Every company in Malaysia must appoint a company secretary under the Companies Act 2016. The company secretary is responsible for keeping the company compliant with the ongoing filing and reporting requirements of the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM). It is not an administrative assistant role: the company secretary is the company's formal point of contact with SSM and the other regulators.
Every company must appoint at least one company secretary within 30 days of completing company registration, and the position cannot sit vacant for long.
Who qualifies as a company secretary?
A company secretary must be licensed with SSM, or be a member of a prescribed professional body, and have their usual place of residence in Malaysia. This generally means a company's own directors or shareholders can't take on the role themselves unless they hold the right qualifications, which is why many businesses outsource it to a professional secretarial firm.
What does a company secretary handle?
- Maintaining the company's statutory registers (directors, shareholders, share movements, and so on)
- Lodging the annual return with SSM every year
- Processing director changes, share transfers and updates to registration details
- Preparing notices and minutes for board and shareholder meetings
- Tracking deadlines and helping the company meet its statutory obligations on time
What happens if the role isn't filled properly?
If a company fails to appoint a company secretary within the deadline, or a lapse by the secretary leads to missed filings, the company and its directors may face fines from SSM, and even the risk of the company being struck off. Appointing a licensed company secretary through a professional firm means these deadlines and filings no longer rely on the founder remembering everything, because a dedicated professional follows them up.
This content is for general reference only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. For your own situation, please book a consultation so that GXY's advisory team can advise on your actual circumstances. Last updated: 20 August 2026.
