasa dipantau oleh francaisor. Memandangkan francaisi menduplikasi sistem perniagaan francaisor, francaisor mestilah memberikan hak kepada francaisi untuk menjalankan perniagaan termasuk penggunaan harta inteleknya. Francaisor juga berhak mengawal perniagaan bagi menjaga kualiti dan keseragaman produk atau perkhidmatan. Namun, sejauhmanakah kedua-dua hak ini dilaksanakan? Oleh itu, objektif artikel ini ialah untuk membincangkan tentang hak untuk menjalankan perniagaan dan kawalan dalam perniagaan francais di Malaysia disamping membuat sedikit perbincangan dari sudut pandangan Islam. Kajian ini merupakan kajian kualitatif menggunakan pendekatan kajian undang- undang yang disokong oleh temubual dengan menggunakan data primer dan data sekunder. Data primer diperoleh melalui dokumen perundangan iaitu akta, kes dan juga melalui temubual manakala data sekunder diperolehi melalui buku dan jurnal daripada Perpustakaan Sultanah Bahiyah, Universiti Utara Malaysia. Data primer daripada dokumen undang-undang dan data sekunder dianalisis menggunakan kaedah analitikal dan kritikal manakala data primer daripada temubual dianalisis menggunakan kaedah tematik. Kajian ini dapat memberi manfaat sebagai sumber rujukan kepada Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Persatuan Francais Malaysia, francaisor, francaisi, peguam, tenaga akademik dan juga pelajar undang-undang secara amnya. Dapatan kajian daripada analisis ke atas dokumen perundangan menunjukkan kedua-dua hak ini dinyatakan dengan jelas di dalam Akta Francais 1998. Malah ia merupakan komponen utama dalam definisi francais di bawah seksyen 4. Dapatan daripada temubual dengan kesemua informan yang terdiri daripada francaisor menunjukkan mereka mematuhi kehendak berkenaan pemberian hak menjalankan perniagaan termasuk penggunaan harta intelek dan juga elemen kawalan ke atas perniagaan francais oleh francaisor. Secara tidak langsung, mereka mematuhi kehendak di bawah Akta Francais 1998. Sebagai kesimpulannya, hak untuk menjalankan perniagaan dan kawalan mesti dimasukkan di dalam perjanjian bagi menjaga kepentingan kedua-dua pihak yang berkontrak.

HAK KANAK-KANAK DALAM INSTITUSI TAHANAN MENURUT INSTRUMEN ANTARABANGSA DAN PERUNDANGAN MALAYSIA

Hak asasi kanak-kanak yang ditahan di institusi tahanan hendaklah dijamin dan dipenuhi tanpa diskiriminasi. Institusi tahanan bukan sahaja berfungsi sebagai tempat menjalani perintah tetapi ia seharusnya berfungsi sebagai medium pemulihan bagi kanak- kanak yang berkonflik dengan undang-undang. Walaupun kanak- kanak tersebut telah dilucutkan hak kebebasannya atas pelanggaran undang-undang, mereka tidak seharusnya dinafikan hak-hak asasi manusia yang diperuntukkan dalam instrumen-instrumen hak asasi antarabangsa. Oleh itu, artikel ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis hak kanak-kanak dalam institusi tahanan yang dijamin dalam instrumen antarabangsa dan peruntukan undang-undang di Malaysia. Kajian ini mendapati masih wujud kelompongan peruntukan undang-undang mengenai hak kanak-kanak dalam institusi tahanan yang mungkin boleh membawa kepada pengabaian hak-hak tersebut. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan menganalisa dokumen berbentuk instrumen antarabangsa yang berkaitan dengan hak kanak kanak di institusi tahanan serta pemakaiannya di Malaysia. Dapatan kajian ini penting bagi memberi panduan kepada pembuat dasar dan penggubal undang-undang Malaysia bagi membuat pembaharuan undang-undang yang menjamin hak kanak-kanak di institusi tahanan.

PELAKSANAAN ISTIBDĀL BAGI TANAH-TANAH WAKAF DI MALAYSIA: KAJIAN PERBANDINGAN ANTARA HUKUM SYARAK DENGAN PERUNDANGAN SIVIL

