Schedule
SCHEDULE 5 [Section 102] APPEALS 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8 …. 13. Onus of proof The onus of proving that an assessment against which an appeal is made is excessive or erroneous shall be on the appellant. Contentions, evaluation, and findings [18] Since it was undisputed that the Properties had been disposed when they were sold to the Purchasers, this Appeal pivoted on the question of who was liable to be assessed to tax, that is, whether it was the Appellant as the registered owner of the Properties, or Datuk Chua who claimed to be the beneficial owner of the same. [19] The subsequent issue, therefore, was whether a shareholder could claim ownership over a company’s property, by virtue of his shareholding. [20] The Respondent’s contention that it was the Appellant who was liable to be taxed, was premised on the concept of separate legal entity, absence of privity of contract and invalidity of the Declaration of Trust. As such, the Respondent submitted that Rockfound did not have either legal or beneficial right or interest over the Appellant’s Properties, which meant that it could not have disposed it to Datuk Chua. As such, Datuk Chua could not have had acquired the Properties through the Declaration of Trust, and it followed that he could not have sold the Properties to the Purchasers. In the final analysis, the Respondent submitted that the disposal of the Properties to the Purchasers could only have been done by the Appellant. 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 [21] The Appellant, on the other hand, relied heavily on the Declaration of Trust, and contended that it was valid, legal and gave Datuk Chua the right to dispose of the Properties, and as such, since he had disposed of the Properties after five years of acquiring them, the exemption from real property gains tax was proper. Whether there was disposal of the Appellants’ properties pursuant to the Share Agreement [22] At the outset, it is crucial to remember that Rockfound, being the holder of the entire shares of the Appellant, had no right to dispose of the Properties belonging to the Appellant. This is supported by a plethora of authorities including Official Receiver And Provisional Liquidator Maril-Rionebel (M) Sdn Bhd (Formerly Known As Kredin Sdn Bhd) v Anafartal Caddesi Sdn Bhd [2006] 4 MLJ 1, Hew Sook Ying v Hiw Tin Hee [1992] 2 MLJ 189, Abdul Aziz Bin Atan & Ors v Ladang Rengo Malay Estate Sdn Bhd [1985] 2 MLJ 165, and North Plaza Sdn Bhd v United Securities Sdn Bhd [2010] 1 MLJ 631. [23] This principle is rooted in the concept of separate legal personality which is basic and trite law, as explained by Abdul Malik J in Official Receiver And Provisional Liquidator Maril-Rionebel (M) Sdn Bhd (Formerly Known As Kredin Sdn Bhd) v Anafartal Caddesi Sdn Bhd, in the following passage: [35] I will now say something about the separate legal personality of a company. It is trite law that the company and its shareholders are separate legal entities. The sanctity of the legal personality of a limited company has always been preserved and guarded by the courts of law. To say that 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10 property belonging to a company would also vest the company's shareholders an interest in the said property would be akin to driving a stake to the very heart of the doctrine of a separate legal entity which has been enshrined in our company law in respect of limited liability companies. [Emphasis added.] [24] Pursuant to the concept of separate legal personality, if there was going to be any disposal of the Appellant’s Properties to Datuk Chua pursuant to the Share Agreement, then the Appellant should have been made a party to such agreement; and its exclusion as a party to the Share Agreement led to a strong inference that the Properties could not have been disposed of to Datuk Chua. There was no justification for the principle of separation in the present case. [25] It was also the finding of the SCIT that Rockfound and Datuk Chua, pursuant to the Share Agreement had intended only for the sale of the shares and not for the sale of the Properties. [26] Although in the Share Agreement it was stated that the sale and purchase of the said shares and the said rights, title and interest shall be inclusive of the Properties, I have to agree with the SCIT that the focus of the Share Agreement was the sale of shares. This was fortified by the fact that despite obtaining the replacement document of title to the Properties in August of 2009, the Properties were never registered in the name of Datuk Chua. [27] If Rockfound did not and could not have transferred the Properties to Datuk Chua, then it follows that Datuk Chua could have not have disposed of the Properties to the Purchasers. Hence, it was the 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 Appellant, as the legal owner of the Properties, who had disposed of them to the Purchasers. Who were the parties to the SPA [28] In line with the Respondent’s contention that the Appellant remained the legal and rightful owner during the disposal of the Properties to the Purchasers, it is crucial to note that in the SPA, the Appellant was described as the ‘registered and beneficial’ owner of the Properties, in line with both sections 89 and 340(1) of the National Land Code 1965 (“National Land Code”), which read: Section 89 – Conclusiveness of register documents of title Every register document of title duly registered under this Chapter shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be conclusive evidence— (a) that title to the land described therein is vested in the person or body for the time being named therein as proprietor; and (b) of the conditions, restrictions in interest and other provisions subject to which the land is for the time being held by that person or body, so far as the same are required by any provision of this Act to be specified or referred to in that document. *** Section 340 – Registration to confer indefeasible title or interest, except in certain circumstances (1) The title or interest of any person or body for the time being registered as proprietor of any land, or in whose name any lease, charge or easement is for the time being registered, shall, subject to the following provisions of this section, be indefeasible. 