Andrew Chiew Ean Vooi

Practice Areas

Banking Litigation & Insolvency

Commercial Disputes

Corporate Disputes

Professional Memberships

Multilaw, Asia-Pacific Region Coordinator, Dispute Resolution

Bar Council of Malaysia, Advocacy Training Committee, Member

Insolvency Practitioners Association of Malaysia, Member

Publications

Contributor, Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency in Malaysia, Asian Business Legal Institute (2020)

Contributor, Law and Practice of Corporate Insolvency in Malaysia, Sweet & Maxwell (2019)

Contributor, The Malaysian Civil Procedure, Sweet & Maxwell (2015, 2017, 2019, 2021)

Contributor, Bullen & Leake & Jacob's Malaysian Precedents of Pleadings, Sweet & Maxwell (2017, 2020)

Contributor, Hishamudin Yunus: Celebrating Judicial Independence (2018)

Personal

Andrew has notable experience in the areas of banker’s liability, civil fraud, corporate insolvency, and restructuring, as well as money laundering. He acts for various financial institutions on financing obligations and security enforcement, involving conventional and Islamic financing, and asset recovery.

His experience in corporate and commercial disputes covers various business sectors, including energy, hospitality, logistics, and plantation. He also acts for corporations on matters concerning fraud and breaches of fiduciary and fidelity by senior management and directors.

Clients have described him as a “sharp, skillful, knowledgeable articulator” and someone “who knows his work and produces really good arguments”. Andrew is a Ranked Practitioner by Chambers & Partners and Benchmark Litigation. He is ranked as a “Litigation Star” for Commercial & Transactions in The Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2025, and a “Distinguished Practitioner” for Dispute Resolution in asialaw 2025. He is also ranked “Band 3” for Dispute Resolution in the Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026 rankings. Andrew has also been recently ranked as a “Leading Partner” for Dispute Resolution by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2025.

He is a contributor to a number of practitioner guides, such as the Law & Practice of Corporate Insolvency in Malaysia. He also frequently speaks, locally and overseas, on matters relating to his areas of practice.

Andrew is also a member of the Malaysian Bar Council’s Advocacy Training Committee. He conducts advocacy training not just in Malaysia, but also in other countries, having had stints in Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom, Singapore, and South Africa.

Work Highlights

Corporate Insolvency:

Advised the receivers and managers of the company responsible for the construction and operations of Exchange 106.

Represented the liquidator in a construction dispute with the management corporation of a condominium development.

Acted for financiers in the restructuring of a real estate development project in Sabah.

Represented the liquidator in the compulsory winding-up and proposed scheme of arrangement of a major Malaysian steel manufacturer.

Advised the liquidator in the creditors’ voluntary liquidation of a leading regional paper manufacturer and supplier, which was successfully concluded following asset realisation and full settlement of debts under the Companies Act 2016.

Acted for a financial institution in opposing a judicial management application involving a group of construction companies.

Defended AmBank Islamic Bank Bhd in a RM250 million claim concerning the alleged wrongful appointment of receivers and managers under an Islamic financing facility for the construction of Menara Tulus and Menara Ikhlas.

Successfully defended a financial institution in a dispute over the sale of charged land executed under an irrevocable power of attorney, in a case that clarified principles of void dispositions and powers of attorney: Lim Eng Chuan Sdn Bhd v United Malayan Corporation Bhd & Anor.

Acted in a RM60 million cross-border trade financing fraud, securing court-appointed receivers and managers to trace and recover assets: Sime Bank Bhd v Lal Bhojraj Khanchandani & Anor.

Banking & Financing Litigation:

Representing a corporate borrower to challenge the legality and enforceability of Ijarah financing and successfully obtained an interlocutory injunction to restrain enforcement pending trial: Pinnacle Nexus Sdn Bhd v Limra Capital Bhd

Acted for a financial institution in overturning a High Court decision that had set aside a land charge fraudulently transferred to a third party: See Leong Chye & Anor v United Overseas Bank Bhd & Anor Appeal.

Represented a development financial institution in an appeal addressing indemnity, guarantees, and the impact of variation on a guarantor’s liability: Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad v Spring Hill Bioventures Sdn Bhd.

Acted for a financial institution in an appeal to enforce judgment post-amendment of governing law: RHB Bank Bhd v Raja Alawiah bt Raja Lop Idris.

