1. NAME

This Society shall be known as the "Persatuan Meditasi Dan Pengembara Kerohanian, Kuala Lumpur (Meditators and Spiritual Travellers Society, Kuala Lumpur)."

2. REGISTERED PLACE OF BUSINESS

The Society's registered place of business shall be at No. 36-2-2, Jalan 1/101C, Cheras Business Centre, Taman Cheras 56100 Kuala Lumpur, where other extended organized activities to be held can be held anywhere in Malaysia, provided they have the approvals of the Management Committee and with the approval of the Registrar of Societies. (8 Feb 2007)

3. AIMS AND OBJECTS

The Society shall be a non-profitable, non-political and non-trading Society. The Society is established to achieve the aims and objectives in the following fields:

(I) PHILOSOPHY AND MEDITATION
a) To promote the teaching of philosophy;
b) To promote meditation as a form of relaxation and therapy;
c) To promote a healthier life and moral improvement;
d) To teach and practise the art of meditation.

(II) ORPHANAGE
a) To take in children who are poor, orphaned, or from broken homes, within the age of 4 to 18 who need love, shelter and care irrespective of their racial, religious or social background;
b) To guide the children back to their families where applicable and possible, otherwise to foster the children by lawful means;
c) To help these children in their education to make them realise that in spite of their unfortunate background, they can still make it in life;
d) To make these children realise that they have the God-given potentials and gifts that can be utilised to beautify their lives and that of others;
e) To bring physical and emotional healing to the abused children through love of their new "family", i.e., the Orphanage and the caring Society at large;
f) To teach skills to children who are academically weak so that they can be self-reliant and responsible citizens one day.

(III) HALF-WAY HOME FOR THE SICK
a) To provide temporary shelter for the poor and sick people who need a place to stay while seeking medical treatment in Kuala Lumpur. Provided that the management of the ORPHANAGE and HALF-WAY HOME FOR THE SICK shall obtain the prior approval of the Authorities concerned.

4. QUALIFICATION OF MEMBERS

Subject to sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) below, any Malaysian citizen of any sex, race, creed or religion of not less than 10 years of age residing or working in Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas shall be eligible for membership. (5 Nov 1999)

a) Students undergoing a course of study at any University or University College are not eligible for membership save with the prior approval of the Vice Chancellor of the Institution. Applicant below 18 years of age shall obtain the prior consent in writing of parent or legal guardian. (5 Nov 1999)

b) Individuals embracing the religion of Islam shall not be eligible for membership.

c) Every application for the membership shall be proposed and seconded by two existing members and shall be forwarded to the Secretary who shall at the first convenient opportunity, submit it to the Management Committee for approval. The Management Committee may at its discretion reject any application without assigning any reason therefore.

d) Every applicant whose application has been approved as aforesaid shall, upon payment of the prescribed entrance fee and annual subscription, be admitted as a member of the Society and shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership according to the grade of membership. (See Rule No. 6 of this constitution).

5. ENTRANCE FEES, SUBSCRIPTION AND OTHER DUES

a) The entrance fee and subscription payable shall be as follows:-
Entrance Fee: RM 10.00
Yearly Subscription: RM 36.00

b) All yearly subscription shall be payable to the Treasurer in advance before the end of March each year.

c) A member shall be disqualified as a member if no yearly subscription is received after one (1) month’s renewal notice is deemed to have been given to her/him. (8 May 2003)

d) Provided always that the Society shall be entitled to accept into the accounts of the Society any donations, gifts and/or any other funds from any party as the Management Committee shall deem fit.

e) Provided always that upon prior approval has been obtained from the relevant authorities and the Registrar of Societies, the Society shall be allowed to undertake any financial projects as and when the Management Committee shall deem fit, to raise fund from the public for the furtherance of the objects of the Society.

f) Annual group subscription for up to a maximum of five (5) persons in a family shall be RM100.00. (8 May 2003)

g) All current serving Management Committee members shall be exempted from paying yearly subscription until the expiry of their term of service. (8 May 2003)

h) The Founder President shall be exempted from membership fee for life. (8 May 2003)

6. MEMBERS

There shall be four (4) categories of members, namely:-
Student Members
Associate Members
Full Members
Life Member (8 May 2003)

a) STUDENT MEMBERS
Save that Student Members shall not be entitled to vote at General Meetings or to hold office, Student Members shall be entitled to all other rights and benefits of membership.

b) ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
i) A Student Member of no less than two (2) years Student Membership shall be entitled to apply to the Teaching Committee for Associate Membership status.
ii) Upon first satisfying the relevant criteria as stated in the internal examination rules and regulations as per Appendix "A" attached herewith, the Student Member applicant shall be invited by the Teaching Committee to sit for the relevant Qualifying Examinations with respect to acquiring Associate Membership status.
iii) Associate Members shall not be entitled to vote at General Meetings or to hold office.

c) FULL MEMBER
i) An Associate Member of no less than two (2) years Associate Membership shall be entitled to apply to the Teaching Committee for Full Membership status.
ii) Upon first satisfying the relevant criteria as stated in the internal examination rules and regulations as per Appendix "A" attached herewith, the Associate Member applicant shall be invited by the Teaching Committee to sit for the relevant Qualifying Examinations with respect to acquiring Full Membership status.
iii) Full Members shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings and to hold office.

d) LIFE MEMBER
i) Life membership is only accorded for the Founder President.
ii) The Founder President shall be exempted from membership fee for life and from any election. (8 May 2003)

7. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

a) Selection
Candidates for office in the Management Committee shall be proposed and seconded by the voting members. Election shall be triennially by a simple majority vote at the Annual General Meeting, except for the post of President, which is the Founder President. (8 May 2003)
The Management Committee shall comprise the following Office Bearers and Committee Members:-

i) One President
ii) One Secretary
iii) One Assistant Secretary
iv) One Treasurer
v) One Assistant Treasurer
vi) Ordinary Committee Members (up to a maximum of 8)
[ hereinafter all the above shall be collectively referred to as the "Committee Members"].
All members of the Management Committee and every officer performing executive functions in the Society shall be a Malaysian citizen. (23 Jun 1998)

b) Tenure
i) The Management Committee shall hold office for a period of three (3) years from the date of their election until the next relevant Annual General Meeting, provided that any member of the Management Committee may at any time retire by giving written notice to the Secretary. (8 May 2003)
ii) The office of Treasurer shall not be occupied by the same individual for more than two (2) consecutive terms. All other members of the Management Committee shall be entitled for re-election.

c) Functions
The general duties and responsibilities of the Management Committee shall be as follows:-
i) The Management Committee shall be responsible for the day-to-day organization and management of the Society. The Management Committee shall ensure that the activities of the Society shall comply with the various aims and objects of the Society and the policies as laid down by the General Meeting of members. The Management Committee shall always remain subordinate to the General Meeting of members.
ii) The Management Committee shall furnish a written summary at each Annual General Meeting on the various activities of the Society during the previous year.
iii) The Management Committee shall be entitled from time to time to add to, take from, vary and/or otherwise change the Rules and Regulations of the Society. Provided that all such additions and/or changes to the Rules and Regulations shall be fixed on the notice/bulletin board at the registered address of the Society.
iv) Whensoever required the Management Committee shall interpret the Constitution and Rules and Regulations of the Society and determine (if necessary) any issue or matter upon which the Rules and Regulations are silent.
v) Save where inconsistent with policies laid down by a General Meeting of members, the decisions of the Management Committee shall be binding on all members of the Society unless and until countermanded by a resolution of a General Meeting of members.
vi) Any other duties or responsibilities as may be specified by this Constitution herein or a General Meeting.

d) Management Meeting
i) The Management Committee shall meet at least once every three (3) months and fourteen (14) days prior notice of each meeting shall be given to the Management Committee Members ("Management Meeting").
ii) The President acting alone or not fewer than three (3) Management Committee Members may call for a Management Meeting.
iii) One half of the Management Committee Members shall constitute a quorum.

e) Circular Resolution of the Management Committee
i) Where any urgent matter requiring the approval of the Management Committee arises and it is not possible to convene a Management Meeting, the Secretary may obtain such approval of the Management Committee Members by means of a written notice enclosing a circular resolution ("Circular Resolution") for the execution of the Management Committee Members which written notice shall clearly identify all relevant facts and issues for the consideration of the Management Committee Members.
ii) Provided that the Circular Resolution shall have been executed by all
Management Committee Members, a Circular Resolution passed by at least two-thirds majority shall be valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a duly convened Management Meeting.
iii) All Circular Resolutions shall be reported by the Secretary to the next Management Meeting and recorded in the minutes.

f) Absence of Management Committee Members at Management Meeting.
Any Management Committee Member failing to attend more than three (3) consecutive Management Meetings without satisfactory explanation may at the discretion of the Management Committee be required to resign from the Management Committee.

