In a judgment delivered last month, Justice Evrol Mariette Peters said Thai’s refusal to comply with a court order issued in January this year was “deliberate, intentional and wilful”.
“It was also indicative of his impertinence and total disrespect for the administration of justice, which this court took an extremely dim view of,” the judge said when giving her reasons for holding Thai liable for contempt of court.
The High Court here held Thai in contempt on Feb 7 after ruling that he had deliberately withheld full details of his bank and EPF accounts, shareholdings, and properties as of April 2022, when Tan filed her petition for judicial separation.
Thai is appealing the decision to the Court of Appeal.
Peters said the judicial system must be respected and free from interference.
“No one should be allowed to thumb their nose at a court order, regardless of his position,” she wrote in her 23-page judgment.
Thai was fined RM60,000 and ordered to pay Tan RM30,000 in costs.
The judge noted that Thai, as an experienced businessman, was well-versed in financial transactions, asset management, and legal compliance.
“Given his expertise, he undoubtedly understood the necessity of full financial disclosure – especially in proceedings involving asset division. His failure to disclose his bank account balances cannot reasonably be attributed to ignorance or oversight,” Peters wrote.
The judge also found that Thai had deliberately prolonged the committal proceedings, “creating unnecessary hurdles rather than addressing his non-compliance”.
She said his attempt to set the proceedings aside was “baseless and unsubstantiated”.
Even after being fully informed of his breaches, Thai took no steps to rectify his non-compliance, demonstrating a “blatant disregard” for the court’s authority, said Peters.
“To make matters worse, Thai failed to issue even an apology for his failure to comply,” the judge said.
“Acknowledging wrongdoing – if not through substantive action, then at least through an expression of regret – could have signalled some willingness to rectify his conduct. Yet, his continued silence only reinforced his lack of accountability.”
Thai and Tan married in 1987, but saw their relationship deteriorate amid allegations from both sides.
Thai filed his divorce petition in April last year, two years after Tan filed for judicial separation. Tan has also filed a cross-petition for divorce.