KUALA LUMPUR – The Industrial Court has scheduled the trial of Indra Wijaya against Lee Zii Jia Management Sdn Bhd (LZJMSB) for January 30 next year, stemming from an unlawful termination dispute.
Speaking to Scoop, Indra’s lawyer, Ahmad Nabilimran Ahmad Halimi from Messrs Wan Ahmad Ridzuan and Co, revealed that the court has directed Indra to submit a statement of claim by August 8.
“The statement of claim encompassed his compensation claims for wrongful dismissal, back wages, and details of the contract termination.
“These were some of the main points in the claim,” he said.
Nabilimran further outlined the legal process, explaining that Zii Jia’s lawyer responded to the claim on September 1 and addressed the allegations made in the statement of claim.
However, he was unable to disclose the nature of the reply due to legal reasons.
Following that, Indra is allowed to respond to LZJMSB’s statement of reply by September 11.
Indra, a former badminton coach with Lee Zii Jia Badminton Club, had filed an appeal with the Industrial Relations Department in February, within 60 days from the time of termination, which was on November 26, asserting illegal termination.
Under the 1967 Industrial Relations Act, he is seeking compensation for the unjust termination of his contract, equivalent to 24 months’ salary.
Notably, his contract was originally signed for three years until 2024.
Muhammad Yazid Mohamad Salim, counsel appointed by Messrs Wan Ahmad Ridzuan and Co, explained that Malaysian industrial law mandates a reasonable cause for employee termination.
“According to Malaysia’s industrial law, an employer must have a reasonable excuse to terminate its employee.
“If the termination lacks justifiable cause, employees under fixed-term contracts have the right to claim full compensation for the remaining contract duration,” he explained. – September 9, 2023