Dismissed In Miri? Check Your Claim
Your Miri job ended abruptly and you want to know if that was fair.
Miri runs on oil and gas work along the northern Sarawak coast, with services and tourism making up the rest.
Contract and rotation jobs here can end fast, so it helps to know what counts as a dismissal.
Where the claim is heard
The Industrial Court has branches outside Kuala Lumpur, including Kuching1. JPPM confirms which branch covers Miri.
You start the same way as anywhere else, with a written Section 20 representation to the Director General.
How work ends in Miri
Offshore and onshore energy roles, services and tourism around Miri Marina and Bintang Megamall make up most local jobs.
Rotation and contract work can end between postings, and that timing is sometimes used to cover a dismissal. Read how unfair dismissal is assessed to tell the two apart.
Help without living in Kuching
You can message a lawyer about your Miri job before any travel is needed. Your documents and contracts can be shared the same way, well before a hearing date is fixed.
What to do next
Write out what happened in order, with dates. Keep your contract, payslips and any messages about the ending.
If the case reaches the Industrial Court, your employer must show the dismissal was fair2. Use the deadline calculator to check your window.
If you fly through Miri Airport between postings, count the 60 days from the dismissal date, not from a later return home. An independent lawyer serving Miri may review your facts and reply about whether and how they can act.
If you want a lawyer to act on a Miri dismissal, send the date it ended and what your employer said. An independent lawyer serving Miri may review whether 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
My Miri contract ran in rotations and ended between rotations. Can that be a dismissal?
It can be, if the timing and the reason point to a dismissal and not a genuine break between rotations. Offshore and onshore contract structures do not remove your right to challenge how the ending was handled.
Which court branch hears a Miri claim?
The Industrial Court has a branch in Kuching, and JPPM confirms which branch hears a Miri claim. The written representation starts from wherever you are, including Miri, before any travel is needed.
Does working for an oil and gas contractor change my rights?
No. Contractor arrangements in the energy sector do not remove your status as a workman, as long as the relationship is employment and not a business you ran yourself.
Sources
- The Industrial Court sits at its Kuala Lumpur headquarters with branches including Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Mahkamah Perusahaan Malaysia, contact
- The burden of proof lies on the employer to show that a dismissal was for just cause and excuse. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
Keep reading
If you want a lawyer to act on a Miri dismissal, send the date it ended and what your employer said. An independent lawyer serving Miri may review whether 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.