8. TEACHING COMMITTEE

a) Selection
i) The Teaching Committee shall comprise five (5) Full Members.
ii) Candidates for office in the Teaching Committee shall be proposed by and seconded by at least one (1) voting member and one member of the Management Committee. Election shall be by a simple majority vote at the Annual General Meeting.
iii) The Teaching Committee shall hold office for a period of two (2) years from their election, provided that any member of the Teaching Committee may at any time retire by giving written notice to the Secretary.

b) Functions
i) The Teaching Committee shall meet from time to time to determine and set the various relevant Criteria and Qualifying Examinations mentioned in Rule No. 6 (a), (b) and (c) above; and
ii) The Teaching Committee shall be entitled to determine the passing grade or standard with respect to the relevant Criteria and Qualifying Examinations.
iii) The Teaching Committee shall always remain sub-ordinate to the Management Committee.

c) Teaching Committee Meeting
i) The Teaching Committee shall meet at least once every three (3) months and fourteen (14) days prior notice of each meeting shall be given to the Teaching Committee Members ("Teaching Committee Meeting").
ii) The President acting alone or not fewer than two (2) Teaching Committee Members may call for a Teaching Committee Meeting.
iii) More than two (2) of the Teaching Committee Members shall constitute a quorum.

9. DUTIES OF OFFICE BEARERS & COMMITTEE MEMBERS

a) The President
i) The President shall be responsible for the overall proper and effective organization, management and functioning of the Society.
ii) The President shall preside all General Meetings and Management Meetings.
iii) Wheresoever there shall be an equal division of votes at any meeting of the Society, the President shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

b) The Secretary
The Secretary shall be responsible for all letters, correspondence and documentations of the Society and shall keep good, proper and accurate minutes of all General Meetings and Management Meetings. The Secretary shall assist the President and shall assume all responsibilities in the absence of the President. The Secretary shall maintain an up-to-date membership register of members consisting of the venue, date and place of birth, identity card number, occupation, name and address of employer and residential address of all members. (23 Jun 1998)

c) The Assistant Secretary
The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary and shall assume all responsibilities in the absence of the Secretary.

d) The Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the management of the finances of the Society and shall keep good, proper and accurate accounts of all the Society's financial matters, dealings and transactions.

e) The Assistant Treasurer
The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer and shall assume all responsibilities in the absence of the Treasurer.

f) Ordinary Committee Members
All Ordinary Committee Members shall carry out such duties and responsibilities as may be directed by the President or the Management Committee.

10. ADVISER

a) The Management Committee may at their discretion from time to time appoint an individual of seniority and good-standing selected from the Full Members of the Society as Adviser to the Management Committee to assist and advise the Management Committee.

b) The Adviser's tenure shall be determined by the Management Committee, until such time that it deems fit to terminate the services of the Adviser.

c) Save that the Adviser shall not be entitled to vote at Management Meetings, the Adviser shall be accorded all rights and privileges of a Management Committee Member.

11.  GENERAL MEETINGS

a) Nature of General Meetings
i) The supreme authority of the Society shall be vested in the meeting of the voting members of the Society.
ii) There shall be two classes of General Meetings, namely:-
aa) Annual General Meetings
Which Annual General Meetings shall be convened annually on or before the
end of March each year.
bb) Extra-ordinary General Meetings
Any General Meeting that is not an Annual General Meeting shall be an
Extra-ordinary General Meeting.

b) Procedure for General Meetings
i) All Annual General Meetings shall be convened by the Society annually.
ii) An Extra-ordinary General Meeting may be by notice in writing to the Secretary, be requisitioned by the President alone, the Management Committee or by 10% of the voting members. All Requisition Notices shall include a written statement specifying the reasons and/or purposes for the Extra-ordinary General Meeting.
iii) The Secretary shall within twenty-eight (28) days from the receipt of the Requisition Notice issue a written notice to all voting members fixing the date, time, and venue for the Extra-ordinary General Meeting.
iv) a) Provided always every General Notice shall give at least fourteen (14) days notice for the General Meeting called and shall contain an agenda for the said General Meeting and where relevant shall further contain a copy of the Statement and a copy of the Audited Annual Accounts of the previous year.
iv) b) The Secretary shall further ensure that a copy of the General Notice shall be fixed on the notice/bulletin board at the registered address of the Society which fixing of the General Notice shall be deemed service of the General Notice on all non-voting members.
v) One half of the voting members shall constitute a quorum for General Meetings.
vi) If no quorum shall be present half an hour after the time fixed for the General Meeting, the General Meeting shall be postponed to a date, time and venue to be decided by simple majority vote of the voting members present. Provided that upon such postponement of the General Meeting the Secretary shall issue the necessary General Notice with respect to the next date, time and venue so fixed.
vii) Provided always any number of voting members present at the date, time and venue for the postponed General Meeting shall be deemed to be sufficient quorum.

