UDL3612 Land Law I Trimester 1, 2017/2018

TOPIC 2 GENERAL CONCEPT OF LAND OWNERSHIP

Table of Contents
2.1 DEFINITION OF LAND ................................................................................................ 1
2.2 ENGLISH LAW OF FIXTURES ................................................................................... 1
2.3 APPLICATION OF ENGLISH LAW OF FIXTURES .................................................. 1
2.4 TWO TESTS FOR DETERMINING FIXTURE OR CHATTEL ................................. 1
2.4.1 The Degree of Annexation Test............................................................................... 1
2.4.2 The Purpose of Annexation Test ............................................................................. 1
2.4.3 Application of the Two Tests .................................................................................. 1
2.5 GENERAL PRINCIPLES ON FIXTURES.................................................................... 2
2.5.1 Application in Relationships of Landlord & Tenant ............................................... 2
2.5.2 Application in Relationships of Vendor & Purchaser ............................................. 2
2.5.3 Application in Relationships of Chargor & Chargee............................................... 2
2.6 EXCEPTIONS ................................................................................................................ 2
2.6.1 Tenants Fixtures for Certain Purposes ................................................................... 2
2.6.2 Proven Custom Allowing Removal ......................................................................... 3
2.7 Concept of Joint ownership ............................................................................................ 3
2.7.1 Relevant provisions: s 342-345 ............................................................................... 3
2.7.2 Joint tenancy ............................................................................................................ 3
2.7.3 Tenancy in common ................................................................................................ 3
2.7.4 Creation of co-proprietorship .................................................................................. 3

Textbooks
1. A. Maidin and others, Principles on Malaysian Land Law (LexisNexis, Petaling Jaya
2008), Chapter 2.

2. S. Buang, Malaysian Torrens System (2nd edn Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala
Lumpur 2007), Chapter 3.

3. K.S. Teo and L.T. Khaw, Land Law in Malaysia: Cases and Commentary (3rd edn
LexisNexis Singapore 2012), Chapter 3.

Prepared and updated by Tay Eng Siang, FOL, MMU (std ver) i
UDL3612 Land Law I Trimester 1, 2017/2018
TOPIC 2 GENERAL CONCEPT LAND OWNERSHIP

2.1 DEFINITION OF LAND

land: s 5 NLC

2.2 ENGLISH LAW OF FIXTURES

para (d) of definition of land in s 5

superficies solo cedit

2.3 APPLICATION OF ENGLISH LAW OF FIXTURES

Goh Chong Hin & Anor v The Consolidated Malay Rubber Estates Ltd 5 FMSLR 86
Goh Eng Seong v Tay Keng Seow & Ors [1936] 1 MLJ 40

2.4 TWO TESTS FOR DETERMINING FIXTURE OR CHATTEL

Holland v Hodgson LR 7 CP 328

Goh Chong Hin & Anor v The Consolidated Malay Rubber Estates Ltd 5 FMSLR 86

2.4.1 The Degree of Annexation Test

2.4.2 The Purpose of Annexation Test

2.4.3 Application of the Two Tests

Goh Chong Hin & Anor v The Consolidated Malay Rubber Estates Ltd 5 FMSLR 86.
Khaw Joo Jeang & Ors v Koay Seng Chye & Ors [1960] 1 MLJ 203
The Shell Co of the Federation of Malaya v President, Town Council Bandar
Penggaram, Batu Pahat [1962] 1 MLJ 277
The Shell Co of the Federation of Malaya Ltd v Commissioner of the Federal Capital
of Kuala Lumpur [1964] 1 MLJ 302
Socfin Co Ltd v Chairman, Klang Town Council [1964] 1 LNS 187
Material Trading Pte Ltd (In Liquidation) v DBS Finance Ltd [1988] 2 MLJ 162
Esso Malaysia Bhd. v Hills Agency (M) Sdn. Bhd. [1994] 1 MLJ 740
Punca Klasik Sdn. Bhd. v All Persons in Occupation of the Wooden House Erected on
a Portion of Land Held under Grant No 26977 for Lot 4271 in the Ownership of
Johor Bahru, Johor & Anor Action (No. 2) [1996] 5 MLJ 92
Peoples Park Chinatown Development Pte Ltd (In Liquidation) v Schindler Lifts (S)
Pte Ltd [1993] 1 SLR 591 (CA) at 595, 597
Pan-United Marine Ltd v Chief Assessor [2008] 3 SLR (R) 569 (CA)

Prepared and updated by Tay Eng Siang, FOL, MMU (std ver) 1
UDL3612 Land Law I Trimester 1, 2017/2018
TOPIC 2 GENERAL CONCEPT LAND OWNERSHIP

