How To Find The Best Company Secretary In Malaysia
There’s no ‘best’ Company Secretary!
Search for top Company Secretaries in Malaysia and results are dominated by two things:
- Every Company Secretary in Malaysia claiming to be the best.
- Lists of ‘Top 10 Company Secretaries in Malaysia’ on sites that rank everything under the sun.
Call us cynical, but we’d be a bit skeptical of the evaluation processes for both these sources.
With no objective benchmark, the term best Company Secretary in Malaysia doesn’t mean anything.
However, as a Secretarial firm ourselves, some will be a better fit for you than others, and here’s how you can find the best Company Secretary in Malaysia for your specific needs.
Note: There are definitely Company Secretaries to avoid, and we’ll help you identify those too!
Now, let’s begin.
Solo professionals vs firms
The first decision to make is choosing between an individual Secretary and Secretarial firm.
Strictly speaking, a Company Secretary (CoSec) is always a licensed professional individual, but some operate as solo practitioners while others join firms like MISHU.
While firms offer a more standardised experience, independent CoSecs vary widely, with some offering bespoke services at premium prices, while others are a stripped-down version of a firm with lower prices and correspondingly limited services.
Your choice depends on what you need from your CoSec.
Just a CoSec or a business service provider?
These six are core roles any qualified Company Secretary in Malaysia should be able to handle:
- advising directors on corporate governance
- monitoring legislation changes
- managing and updating statutory documents
- filing Annual Returns and Financial Statements
- organising and attending meetings
- maintaining ties between company and SSM
Meanwhile, on top of CoSec duties, MISHU also offers other services like:
- HR consulting
- accounting & auditing
- business license registrations
- employment pass applications
- more
Some just want their CoSec to handle SSM’s compliance requirements and nothing else.
If you just need compliance handled, it’s probably OK to appoint an individual Secretary.
But companies often need lots of other services, so many CoSec firms offer them as a one-stop-solution.
If you want a business consultant with a suite of solutions on top of Secretarial services, then a firm is the far better option.
Regardless, always check for red flags.
Company Secretary red flags
The core CoSec roles we listed earlier really come down to two things:
- statutory compliance knowledge, and
- trustworthiness
With so many CoSecs that meet both requirements at any price point, you have zero need to compromise, and here’s how you check.
Statutory compliance knowledge
We bet you’re thinking:
How can I test a Company Secretary if I don’t know anything about statutory compliance?
Luckily, there’s not that much to it and most companies follow the same compliance rules.
Just ask what you need to know about compliance as a company director, and a competent CoSec should mention few key obligations:
| Compliance Requirement | Deadline |
| Annual Return | Within 30 days from incorporation anniversary |
| Financial Statements | Circulate within 6 months of financial year end (FYE) and file it within 7 months after FYE |
| Company Secretary Appointment | Cannot be vacant for more than 30 days |
| Notifying SSM of Company Changes | Within 14–30 days |
| Statutory Body Registration (EPF, SOCSO, etc) | Within 7–30 days of hiring staff |
| Tax Filing | 7 months after FYE |
If you’re feeling cheeky, ask if you can go with another CoSec after this one incorporates your company–they won’t like it, but the answer should be ‘yes’!
Trustworthiness
The first red flag: Charging below SSM’s fee for company registration.
SSM’s official incorporation fee is RM1,010 (including their platform charge).
So if a CoSec offers to handle the process for less, how are they making money?
Usually, it’s by locking you into mandatory Company Secretarial, tax, or accounting subscriptions bundled with the incorporation.
The second red flag: Not being able to justify a pricing plan recommendation.
Every firm has different packages at different price points, including MISHU.
Of course we’d like to sell you a premium plan, but only if you actually need one.
A trustworthy CoSec will ask questions to learn your needs before suggesting a plan, and if it’s a more expensive option, they will be able to explain why.
Company Secretary green flags
Once you’ve established the basics, here’s what you can check for if you also want them to serve as a comprehensive business consultant.
Practical knowledge of doing business
Where compliance is about reporting and governance, doing business is what allows a company to legally transact, serve customers, and grow.
A CoSec who knows what it takes to do business will be able to advise you on how to:
- open a business bank account
- find suitable business premises
- meet nominee directors and shareholders
- buy ready-made shelf companies
- and more
Many CoSecs will hold your hand through incorporation then leave you to figure the rest out!
Comprehensive suite of services
Just because a CoSec knows what you need to do business doesn’t mean they’ll help you do it, so ask if they offer the services you need in-house or via partners.
Otherwise, you’ll have to find a separate provider for your business licenses, HR, training, accounting…you get the picture.
Low CoSec-to-client ratio
For example, at MISHU we assign two Company Secretaries (who in turn have their own assistants) to every client so if one is absent for some reason, there’s always someone on hand.
Some firms may have just one CoSes per client, while others may have three or more.
Either way, the smaller the CoSec-to-client ratio, the faster you can expect service and replies to be, especially for adhoc requests.
Conclusion
Any licensed CoSecs can handle the basics, so don’t worry about hiring a plumber by mistake.
However, many Company Secretary firms today also double as business advisors, and there you’ll find a lot more variation between offerings.
So spend some time exploring options, unless you’ve realised the best Company Secretary in Malaysia was right in front of you all along 😀
Let MISHU be your Company Secretary
On top of Company Secretary services, MISHU offers a comprehensive suite of business solutions including everything from accounting to HR and business licensing. If you want a one-stop solution, MISHU may be your perfect choice.