Wong Wai Yin v Victoria Publications: Recovery of Salary and Director's Fees Dispute
Wong Wai Yin, the Plaintiff, sued Victoria Publications Pte Ltd, the Defendant, in the High Court of Singapore before George Wei J, seeking to recover unpaid salary and director's fees from 2008 to 2013. The Defendant argued that all sums had been paid. The court dismissed the Plaintiff's claim, finding that the Defendant had discharged its legal obligation to pay the Plaintiff her salary and director's fees, despite the Plaintiff's claim of lack of knowledge or consent regarding the mode of payment. The court awarded costs to the Defendant.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
High Court1.2 Outcome
Plaintiff's claim dismissed entirely.
1.3 Case Type
Civil
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Wong Wai Yin sues Victoria Publications for unpaid salary and director's fees. The court dismissed the claim, finding payments were made.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wong Wai Yin | Plaintiff | Individual | Claim Dismissed | Lost | Richard Sam Yuin Piew |
| Victoria Publications Pte Ltd | Defendant | Corporation | Judgment for Defendant | Won | Letchamanan Devadason, Tan Siew Tiong |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| George Wei | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Richard Sam Yuin Piew | Sam & Associates |
| Letchamanan Devadason | LegalStandard LLP |
| Tan Siew Tiong | LawHub LLC |
4. Facts
- Plaintiff claimed unpaid salary of $115,990 and director's fees of $440,000 from 2008 to 2013.
- Defendant Company admitted liability but claimed all sums had been paid.
- Payments were made via cheques deposited into joint accounts held by Plaintiff and her husband.
- Plaintiff signed the Defendant Company’s director resolutions and annual financial statements.
- Plaintiff declared income in tax forms for the years in question.
- Defendant Company paid CPF contributions for the Plaintiff during the relevant period.
5. Formal Citations
- Wong Wai Yin v Victoria Publications Pte Ltd, Suit No 726 of 2014, [2015] SGHC 179
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Plaintiff married to Tan Cheow Beng | |
| Defendant Company incorporated in Singapore | |
| Start of period for which Plaintiff claims unpaid salary | |
| Divorce between Plaintiff and Tan was contemplated | |
| End of period for which Plaintiff claims unpaid salary | |
| Joint OCBC account closed | |
| Divorce made final | |
| Plaintiff commenced Originating Summons No 282 of 2014 | |
| Plaintiff commenced Suit No 726 of 2014 | |
| Trial began | |
| Judgment reserved |
7. Legal Issues
- Breach of Contract
- Outcome: The court found that the Defendant had discharged its contractual obligations.
- Category: Substantive
- Discharge of Contractual Obligations
- Outcome: The court held that the Defendant Company had discharged its legal obligations to pay the Plaintiff her salary and director’s fees in a reasonable manner.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Monetary Damages
9. Cause of Actions
- Breach of Contract
10. Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
11. Industries
- Publishing
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
- Director's fees
- Salary
- Joint account
- Payment
- Discharge of obligation
- Financial statements
- Income tax
- CPF
15.2 Keywords
- salary
- director fees
- employment
- contract
- payment
- Singapore
- High Court
16. Subjects
- Contract Dispute
- Employment Dispute
- Corporate Governance
17. Areas of Law
- Contract Law
- Employment Law
- Company Law