Politics · Malaysia Bureau
Astro ordered to pay cameraman RM474,000 over unfair dismissal ruling
Malaysia's Industrial Court has ruled that broadcaster Astro failed to establish grounds for dismissing a cameraman, ordering the company to pay over RM474,000 in compensation. The court found the company could not prove the employee had breached IT security policies regarding unauthorized streaming of AstroGo content.
LSN Malaysia ·
The Kuala Lumpur Industrial Court determined that Astro had not sufficiently demonstrated how the cameraman had violated the company's information technology security protocols to unlawfully stream AstroGo programming through HotTV, according to the court's judgment.
The ruling represents a significant victory for the employee, who challenged the termination as unjustified and lacking proper substantiation. The court's findings suggest that Astro's case against the cameraman rested on insufficient evidence to support the dismissal decision.
The compensation award exceeds RM474,000, reflecting the court's assessment of damages related to the unfair termination. The decision underscores the importance of employers establishing clear proof of policy breaches before taking disciplinary action against employees.
The case highlights ongoing tensions within Malaysia's media and entertainment sector regarding employee rights and the enforcement of corporate policies. It also sets a precedent regarding the burden of proof required in dismissal cases involving alleged breaches of IT security measures.
Astro has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the Industrial Court's decision.