Mar 31, 2010

NOTICE

Dear All,

Due to the delay of the final problem question, the administrators have decided to postpone the submission and exchange of final memorials to 5th April 2010.

Details are as follows:

Date : 5th April 2010. (Monday)
Time : 5.00 pm
venue : MPBR 0018

Please prepare 5 memorials - 3 for judges,1 for exchange and 1 for marking.

Format for the memorial :
1) Please include 15 pages (maximum) of written submission after the skeletal arguments.
2) TNR, size 12, 1.5 spacing, justified.
3) Maximum 16 Authorities.

GRAND FINAL

The Multimedia University Law Society (MULS) will be organizing a Law Moot Competition Grand Final Round 2010. The details are as follows :
Date : 10th April 2010.
Time : 8.00 am
Venue : MMU Law Moot Court (FBL Ground Floor)
Dress Code : Formal

Lunch will be provided to all law students.

Important Reminder:

- Please be reminded that no beverages and food is allowed in the court room.
- Switch off all hand phone or silent it during the court proceedings.
-Bow to the judges when entering and leaving the court room.
-Silent should be observed at all times. No talking or clapping or any disturbance is allowed.
-Please be reminded that except the official photographer, no other photographing, video taking or voice recording is permitted in the court room.


- BM (Team 16 v 2)
- ENG (Team 46 v 12)

Sponsors

We would like to thank to all our sponsors for supporting this event.





RM500
1. Sweet Maxwell
2. Lexis Nexis
3. Advance Display Technology Sdn Bhd
4. Rowin Rail Sdn Bhd
5. Profmetal Sdn Bhd
6. J.L.Q Enterprise

RM100-RM300
1. Khamdan.Co
2. Mr.Ramaih Abiruathis
3. Mr. Rosli bin Mohd Harun
4. Ms.Syazana Nur

Stuffs
1. Oxford Fajar (paper bags, pens, dictionaries)
2. Mr.Abd.Talib (sweets)

Final Question

English Question
In the Court of Appeal
Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah & Another v Michael Yeo & 6 Others


The respondents are individuals and registered proprietors of residential properties known Lot 3215 to 3221, Jalan Muzaffar Shah, Muzaffar Heights, Ayer Keroh, Melaka (‘the said Properties’). The said Properties are part of Lot 8282 (‘Lot 8282’) which had been sub-divided into various sub-divided titles including the said Properties.

Adjoining the said Properties is a parcel of land known as Lot 8534 (Lot 8534) to which adjoins another parcel of land known as Lot 8655 (Lot 8655). The nearest distance between the said Properties and Lot 8655 is 52ft. Lot 8534 and Lot 8655 have been set aside for the purpose of maintaining open public spaces under a development plan duly approved by the first appellant in or about April 2004 (‘the said Plan’)

The first appellant is the local authority in charge of Historical Melaka City (‘HMC’) and is vested with the powers in respect of the approval of development plans within HMC.

The second appellant, Lestari Development Sdn Bhd is a developer who submitted the said Plan and completed the development of Lot 8282 which include the said Properties.

The said Properties were built on the basis that Lot 8534 and Lot 8655 were to be reserved for public spaces. It was on this basis that the residential properties forming part of Lot 8282 were sold to the respective purchasers, including the respondents. Lot 8534 and Lot 8655 too were vested in the first appellant to keep the parcels of land open for public spaces.

On 15 November 2007 the second appellant applied for an amendment to the said Plan, viz to develop Lot 8655 as two blocks of 8 storey apartments (64 units) with gymnasium at roof level and an underground car park.

Notice was given on 10 July 2008 by the first appellant in The Star and Berita Harian and also by way of a letter dated 10 July 2008 to the respondents regarding the proposed development. The respondents raised various objections in their respective letters dated 21, 22 and 23 July 2008 to the first appellant and also during a meeting convened by the Director of Town Planning of the first appellant on 18 September 2008. The objections were as follows:

i. The planning permission, if granted, would increase the density from 32 persons per acre to 98 persons per acre.
ii. The proposed development was contrary to the other type of development that has been permitted in the area, that is, low rise developments such as Taman Ayer Keroh Heights, Taman Muzaffar Heights and ‘Ibu Pejabat Kontinjen Polis Diraja Malaysia Negeri Meleka’ (IPK).
iii. HMC should commission independent consultants to study and report on the likely impact of the proposed high density development in the area.
iv. The proposed development would result in foreign labour being used that in turn would have increased the crime rate in the area. The security of the respondents would therefore be put in jeopardy by the development.
v. The proposed development would adversely affect the environment in that pollution and environmental degradation would increase.
vi. The planning permission, if granted, would amount to a breach of the respondents’ legitimate expectations, viz that Lot 8655 together with Lot 8534, had been reserved for open public spaces.

