(ii) En. Lim Kee Sim (SP-2), Plaintif sendiri. Defendan sendiri (En. Loi Cheng Pheng) menjadi saksi. Dapatan, Analisa dan Keputusan Mahkamah [25] Dalam Notis Rayuan Plaintif (Kand. 58), Perayu menyatakan tidak berpuas hati dengan keputusan Mahkamah ini terhadap keseluruhan keputusan tersebut yang menolak tuntutan Perayu/Plaintif selepas perbicaraan dengan kos sebanyak RM10,000-00. Manakala, Notis Rayuan Plaintif (Kand. 57), Perayu menyatakan tidak berpuas hati dengan keputusan Mahkamah ini terhadap keseluruhan keputusan tersebut yang membenarkan segala dan/atau sebahagian tuntutan balas Defendan. Alasan penghakiman ini menyatakan alasan mengapa Mahkamah menolak tuntutan Plaintif dan alasan mengapa Mahkamah membenarkan sebahagian tuntutan balas Defendan. [26] Lord Goddard dalam kes Bonham-Carter v. Hyde Park Hotel Ltd 64 TLR 177 at p. 178 memutuskan − “… plaintiffs must understand that if they bring actions for damages it is for them to prove their damage; it is not enough to write down the particulars, so to speak, throw them at the head of the court, saying: ‘This is what I have lost, I ask you to give me these damages’. They have to prove it.”. [27] Mahkamah ini pasti prinsip bahawa “The well-established principle that the burden of proof at all times is borne by the Plaintiff on the balance of probabilities to establish his case against the Defendant or the existence of a legally enforceable claim against the Defendant. It is upon the Plaintiff, and certainly not the Defendant, to discharge that burden. It is for the Plaintiff to prove his case and satisfy the court that his claim is well-founded before the court can grant judgment on his claim” adalah terpakai dalam memastikan beban pembuktian. [28] Dalam kes MIE-AFA Corporation Sdn. Bhd. v. Razali Mohd Sham & Anor [2023] 1 LNS 1267, the court explained that the burden of proof lies throughout with the party who wishes the Court to belief the facts of their case; and the Federal Court in the case of Keruntum Sdn Bhd v. The Director of Forests and Ors [2017[ 4 CLJ 676 at page 698 held: “[78] It is settled law that the burden of proof rests throughout the trial on the party on whom the burden lies. Where a party on whom the burden of proof lies, has discharged it, then the evidential burden shifts to the other party.”. [29] Dalam kes Sinnaiyah & Sons Sdn Bhd v. Damai Setia Sdn Bhd [2015] 7 CLJ 584 yang mana YAA Richard Malanjum, Ketua Hakim Negara memutuskan bahawa – “… there are only two standard of proof, namely beyond reasonable doubt for criminal cases and on the balance of probabilities for civil cases. As such, even if fraud is the subject in a civil claim, the standard of proof is on the balance of probabilities. There is no third standard. … The criminal aspect of the allegation of fraud and the standard of proof required is irrelevant in the deliberation …”. “… the standard of proof is only a balance of probability [NOT beyond reasonable doubt] and this burden has been discharged by the Plaintiff during the trial vide witness testimonies [weight attached to testimony/evidence], documents [admissibility] filed in this Court, admissions by the Defendant and facts pleaded in the Statement of Claim and Reply.”. [30] Untuk memastikan bahawa Mahkamah ini mematuhi prinsip undang-undang mengenai beban pembuktian, Mahkamah ini menganalisa keterangan yang dinyatakan oleh Plaintif melalui keterangan lisan dan keterangan dokumentarnya dengan jelas menunjukkan bahawa Plaintif gagal mencapai tahap “on balance of probabilities”. [31] Dalam kes Suruhanjaya Sekuriti Malaysia v Chan Soon Huat [2018] 9 MLJ 782, the Court summarized the definition and application of balance of probabilities as proving an event is AT LEAST 51% more likely than not. [32] Mahkamah ini berpendapat bahawa the Court not only to weigh such evidence on a balance