Company Secretary Services

Company Secretary Services in Malaysia

A company secretary plays a crucial role in ensuring corporate compliance and governance within a Malaysian-registered company. Their responsibilities go beyond basic administrative tasks, they act as a key officer who ensures the company adheres to regulatory frameworks and statutory requirements.

In Malaysia, the role and qualifications of a company secretary are governed by the Companies Act 2016, which replaced the earlier Companies Act 1965. This updated legislation brought Malaysia’s corporate governance in line with international standards and elevated the role of the company secretary in Malaysia.  

 

Legal Malaysia Company Secretary Requirements Under the Companies Act 2016

Every company in Malaysia is legally required to appoint at least one company secretary, who must meet the following criteria:

• Must be a natural person (not a corporation)
  
• Must be at least 18 years of age
  
• Must be a citizen or permanent resident of Malaysia
  
• Must be ordinarily residing in Malaysia
  

These requirements ensure that the appointed Malaysian company secretary is legally accountable and available to handle compliance matters within the country.

 

Professional Company Secretary Qualifications Recognised by SSM

In addition to these basic conditions, a company secretary in Malaysia must meet professional standards set by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).

To qualify, the individual must either:

• Be a member of a professional body recognised by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), such as:
  • MAICSA – Malaysian Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
    
  • MACS – Malaysian Association of Company Secretaries
    
  • MIA – Malaysian Institute of Accountants
    
  • MICPA – Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants
    
  • Malaysian Bar, Sabah Law Association, or Advocates’ Association of Sarawak
    

OR

• Hold a valid license issued by the SSM

These rigorous requirements are in place to ensure that company secretaries in Malaysia possess the professional knowledge, legal awareness, and ethical standards necessary to support companies in maintaining good governance and full regulatory compliance.

 

Responsibilities of a Malaysia Company Secretary

In addition to monitoring and ensuring compliance with relevant legal requirements, a Malaysia company secretary also has the following responsibilities:

1. Board Meetings

A company secretary is responsible for organising and managing board meetings by preparing agendas with the chairman or CEO, attending meetings, recording accurate minutes, maintaining minute books, and certifying resolutions. This ensures that all board decisions are properly documented and comply with Malaysian company law.

2. General Meetings

Preparing, reviewing, and obtaining internal and external approvals for all documents circulated to shareholders. Coordinating the administration and attendance of general meetings, accurately recording minutes, and ensuring all meetings are conducted in accordance with statutory and procedural requirements.

3. Company Constitution

Ensuring the company operates in full compliance with its constitution, including drafting, adopting, and incorporating amendments through the correct legal and approval procedures.

Maintaining Statutory Registers and SSM Fillings:

Statutory Returns and Notifications

Managing timely filings and updates with SSM, including:

• Any changes in the director(s) of a company or particulars relating to the director(s)
• Changes to a director’s name or residential address
• Removal from office by the Malaysian Companies Act or the constitution
• Disqualification from holding office
• Appointments/resignations/deaths
• Annual return
• Change of company name
• Adoption, alteration and revocation of the constitution
• Issue of shares
• Any other changes that require updating with SSM

Report and Financial Accounts

Coordinating the publication and distribution of the company’s annual report, accounts and interim statement, and the preparation of the directors’ report.

Share Registration and Shareholding Matters

Maintaining the company’s register of members, dealing with transfers and other matters affecting shareholdings and dealing with queries and requests from shareholders after registering company.

Shareholder Communication

Communicating with shareholders (i.e., through circulars), paying dividends and interest, issuing documentation regarding rights issues and capitalisation issues, managing general shareholder relations, and liaising with institutional shareholders and their investment protection committees.

Shareholder Monitoring

Monitoring changes within the register of members to identify an apparent ‘stake-building’ in the company’s shares by potential takeover bidders and making enquiries of members as to beneficial ownership of holdings.

Share and Capital Issues, Transfers and Restructuring

Implementation of changes in the structure of the company’s share and loan capital and devising, implementing and administering directors’ and employees’ share participation schemes.

