Persatuan Geologi Malaysia
(Geological Society of Malaysia)

CONSTITUTION and BY-LAWS
(with amendments up to 28th February 1986)

Article I: NAME

The Society shall be called “The Geological Society of Malaysia” and in the Malaysian Language “Persatuan Geologi Malaysia”, hereinafter called the ‘Society’.

Article II: OBJECT

The object of the Society is to promote advancement of the geological sciences particularly in Malaysia and nearby areas.

Article Ill: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: The membership shall consist of Full Members, Honorary Members, Professional Members, Student Members, Associate Members and Institutional Members. Full Members, Honorary Members, and Professional Members shall be known as Corporate Members. Student Members, Associate Members and Institutional Members shall be known as Non-Corporate Members.

The names of all Corporate and Non­-Corporate Members shall be entered in a Register of the Society hereinafter referred to as the “Register”.

Full Members

Section 2: Candidates for Full Member shall be persons who have a Bachelors degree in geology or equivalent qualification in a related science or an equivalent training through practical experience.

Honorary Members

Section 3: The Council may from time to time elect as Honorary Members persons who have contributed distinguished service to the Science of Geology.

Section 4: Honorary members shall have all the rights and duties of Full Members, save that they shall not be liable for dues.
Professional Members

Section 5: A candidate for Professional membership must satisfy the following conditions:-

i)    The candidate shall be a person who has at least a Bachelors degree with Honours either in geology or a related science from a university or institution of higher learning recognized by the Government of Malaysia or equivalent qualification.
ii)    The candidate shall be actively associated with the mineral profession at the time of his application.
iii)    The candidate must satisfy the Council that he is a fit and proper person to become a Professional Member.

Student Members

Section 6: Any person who is enrolled as a student in geology or related science in an institution of higher learning is eligible for Student membership. Student Members shall enjoy all the privileges of Corporate membership save that they shall not hold office or vote. The Council may advance to Corporate membership upon application those Student Members in good standing who have subsequent to election fulfilled the requirements therefore Student membership shall be limited to a maximum of five years. Any Student Member who has (1) not applied for transfer to another class of membership or (2) whose application for such transfer has not been approved prior to the termination of five years of membership, shall be considered as having resigned. At the discretion of the Council the five years period may be extended upon application to the Council.

Associate Members

Section 7: Any person who is interested in geology, but who does not meet the requirements of other classes of membership, shall be eligible for Associate membership. Associate Members shall enjoy all the privileges of Corporate membership in the Society except that they shall not be eligible to vote or hold office. The Council upon application may transfer to Corporate membership, those Associate Members in good standing who have subsequent to election, fulfilled the requirements therefore.

Institutional Members

Section 8: Institutional membership is open to professional and learned societies, governmental agencies, and departments, foundations and other non-profit organizations, educational institutions and public or private corporations and firms interested in fostering the objectives of the Society.

Institutional members shall enjoy all the privileges of Corporate membership in the Society save that they shall not hold office, vote or take part in activities of the Society organized for individual members.

Election to Membership

Section 9: Persons wishing to join the Society should apply for membership to the Council on a form approved by the Council obtainable from the Secretary. Admission to membership of the Society shall be by election by the Council, which shall also determine all questions of eligibility to different classes of membership. The Council shall not be obliged to state a reason for refusing any class of membership to any person.

Section 10: An applicant for any class of membership, on being notified of his election in writing, shall pay full dues applicable to that class of membership for the current year.

Section 11: The Council may withdraw membership of the Society from a member, if, in the opinion of the Council, such membership is not in the interest of the Society or if a member’s subscription be more than one year overdue.

Article IV: ADMINISTRATION

Section 1: The administration of the Society and the execution of activities to further the object of the Society shall be carried out by a Council elected at an Annual General Meeting.

Section 2: The registered address of the Society shall be care of the Department of Geology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur or such other place as may “be decided by the Council.

Article V: OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES

Section 1: Officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice-President, Immediate Past President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, an Assistant Secretary, and an Editor. These together with eight (8) Councillors shall constitute the Council of the Society. The term of office of officers shall be one year, and for Councillors, two years, with half the Councillors being elected each year.

