The Kuching Industrial Court Branch
You worked anywhere in Sarawak, from Miri to Sibu, and want to know where to claim.
The Industrial Court has a branch in Kuching, Sarawak.
Where is the Kuching branch?
Kuching is one of the court’s six locations, with Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu.1 JPPM confirms which branch hears your case.
That spans services and administration employers in Kuching, the oil and gas sector around Miri, and river trade and timber firms in Sibu.
How does the Sarawak Labour Ordinance fit in?
Sarawak has its own Labour Ordinance, which sets statutory entitlements separate from Peninsular Malaysia’s Employment Act.
An unfair dismissal claim is a different route. It runs under the federal Industrial Relations Act, applied the same way in every state, and JPPM confirms which branch hears the case.
What happens at a hearing?
Both sides present their case, and your employer must justify the dismissal because they carry the burden of proof. Your contract and any warning letters matter more than a verbal account alone.
A lawyer can represent you here, unlike at the conciliation meeting before this stage.
How does a Sarawak case reach this stage?
The route starts with a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations within 60 days of the dismissal.2 Conciliation at JPPM Sarawak comes next, and only an unresolved dispute is referred here for a hearing.
You can check your exact deadline if your dismissal date is recent.
What should you do this week?
Write down your dismissal timeline while the details are clear, and gather your contract, payslips and any letters your employer relied on to justify it.
If you want to pursue your claim, an independent employment lawyer can review your situation before conciliation begins. They can take it forward if it is a case they can take on.
If your work was based anywhere in Sarawak and you want a lawyer to act on your dismissal, send your town and what happened. An independent employment lawyer can review it.
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 Sarawak Labour Ordinance change how unfair dismissal works here?
No. The Ordinance sets Sarawak's own statutory entitlements, like leave and notice. An unfair dismissal claim runs under the federal Industrial Relations Act instead, the same law used everywhere, and JPPM confirms which branch hears the case.
Which branch hears my case if I worked in Miri or Sibu?
JPPM confirms which branch hears your case. The Industrial Court has a branch in Kuching.
I worked in the oil and gas sector in Miri. Is the process different from an office job in Kuching?
No. The same unfair dismissal test applies regardless of your industry, whether you worked in energy, timber trade, tourism or administration. The Court looks at your dismissal on its own facts.
How long do Sarawak workers have to file a claim?
The same 60-day window applies here as anywhere else in Malaysia, counted from your dismissal date. Confirm your exact date with the deadline calculator before deciding your next move.
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
- An employee who considers they were dismissed without just cause or excuse may make a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations, asking to be reinstated, within 60 days of the dismissal. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates, Unfair Dismissal
Keep reading
If your work was based anywhere in Sarawak and you want a lawyer to act on your dismissal, send your town and what happened. An independent employment lawyer can review it.
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.