The Kota Kinabalu Industrial Court Branch
You worked in Sabah and want to know where and how your dismissal claim is heard.
The Industrial Court has a branch in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Where is the Kota Kinabalu branch?
Kota Kinabalu is one of the court’s locations, alongside Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru and Kuching.1 JPPM confirms which branch hears your case.
That spans tourism and services employers in Kota Kinabalu, palm oil, timber and shipping firms around Sandakan, and plantation and cross border trade employers in Tawau.
How does the Sabah Labour Ordinance fit in?
Sabah has its own Labour Ordinance, which sets statutory entitlements like leave and notice, separate from Peninsular Malaysia’s Employment Act.
An unfair dismissal claim is different. It runs under the federal Industrial Relations Act, the same law used in every state, and JPPM confirms which branch hears the case.
What happens at a hearing?
Your employer must justify the dismissal, since the burden of proof sits with them once a case reaches this stage.2 Your contract and any warning letters are central to the case.
A lawyer can represent you here, unlike at the conciliation meeting held before this stage.
How does a Sabah case reach this stage?
The route starts with a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations within 60 days of dismissal, then conciliation at JPPM Sabah. Only an unresolved dispute is referred here for a hearing.
You can check your exact deadline if your dismissal happened recently.
What should you do this week?
Write down your dismissal timeline while it is fresh, and gather your contract, payslips and any letters your employer relied on.
If you want to pursue your claim, an independent employment lawyer can review your industry and situation before conciliation begins and act if you have grounds.
If your work was based anywhere in Sabah and you want to challenge your dismissal, send your town and industry. An independent employment lawyer can review it and act if it is a case they can take on.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
Does the Sabah Labour Ordinance mean unfair dismissal works differently here?
No. The Labour Ordinance governs statutory entitlements specific to Sabah, but unfair dismissal claims still run under the same federal Industrial Relations Act used across Malaysia, and JPPM confirms which branch hears the case.
Which branch hears my case if I worked in Sandakan or Tawau?
JPPM confirms which branch hears your case. The Industrial Court has a branch in Kota Kinabalu.
I worked on a plantation in Sandakan. Does the process differ from an office job in KK?
No. The unfair dismissal process is the same regardless of industry, whether you worked in plantations, shipping, tourism or an office. The Court applies the same test to every case.
How long do Sabah workers have to start a claim?
The same 60-day window applies here as anywhere in Malaysia, counted from your dismissal date. Check your exact date with the deadline calculator before deciding your next step.
Sources
- The Industrial Court sits nationwide with its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur and branches in Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Mahkamah Perusahaan Malaysia, contact
- The burden of proving just cause or excuse for a dismissal rests on the employer, not the employee, once a case reaches the Industrial Court. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates, Unfair Dismissal
Keep reading
If your work was based anywhere in Sabah and you want to challenge your dismissal, send your town and industry. An independent employment lawyer can review it and act if it is a case they can take on.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.