Acted for financial institution in successfully dismissing an abuse of process claim arising from auction sales: Tee Sin Teck & Anor v RHB Bank Bhd.

Defended major banks in high-value breach of mandate claims involving forged cheques, including:

- McLaren Saksama (M) Sdn Bhd v Hong Leong Bank Bhd

- CS Petroleum Sdn Bhd v Public Bank Bhd & Others

- Shorubber (M) Sdn Bhd v CIMB Bank Bhd

- Macquarie (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd v HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd

Represented banks in defending claims for alleged breaches of lender obligations, including:

- Bank Pertanian Malaysia Bhd v Gagnar Corporation Sdn Bhd & Ors

- Leisure Tower Sdn Bhd v AmBank Bhd

- Sri Alam Sdn Bhd v United Malayan Banking Corporation Bhd

Advised a financial institution in the recovery of RM21 million under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001: Public Prosecutor v United Overseas Bank (M) Bhd.

Represented a financial institution in multiple fraud-related claims involving former branch managers, including:

- Fraudulent misappropriation and manipulation of customer accounts involving RM8.25 million: RHB Bank Bhd v Isa bin Abu Bakar & Anor.

- Cross-border dissipation of RM19.4 million to Hong Kong by a former employee.

- investment fraud exceeding RM10 million.

Corporate & Shareholder Disputes:

Represented a group of family-owned pawnbroking business in a claim involving constructive trust and tracing claim: Sykt Ying Mui Sdn Bhd v FRG Investments Ltd & Ors And Other Suits

Representing majority shareholders in resisting a just and equitable winding-up petition of a well-known F&B business.

Representing a shareholder in joint venture dispute concerning his obligation as a guarantor: BAST Investment Pte Ltd v. Musang Durians Frozen Food (M) Sdn Bhd

Representing a public listed company, subsidiaries and its management in dispute arising from a share sale agreement and shareholder agreements, involving issues of fraud, deceit, conspiracy, and breaches of fiduciary duty: Ch’ng Chen Mong & Ors v MG Furniture Sdn Bhd & Ors And Another Suit.

Representing a major plantation company in a claim for breach of fiduciary duty and conflict of interest by former Board chairman and former CEO: FGV Holdings Bhd v Isa Samad & Mohd Emir Mavani Bin Abdullah

Defended former directors in proceedings involving allegations of mismanagement and breach of duty relating to a UK-based investment: Iris Corporation Bhd v Tan Sri Razali Bin Ismail & Ors

Acted for minority shareholders in a just and equitable winding-up of a family-owned construction and ironmongery company: Wang Po v Fong Soong Metal Works Sdn Bhd & Ors

Represented family members in constructive trust claims involving shares and assets of family-owned plantation companies: Looh Keo @ Looh Lim Teng & Anor v Prospell Enterprise Sdn Bhd & Ors

Represented a multinational company in claims against former senior management for breach of fiduciary duties and diversion of corporate funds

Civil & Commercial Disputes:

Represented the Malaysian Bar and former president of the Malaysian Bar in a defamation claim brought by former lawyers of former PM: Mohd Zaid bin Ibrahim & Ors v Badan Peguam Malaysia & Anor

Represented the Malaysian Bar for a claim for breach of statutory duty: Tan Sri Dr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah v Tommy Thomas & Ors

Represented a timeshare company in claims and counterclaims arising from breach of best endeavour clauses and alleged wrongful repudiation: Swiss Garden International Vacation Club Bhd v Swiss Marketing Corporation Sdn Bhd

Represented a major O&G service provider and its principal in a shareholder dispute involving fraud, constructive trust, and unjust enrichment

Representing a distributor in a contractual dispute against a multinational over breach of a distributorship agreement

Acted for a global telecommunications company in defending a multi-million claim alleging breach of good faith under a long-term service agreement

Arbitration:

Representing a local energy company in a dispute concerning road construction and maintenance agreement in AIAC arbitration

Representing a construction company in a dispute over architect fees in an LAM arbitration

Representing a palm oil mill operator in a dispute arising from a failed biogas palm oil effluent treatment plant in an AIAC arbitration

Represented a multinational energy company in an agency dispute in an AIAC arbitration

Represented a steel-making company in opposing an application for post-arbitration relief: Danieli & C Officine Mecchaniche SPA v Southern HRC Sdn Bhd

Acted for corporate guarantor in challenging the enforceability of a corporate guarantee executed without authority in an LCC Arbitration