Kuala lumpur: The Industrial Court of Malaysia: has ordered Perak FC Sdn Bhd to pay RM1.04 million in compensation to former head coach Datuk Lim Teong Kim following the team management's decision to prematurely terminate his contract.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Court Chairman J. Paramalingam stated in his 60-page judgment that Lim is entitled to compensation for the unexpired portion of his fixed-term employment contract. With 16 months remaining under the contract, the compensation was calculated based on Lim's monthly salary of RM65,000.

Paramalingam noted that Lim also claimed for the cost of three return business class tickets from Munich to Kuala Lumpur, valued at EUR15,477.81 or RM76,471.39. However, this aspect of the claim should be pursued through a civil suit rather than the Industrial Court.

Even though Lim's contract, set from September 15, 2022, to September 14, 2024, was terminated on May 24, 2023, Paramalingam emphasized that reinstatement was not possible due to the fixed-term nature of the contract.

The court highlighted that Perak FC's decision to end Lim's appointment was unjustified, citing the club's own management failures. Perak FC had claimed Lim was inadequate in meeting performance expectations, but the court found this reasoning unfounded.

During Lim's tenure, Perak FC was in 11th position, close to the ninth position target set for the 2023 season. The court criticized Perak FC's decision as premature and commercially motivated, given the financial struggles the club faced prior to Lim's appointment.

Lim was legally represented by Edward Andrew Saw Keat Leong and Jerry Low Kok Kiang, while Perak FC's defense included lawyer Weera Premananda and paralegal Ooi Zi Qin. Lim's representation to the Perak Department of Industrial Relations Malaysia (JPPM) on June 27, 2023, sought compensation for his wrongful termination.