Acquisitions and Disposals

Participating as a key member of the company team established to implement corporate acquisitions and disposals, protecting the company’s interests by ensuring the effectiveness of all documentation and that due diligence disclosures enable proper commercial evaluation before completion of a transaction.

Corporate Governance Advisory

Reviewing developments in corporate governance and advising and assisting the directors concerning their duties and responsibilities, compliance with their obligations under company law and, if applicable, Stock Exchange requirements.

Support for Non-Executive Directors

Acting as a communication channel between the company and non-executive directors by providing timely information and governance support.

Company Seal Management

Ensuring the safe custody and proper use of the company seal where required under the company constitution and Malaysian legal framework.

SSM Compliance Alert and Reminders

3E Accounting Malaysia provides proactive compliance alerts and statutory filing reminders to help companies meet SSM deadlines and avoid penalties.

Package Fees for Malaysia Company Secretary Services

Company Secretarial Service Packages Available	Fee (RM) subjected to Service Tax
Annual Malaysia Company Secretary Service	RM500 **
Annual Registered Address Services (Virtual Office Support Included)	RM500
Preparation and submission of Annual Return to SSM for Private Limited Company (Including SSM Filing fee)	RM500
Preparation of XBRL Report to be submitted to SSM via the MBRS portal	From RM500 (Dormant Company) From RM1,000 (Active Company)

* billed one year in advance

3E Accounting offers complimentary cloud-based accounting software (Supported by AI Account) to clients who engage our secretarial services.

What’s Included in the Annual Company Secretary Package?

Our Annual Company Secretary Services Package provides:

• Acting as the named Corporate Secretary by our qualified professional staff (Malaysian)
• Safekeep the company’s common seal, if any
• Maintaining the Minutes and Register Books
• Maintaining the Beneficiary Owner Disclosure Policy
• Provision of registered office address #
• Advice on secretarial/statutory/compliance/accounting/tax/GST matters
• Monitoring and ensuring compliance with relevant legal requirements, particularly under the Companies Act and Income Tax Act. Regular compliance alert via email.

 

** If the total number of directors, shareholders, beneficial owners are more than 3 persons or entity – a once-off RM100 per person or entity due diligence review fees will apply.

 

Registered Office Address Services

The use of 3E’s office premise as your company’s Registered Address is for fulfilment of statutory requirements under the Companies Act whereby all the statutory records shall be kept and accessible to the public. Hence, it is common practice that the registered address shall be the Company Secretary’s office address.

Please note that the provision of registered address is already included as part of our company secretarial package.

Provision of Registered Office Address Includes:

• A statement of the letter is available upon request
• Free Scanning letter services upon request
• Free daily letter/parcel notifications via email
• Self-collection of mail and parcels between Monday and Friday: (9 am to 6 pm) (no handling fee)
• Receipt of normal mails, air mails, parcels (below 3 kg) or registered mails *
• Mail forwarding / Courier arrangement to a local/overseas address on a daily/weekly/monthly basis is available (Service fee of RM 1 is applied for each forwarding)

Please note that the registered office address shall not be confused with the business address of your company. For license application purposes, it is mandatory to have a physical premise for the license application, and the relevant authority will request the supporting documents from the applicant company to verify that the applicant company is operating at the said physical premise. Therefore, our registered office address shall NOT be stated as your business address for the license application.

 

Why Choose 3E Accounting Malaysia?

Our fees quoted to you are the best quotes in the market among our comparable competitors. Despite the dynamic and challenging working environment, we maintain one of the lowest fees in the market among our comparable competitors, all while delivering high-quality services to you. The difference in our quality services will alert you why you should avoid low secretarial fees service provider.

Contact us today at info@3ecpa.com.my for a no-obligation consultation!

