Overview

• Representing one of Malaysia’s largest highway concessionaires in an AIAC arbitration in a dispute concerning the construction of a highway, which is valued at approximately RM100 million. 


• Representing a joint venture company between a leading construction and infrastructure company and Malaysia’s Armed Forces Fund Board against the Government of Malaysia in a dispute arising from the termination of railway project with a contract sum of RM4.48 billion. 


• Representing an airport operator in an AIAC arbitration in a dispute arising from the termination of a contract for the construction of an airport academy which is valued at approximately RM151 million. 


• Represented a main contractor against the subcontractor in a dispute involving the supply of skilled and experienced manpower and/or services or goods in several subcontracts for a railway project with the amount in dispute of more than RM 6 million. 


• Represented a main contractor against the works package contractor in a dispute arising from the termination of a contract for the construction of a light rail transit line which is valued at approximately RM420 million.

• Represented a statutory body in related appeals on application(s) to set aside an arbitration award and/or refer questions of law from the award arising from a Government concession agreement with the amount in dispute in the region of RM 55 million on appeal. 


• Represented a main contractor in respect of a statutory derivative action for a claim by the sub-contractor in excess of RM 40 million. This claim involves a design & build of a sewerage pipeline Project with the Government valued in excess of RM 365 million. 


• Represented an airport operator in resisting a claim of more than RM 450 million from a major airline company for alleged breach of contract and tort in respect of the management, operation and maintenance of certain airports in Malaysia. 


• Represented an airport operator in multiple high-profile civil suits against major airline companies concerning outstanding passenger service charges in excess of RM 40 million (Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn Bhd v AirAsia X Bhd [2020] 11 MLJ 709).

• Representing a Singaporean multinational petroleum supplier company in a civil suit for alleged breach of a lease agreement, tortious duty and statutory duty under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994. This claim involved alleged discharge of pollutants onto soil and wells in Kelantan arising from the operation of the service station of the company’s local subsidiary. 


• Advised an American-European beverage manufacturing company in relation to the operations of its wastewater treatment plant and sewage treatment plant systems of its local subsidiary and issues involving alleged discharge of industrial effluent in Johor. 


• Conducted a due diligence for an international construction engineering company in connection with a successful bid for an integrated waste management treatment and management business in Seremban. 


• Advised an American multinational semiconductor manufacturing company in relation to the operations of the deionized water treatment system of its local subsidiary and issues involving alleged discharge of industrial effluent in Penang. 


• Represented a Canadian multinational recycling and manufacturing company in a statutory appeal under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 against a decision by a state Director of the Department of Environment to suspend the company’s local subsidiary’s licence for allegedly importing scheduled waste without prior written approval in Kedah. 


• Represented a subsidiary of a Japanese manufacturing company in a civil suit for alleged breach of tortious and statutory under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994. The claim involved disease allegedly caused by exposure to chemicals at a Methylmethacrylate Butadiene Styrene plant. In Kuantan.

• Represented an airport operator creditor in respect of an airline debt restructuring scheme with liabilities in excess of RM 64.15 billion (Airasia X Bhd v BOC Aviation Ltd & Ors [2021] 10 MLJ 942).

Qualification:

• Advocate and Solicitor, High Court of Malaya (2019)
• Barrister-at-Law (Inner Temple) (2016)
• LL.B (Hons), University of London (2015)

Professional Affiliations:

• Member, Bar Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee (2023/2024)
• Member, Society of Construction Law Malaysia (2023/2024)
• Founding Member, Young Society of Construction Law Malaysia (2019/2022)

Publications:

• Co-contributor, Lexology GTDT - Occupational Health & Safety 2024
• Co-author, “A New Dawn for International Mediation?”, Mondaq (24 June 2020)

Presentations & Talks:

• Moderator, webinar on "Impact of COVID-19 on Migrant Workers & Refugees" organised by the YSCL in collaboration with the Bar Council Human Rights Committee (9 May 2020)
• Moderator, webinar on "Young & Female in Construction" organised by the YSCL (1 May 2020)
• Speaker, "An Overview of the Construction Industry in Malaysia" organised by the YSCL in collaboration with the AIAC and the University of Westminster (January 2020)

• Listed as “Other key lawyers” in Real Estate and Construction practice area by Legal 500 (2022)
•  “Laarnia Rajandran… very responsive and cool under pressure, especially in managing high-level, fast-paced decision making situations.” – The Legal 500 (2022)
• “Ms Laarnia have given valuable support and ideas on matters relating to our cases.” – The Legal 500 (2022)