Bank Negara seeks to overturn unfair dismissal ruling

Y Kohila was accused of conducting herself in a manner not befitting her status as an employee of the central bank by taking part in a public rally and wearing an anti-GST shirt.

PETALING JAYA: Bank Negara Malaysia has turned to the Court of Appeal to set aside a High Court ruling finding it liable in dismissing a former manager on allegations of misconduct following her involvement in political activities seven years ago.

Lawyer Janice Leo said the bank filed its notice of appeal at the High Court registry today.

“We will be writing to the High Court to obtain the grounds of judgment, and preparing to file the record of appeal,” she told FMT.

On March 29, Justice Ahmad Bache said Y Kohila, 48, was deprived of the right to be heard, which constituted a breach of natural justice, during both the domestic inquiry and subsequent appeal process.

In determining that BNM was liable, he allowed Kohila’s declaration that her dismissal as an employee was in breach of her employment contract.

Last week, Ahmad ordered the bank to pay Kohila RM366,000 in damages after a proceeding on assessment of damages.

The court also ordered BNM to pay another RM50,000 in costs to Kohila, who is now a practising lawyer.

Kohila was said to have canvassed support for Parti Sosialis Malaysia and its leaders in the 13th general election by drafting and publishing two press statements on the “Oppressed People’s Network (Jerit)” website on April 12, 2013.

Kohila, who joined the central bank in 2005, was also said to have canvassed support for S Arutchelvan, the then PSM secretary-general, to contest the Selangor assembly seat of Semenyih on April 17, 2013.

She was also accused of conducting herself in a manner not befitting her status as an employee of BNM by participating in a public rally on May 1, 2016, and wearing an anti-GST shirt.

Kohila, who was the manager of BNM’s museum, art gallery and knowledge management centre, had also taken part in the 2011 Bersih rally calling for electoral reforms, the bank said.