Applies if not covered by
CA or case law. (s3 & s5 Civil
Law Act)
Cautious about invoking
English Law. (Tan Mooi
Liang)
Proposal
Definite promise by promisor to be bound as
soon as expressly or impliedly accepted. (s2(a)
CA)
Intimation of willingness by the offeror
to enter into a legally binding contract
as soon as expressly or impliedly
accepted. (Preston Corp Sdn Bhd v
Edward Leong)
Can be made to individuals, class of
persons, firms, companies, world at
large
Complete when comes to
knowledge of person to whom it's
made
Auction. Bids = offer. Striking of
hammer = acceptance. (M&J Frozen
Food Sdn Bhd v Siland Sdn Bhd)
Acceptance
Promisee signifies assent to
proposal. Proposal becomes
promise. (s2(b) CA)
Must be absolute
and unqualified
Must be conveyed in usual or
reasonable manner, unless
prescribed in proposal. (s7(b) CA)
If not conveyed as prescribed, promisor
may object within reasonable time
If not objected, shall be
deemed as accepted
'Subject To Contract'
(Charles Grenier Sdn Bhd v
Lau Wing Hong (FC))
Not binding. Court has to construe
correspondence between parties to see
intention
Law leans in favour of
upholding bargains.
Phrase 'subject to S&P Agreement'
does NOT automatically mean no
contract exist until contract signed.
Context of correspondence, object or
aim of transaction and intention of
parties must be read.
Communication of Acceptance
DEFINITION: Any act or omission of the party
accepting by which he intends to
communicate the acceptance and has the
effect of communicating it
Can be made in writing, orally or by
conduct or by a combination of the
above.
Felthouse v Bindley:
Silence does not
constitute
acceptance
Offeror can
waive
communication
Waiver implied in
unilateral contract. ie
Carlil v Carbolic
Smokeballs
s8 CA:
performance of
contract conditions
is acceptance
Acceptance in binding on proposer when
acceptor puts acceptance so as to be out of
the power of the acceptor; On the acceptor
when acceptance come to the knowledge
of the proposer. (s4(2) CA)
GR: only takes effect upon
communication to the proposer.
(Entores Ltd v Miles Far East Corp)
Postal Rule: s4(2) (a) and (b) of
CA - Ignatius v Bell
Revocation and
Termination
Revocation of
Acceptance
Must be communicated at any time before the
communication of acceptance is complete
against acceptor, not afterwards.
Revocation of
Proposal
Rejection
Counter offer with terms
not in original offer ends
offer. (Hyde v Wrench)
Asking for further
information not rejection.
(Stevenson v McLean)
Lapse of time
s6(b) CA : Revoked by the lapse of
time prescribed in proposal. If not
prescribed, lapse of reasonable
time.
Failure to fulfill a
condition precedent to
acceptance
s6(c) CA: rejected by failure of acceptor
to fulfill condition precedent to
acceptance. (Aberfoyle Plantations Ltd v
Khaw Bian Cheng (PC) )
Death of a party
May be revoked by death or mental
disorder of the proposer, if come to
knowledge of acceptor before acceptance.
Revocation
s5 CA: proposal may be revoked at any time before
communication of acceptance is complete against
proposer, not afterwards.
Effective Communication
s4(3): Revocation effective as against the person
who makes it, when it is given out of the power
of the person making it. AND as against the
person to whom it is made, when it comes to his
knowledge.
Consideration
Definition
s2(d): promisee has (or promised to) done or abstained
from doing something at the promisor's desire.
s26 CA: agreement without
consideration is void
s4(c) C(A)A 1976: notwithstanding
anything in CA, scholarship agreement not
void by absence of consideration
Consideration need not
be adequate
s26 CA: Agreement not void merely because consideration
inadequate. Inadequacy may be taken into account by court in
determining whether consent of promisor freely given.
s27(a) SRA : if consideration so grossly inadequate and there is
evidence of fraud or undue advantage by plaintiff, then plaintiff
cannot enforce contract.
Phang Swee Kim v Beh I Hock: as long as there were some
consideration, inadequacy immaterial. Unless inadequacy too
great it amounted to duress or fraud.
Unilateral declaration
insufficient to make contract
Guthrie Waugh Bhd v Malaippan Muthucumaru : Where no
consideration given by promisee, promisor merely owes moral
obligation to perform contract
May move from third party
s2(d) CA : consideration may be provided by the promisee
to any other person.
Past Consideration
s26(d) : a promise by the promisor to compensate the promisee for
something which the promisee has already voluntearily done for the
promisor ... would not be void for want of consideration.