Istibdāl mempunyai peranan penting terhadap tanah-tanah wakaf yang tidak produktif. Walau bagaimanapun, pelaksanaan istibdāl turut menjadi perhatian dari beberapa aspek. Kajian sebelum ini mengenai istibdāl adalah menjurus kepada aspek tertentu dan masih banyak ruangan untuk kajian lanjutannya. Sehubungan itu, kajian ini akan memfokuskan tiga objektif utama: Pertama, pemerhatian dari sudut hukum syarak; kedua, amalan pelaksanaan pada peringkat Majlis Agama Islam Negeri-Negeri (MAIN); dan ketiga, kajian dari sudut perbandingan dengan perundangan sivil. Kajian ini dijalankan melalui kaedah kajian kualitatif dan pendekatan kajian pula menggunakan reka bentuk penerokaan terhadap dokumen-dokumen yang berkaitan. Selain kajian perpustakaan yang dilaksanakan, kajian ini juga melibatkan kajian lapangan iaitu melalui temubual dengan beberapa pegawai wakaf daripada Majlis Agama Islam Negeri-Negeri (MAIN). Analisis kajian dilakukan secara kajian dokumen dengan melibatkan teknik analisis induktif, deduktif dan komparatif. Dapatan kajian yang pertama menunjukkan bahawa menurut keempat-empat mazhab, pelaksanaan istibdāl dibolehkan sekiranya tanah wakaf adalah dalam keadaan darurat. Selain itu, mazhab Hanafi turut membenarkan istibdāl jika harta yang diganti mempunyai elemen maslahat. Dapatan kajian yang kedua pula mendapati bahawa 37.5 peratus daripada pihak MAIN melaksanakan istibdāl secara jualan tanah, 37.5 peratus pula tidak melaksanakan dan 25 peratus lagi tidak menggalakkan. Manakala, dapatan kajian yang ketiga merungkaikan bahawa kedudukan istibdāl adalah tidak selari dengan perundangan sivil iaitu Akta Pengambilan Balik Tanah 1960 (Akta 486) Seksyen 3 (1) dan Kanun Tanah Negara 1965 (Akta 56) Seksyen 115 (4) (a). Rumusannya, hasil kajian ini telah mencadangkan beberapa penyelesaian bagi memastikan pelaksanaan istibdāl dilaksanakan dengan lebih efisien di negara ini.

THE APPLICATION OF PUBLIC BENEFIT REQUIREMENT OF CHARITABLE TRUST IN WAQF COURT JUDGMENT: A REVIEW

Waqf is a form of voluntary charity and its purposes are recognised by Islamic law as religious, pious or charitable. Charitable trust is a public trust where the settlor may aim to create certain purposes. Both waqf and charitable trust share the same objective, which is for the benefit of the community at large. The objective of this article is to reveal how the requirements of “public benefit” in charitable trust are applicable to waqf cases. In determining the validity of a charitable trust, the requirement of public benefit is essential, particularly under the last three charitable purposes, namely advancement of education, advancement of religion, and other purposes beneficial to the community. Besides, the personal nexus test is applied in the case of charitable trust to ensure no personal linkage between the founder and the beneficiaries. These two elements are necessary to establish a valid charitable trust. The English court will first filter out such a case to ensure that there is no infringement of other people’s rights and exploitation of the charitable trust’s privilege. Public benefit requirement and personal test are also applicable in cases relating to waqf cases. In waqf, the Islamic law prescribes two categories, which are “Waqf Khairi” (Public waqf) and “Waqf Ahli” (Family waqf). However, family waqf is treated as “non-charitable under the influence of English law of trust” because it infringes the rule against perpetuities. The methodology used in this article is doctrinal legal research focusing on the legal principle as well as the cases of public benefit requirement, the personal nexus test, and the rule against perpetuities in charitable trust and waqf. This article found that the requirement of public benefit is applicable in public waqf, but not for family waqf. Despite that, family waqf should be maintained as it is a great channel for wealth distribution and succession planning.

LEGAL ISSUES IN E-WALLET PRACTICES

E-Wallet has been applied in Muslim and non-Muslim jurisdictions in many parts of the world including Malaysia, China, India, and Korea. The application is widely used and has raised questions with regard to legal and shariah issues. This paper aims to analyse specifically, legal issues affecting e-wallet practices. This paper adopted a qualitative research approach. The data collected include document reviews, ethnographical interviews and observations. This study found several legal issues related to e-wallet inter alia, an unclear position on the liability of board directors of e-wallet operators, breach of mandate and exclusion of liability of e-wallet operators. As e-wallet is important as an enabler to increase financial inclusion, it is important to address the legal issues on e-wallet to enhance good governance and best practices of e-wallet in Malaysia. The findings from this paper can be used as a basis for policymakers including scholars in the formulation of guidelines on legal and shariah compliance of e-wallets.

