THE DOMESTIC
INQUIRY
Procedural Errors Can Void Your Justified Termination
Ensure fairness, transparency, and due process in addressing misconduct
Critical Warning
Skip the DI = Wrongful Dismissal Finding! Even if the employee committed serious misconduct, terminating without proper domestic inquiry means your justified termination becomes an unjustified financial disaster.
The Consequences
Why Must We Conduct a Domestic Inquiry?
Even if the employee committed serious misconduct, terminating without proper domestic inquiry means:
Industrial Court voids your termination
Employee wins wrongful dismissal claim
You pay back wages, compensation, and interest
You must rehire the employee OR pay even more
Legal costs drain your resources
Your justified termination becomes an unjustified financial disaster
THE CONSEQUENCE
The law protects employees from arbitrary punishment. Domestic inquiries are your only way to prove termination wasn't arbitrary – it was justified, procedurally fair, and legally defensible.
Key Takeaways
What You Will Learn
How to conduct a fair hearing before termination for serious misconduct
Evidence gathering and strategies in convening a DI
How to adduce evidence and the art of cross-examination
Document and report writing
Proportionate punishment
Program Overview
1-Day Program Schedule
Comprehensive Training
March 9th, 2026
Understanding the Objectives of a DI and the Legal Requirements
- •Participants will understand why an inquiry needs to be carried out correctly and its use in industrial adjudication and in what instances a DI is convened
- •Understanding case law on the do's and don'ts for a DI
Tea Break
The Rule of Natural Justice
- •The need for natural justice and the failure to adhere to it will result in the inquiry becoming void
- •Understanding case law on the rule of Natural Justice
The DI Procedure – The Preliminaries
- •Conducting the preliminary investigations
- •Using the Show-cause letters, Notice of DI and convening the DI
- •Preparation of the DI documents
- •Drafting of Witness Statements and adducing them during the DI
- •Learning the art of cross-examination
Lunch
The DI Procedure – Conducting of the Inquiry
- •The steps in the commencement and conclusion of the DI
- •Evaluation of the evidence
- •Writing the findings based on the evidence and witness testimony
Tea Break
The DI Procedure – Conducting of the Inquiry (Continued)
- •Understanding the Company's obligations and Employee's rights post dismissal
- •The preparation of the remedial letters
- •The appeal process
Expert Instructor
Meet Your Trainer
Ernest Balasingam
HR/IR Consultant & Principal Trainer
Ernest Balasingam
HR/IR Consultant & Principal Trainer
Ernest isn't just a lawyer – he's a strategic advisor who has spent nearly three decades protecting organizations from costly employment law disasters. As Senior Partner at Messrs. Gibb & Co Lawyers & Notary Public, Ernest brings a rare combination of boardroom insight and courtroom victory to every training session.
"Commitment does not need an alarm clock! True organizational transformation requires committed leadership willing to create systems that drive desired behaviour."
Credentials
Training Excellence
Why Ernest's Training Delivers Results
Battle-Tested Expertise
27 years specializing exclusively in Industrial Relations & Employment Law litigation knowing what works and what fails spectacularly in court.
Corporate Intelligence Meets Legal Precision
Extensive background in Compliance and Risk Management at senior levels in multinational hospitality corporations gives him unparalleled insight into organizational vulnerabilities.
Proactive Prevention
Companies must stay ahead of Malaysia's rapidly evolving employment landscape. Re-thinking HR processes to eliminate problems before they become lawsuits.
Proven Problem Solver
Identifying critical shortcomings by facilitating organizational transformations, right-sizing initiatives and effective separation schemes that protect both companies and employees.
Protect Your Organization from Wrongful Dismissal Claims
Learn to conduct fair, transparent, and legally defensible domestic inquiries. Essential training for protecting your organization from costly wrongful dismissal claims.
1 Day
Intensive Training
Mar 9
2026 Session
HRDCorp
Claimable