A company secretary plays a key
role in the board. As officers of the company, they have to ensure that all
administrative tasks are executed effectively. Moreover, company secretaries
are also the liaising party between the company and external entities. However,
in Malaysia, this role has a few more responsibilities. In fact, as outlined by the Companies Act of
Malaysia, a minimum of one secretary is mandatory for private limited companies.
In fact, the position of a company secretary in Malaysia is one of the top corporate
positions in the company. This is because they are in charge of ensuring the
company meets all the statutory requirements and abides by all the laws.
Steps to receive a Company Secretary License
Read Also: What are the powers of a company secretary in Malaysia? -At Trade Consultancy
Therefore, the company secretary
in Malaysia must be aware of the responsibilities they have. They are outlined
below:
- Annual returns: these need to be recorded accurately and filed in time
- Providing advice: the company secretary is to act as an advisor in meetings for business related matters.
- Maintain secretarial records
- Call for and organize the company’s annual general meeting.
- Agenda preparation as well as recording of minutes of said meeting
- Display knowledge of all statutory requirements set by regulating bodies
- Make certain all procedures set by the Companies Act 1965 are followed accurately
- Protect the board members’ interests
- Make certain that all business changes must be documented and follow proper regulations.
- Meet all deadlines set by the regulating bodies
- Maintain all company paperwork. This includes updating them as necessary.
The process to becoming a company
secretary is simple. However, in Malaysia, it is slightly more complex as the
role is much bigger. Firstly, in order to be approved as a secretary by the
SSM, one needs to meet the following requirements:
- They are to be a natural person
- They have to be 18 or above
- Their main residency has to be based in Malaysia
- Their criminal record has to be empty
- They must not be in a state of bankruptcy
Finally, once you have met the
requirements stated above, you may file a formal application with the SSM to
receive your license. This procedure goes as follows:
Steps to receive a Company Secretary License
Step 1- Preparing and submitting documents
You will have to submit the
following to your closest branch office of the SSM:
- Completed form 48B.
- Clear copy of your identity card (your residency card if you are not Malaysian).
- Clear copies of all academic transcripts.
- Documents to attest to previous and relevant experience.
- Letter of referral.
- Passport photos (must be recent).
- Proof of payment of RM 50 as an application fee.
Step 2- Ensure you have the following qualifications
- A credit in either English or Bahasa Malaysia
- Work experience in the fields of either company law or secretarial practice
- At least five years of work experience in said fields
- Have a qualification certificate in one of the following:
MAICSA registered Chartered Secretary
MIA registered Chartered Accountant
Law (needs to have passed the Malaysian Bar)
Step 3- Written Examination and Assessing Interview
You will now be asked to sit for
an examination, which will test you on the following:
- Company law/regulations
- Secretarial practices of the company
- SSM issued Practice Note and Code of Ethics for Companies Secretaries
After the examination, you will
need to attend and in person interview that may quiz you on the same topics.
Step 4- Receiving your license
If you have successfully passed
the examination and the interview, you will be asked to pay RM 150. This is a
fee for the issuance of the license, which has a validity of three years.
Once the license has expired, you
may submit an application for a renewal.
Other key skills
Once you have received your license, you will need to ensure
that you have the following skills as well. These skills will be an advantage
for you, when you are interviewed by potential employers.
Multilingual
As Malaysia is a multicultural country, several languages
are spoken here. English is widely used as the language for business. However,
fluency in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil will be pose as an
advantage.
Time management and multitasking
Displaying a keen sense of time management and the ability
multitask is a must. As a company secretary you will be tasked to handle
several projects at once. Thus, you will need to ensure they are all done in
time.
Leadership and communication skills
Company secretaries in Malaysia are officers of the board.
As such, they occupy a senior position in the company. Thus, displays of
leadership skills are a must to delegate tasks to employees. Moreover, as the
primary liaising party between the company and external entities, good
communication is key.
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