Ang Kong Meng v Lim Teck Boon: Breach of Agreement & Damages Assessment
In Ang Kong Meng v Lim Teck Boon, the Singapore High Court heard an appeal regarding the assessment of damages for breach of a written agreement. The plaintiff, Ang Kong Meng, claimed damages for loss of income as chairman and director, loss of a chance to sell factory premises, and loss in shareholding value. The court varied the assistant registrar's order, substantially reducing the damages payable to $104,000.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Damages reduced to $104,000
1.3 Case Type
Civil
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
The High Court assessed damages for breach of an agreement regarding voting rights, focusing on loss of income and opportunity to sell property.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ang Kong Meng | Plaintiff | Individual | Damages reduced | Partial | |
| Lim Teck Boon | Defendant | Individual | Appeal allowed in part | Partial | |
| Choo Ah Yeow | Defendant | Individual | Appeal allowed in part | Partial |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Chan Seng Onn | Judicial Commissioner | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Tan Cheng Yew | Tan Cheng Yew & Partners |
| Ronald Choo | Allen & Gledhill |
4. Facts
- Defendants breached a written agreement to vote in accordance with the plaintiff's vote.
- Plaintiff was removed as chairman of Way Company Pte Ltd.
- Plaintiff was reappointed as chairman after 21 months.
- Assistant Registrar assessed damages under three heads: loss of income, loss of chance to sell factory, loss in shareholding value.
- Factory premises were held on a 30-year lease from 1984.
- Plaintiff invested $801,000 to become the largest shareholder.
- Memorandum of understanding indicated intention to sell the factory.
5. Formal Citations
- Ang Kong Meng v Lim Teck Boon and Another, Suit 2/1997, RA 600058 & 600062/2000, [2000] SGHC 115
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Production moved to Johore Bahru | |
| Trial concluded; defendants found to have breached agreement | |
| Plaintiff reappointed to board of directors and made chairman | |
| Judgment issued |
7. Legal Issues
- Breach of Contract
- Outcome: Breach established at trial; damages assessed on appeal.
- Category: Substantive
- Sub-Issues:
- Failure to adhere to voting agreement
- Assessment of Damages
- Outcome: Damages reduced on appeal.
- Category: Procedural
- Sub-Issues:
- Loss of income
- Loss of opportunity
- Loss in shareholding value
8. Remedies Sought
- Monetary Damages
9. Cause of Actions
- Breach of Contract
10. Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
11. Industries
- No industries specified
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No cited cases | |||||
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| No applicable statutes | |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Voting agreement
- Directors fees
- Shareholding
- Factory premises
- Memorandum of understanding
- Loss of opportunity
- Assessment of damages
15.2 Keywords
- breach of contract
- damages assessment
- voting agreement
- directors fees
- shareholding
- factory sale
- singapore
- high court
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Damages | 80 |
| Company Law | 70 |
| Contract Law | 60 |
| Commercial Disputes | 50 |
| Shareholder Disputes | 40 |
| Director's Duties | 40 |
16. Subjects
- Contract Law
- Damages
- Company Law