SSM Licensed Secretary study guide
SSM Licensed Secretary · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The SSM Licensed Secretary credential is the practising licence for company secretaries in Malaysia, administered under the Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM) framework established by the Companies Commission of Malaysia Act 2001 and the Companies Act 2016. It matters most to secretarial executives, legal and compliance officers, accounting professionals and fresh graduates who intend to act as named company secretary for Malaysian private and public companies, including listed issuers. The SSM Licensed Secretary study guide has 9 sections and about 2,757 words.
01Company Law and the Companies Act 2016
The Companies Act 2016 (CA 2016) took effect on 31 January 2017 and replaced the Companies Act 1965. This domain tests the company lifecycle: incorporation, constitution, separate legal personality, officers, meetings, shares, lodgment and enforcement.
340 words, about 2 min02Corporate Administration and Secretarial Practice
Corporate administration covers the statutory records, filings and meeting machinery a secretary operates daily: registers, registered office, resolutions, minutes, annual return and financial-statement lodgment. Maintain the register of members, register of directors, managers and secretaries, register of charges and the beneficial ownership register.
316 words, about 2 min03Corporate Governance and Board Duties
This domain tests board composition, independence, committees and the statutory and fiduciary duties of directors. For listed issuers, the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance 2021 (MCCG 2021) applies on an 'apply and explain' basis through the Bursa Listing Requirements.
329 words, about 2 min04Corporate Finance
Corporate finance examines how companies raise and deploy capital: equity versus debt, rights issues, placements, buy-backs, capital reduction and investment appraisal. Expect calculations and approval-route questions.
292 words, about 1 min05Shares and Capital Maintenance
Shares and capital maintenance tests how shares are issued, paid for and reduced, and when distributions are lawful. The CA 2016 no-par-value regime is examinable.
306 words, about 2 min06Insolvency, Winding Up and Corporate Rescue
Insolvency and rescue questions test the difference between cash-flow and balance-sheet insolvency, the winding-up routes, and the rescue mechanisms introduced by the CA 2016. A company is insolvent if it cannot pay its debts as they fall due; balance-sheet insolvency is liabilities exceeding assets.
293 words, about 1 min07Accounting and Financial Reporting for Secretaries
Accounting and reporting tests the secretary's role in preparing, approving and lodging financial statements: the reporting framework, components, directors' report, statements and deadlines. Private entities generally apply MPERS; public-listed companies and entities with public accountability apply MFRS.
295 words, about 1 min08Taxation (Corporate and Indirect)
Taxation tests corporate income tax, the SME rate, deductions, dividends and indirect taxes. The secretary must know filing dates and how tax interacts with distributions.
294 words, about 1 min09Business and Commercial Law (Contracts, Partnerships, LLP)
Business and commercial law tests contract formation and remedies, partnership liability, and the limited liability partnership. The Contracts Act 1950, Partnership Act 1961 and Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2012 are the key statutes.
292 words, about 1 min