of probabilities but it is also incumbent upon the court to look at all the surrounding factors and to weigh and evaluate contemporaneous documents that may tend to establish the truth or otherwise of a given fact. In the present case, I had to take into consideration the witnesses’ power of observation, their accuracy for recollection, and capacity to explain what they remember. [33] Dalam tuntutan ini, dokumen Share Sale Agreement bertarikh 25- 8-2020 (Perjanjian) ialah satu-satunya dokumen yang mengikat pihak penjual saham (Defendan) dan pihak pembeli saham (Plaintif). [Rujukan: Ikatan Dokumen Bersama/Bahagian B/ditanda sebagai “B” pada muka surat 1 hingga 5] Perjanjian tersebut disediakan oleh SP-1 (peguam yang menyediakan Perjanjian) yang juga menjadi saksi kepada penandatangan Perjanjian iaitu Defendan (penjual saham) dan Plaintif (pembeli saham). Perjanjian tersebut mengandungi terma yang dipersetujui oleh kedua-dua pihak berkenaan dengan obligasi di sisi kontrak Plaintif dan Defendan. [34] Keterangan SP-1 menyatakan bahawa kedua-dua pihak (penjual dan pembeli) telah menandatangani Perjanjian tersebut di hadapan SP-1 secara sukarela dan SP-1 telah menerangkan terma Perjanjian dan Defendan ada membuat pindaan berkenaan dengan grace period bagi keadaan sekiranya Syarikat tidak disenaraikan dan/atau Saham tidak diniagakan/didagangkan di Nasdaq stock market USA pada klausa 1.3 dan klausa 1.5 iaitu 30 hari dalam hal keadaan sekiranya berlaku default. Surat SP-1 bertarikh 13-2-2023 kepada Defendan menyatakan bahawa grace period tamat pada 30-1-2022. [35] Dalam pemeriksaan balas, keterangan Plaintif (SP-2) mengakui bahawa sebagai pesara dalam perniagaan dan menjadi pengarah 3 syarikat, Plaintif terlibat dalam jual beli saham dan menjadi pelabur. [36] Berkenaan dengan pengalaman sebagai pelabur yang biasa dan berpengalaman, peguam cara terpelajar Defendan menghujahkan bahawa − “The Plaintiff is a seasoned investor. However, upon cross examination, on the imposibility of the Defendant to meet the deadline stated in the Agreement due to Covid19 and the very short period to meet the deadline, all that the Plaintiff could muster for an answer was that the Defendant had told him that he could do it!. The Plaintiff, being a seasoned investor and who has been investing in companies for years, and who was ready to part with RM100,000.00 in cash, had based his decision solely on the words of the Defendant!”. Dapatan Mahkamah: [37] Berkenaan dengan isu ini, “keterdesakan Defendan” yang memerlukan wang telah menandatangani suatu Perjanjian dengan Plaintif dan hanya menuruti apa jua yang terkandung dalam Perjanjian yang digubal oleh peguam Plaintif semata-mata. Defendan yang kurang arif mengenai perkara undang-undang kontrak telah meminda Perjanjian tersebut khususnya berkenaan dengan “grace period”. Defendan juga sebagai balasan memindahkan saham kepada Plaintif. [38] Hujahan peguam cara terpelajar Plaintif sangat kuat untuk menegaskan bahawa Plaintif berjaya membuktikan tuntutannya di Mahkamah, iaitu − “It is the Plaintiff’s case that the Plaintiff has fulfilled all the terms in the Agreement and have paid the RM100,000-00 to the Defendant in accordance to clause 1.2 of the Agreement. Following which, the Defendant has transferred the one million unrestricted ordinary share of Advance TC Limited (ACN600238444) (NSX:A88) (OTCMKTS:ATCLF) (“the Company”) (hereinafter referred to as "the Shares") to the Plaintiff. However, the Defendant is in breach of the terms of the Agreement especially clause 1.6 of the Agreement. In that, the Company has failed to be publicly listed in OTC Pink USA before 31.10.2020 (including 30 days grace period) and does not reach the price of USD1.00 per share unit before 31.10.2020 (including 30 days grace period) according to clause 1.3 of the Agreement. The Defendant