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12 [29] There was neither reference to the Declaration of Trust, nor to Datuk Chua as the beneficial owner of the Properties in the SPA. In fact, in clause 12.1 of the SPA, it was stated that the Appellant ‘irrevocably authorises the Purchaser’s solicitors to retain from the proceeds of the Purchase Price any part thereof which are legally required for payment of tax pursuant to Real Property Gains Tax Act 1976.’ In light of this, it was inequitable for Datuk Chua to claim to be the disposer of the Properties as their beneficial owner. Whether the Declaration of Trust was valid and enforceable [30] With regard to the validity of the Declaration of Trust, the Appellant submitted at length on the principles of trust, with reference to the Trust Act 1949, National Land Code and numerous cases, both local and from foreign jurisdictions. [31] However, in my view, the validity of the Declaration of Trust was highly questionable. It was executed on 20 April 2009, whereas completion of Share Agreement was only on 12 October 2009 when the final payment for the shares was made. This meant that at the time the Declaration of Trust was executed, Datuk Chua was not the beneficial owner, and as such, had no right to the Properties. In the absence of such authority, Datuk Chua’s claim to have sold the Properties to the Purchasers could not stand. [32] This is fortified by the provisions in the Share Agreement in several clauses which were brought to the attention of this Court. The clauses read: 3. COMPLETION 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13 Upon payment of the full Purchase Price to the Vendors, the Company Secretary shall be authorized to proceed to effect the registration of the transfer of all the said Shares in favour of the Purchasers or their nominees. 4. THE VENDOR’S COVENANTS … 4.2 The Vendors hereby acknowledges and covenants with the Purchasers that all rights title and interest attaching to the said Shares shall belong to and accrue to the Purchasers upon full payment of the Purchase Price. [Emphasis added.] [33] In light of these clauses in the Share Agreement, the Appellant’s argument that Datuk Chua was the beneficial owner by virtue of the Declaration of Trust was untenable. [34] In contending that the Appellant was merely a trustee of the Properties, the Appellant submitted at length on section 206(3) of the National Land Code to contend that the concept of bare trustee has been recognised in Malaysia, and hence, this Court should follow suit in importing this equitable concept to conclude that Datuk Chua was in fact the beneficial owner of the Properties. The provision reads: Section 206 – Need for proper instrument of dealing, duly registered … (3) Nothing in subsection (1) shall affect the contractual operation of any transaction relating to alienated land or any interest therein. 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14 [Emphasis added.] [35] In my view, it is crucial to note that registration is the cornerstone of the National Land Code and, therefore, section 206(3) of the same does not give parties carte blanche to ignore the other provisions of the National Land Code. All that is provided in section 206(3) of the National Land Code is that the contractual operation of any transaction relating to the alienated land is preserved. [36] In fact, although section 206(3) of the National Land Code has been relied upon to give effect to the concept of bare trustee, there is a plethora of authorities including Ong Chat Pang & Anor v Valliappa Chettiar [11971] 1 MLJ 224, to say that the heart of the matter of section 206(3) is to specifically enforce the contract between the bare trustee and the beneficial owner. Hence, over and above making payment of the full purchase price, and having a valid memorandum of transfer together with the document of title to the land handed to the purchaser, there is also a requirement for the beneficial owner to lodge a caveat on the land in question to protect his interest. [37] In this case, there was obviously no intention to transfer the legal interest in the Properties to Datuk Chua and there was no issue of enforcing any contract for the purchase of the Properties between the Appellant and Datuk Chua. As such, the concept of bare trustee in this context was not applicable. 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15 [38] The validity of the Declaration of Trust was also questionable on the basis that there was an absence of an endorsement of the trust on the title of the Properties, as prescribed by section 344 of the National Land Code, which reads: Section 344 – Registration as trustee or trustees, and deposit of trust instrument (1) Where, by any instrument of dealing or order of the Court or Land Administrator, any alienated land or share or interest therein is transferred or transmitted to, vested in or created in favour of any person or body "as trustee", or two or more persons or bodies "as trustees", the Registrar shall so describe him, it or them in the memorial of registration. … (3) Where the words "as trustee" or "as trustees" have been included in any memorial of registration pursuant to subsection (1) or (2), or the corresponding provisions of any previous land law, any instrument declaring the trusts to which the land, share or interest is subject may, upon payment of the prescribed fee, be deposited with the Registrar for safe custody and reference; and no instrument of dealing shall be unfit for registration by reason only of the fact that it refers to any instrument so deposited. … [39] In any event, and in the final analysis, even if the Appellant was deemed to be merely the trustee of the Properties at the time it was disposed of to the Purchasers, it was crucial to note that the Appellant remains a chargeable person by virtue of section 6 of the RPGT Act, read together with paragraph 8 of Schedule 1 to the RPGT Act, which read: Section 6 – Chargeable persons 25 September 2021 ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 16 (1) Subject to this Act, every person whether or not resident in Malaysia for a year of assessment shall be chargeable with the tax in respect of a chargeable gain accruing to him in that year on the disposal of any chargeable asset. (2) The supplementary provisions in Schedule 1 shall have effect with respect to persons chargeable with the tax. ****