JCW

[Pre-conditions to apply for a Restraining Order] Alvin was counsel for the 1st Intervener in this suit. Alvin raised the point that the pre-condition of Section 368(2)(a) to (d) of the Companies Act 2016 needs to be complied with even in the application for restraining order under Section 368(1) and not just subsequent extensions of the same. The Court accepted the said argument and amongst others held : (i)It cannot be the legislative intent that only s368(2)(a) and (d) of the Act need be complied with when applying for a restraining order. The conditions under s368(2)(a) to (d) need all be complied with. To hold otherwise would do violence to the manner in which s368(2)(a) to (d) was drafted and would call, unjustifiably, for ignoring the fact that the conditions set out in s368(2)(a) to (d) are cumulative, having regard to the semicolon after each subsection and the use of the conjunction “and” placed between s368(2)(c) and (d). (ii)Upon its proper construction, the conditions set out in s368(2)(a) to (d) of the Act need to be complied with when an application is made for a restraining order under s368(1) of the Act. Such a result is consonant with the plain language used and the legislative intent and purpose for the conditions in s368(2)(a) to (d) of the Act. In this regard, the applicants, having conceded that the conditions in s368(2)(c) and (d) of the Act were not complied with when making and securing the ex parte order, the restraining order thus cannot stand.