2.5 GENERAL PRINCIPLES ON FIXTURES

all fixtures attached to the land form part of the land

Sri Kajang Rock Products Sdn. Bhd. v Mayban Finance Bhd. & Ors [1992] 1 CLJ 204

2.5.1 Application in Relationships of Landlord & Tenant

see ss 213, 221-240

Almm Muthukaruppan Chettiar v Haji Ibrahim [1941] 1 MLJ 150
Chua Sai Ngoh v Beh Ai Meng [1955] 1 MLJ 167

2.5.2 Application in Relationships of Vendor & Purchaser

unless the contract so provides

D Eyncourt v Gregory (1866) LR 3 Eq 382
Leigh v Taylor [1902] AC 157 HL

2.5.3 Application in Relationships of Chargor & Chargee

see ss 241-280
Goh Chong Hin & Anor v The Consolidated Malay Rubber Estates Ltd 5 FMSLR 86
Wiggins Teape (M) Sdn. Bhd. v Bahagia Trading Sdn. Bhd. & Ors [1980] 2 MLJ 45
Gebrueder Buehler AG v Peter Chi Man Kwong & 2 Ors [1988] 2 MLJ 69
Sungei Way Leasing Sdn. Bhd. v Lian Seng Properties Sdn. Bhd. & Ors (Bank
Bumiputra Malaysia Bhd. & Anor, Interveners) [1989] 2 MLJ 123
Reynolds v Ashby [1904] AC 466 at 475
Hobson v Gorringe [1897] 1 Ch 182 at 189
Ellis v Glover & Hobson Ltd [1908] 1 KB 388 at 396
Gebrueder Buchler AG v Peter Chi Man Kwong & Ors [1988] 2 MLJ 69 at 74
(Singapore CA)

2.6 EXCEPTIONS

2.6.1 Tenants Fixtures for Certain Purposes

BBMB Kewangan Bhd v Kueh Tech Swee [2001] 1 MLJ 176

Official Receiver (as liquidator of Allied Cocoa Industries Pte Ltd (In Liquidation)) v
Chi Man Kwong & Ors [1994] 1 SLR 809 at 819-820
New Zealand Government Property Corp v HM & S [1982] 2 WLR 837 at 843
Sri Kajang Rock Products Sdn. Bhd. v Mayban Finance Bhd. &2 Ors [1992] 1 CLJ
204

Prepared and updated by Tay Eng Siang, FOL, MMU (std ver) 2
UDL3612 Land Law I Trimester 1, 2017/2018
TOPIC 2 GENERAL CONCEPT LAND OWNERSHIP

2.6.2 Proven Custom Allowing Removal

Re Tiambi bte Maamin (1904) Innes 285

Kiah bte Hanapiah v Som bte Hanapiah (1953) MLJ 82

2.7 Concept of Joint ownership

2.7.1 Relevant provisions: s 342-345

co-proprietorship or co-ownership

2.7.2 Joint tenancy

Must conform to four unities and be subject to jus accrescendi or right of survivorship
Kenworthy v Ward (1853) 11 Hare 196
NLC: only trustees and personal representatives must hold as joint tenants

2.7.3 Tenancy in common

No right of survivorship
NLC: persons or bodies who are co-owners but who are not trustees or personal
representative may hold land as tenants in common.

2.7.4 Creation of co-proprietorship

(a) Common law

Joint tenancy no words of severance
Common law approach
Robinson v Fraser (1876) 6 Ch App 696

Tenancy in common words of severance are used

Equitable approach
Delehunt v Carmondy (1986) 161 CLR 464 on Conveyancing Act (NSW) which is
equivalent to s 342 NLC
May be severed by partition: s 140-145

(b) Meaning: s 342

cross reference to ss 5, 140-145, 225, 241, 343, 344 & 346
Calverley v Green (1984) 59 ALJR 11
Bull v Bull [1955] 1 QB 234
s 225(2) & s 241(2)

Prepared and updated by Tay Eng Siang, FOL, MMU (std ver) 3
UDL3612 Land Law I Trimester 1, 2017/2018
TOPIC 2 GENERAL CONCEPT LAND OWNERSHIP

Frieze v Unger [1960] VR 230

McMahon v The Public Curator (1952) 52 SR Qd 19
s 5 co-proprietorship, holding, and undivided shares

(c) Incidents of co-proprietorship: s 343

(d) Determination of rights of Joint owners: ss 140-145

s 141A, s 145
Ku Yan bte Ku Abdullah v Ku Idris bin Ku Ahmad & Ors [1991] 3 MLJ 439
GP De Silva & Ors v Chua Yam Thong [1962] 28 MLJ 236

* Special acknowledgement to Miss Sik Cheng Peng, the previous lecturer for this subject,
for the useful earlier version of this lecture outline.

Prepared and updated by Tay Eng Siang, FOL, MMU (std ver) 4