Constitution

Too long too read? Download it here: CMSA Constitution (Affliation)

CMSA Constitution (October 1999)

1. NAME

The name of the organisation shall be “Persatuan Penuntut-Penuntut Malaysia di Canterbury”, hereafter referred to as Association. The equivalent to the above shall be Canterbury Malaysian Students’ Association.

2. OBJECTIVES AND AIMS

a)           To promote and safeguard the welfare of Malaysians

b)           To afford a recognised means of communication with the home government, various authorities, organisations and the general public.

c)           To encourage fellowship among all members.

d)          To strengthen Malaysian national unity.

e)           To promote understanding and friendly relations with persons of other nationalities.

f)            To aid new Malaysian students, where possible, on their arrival at Christchurch.

g)           To provide opportunities to help promote a better understanding of our country.

h)           To promote sports events, social and cultural activities.

3. MEMBERSHIP

a)           Membership of the Association shall be made by application. The payment of the annual subscription should be forwarded with the application.

b)           The membership of the Association shall be open to all Malaysians and to any other person who will abide by the Constitution of the Association.

c)           Ordinary Member – Every Malaysian in Christchurch, or elsewhere at the discretion of the Management Committee, is entitled to be an ordinary member.

d)          Associated Member – Membership shall be open to all other persons who are willing to abide by the Constitution of the Association.

e)           Honorary Member:

• Honorary Member shall be nominated persons who are interested in or are willing to assist in the progress of the Association; membership shall be duly proposed and seconded by Ordinary Members and approved by the Committees.
• Honorary membership shall be for one year, subject to renewal.

4. MEMBERS

Their rights and obligations:

a)           Ordinary Members

Ordinary Members are entitled to hold office, vote and enjoy all rights and privileges of the Association. Ordinary Members of either CMSA or LMSS (Lincoln Malaysian Students Society) will enjoy the privileges and rights of both parties.

b)           Associate Members

• Associate Members are accorded speaking rights but not voting rights at all General Meetings, except vote for the Associate Representative in the Management Committee.
• Associate Members shall not hold any office other than position of Associate Representative.

c)           Honorary Members

Honorary Members shall enjoy all rights and privileges of the Association, except voting rights and to hold office in the Management Committee.

5. SUBSCRIPTION

a)           Person eligible for ordinary membership shall become Ordinary Members only on payment of the annual subscription, payable at any time subject to Section 5c. The Management Committee before the collection for the year shall determine the annual subscription fee. All membership shall be deemed to have expired at the end of the current University of Canterbury academic year.

b)           Individual who is eligible for Associate Membership shall become Association Member upon the same conditions as above.

c)           Membership applications shall close on 31^st July every year, or when the Management Committee thinks fit. Notice shall be given at least 14 days before the closing date.

6. CURRENT YEAR

The current year of the Association shall commence immediately after the newly elected Management Committee takes over.

7. CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall cease in any of the following case:

a)           Any member is found to act in direct violation of the Articles of the Constitution without giving reasons considered acceptable by the Committees.

b)           By resignation, a written notice of which should be given to the Secretary.

c)           Members whose subscriptions have expired.

8. STRUCTURE AND ROLE OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

A. Management Committee

a)           The Management Committee shall consist of:

• President;
• Vice-President;
• Honorary Secretary;
• Treasurer;
• 4-11 Committee Members with OR without portfolio.

b)           Duties of the Management Committee:

• The Management Committee shall manage the arrairs of the Association and supervise its properties.
• To appoint Ad Hoc sub-committees and Standing sub-committees and to exercise direct control over all Ad Hoc sub-committees and Standing sub-committees.
• To accept resignation of any office bearer from any office and to appoint a member of the Association to fill in the office vacated by such resignation.

c)           Resignation of the Office Bearer(s)

• The resignation of the Office Bearer shall take effect 10 days after a written resignation from the office bearer concerned has been handed to the President or the Secretary of the Association.

