Since the weekend is around the corner

Since the weekend is around the corner, here are spicy precedent sexual harassment cases in Malaysia every HR pro must know:

1. Mohd Ridzwan v. Asmah [2016] 6 CLJ 346
Boss offered to make her his second wife—got sued and paid RM120K. First recognition of sexual harassment as a tort!

2. Jennico v. Lilian [1998] 3 CLJ 583
Hotel CEO harassed director—she quit, sued for constructive dismissal. Sparked the first national sexual harassment code.

3. Loganathan v. Murphy Oil [2020] 2 ILR 275
Calling colleague “sayang” + unwanted touches? Dismissal upheld. Verbal = harassment too.

4. Vasuthevan v. Freescale [2013] 1 ILR 73
Hand on waist = out the door. Zero tolerance for “just one touch.”

5. Chen Beng Kwee v. ST Micro [2012] 6 CLJ 865
Tapped a Muslim girl’s elbow—court said: still harassment. Respect personal and religious boundaries.

6. Yahya v. Petronas [2015] 2 MELR 614
Texted “nafsu lelaki”… got fired. Words can cost careers.

7. Kamarul Zaman v. Nippon [2013] MELRU 1
Said “come sit here” while patting his lap. Dismissal upheld.

8. Yes—men get harassed too.
In 2023, 135 male victims reported. Sexual harassment isn’t gendered—policies must protect all.

HR folks—don’t wait till it’s in court. Act early, act firm. Culture starts with you.

Happy reading and enjoy your weekend ya!

Faithfully,

Makcik Labor ☺️