Kuala Lumpur, 17 September 2025 — Mohamed Zainurin Mohamed Zain, the former Chief Executive Officer of TH Plantations Bhd, has formally filed a complaint under Malaysia’s Industrial Relations Act seeking redress for what he describes as an unfair dismissal by the company. The move comes on the heels of his dismissal by the plantation group, which cited alleged unauthorised payments as the basis for terminating his contract.
Zainurin was appointed CEO on 1 October 2021, and over the years had overseen operations spanning plantation management and halal food-chain supply for TH Plantations, a unit owned by Lembaga Tabung Haji. His dismissal in mid-2025 was linked to alleged unauthorised payments amounting to RM5.1 million, allegedly made to plantation workers. Zainurin contests the amount and characterisation, stating that the payments were intended as ex-gratia or salary arrears. He claims the actual sum involved is RM3.63 million, and insists the payments were made within his authority based on principles of fairness and parity for employees in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak.
After being placed on garden leave and served with a “show cause” letter, Zainurin initiated action to appeal his termination. In addition to filing an internal appeal to the board, he has now lodged an unfair dismissal complaint under Section 20(1) of the Industrial Relations Act 1967 before the Industrial Relations Department.
TH Plantations has argued that Zainurin’s contract was terminated over misconduct due to the alleged payments, saying these were not authorised. The company has not publicly agreed with his contention that the payments were valid or justified. The case is likely to turn on whether Zainurin’s defence—that the payments were lawful under the terms of his contract or company policy—can meet the legal test for authority, good faith, and procedural fairness.
This dispute raises broader questions about corporate governance, contract oversight, internal approvals, and transparency in decision-making within listed plantation companies. It underscores how senior executives may face serious consequences for financial decisions that are not matched by sufficient documentation or board oversight, even where intent or fairness is asserted.
What to watch for
How the Industrial Relations Department handles this complaint will be closely observed. Key issues will include:
- Whether the alleged payments were truly unauthorised under TH Plantations’s board, contract, or internal policies;
- The documentation and evidence on both sides regarding those payments;
- Whether due process was followed in the termination—did Zainurin receive adequate notice? Was he given a reasonable chance to respond before dismissal?;
- Possible impacts on investor confidence, company reputation, and future governance safeguards in plantation firms or other family- or institutionally-affiliated businesses in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, terminating senior executives over financial misconduct allegations, especially when involving payments to workers, may influence how companies shape their remuneration, approval policies, and internal controls.