On 16 July 2009 the first appellant issued a notice which was received by the respondents between 23 and 27 July 2009 whereby the first appellant informed the respondents that the first appellant was approving the development and granting permission to develop Lot 8655.

At the High Court, the respondents applied for an order of certiorari to quash the decision of the first appellant dated 16 July 2009. The appellants opposed the application. In allowing the application and granting an order of certiorari, the High Court held that a public decision-making body whose decision was challenged must meet the challenge by providing the reasons in granting the planning permission. The case of Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur v Zain Azhari bin Zainal Abidin [1997] 1 MLJ 17 was followed and the case of YAM Tunku Dato’ Seri Nazzaruddin Ibni Tuanku Jaafar v Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur & Anor [2005] 5 MLJ 633 was distinguished. The High Court also held that the decision of the first appellant in granting the planning permission amounted to a breach of the respondents’ legitimate expectations, viz that Lot 8655 together with Lot 8534, had been reserved for open public spaces.

The appellants now appeal to the Court of Appeal on the grounds that:

i. the High Court judge erred in law and fact that the first appellant must provide the reasons in granting the planning permission;

ii. the High Court judge erred in law and fact that the decision amounted to a breach of the respondents’ legitimate expectations, viz that Lot 8655 together with Lot 8534, had been reserved for open public spaces.

BM Question

Dalam Mahkamah Rayuan
Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah & Satu Lagi lwn Michael Yeo & Enam Lagi


Ketujuh-tujuh responden adalah individu dan tuan punya berdaftar harta kediaman yang dikenali sebagai Lot 3215 hingga 3221, Jalan Muzaffar Shah, Muzaffar Heights, Ayer Keroh, Melaka (‘Harta tersebut’). Harta tersebut adalah sebahagian daripada Lot 8282 yang telah dipecah bahagi kepada beberapa hakmilik termasuk Harta tersebut.

Bersebelahan Harta tersebut adalah sekeping tanah yang dikenali sebagai Lot 8534; bersebelahan Lot 8534 pula adalah sekeping lagi tanah yang dikenali sebagai Lot 8655. Jarak terdekat antara Harta tersebut dan Lot 8655 adalah 52 kaki. Lot 8534 dan Lot 8655 telah dirizabkan sebagai kawasan lapang awam di bawah pelan pembangunan yang diluluskan oleh perayu pertama pada atau kira-kira pada bulan April 2004 (‘Pelan tersebut’)

Perayu pertama adalah pihak berkuasa tempatan yang bertanggungjawab ke atas Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah (BMB) dan diberi kuasa ke atas sebarang kelulusan bagi pelan pembangunan dalam kawasan BMB.

Perayu kedua, Lestari Development Sdn Bhd merupakan pemaju yang mengemukakan Pelan tersebut dan menyiapkan pembangunan Lot 8282 yang termasuk Harta tersebut.

Harta tersebut telah dibina berdasarkan bahawa Lot 8534 dan Lot 8655 hendaklah dirizabkan sebagai kawasan lapang awam. Berdasarkan inilah harta-harta kediaman yang menjadi sebahagian daripada Lot 8282 telah dijual kepada para pembeli termasuk responden-responden. Lot 8534 dan Lot 8655 juga telah diletakhak kepada perayu pertama untuk menjaga tanah-tanah tersebut sebagai kawasan lapang awam.

Pada 15 November 2007 perayu kedua telah memohon pindaan kepada Pelan tersebut, iaitu untuk membangunkan Lot 8655 menjadi dua buah pangsapuri (64 unit) dengan gimnasium di tingkat atas dan tempak letak kereta di bawah bangunan.

