How to Choose the Right Corporate Secretary Service in Malaysia (5 Questions to Test Them)

You need a corporate secretary, which means that congratulations are in order.

Congratulations on the new company!

You’ve now joined an elite group of 1.5 million business owners in Malaysia who have incorporated their Sdn Bhd.

Now that you’re off to a good start, let’s get to the necessary part:

Engaging a corporate secretary service.

(A corporate secretary is also known as a company secretary or CoSec)

You don’t want to hire just any corporate secretary. You won’t trust simply any surgeon to cut you up, would you? Same thing here.

Ideally, you want a corporate secretary who:

• Is familiar with the regulations

• Understands your business

• Has integrity

  
  

So how do you know if someone is right for you and your business?

You ask them the right questions, of course.

Today, we’ll share with you 5 questions to ask when you vet a corporate secretary, and the rationale behind them.

Let’s go!

Why do you need a corporate secretary service?

First and foremost, why do you even need a corporate secretary?

Easy. It’s because it’s mandated by Section 236(1) of the Companies Act 2016.

Every Sdn Bhd must appoint a corporate secretary within 30 days of incorporation.

Failure to do so could cost you a fine of RM10,000! Trust us, it’s cheaper to pay a CoSec.

What does a corporate secretary even do?

We’ll give you two versions of an answer to this question — the boring answer, and the actually practical answer.

Boring answer:

A company secretary ensures compliance with SSM regulations. They handle statutory filings, board resolutions, meeting minutes, share transfers, and corporate governance matters.

Practical answer:

Your company is like a newborn baby, ripe for abuse.

Many directors treat their company like a personal piggy bank, to be plundered and emptied as they please.

The role of the company secretary is to protect the newborn baby from harm.

Like a bodyguard. Or a nanny. Or a nanny bodyguard who knows kung fu.

Can my I ask my mother to become my corporate secretary?

Yes. PROVIDED that your mother is a licensed secretary registered with SSM.

Or a member of any of the following bodies:

• Malaysia Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (MAICSA)

• Malaysia Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)

• Malaysia Association of Company Secretaries (MACS)

• Advocates’ Association of Sarawak (AAS)

• Malaysia Institute of Accountants (MIA)

• Sabah Law Association (SLA)

• Malaysia Bar (BC)

Then yes. Your mother can absolutely become your corporate secretary.

Otherwise, you’ll have to find someone else to appoint — someone like us.

Does a corporate secretary handle tax and account?

No, they do not.

That’s a whole different department. Ready for a crash course?

There are four people responsible for keeping you compliant:

1/ The Bodyguard (Company Secretary)

Guards your business baby from being misused by its own parents (directors).

2/ The Diary Keeper (Accountant)

Records every ringgit like tracking a baby's feeding schedule - so you know what's really happening.

3/ The Policeman (Auditor)

Checks everything with fresh eyes: "Is this really true? Does this reflect real life?"

4/ The Calculator (Tax Specialist)

Once the policeman gives the green light, calculates exactly what you owe the government.

Confused? Watch this video:

So no, the company secretary does not handle tax and audit.

How to choose the right corporate secretary in Malaysia — what questions to ask

Now we come to the important part. How to tell a good corporate secretary from a less-good corporate secretary?

Here are 5 questions to test your candidate with:

1. Are you licensed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia or recognised professional bodies?

2. What are the key statutory deadlines I need to be aware of as a company director?

3. Walk me through what happens if we miss filing our Annual Return on time.

4. What would you need to know about my business to give me proper advice?

5. Beyond compliance, what other business setup challenges do new companies typically face, and how do you help with those?

Why ask your corporate secretary these questions to test them?

Here's our rationale behind each question, and the answer you should look for.

“Are you licensed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia or recognised professional bodies?’

Clearly, the answer must be yes.

As we mentioned earlier, a corporate secretary must be licensed secretary registered with SSM, or a member of any of the following bodies:

• Malaysia Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (MAICSA)

• Malaysia Institute of Certified Public Accountants (MICPA)

• Malaysia Association of Company Secretaries (MACS)

• Advocates’ Association of Sarawak (AAS)

• Malaysia Institute of Accountants (MIA)

• Sabah Law Association (SLA)

• Malaysia Bar (BC)

Does not pass this bar? Nothing else matters.

“What are the key statutory deadlines I need to be aware of as a company director?”

The right answer:

• Financial Statements (6-7 months from financial year-end)

• Annual Returns (30 days from AGM)

• SSM notifications

  
  

This is basic knowledge every company secretary should know.

“Walk me through what happens if we miss filing our Annual Return on time.”

The right answer — so you know if your corporate secretary knows their stuff:

If you miss the deadline, you'll pay RM100 for the first month, then RM10 for every day after that until you file.

Your company gets marked as "non-compliant" which hurts your business reputation.

After 6 months, SSM sends you a warning notice and may start removing your company from their records.

If you ignore this for a full year, they'll automatically begin shutting down your company and announce it publicly in the Government Gazette.

“What would you need to know about my business to give me proper advice?”

This tests whether they have real business experience beyond just filing paperwork.

It reveals if they're a true business advisor who can solve real problems, or just someone who only knows how to fill out government forms.

“Beyond compliance, what other business setup challenges do new companies typically face, and how do you help with those?”

This flips the script to test if they know what questions they should be asking you about your business.

Good professionals have a systematic approach to understanding clients.

It reveals whether they're self-aware advisors who understand that different businesses have different compliance needs, or if they just wing it without proper methodology.

Wanna see how Douglas Loh & Associates would answer these five questions? Let’s hop on a call so you can find out.

Click here if you're Malaysian.

Click here if you're non-Malaysian.