Section 2: This Council shall be elected by a simple majority postal vote in the following manner:

i) The Council shall not later than 15 August send to all Corporate Members a call for nominations for the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretary, Editor, and each position of Councillor due for election in that year. A nominee must be a Corporate Member. Nominations must include the written consent of the nominee and the supporting signatures of two Corporate Members, and shall be received by the Secretary not later than 30 September. A candidate nominated as an Officer may also stand as a Councillor. If elected as an Officer, his candidature for Councillor automatically lapses.

ii) The Council shall before 30 September appoint a Nominations Committee of three consisting of one member of the Council as Chairman and two Corporate Members of the Society, who are not members of Council. This Committee shall by 31 October recommend to the Council the names of one or more Corporate Members suitable for nomination for each position of Officer and Councillor for which no nominations have been received under section (i) above. This Committee may at its discretion also recommend the names of one or more Corporate Members suitable for nomination for each position of Officer and Councillor in addition to the nominations already received under section (i) above. Nominations must be accompanied by written consent of the nominees. Council shall then prepare a complete list of the nominations received under sections (i) and (ii). At the discretion of Council, the list may state which are Council nominees.

iii) The Council shall appoint an Election Officer and two scrutineers who are not candidates in the election. The Election Officer shall mail one numbered ballot to each Corporate Member before 15 November. The ballot paper shall contain the names and affiliations of all nominees. The Election Officer shall receive the returned ballots, and with the scrutineers, count all valid ballots received by 31 December. The candidate with the greatest number of ballots cast shall be elected. In the case of a tie vote, the Council shall cast a deciding vote.

Duties of the Officers

Section 3: The President shall be the presiding officer at all meetings of the Society. He shall serve as Chairman of the Council.
The President shall during the term of election of the succeeding President be an Officer of the Society and member of the Council as “Immediate Past­ President”.

Section 4: The Vice-President shall assume the Office of President in case of a vacancy from any cause in that office and shall assume the duties of President for such period or periods as that officer for any reason may be unable to perform his official duties.

Section 5: The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping the records of the Society. He shall, under the direction of the Council, annually submit a report as Secretary covering the year. The Secretary shall assume the duties of a President in case the President and the Vice-President are for any reason unable to serve.

Section 6: The Treasurer shall have charge of the financial affairs of the Society, under the direction of the Council, and shall annually submit a report as Treasurer covering the year. He shall receive all funds of the Society and, under the direction of the Council, shall perform all disbursement of funds of the Society. He shall cause an audit to be prepared annually by the Honorary Auditor.

Section 7: The Assistant Secretary shall be responsible for the stocks and distribution of the publications of the Society. He shall collect any payments for such publications and transmit them to the Treasurer. The Assistant Secretary may be required by Council to perform the duties of the Secretary in the Secretary’s absence and/or to assist in the Secretary’s work at other times.

Section 8: The Editor shall be in charge of editorial business under the general direction of the Council, shall submit an annual report of such business, and shall have authority to solicit papers and material for publication.

Article VI: COUNCIL-MEETING AND DUTIES

Council

Section 1:  The Council shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Immediate Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretary, Editor and eight (8) Councillors.

Section 2: The Council shall be able to fill any vacancies that occur by inviting a Corporate Member to sit on the Council or hold office.

Section 3: The Council shall at the call of the President or the Secretary hold meetings when and where thought advisable, to conduct the affairs of the Society.

Section 4: The Council shall consider and decide all applications for all classes of membership; shall have control and management of the affairs and funds of the Society; shall determine the manner of publication of material presented for publication; shall designate the time and place of meetings; and shall be in charge of the annual election of office­ bearers and decide eligibility and other questions pertaining to the election. The Council is empowered to accept, create, and maintain special funds for publication, research, and other purposes, it is empowered to invest general and special funds of the Society.

The Council may suspend any office­ bearer of the Society from his post for failure to perform his duties, and appoint another Corporate Member to act in this post for the remainder of the term of office concerned. Such action shall require the concurrence (either by vote at the meeting or in writing) of not less than two thirds of the total membership of the Council.

Section 5: The quorum for Council meeting shall be four.

Section 6: The decision of the Council in all matters, except where otherwise specified in the Constitution, shall be by a simple majority vote, the Chairman holding an additional casting vote.

Article VII: MEETINGS

Section 1: The Society shall hold at least one stated meeting each year, which shall be the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in February, March or April at a time and place designated by the Council.

At this meeting, Society business shall be transacted, audited accounts of the Society submitted for approval, scientific papers may be read and discussed and office-bearers for the ensuing year shall be introduced, and an Honorary Auditor who may or may not be a member of the Society and may not be a member of the Council, shall be elected. Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be sent out at least one month before the Annual Meeting.

Section 2: The Society shall hold such other meetings as may be called by the President or Council for the purpose of hearing addresses or discussions on geological topics.

