Court of Appeal orders TNB to refund RM236,000 to wholesaler

2026-02-26 - 08:33

The Court of Appeal has entered judgment in favour of Siah Fishery Seafood Sdn Bhd to recover RM236,057.60 from Tenaga Nasional Bhd, with RM50,000 costs, and dismissed TNB’s counterclaim. PETALING JAYA: The Court of Appeal on Monday overturned a High Court ruling that had ordered a frozen food wholesaler accused of tampering with its electricity meter to pay Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) more than RM440,000 in compensation. Instead, the appellate court ordered TNB to refund RM236,057.60 to Siah Fishery Seafood Sdn Bhd, and awarded the company RM50,000 in costs, the company’s lawyer Iman Johar said. A three-member bench led by Justice Lim Chong Fong found that the lower courts had erred in dismissing Siah Fishery’s suit for the refund and in allowing TNB’s counterclaim. “Therefore, the decisions of the sessions court and High Court are set aside,” Iman said in a statement. Also on the panel hearing the appeal were Justices Ong Chee Kwan and K Muniandy. Siah Fishery was represented by Iman, Ungku Ikram Athari and Sara Rizqeen, while TNB was represented by Thomas Shaun Matthews and Prissilla Ann John. Siah Fishery had brought the suit against TNB seeking a refund of RM236,057.60, arguing that the payment was baseless as the utility company had already disconnected power supply to its premises in 2022. TNB, meanwhile, brought a counterclaim for damages arising from alleged meter tampering. Following a trial, the sessions court held Siah Fishery liable for installing a clamp at the terminal block inside its electricity meter. The clamp allegedly caused the meter to under-record power consumption at the company’s premises. In April last year, the Shah Alam High Court upheld the lower court’s decision, leading to the present appeal.