Lotusonwater Jadeite v Ang Chee Soon: Breach of Contract for Sandalwood Statue
In a case before the High Court of Singapore on May 7, 2013, Lotusonwater Jadeite Pte Ltd sued Ang Chee Soon Vincent for breach of contract, alleging Ang failed to pay the balance for a sandalwood Goddess of Mercy statue. Ang claimed the statue was part of a geomancy service package, purchased on behalf of AVA Global Pte Ltd, and was defective. Justice Woo Bih Li ruled in favor of Lotusonwater, finding the contract was for the statue alone, made with Ang personally, and that Ang failed to prove the statue was defective. The court ordered Ang to pay the outstanding sum plus interest and costs.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Judgment for Plaintiff
1.3 Case Type
Civil
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Singapore High Court case involving Lotusonwater Jadeite's breach of contract claim against Ang Chee Soon for failing to pay for a sandalwood statue.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotusonwater Jadeite Pte Ltd | Plaintiff | Corporation | Judgment for Plaintiff | Won | Jansen Chow, Adrian Wong, Alywin Goh |
| Ang Chee Soon Vincent | Defendant | Individual | Claim Dismissed | Lost | Ponniah James Leslie, Leong Sue Lynn |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Woo Bih Li | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Jansen Chow | Rajah & Tann LLP |
| Adrian Wong | Rajah & Tann LLP |
| Alywin Goh | Rajah & Tann LLP |
| Ponniah James Leslie | Wong & Lim |
| Leong Sue Lynn | Wong & Lim |
4. Facts
- Lotusonwater is a company that sells jadeite and art products.
- Ang is a businessman and member of Lotusonwater.
- Lotusonwater claimed Ang breached a contract for a sandalwood Goddess of Mercy statue.
- Ang alleged the contract was for a geomancy service including the statue.
- Ang claimed he contracted on behalf of AVA Global, not personally.
- Ang alleged the statue was defective with broken fingers.
- Ang paid a $100,000 deposit for the statue.
5. Formal Citations
- Lotusonwater Jadeite Pte Ltd v Ang Chee Soon Vincent, Suit No 937 of 2011, [2013] SGHC 100
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Ang visited the MBS outlet and indicated he wanted to buy a sandalwood Goddess of Mercy statue. | |
| Master Yun accompanied Ang to the Joo Koon factory and the Tuas factory. | |
| Ang paid a $100,000 deposit with his personal American Express credit card. | |
| Ang inspected the statue at the MBS outlet. | |
| Ang called Master Yun alleging the statue was damaged. | |
| Ang visited Master Yun at the Sin Ming Road outlet of Lotusonwater and asked for a replacement of the statue. | |
| Lotusonwater sent a letter of demand to Ang for the outstanding balance. | |
| Writ of Summons was filed. | |
| The court granted Lotusonwater judgment on its claim and costs. | |
| Decision Date. |
7. Legal Issues
- Breach of Contract
- Outcome: The court found that the defendant breached the contract by failing to pay the outstanding balance for the statue.
- Category: Substantive
- Defective Goods
- Outcome: The court found that the defendant failed to prove that the statue was defective.
- Category: Substantive
- Agency
- Outcome: The court found that the defendant entered into the contract in his personal capacity, not as an agent of AVA Global.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Monetary Damages
9. Cause of Actions
- Breach of Contract
10. Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
11. Industries
- Retail
- Arts and Crafts
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
- Sandalwood Goddess of Mercy statue
- Geomancy service
- Breach of contract
- Defective statue
- AVA Global
- Package deal
15.2 Keywords
- breach of contract
- sandalwood statue
- geomancy
- singapore
- high court
16. Subjects
- Contract Law
- Commercial Dispute
17. Areas of Law
- Contract Law
- Sale of Goods