All sections · Part XVII: Striking Off, Winding Up And Dissolution · Sub-Part V: Provisions of General Application in Winding Up
332 Preferential payments
(1) In this section „relevant date“ means —
(a) with respect to a company ordered to be wound up
compulsorily which has not previously commenced to be
wound up voluntarily, the date of the winding up order; and
(b) in any other case, the date of the commencement of the winding
up.
(2) Subject to sections 330 and 331 and subsection (3), in a winding up of a
company there shall be paid in priority to all other debts —
(a) all tax, fees or penalties (if any) payable by the company to the
Registrar or Authority under this Act, and having become due
and payable within twelve months next before the relevant date;
and
(b) all wages, salary and other emoluments of any employee of the
company, not exceeding US$6,000 in aggregate per employee,
in respect of services rendered to the company during three
months before the relevant date, provided that an employee
owed an amount exceeding US$6,000 may claim the excess
amount as a non-priority debt together with any other non-
priority unsecured creditors of the company.
(3) The debts referred to in subsection (2) shall —
(a) rank equally among themselves and be paid in full unless the
assets are insufficient to meet them in which case they shall
abate in equal proportions; and
(b) so far as the assets of the company available for payment of
general creditors are insufficient to meet them, have priority
over the claims of holders of debentures under any floating
charge created by the company, and be paid accordingly out of
any property comprised in or subject to that charge.
(4) Subject to the retention of such sums as may be necessary for the costs
and expenses of the winding up, the debts referred to in subsection (1)
shall be discharged forthwith so far as the assets are sufficient to meet
them.
(5) Where any payment on account of salary or other emoluments has been
made to any employee of a company out of money advanced by some
person for that purpose, that person shall, in a winding up, have a right of
priority in respect of the money so advanced and paid up to the amount
by which the sum in respect of which that employee would have been
entitled to priority in the winding up has been diminished by reason of
the payment having been made.
(a) with respect to a company ordered to be wound up
compulsorily which has not previously commenced to be
wound up voluntarily, the date of the winding up order; and
(b) in any other case, the date of the commencement of the winding
up.
(2) Subject to sections 330 and 331 and subsection (3), in a winding up of a
company there shall be paid in priority to all other debts —
(a) all tax, fees or penalties (if any) payable by the company to the
Registrar or Authority under this Act, and having become due
and payable within twelve months next before the relevant date;
and
(b) all wages, salary and other emoluments of any employee of the
company, not exceeding US$6,000 in aggregate per employee,
in respect of services rendered to the company during three
months before the relevant date, provided that an employee
owed an amount exceeding US$6,000 may claim the excess
amount as a non-priority debt together with any other non-
priority unsecured creditors of the company.
(3) The debts referred to in subsection (2) shall —
(a) rank equally among themselves and be paid in full unless the
assets are insufficient to meet them in which case they shall
abate in equal proportions; and
(b) so far as the assets of the company available for payment of
general creditors are insufficient to meet them, have priority
over the claims of holders of debentures under any floating
charge created by the company, and be paid accordingly out of
any property comprised in or subject to that charge.
(4) Subject to the retention of such sums as may be necessary for the costs
and expenses of the winding up, the debts referred to in subsection (1)
shall be discharged forthwith so far as the assets are sufficient to meet
them.
(5) Where any payment on account of salary or other emoluments has been
made to any employee of a company out of money advanced by some
person for that purpose, that person shall, in a winding up, have a right of
priority in respect of the money so advanced and paid up to the amount
by which the sum in respect of which that employee would have been
entitled to priority in the winding up has been diminished by reason of
the payment having been made.
