Complete Guideline by SSM for Name Search

Complete Guideline by SSM for Name Search

In order to incorporate a business, filing company name search application is a must to do. According to the Companies Act 1965 (the Act), before a company or its change of name is registered, the Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism or the Registrar of Companies must first approve the name or the new name of the company respectively accordingly.

The statutory provision under section 22 of the Act,

1. Except with the consent of the Minister, a company shall not be registered by a name that, in the opinion of the Registrar, is undesirable or is a name, or a name of a kind, that the Minister has directed the Registrar not to accept for registration.
2. The Minister shall cause a direction given by him under subsection (1) to be published in the Gazette. Government Gazette No. 716 dated 30 January 1997 and Gazette (Amendment) dated 11 October 2001.
3. A limited company shall have “Berhad” or the abbreviation “Bhd.” as part of and at the end of its name.
4. A private company shall have the word “Sendirian” or the abbreviation “Sdn.” as part of its name, inserted immediately before the word “Berhad” or before the abbreviation “Bhd.” or in the case of an unlimited company, at the end of its name.
5. It shall be lawful to use and no description of a company shall be deemed inadequate or incorrect by reason of the use of –
   1. the abbreviation “Sdn.” in lieu of the word “Sendirian” contained in the name of a company;
   2. the abbreviation “Bhd.” in lieu of the word “Berhad” contained in the name of a company; or
   3. any of such words in lieu of the corresponding abbreviation contained in the name of a company.
6. Prior to the registration of –
   1. an intended company or foreign company; or
   2. the change of name of a company or foreign company,

 
Every company is required to apply in the prescribed form to the Registrar for a search as to the availability of the proposed name of the intended company or the foreign company, as well as for the reservation of that name. For more information, please refer to the Government Gazette No. 716 dated 30 January 1997, Gazette (Amendment) dated 11 October 2001, Guidelines For Naming A Company and Guidelines for Application Of A Company Name. Meanwhile, similar provision which applicable for foreign companies is contained in section 341 (1) of the Act.

Besides, there are some prohibitions or controlled words that cannot be used when considering an application for a company name. Prohibited words in the use of the company name included under the Minister’s direction Government Gazette No. 716 dated 30 January 1997 and Gazette (Amendment) dated 11 October 2001. Apart from that, any name that is considered as undesirable in the opinion of the Registrar is also categorized under prohibition or restrictions when considering company name. For more information regarding the complete guideline for company name search, please do not hesitate to contact us today!