in his defence admitted that the Company has only been listed in OTC Pink USA on 06.05.2022 (refer to paragraph 14 of E26/19). In addition, the Defendant has further failed to list the Company on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in the USA in accordance with the terms of the Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the "Nasdaq Stock Exchange") or the Company has failed to be publicly listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange before 31.01.2022 (including 30 days grace period) according to clause 1.5 of the Agreement. As of todate, the Defendant has still failed to list the Company on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and/or the Company has failed to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and this has been admitted by the Defendant in his defence (refer to paragraph 8 of E26/15).”. [39] Mahkamah ini mendapati bahawa urusan jual beli saham yang dimeterai oleh pihak-pihak dan yang termaktub dalam Perjanjian ialah “pertukaran” pembayaran wang sepenuhnya oleh Plaintif kepada Defendan dan “pindahmilik” saham oleh Defendan kepada Plaintif hendaklah dilaksanakan sepenuhnya. [40] Mahkamah faham bahawa apabila Plaintif membayar RM100,000.00, Plaintif menyatakan bahawa pihak Plaintif sudah menyempurnakan obligasinya. Sedangkan dalam Perjanjian, jumlah penuh bagi harga pembelian saham ialah RM350,000.00. [41] Mahkamah mendapati bahawa apabila Defendan menerima pembayaran sebanyak RM100,000.00 tersebut, obligasi Defendan di bawah Perjanjian ialah − • the Defendant has to transfer the one million unrestricted ordinary shares of Advance Tc Limited (to the Plaintiff. • the Defendant has to publicly listed in OTC Pink USA before 31.10.2020 (including 30 days grace period). • the share’s price reaches the price of USD1.00 per share unit before 31.10.2020 (including 30 days grace period). Plaintif memplidkan bahawa kegagalan Defendan melakukan obligasinya di atas adalah suatu perlanggaran terma dan Plaintif menuntut haknya, i.e. “the Defendant is obliged to buy back the Shares from the Plaintiff at a price of Two Million American Dollars (USD2,000,000-00) or RM8,940,000-00 (according currency exchange USD 1.0 = RM4.47) within fourteen (14) days from 31.01.2022.”. [42] Peguam cara terpelajar Plaintif menghujahkan bahawa − “At all material times, the Plaintiff is still willing, able and intend to return the Shares to the Defendant and fulfil the terms in Clause 1.6 and all the terms in the Agreement.”. Namun begitu Mahkamah ini mendapati tiada apa-apa baki pembayaran menurut terma Perjanjian dilunaskan oleh Plaintif. [43] Plaintif membawa tindakan undang-undang kerana “As a result of the breach of the terms of the Agreement, the Plaintiff has suffered loss and damages.”. Sama ada Plaintif memungkiri terma Perjanjian? [44] Perenggan 21 hujahan utama Plaintif menyatakan − “In discharging the legal burden of proof and in responding to the Defendants’ allegations, the Plaintiff humbly submit as follows: i There is no dispute that the Agreement has been entered between the parties; ii There is no dispute that the Plaintiff has paid to the Defendant the sum of RM100,000-00; iii There is no dispute that the Defendant has failed to list the Company on OTC Pink in USA before 31.10.2020 (including 30 days grace period); iv There is no dispute that the Defendant has failed to list the Company on Nasdaq stock market in USA before 31.01.2022 (including 30 days grace period); and v The Defendant agrees that under clause 1.6 of the Agreement, the Defendant has to buy back the Shares at USD 2 million.”. Berdasarkan 5 perkara di atas, peguam cara terpelajar Plaintif menghujahkan bahawa perenggan iii, iv dan v menunjukkan bahawa Defendanlah pihak yang memungkiri/melanggari Perjanjian. [45] Defendan pula menyatakan bahawa fakta bahawa −