NFCorp

PUTRAJAYA – Mahkamah Persekutuan di sini hari ini memerintahkan Public Bank Berhad untuk membayar ganti rugi RM90 juta kepada National Feedlot Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (NFCorp) dan empat yang lain.

Ganti rugi tersebut berkait dengan kes saman yang difailkan oleh NFCorp dan empat yang lain pada 22 Mei 2012 terhadap Public Bank kerana mendakwa maklumat sulit dan rahsia perbankan mereka telah disebarkan kepada umum oleh bank tersebut.

Selain NFCorp, empat yang lain ialah Pengerusi Eksekutifnya, Datuk Mohamad Salleh Ismail serta tiga anak syarikat iaitu National Meat and Livestock Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Agroscience Industries Sdn. Bhd. dan Real Food Company Sdn. Bhd.

Mohamad Salleh merupakan suami kepada bekas Ketua Wanita Umno Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Pada prosiding hari ini, panel tiga hakim diketuai oleh Hakim Besar Malaya, Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim yang bersidang bersama-sama Hakim Besar Sabah dan Sarawak, Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim dan Hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan, Datuk Abu Bakar Jais memutuskan bahawa Mahkamah Rayuan telah terkhilaf apabila tidak memberikan ganti rugi.

Pada 30 Ogos 2023, Mahkamah Rayuan memutuskan NFCorp dan empat yang lain hanya layak mendapat ganti rugi nominal RM10,000 selepas berjaya membuktikan liabiliti tetapi gagal membuktikan ganti rugi.

Hakim Hasnah berkata, selepas meneliti segala hujahan, laporan dan penyata kewangan syarikat, panel terbabit mendapati bahawa syarikat-syarikat itu telah mengalami kerugian yang turut mempengaruhi reputasi mereka.

“Mahkamah Rayuan terkhilaf apabila menyatakan bahawa perayu (NFCorp dan empat lagi) tidak mengemukakan bukti yang mencukupi bagi membuktikan kerugian sehingga membolehkan ganti rugi diberikan (sedangkan) NFCorp telah mengemukakan akaun yang telah diaudit dan laporan kewangan melalui saksi pakarnya,”katanya.

Tambahnya, Public Bank tidak menafikan atau mencabar laporan kewangan atau akaun NFCorp yang telah diaudit sebaliknya hanya mencabar kredibiliti saksi pakar tersebut.

Panel terbabit kemudian memerintahkan Public Bank untuk membayar RM30 juta, masing-masing bagi ganti rugi saksama (equitable damages), ganti rugi teruk dan ganti rugi teladan.

Public Bank turut dikenakan faedah sebanyak dua peratus atas jumlah ganti rugi tersebut sehingga pembayaran penuh diselesaikan.

NFCorp dan empat yang lain sebelum ini menuntut RM60 juta untuk ganti rugi am, RM250 juta untuk ganti rugi teladan, dan RM250 juta lagi untuk ganti rugi teruk yang kesemuanya berjumlah RMM560 juta.

Pada 29 Julai 2019, Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur menolak saman tersebut selepas mendapati NFCorp gagal membuktikan kes terhadap Public Bank selaku defendan berdasarkan imbangan kebarangkalian.

Bagaimanapun pada 30 Ogos 2023, Mahkamah Rayuan mengetepikan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi selepas membenarkan rayuan syarikat itu.

Dalam kes saman berkenaan, NFCorp dan empat yang lain mendakwa maklumat akaun bank yang bocor itu digunakan oleh naib presiden PKR ketika Rafizi Ramli (kini Datuk Seri) untuk menguatkan dakwaan bahawa mereka telah memanfaatkan pinjaman kerajaan untuk membeli lapan hartanah KL Eco City.

Mereka juga mendakwa reputasi dan kredibiliti perniagaan mereka telah mengalami kerugian dan kerosakan yang tidak boleh diperbaiki akibat pelanggaran keselamatan Akta Bank dan Institusi Kewangan 1989 (BAFIA) oleh bank. – KOSMO! ONLINE

The post Public Bank diperintah bayar NFCorp RM90 juta appeared first on Kosmo Digital.

PUTRAJAYA — The Federal Court today ordered Public Bank Berhad to pay RM90 million in damages to National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp), its chairman Datuk Mohamad Salleh Ismail, and three subsidiary companies for breach of contract to protect their bank account confidentiality.

A three-member bench led by Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Seri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli and Federal Court judge Datuk Abu Bakar Jais awarded RM30 million each in equitable, exemplary and aggravated damages.

“Public Bank is to pay two per cent interest per annum on the judgment sum from today until the payment of damages is settled,” said Justice Hasnah.

In delivering the court’s decision, she said the appellants had presented financial reports and audited accounts through an expert witness, which were not challenged by Public Bank.

Justice Hasnah said the Court of Appeal erred when it decided that the appellants had failed to prove damages, resulting in an award of only RM10,000 in nominal damages.

On May 26, the panel overturned the Court of Appeal earlier decision which had granted nominal damages to NFCorp, Mohamad Salleh and three subsidiaries — National Meat and Livestock Corporation Sdn Bhd, Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd, and Real Food Company Sdn Bhd.

Mohamad Salleh is the husband of former Minister of Women, Family and Community Development and Wanita UMNO chief Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Also on May 26, the Federal Court upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal, which found Public Bank liable for breach of confidentiality. The court ordered Public Bank to pay RM300,000 in legal costs. The court adjourned until today to decide on the amount of damages.

NFCorp and four others filed the RM560 million suit against the bank in 2012 over the leakage of their banking details. The High Court dismissed the lawsuit in 2019, but the appellate court in 2023 reversed the decision after allowing their (NFCorp and four others) appeals.

However, the Court of Appeal held that since NFCorp and the four others succeeded in proving liability but failed to prove damages, the court decided to award a sum of RM10,000 in nominal damages.

In the suit, NFCorp and four others claimed that the bank breached confidentiality by allowing details of banking transactions to be revealed by the then PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli.

They also claimed their business reputation and credibility suffered irreparable loss and damage as a result of the breach under the Banking and Financial Institutions Act.

After the court proceedings, Mohamad Salleh expressed gratitude, saying his family endured hardship for 13 years due to the case.

In today’s proceeding, Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah represented NFCorp and the four others, while Public Bank was represented by lawyer Chan Kok Keong. — BERNAMA