KRITERIA PEMILIHAN SAKSI PAKAR FORENSIK DI MAHKAMA

Peruntukan berkaitan keterangan saksi pakar forensik telah lama digunakan di mahkamah berdasarkan peruntukan keterangan pakar. Walau bagaimanapun, terdapat pertikaian dari sudut kriteria penerimaan keterangan saksi pakar forensik. Oleh itu, timbul persoalan berkaitan kriteria pemilihan saksi pakar forensik yang boleh dipanggil untuk memberikan keterangan di mahkamah. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengenalpasti kriteria pemilihan saksi pakar forensik di mahkamah. Reka bentuk kajian ini adalah kajian kualitatif yang mengumpulkan bahan kajian lepas dan temu bual separa berstruktur. Data kajian dianalisis menggunakan kaedah tematik dan deskriptif. Hasil kajian mendapati bahawa tiada penetapan kriteria khusus dalam pemilihan saksi pakar forensik untuk memberikan keterangan di mahkamah. Namun, terdapat beberapa cadangan kriteria yang perlu ada sebelum seseorang pakar forensik diterima sebagai saksi pakar di mahkamah. Kajian ini memberikan implikasi kepada pengamal undang-undang dalam memilih saksi pakar yang boleh dipanggil ke mahkamah dan kepada pakar forensik yang akan memberikan keterangan di mahkamah.

AN OVERVIEW OF HIGH IMPACT LAW JOURNALS IN ASIAN

Academic research journals play a significant role in the field of academia. Its major functions in producing, disseminating and exchanging academic knowledge are important to showcase the research performance of individuals. Publication of academic papers has been considered as a criteria for appointments, hiring, promotions and tenure decisions, worldwide. The current requirement to consider publishing in high quality journals is in its indication of the quality of a person’s research output. It is measured through the quality of the academic research publications, the number of citations of specific papers and the total number of citations. Accordingly, it is important to examine the issues regarding high impact publication of Scopus law journals in Asian countries. This is to enable all new SCOPUS law journals to study and practice good governance in publishing quality articles and for the board of editors to enhance the quality of journal management. The objectives of this paper are: (i) to examine the profiles of law journals in Asian countries indexed by Scopus and Web of Science (WoS); (ii) to examine citations and impact factors of law journals in Asian countries indexed by Scopus and WoS; and (iii) to study the ranking of Scopus law journals in Asian countries. This was an exploratory research and thus qualitative research method was adopted. An oline survey and an interview(s) were conducted by the researcher to gather data. The chief editor and managing editors of the Scopus law journals were the respondents via the online survey and an interview was conducted with the expert in managing high impact publications i.e. the Director of Citation and Infometrics Division, Ministry of Education, Malaysia. Besides, secondary data was gathered from Scopus and WoS. In brief, the challenges in managing high impact journals are securing and maintaining high quality articles published by the journals. There must be periodic review of standard operating procedures by the board of editors in order to maintain an effective and efficient reviewing process, together with engaging staff with excellent proofreading skills. Additionally, the publisher must continuously upgrade the online publication system and maintain a friendly website for authors, subscribers and readers. Ethical practices and a focus on high quality and standard of article publication must be upheld by writers, editors, publishers including the indexing body.

EVALUATING MAXIMUM COMPENSATION CRITERIA FOR PROPERTY DEVELOPERS ACCORDING TO THE INTERIM REAL PROPERTY REGISTER IN DUBAI

This paper presents an assessment of the criteria for setting the maximum amount of compensation given to a property developer when a buyer breaches their contractual obligations according to the law of the Interim Real Property Register in the Emirate of Dubai. The register gives the developer the power to deduct a certain percentage of the amount paid to them by the buyer, without the need to resort to justice or arbitration. Such a power is one of certain exceptional powers granted to the developer under this law to encourage property investment in Dubai. This research aims to define the type of compensation that the property developer deserves, as well as present the criteria for the maximum amount of compensation and an evaluation of them. This was achieved by analyzing Article 11 of the mentioned law for accuracy and fairness on this issue, and its success in balancing the conflicting interests of both parties. One key result found was that the legislator had not succeeded in balancing the two parties of the off-plan sale. It is strongly recommended that the legislator abolish the three criteria on the maximum amount of compensation and adopt alternative criteria.

COMPULSORY VACCINATION FOR CHILDREN: VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS?

Immunisation protection includes vaccination programme that is very crucial to prevent the spread of disease among children or those with low immune systems. However, the cases of contagious diseases such as measles have increased dramatically in many countries around the world, including Malaysia. This may be partly due to the rise of certain groups or movements that do not believe in the efficacy of the vaccines. This paper outlined the scenario and existing framework on the administration of the vaccines in Malaysia, with respect to the practices of some countries namely the United State, Italy and Singapore on the implementation of the immunisation programme to its community. Subsequently, this paper highlighted the issues on compulsory vaccination on whether it violated the fundamental liberties incorporated in the Federal Constitution. The researchers adopted a doctrinal approach, whereby materials were compiled from the Malaysian and other jurisdictions’ legislations, case laws, journal articles, and databases. This paper is intended for policymakers as well as the public to understand the possibility for implementing compulsory vaccinations from a legal perspective.