Notis telah diberikan pada 10 Julai 2008 oleh perayu pertama dalam akhbar The Star dan Berita Harian dan juga melalui satu surat bertarikh 10 Julai 2008 kepada responden-responden berkenaan cadangan pembangunan atas Lot 8655. Responden-responden mengemukakan beberapa bantahan dalam surat-surat mereka bertarikh 21, 22 dan 23 Juy 2008 kepada perayu pertama dan juga semasa pertemuan yang diadakan oleh Pengarah Jabatan Perancang Bandar yang merupakan pegawai perayu pertama pada 18 September 2008. Bantahan-bantahan tersebut adalah seperti berikut:

i. Kebenaran untuk membangunkan Lot 8655, jika diluluskan, akan meningkatkan kepadatan kawasan tersebut daripada 32 orang bagi setiap ekar kepada 98 orang bagi setiap ekar.
ii. Pembangunan yang dicadangkan adalah bertentangan dengan jenis pembangunan lain yang telah diluluskan bagi kawasan tersebut, iaitu pembangunan bangunan rendah seperti Taman Ayer Keroh Heights, Taman Muzaffar Heights dan Ibu Pejabat Kontinjen Polis Negeri Melaka.
iii. BMB hendaklah melantik juru runding bebas untuk mengkaji dan membuat laporan atas kesan ke atas pambangunan berkepadatan tinggi di kawasan tersebut.
iv. Pembangunan yang dicadangkan akan menyebabkan tenaga kerja asing digunakan yang akan mengakibatkan peningkatan kadar jenayah di kawasan tersebut. Ini akan menjejaskan keselamatan responden-responden.
v. Pembangunan yang dicadangkan akan mendatangkan kesan ke atas alam sekitar iaitu pencemaran ke atas alam sekitar akan meningkat.
vi. Kebenaran untuk membangunkan Lot 8655, jika diluluskan, merupakan pelanggaran harapan sah responden-responden, iaitu Lot 8655 dan Lot 8534 telah dirizabkan untuk kawasan lapang awam.

Pada 16 Julai 2009 perayu pertama telah mengeluarkan notis yang telah diterima oleh responden-responden antara 23 dan 27 Julai 2009 di mana perayu pertama memaklumkan responden-responden bahawa pihaknya telah memutuskan untuk meluluskan cadangan pembangunan dan memberi kebenaran untuk membangunkan Lot 8655.

Di Mahkamah Tinggi, responden-responden telah memohon satu perintah certiorari untuk membatalkan keputusan perayu pertama bertarikh 16 Julai 2009. Kedua-dua perayu telah membantah permohonan responden-responden. Dalam membenarkan permohonan responden-responden dan memberikan perintah certiorari, Mahkamah Tinggi memutuskan bahwa sebuah badan awam yang membuat keputusan hendaklah memberikan alasan-alasannya apabila meluluskan cadangan pembangunan apabila keputusan itu dipersoalkan. Kes Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur lwn Zain Azhari bin Zainal Abidin [1997] 1 MLJ 17 telah diikuti dan kes YAM Tunku Dato’ Seri Nazzaruddin Ibni Tuanku Jaafar v Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur & Anor [2005] 5 MLJ 633 dibezakan. Mahkamah Tinggi juga memutuskan bahawa keputusan perayu pertama dalam meluluskan cadangan pembangunan merupakan pelanggaran harapan sah responden-responden, iaitu Lot 8655 dan Lot 8534 telah dirizabkan untuk kawasan lapang awam.

Perayu-perayu sekarang ini merayu kepada Mahkamah Rayuan atas alasan-alasan berikut:

i. bahawa hakim Mahkamah Tinggi telah khilaf dalam undang-undang dan fakta bahawa perayu pertama hendaklah memberikan alasan-alasan apabila meluluskan cadangan pembangunan;

ii. bahawa hakim Mahkamah Tinggi telah khilaf dalam undang-undang dan fakta bahawa keputusan perayu pertama dalam meluluskan cadangan pembangunan merupakan pelanggaran harapan sah responden-responden, iaitu Lot 8655 dan Lot 8534 telah dirizabkan untuk kawasan lapang awam.

Mar 24, 2010

ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear Finalists,

As what we have agreed in the meeting earlier, the new timeline are as follows:

4th April 2010 -------- submission and exchange of memorial at 9.00 pm, operation room.

10th April 2010 ------ Grand Final Round. (Tentative of the event will be informed later).

Mar 17, 2010

ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear Semi-Finalists,

Kindly take note that you are required to register at 8.15 a.m. on the 20th March 2010.

Thank you.

Regards,
The Organizing Committee.

Mar 5, 2010

ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear Semi-Finalists,

Please take note that the format for the memorial will remain the same.

No clarification is needed. The Semi-Final question has incorporated the amendments made to the preliminary round question. However, the teams should be reminded that the application in the court is assumed to be proper and in order ie. the procedural matters are NOT an issue.

As we have agreed in the meeting earlier, the new timeline are as follows:

10th March - Submission & exchange of memorial at 12 pm, Operation Room.
20th March - Semi Finals Round

Regards,
The Organizing Committee