Standard Charges of Basic Non-Routine Corporate Secretarial Services and Disbursements

Basic Packages Available	Fee (RM)
Company Name Search (each application)	RM 100
Change of company name	RM 500
SSM Company Profile (each company)	RM 100
SSM Company Images (i.e. Statutory forms)	RM 50
Increase of Issued Share Capital	From RM 350 for first allottee RM 100 each additional allottee
Splitting of Shares	From RM 250
Transfer of Shares (excludes stamp duty payable)	From RM 250 per transfer form
Issuance / Replacement of share certificate	From RM 250
Resolution for Declaration of Dividend	RM350 for first shareholder RM100 each additional shareholder
Change in Beneficial owners, Registrable controllers and Nominator of nominee director	From RM100 per individual
Change of Nature of Business	RM200
Change of Business address (and/ or) Change of Address of Accounting Record	RM150
Appointment/Resignation of Director	From RM 250 per director
Update of Director’s Particulars	RM 100 per director
Change of Secretary and registered office	RM 300
Appointment of First Auditor	RM 200
Change of Auditors	RM 400
Change of Financial Year-end	RM 400
Opening/Closure of Bank Account	RM 150
Outgoing signing of documents at the bank branch by Malaysia Company Secretary / Nominee Director	From RM 500
Change of Bank Authorised Signatory/Signatories	RM 150
Application for Extension of Time for Annual General Meeting	RM 300
Amendment of Constitution (formerly known as Memorandum and Articles of Association)	From RM 600
Lodgement of a new standard Constitution for your Company with SSM @	From RM 400
Purchase/Disposal of Property/ Tenancy Agreement	From RM 150
Termination processing fee (Secretarial services)	RM 500
Termination processing fee (Nominee director and secretarial services)	RM 1,000
Statutory records file inspection	RM 500 per visit
Attend Meeting by Corporate Secretary or representative (in 3E Office) (Excluding disbursement and Records of minutes)	From RM 400 per hour
Letter of Confirmation by Secretary that the Company has no Constitution	From RM 100
Letter of Confirmation of Company Information by Secretary	From RM 400
Letter of Confirmation of Minutes for Audit Purpose by Secretary	From RM 150
Closure of Company – Striking-off	From RM 2,000
Certification of Statutory Document	RM 5 per page
Certification of Non-Statutory Document (e.g. NRIC, Passport, etc.)	RM 50 per page
Referral Fee for Opening of Bank Account	RM 50 per bank
Rubber stamp	RM 50 per unit
Common seal	RM 100 per unit
Purchase of Certificate of Incorporation (Section 17) from SSM	RM 100
Abolish the existing Constitution ( fka Memorandum and Articles of Association)	RM 150
Arranging for a Commissioner for Oaths in Kuala Lumpur to attest the document	RM 100 per financial statement
Any other resolution not specified in this schedule	To be advised

@ The adoption of the Constitution is optional under the Companies Act 2016 (CA 2016), and if you are interested in adopting our standard Constitution for your company, our fee is RM400, which includes the stamping fee (RM200). An extra charge for the customisation of the Constitution applies. Amongst the special clauses included in our standard Constitution are as follows:-

• Signing of board resolution by the majority of directors (signing by all directors as required under CA 2016)
• Adoption of a common seal (which is useful when clients purchase properties)

@@ The disbursements include one-time courier fees to a local address within Peninsula Malaysia for documents below 0.5 kg only.
(Note: Full rate courier fee is chargeable for documents weighing above 0.5 kg).

For the request of certification of statutory / non-statutory documents, the courier fee is chargeable and subject to a processing fee of RM1 on top of the said courier fee, for each arrangement.

For postage/courier arrangement, a minimum mailing deposit of RM100 is required. The mailing deposit will be utilised for mailing / courier charges incurred in respect of your company, as well as our processing fee of RM1 for each arrangement. The said deposit cannot be utilised for any of our other services, as it serves different purposes or is offset by the security deposit of nominee directors’ service (if any). We will notify you to top up your deposit account when it falls low or is fully utilised. The balance will remain with us for future mailings or be refunded in the event of service termination.

FAQ on 3E Accounting Malaysia Company Secretary Services