B. Duties of the Office Bearers

a)           President

• To be the Chairperson of all General Meetings.
• To be Chairperson at all meetings of the Management Committee.
• To give a casting vote where necessary at all meetings over which he/she presides.
• To make public statements on behalf of the Association.
• To carry out such other duties as may have been entrusted to him/her by the Management Committee.

b)           Vice-President

• To act in the absence of the President.
• To give a casting vote where necessary at all meetings over which he/she presides.
• To carry out such other duties as may be entrusted to him/her by the Management Committee.
• To liase between CMSA and LMSS.

c)           Honorary Secretary

• To keep custody of all documents, forms, records and file of the Association.
• To attend to all General Correspondence on behalf of the Association.
• To convene all Ordinary and Extra-Ordinary General Meetings.
• To prepare minutes of all Committee Meetings.

d)          Treasurer

• To receive all moneys due to the Association and to issue receipts for such payments.
• To be responsible for the collection of all subscriptions and the compilation of the list of all members.
• To prepare a Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheets for the year ending 30^th September, submit them to the Auditor to be audited and then to the house at the Annual General Meeting.
• To carry out such duties entrusted to him/her by the Management Committee.

e)           Committee Members with portfolio

• To carry out all duties that is appropriate to the portfolio, which shall be determined by the Management Committee prior to the appointment.
• To carry out such duties entrusted to him/her by the Management Committee.

f)            Committee Members without portfolio

• To carry out such duties entrusted to him/her by the Management Committee.

9. MEETING

A. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

a)           Annual General Meeting shall be held in September/October every year. The notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given at least 14 days before the intending day of the General Meeting. At all General Meetings, a fifth (1/5) of the total membership shall form a quorum. Should there be no quorum at the time, the meeting is scheduled to commence, the meeting shall delayed for not more than thirty (30) minutes during which period, should there be still no quorum the meeting shall proceed provided however that:

• There must be at least a sixth (1/6) of the total membership and that two-third (2/3) majority of the number agrees to the commencement of the meeting.
• Only the General Business as set out in Section 9 Part A and Part C shall be conducted.

b)           Business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

• The Honorary Secretary shall draw up the Agenda of the Annual General Meeting.
• The Agenda shall be circulated at least fourteen (14) days before the intending day of the Annual General Meeting.
• To read and confirm the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting and Extra-Ordinary General Meeting.
• To receive and adopt the Management Committee Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year.
• To elect the Office Bearers and Honorary Auditor for the New Current Year.

B. Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EOGM)

• The convention of an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall depend upon the urgency of the circumstances.
• An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall be held only at the written request of at least a quarter (1/4) of the total membership of the Association and it shall be held within fourteen (14) days after receipt of the request.
• The quorum procedures shall be the same for the Annual General Meeting, as set out as above.
• The President and the Honorary Secretary shall empower to summon an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting and at a shorter notice than the stated time limit, if the urgency of the Agenda deems it necessary.

C. Management Committee Meeting

• The Management Committee shall ordinarily meet at least once an academic semester of University of Canterbury.
• At least three (3) days prior notice shall be given before the intending day of the meeting.
• At least six (6) members of the Management Committee shall be present to form a quorum.
• Any committee members absent from three (3) consecutive meetings without adequate reason shall be deemed to have relinquished his/her post.

10. ELECTIONS

a)           Time of the election of Office Bearers is at an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting specified for the purpose.

b)           Voting is by show of hands or ballot, up to the discretion of the Management Committee.

c)           Nominations

• All candidates standing for elections in the Management Committee shall be duly proposed and seconded by members of the Association.
• All nominations shall be accepted at the AGM.

d)          The Management Committee has no entitled voting rights at the Annual General Meeting or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting, unless given the rights to do so by the President.

11. APPOINTMENT

The Management Committee has the discretion to appoint an Ordinary Member to become a Committee Member.

12. AFFILIATIONS

Affiliation to any organisation shall be with the approval of at least two-third (2/3) majority of the members persent at the AGM, or EOGM.

13. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

a)           None of the rules of the Constitution shall be altered, rescinded or added to, except with the approval of the two-third (2/3) majority of all Ordinary Members present at the AGM or EOGM.

b)           All amendments shall be duly proposed and seconded by members of the Association. These shall be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least one (1) week before the date of the meeting.

c)           Winding up. In the event of the winding up of Association all of real and personal property of the Association, after payment of costs, debts and liabilities shall vest on the University of Canterbury Students’ Association (UCSA).

***Amendments to Constitution (No.1) 2001 (Partial ref: Part 5 – CMSA AGM Minutes for 2001)

Part 4(c) Honorary Members

Only to be hold by the top four of preceding committee board:

• President
• Vice President
• Honorary Secretary
• Treasurer
  • The position only applies when the preceding committee is available in New Zealand.
  • Obliged to assist when required by current members.

Part 8(B) Duties of the Office Bearers

a)      President

• To be the New Zealand Universities of Malaysian Students (NZUMS) representative for University of Canterbury.