Section 3: The Council may, and at the request of six (6) or more Corporate members shall, call an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time during the year; notice and agenda of such Extraordinary General Meeting shall be sent out normally at least 1 month before the meeting but, in case of urgency may be sent out not less than 7 days before the meeting. Only those items placed on the agenda shall be discussed.

Section 4: Corporate Members may ask for items for discussion to be included on the agenda of an Annual General Meeting, if notice in writing is received by the Secretary at least 7 days before the meeting. Otherwise items for discussion shall be received only by majority vote of the Annual General Meeting.

Section 5: A Corporate Member unable to attend a General Meeting may authorise another Corporate Member in writing to exercise his voting rights on any or all items voted on at the meeting; provided that no Corporate Member may act as proxy for more than one other Corporate Member; and that such written authority must be received by the Secretary before the commencement of the meeting.

Section 6: The quorum for an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be eight Corporate Members. If a quorum is not present half an hour after the time appointed for a General Meeting, the meeting shall be postponed to a date to be decided by the Council; and if a quorum is not present half an hour after the time appointed for the proposed meeting, the Corporate Members shall have power to proceed with the business of the day but they shall not have power to alter the by-laws of the Society.

Article VIII: DISSOLUTION

Section 1: The Society may be voluntarily dissolved by a resolution of not less than three-fifths of the total Corporate Membership.

Section 2: In the event of the Society being dissolved, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on its behalf shall be fully discharged and the remaining assets and funds, it any, shall be transferred to a bona fide society or societies or other approved organizations having objects similar to those of the Society.

Article IX: AMENDMENTS

Section 1: Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by a resolution of the Council, or in writing by any two Corporate Members of the Society. All such resolutions or proposals must be submitted to the Council, who if satisfied as to the legality of the amendment shall cause a postal ballot to be taken of all Corporate Members and a majority vote of ballots received within sixty (60) days of mailing shall be sufficient to amend the Constitution.

BY-LAWS

By-Law I: DUES
Section 1: The fiscal year of the Society shall correspond with the Calendar Year.

Section 2: The annual dues of Full, Associate and Professional Members shall be 40.00 ringgit. An entrance fee of 20.00 ringgit shall be payable on election.

The annual dues of Institutional Members shall be 100.00 ringgit.

The annual dues of Student Members shall be 10.00 ringgit. No entrance fee shall be payable by persons elected as Student Members, nor by Student Members promoted to Corporate membership provided they have been Student Members for at least two years.

Each application for Professional membership must be accompanied by a non-refundable processing fee of 50.00 ringgit.

A bill shall be mailed to each Corporate and Non-Corporate Member before December each year, stating the amount of dues and the penalties and conditions for default in payment.

Section 3: Upon the payment of 400.00 ringgit, any Full, Associate and Professional Member in good standing may be elected to Life membership.

By-Law II: RESIGNATION-SUSPENSION­ EXPULSION

Section 1: Any Corporate or Non-Corporate Member, may resign from the Society at any time. Such resignation shall be in writing and shall be accepted by the Council.

Section 2: Any Corporate or Non-Corporate Member who is in arrears of payment of dues after 30 June of the year for which the dues are payable shall be suspended from the Society; he shall be reinstated immediately upon receipt of the arrears before 31 December of the current year. Any member of more than 1 year in arrears shall be dropped from the Society.

Section 3: Any member who resigns, is dropped, or expelled under the provision of this article ceases to have any rights in the Society.

Section 4: Any person who has ceased to be a member under section one or two of this by-law may be reinstated by the Council subject to the payment of any outstanding dues or other debts to the Society.

By-Law Ill: PUBLICATIONS

Section 1: The proceedings of the Annual General Meeting and the papers presented at such meetings shall be published at the discretion of the Council in such form as the Council may decide.

Section 2: The payment of annual dues for any fiscal year entitles the member to receive without further charges copies of all Warta Geologi (Newsletter) issued for that year.

Section 3:  The Council may authorise the printing of special publications to be financed by the Society from its general or special funds and offer them for sale. The Council may authorise the sale of such publications at a reduced price to members in good standing. 

By-Law IV: AMENDMENTS

These by-laws may be amended by majority vote of two-thirds or more at any annual general meeting or extraordinary general meeting, provided that such changes shall have been proposed to the meeting in accordance with the Constitution and provided that their legality shall have been determined by the Council. They may also be amended by simple majority vote of a postal ballot, carried out as laid down in Article IX of the Constitution.

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