c) Proceedings at General Meetings
i) The annual business of the Annual General Meeting shall be as follow:-
a) To receive the Management Committee's Report and to approve the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and/or Extra-ordinary General Meeting (as the case may be).
b) To receive the audited accounts of the Society for the previous year.
c) Where relevant to elect the Management Committee and to appoint auditors for the ensuing year.
d) To decide on any other matters, issues and/or businesses of the Society.
ii) The business of the Extra-ordinary General Meeting shall be to decide any matters, issues and/or businesses properly brought before the Extra-ordinary General Meeting.

12.  FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

a) Two separate Bank Current Accounts approved by the Management Committee shall be kept in the name of the Society, to facilitate the smooth running of the two distinct groups of activities, i.e.,
i) MEDITATORS AND SPIRITUAL TRAVELLERS (FUND NO. 1)
ii) SOCIAL WELFARE (FUND NO. 2)

b) All monies collected pursuant to the respective groups of activities shall be deposited in the respective Bank Current Accounts.

c) The respective Funds shall be utilised only for the purpose of carrying out the objects and aims of the respective groups of activities of the Society in accordance with the Constitutions herein and for the payment of any expenses and disbursements incurred thereby including the Society’s webpage on the Internet. (23 Jun 1998)

d) Likewise, two separate petty cash accounts should be maintained for two distinct groups of activities mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) above.

e) Where available, petty cash not exceeding RM300-00 shall be maintained on an Impress basis for the respective petty cash accounts. All expenditure arising from the petty cash shall be approved by the President or the Treasurer.

f) The respective Funds shall be managed in the following manner :-
i) The President may give receipt of, approve the payment of and draw cheques, promissory notes, drafts and/or any other negotiable instruments up to a maximum of RM5000-00 per transaction.
ii) All other receipts, payments, drawing of cheques, promissory notes, drafts and/or any other negotiable instruments shall be approved and executed by any two office bearers of the Management Committee, where one office bearer shall be the President or the Treasurer.

g) Notwithstanding sub-paragraph (f) above, all expenditure in excess of a cumulative total of RM5000-00 per calendar month per respective Bank Accounts, shall require the approval of the Management Committee.

h) The financial year of the Society shall commence from the 1st January of each year.

i) Two separate sets of financial accounts of the Society shall be maintained in a divisionalised format for the two distinct groups of activities mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) above.

j) The accounts of the Society shall be audited by the Auditor appointed at the Annual General Meeting which audited accounts shall be approved by the Annual General Meeting and copies shall be made available at the request of the members.

13. DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS
The Management Committee or any sub-committee set up by the Management Committee for this purpose may expel, suspend, censure and/or penalise any member in breach of the Constitution herein. Provided always all members shall be entitled to a fair and equitable hearing before any disciplinary action may be taken or affected.

14. AUDIT
The Annual General Meeting shall appoint an independent auditor to audit the accounts of the Society.

15. ADMINISTRATION OF PROPERTY

a) Pursuant to the Section 9(b) of the Societies Act, 1966, the Society shall appoint three officers from the current Management Committee viz President, the Secretary and the Treasurer to administer the properties of the Society. They will serve in this capacity for the duration of their term of office in the Management Committee. They will automatically cease to hold that position when their term of office ends.

b) They are not empowered to buy sell, withdraw, mortgage or transfer the property of the Society unless given the authority to do so by the General Meeting. (23 Jun 1998)

c) In the event that a post falls vacant, the Management Committee shall have the power to co-opt any other member of the Society to fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting.

16. PROHIBITIONS

a) Opium smoking and prostitutes shall not be permitted into any property owned and/or occupied by the Society.

b) Fighting, swearing, drunkenness or other offensive conduct shall not be permitted in the Premises.

c) Lotteries, Roulette, Lotto, Fan Tan, Poh Pen Bin, Belangkai, Pai Kau, Tau Ngau, Tien Kow, Chap Ji Kee, Sam Cheong, Twenty-one, Thirty-one, Ten and a half, dice games, bankers' games, any games of mere chance, video game or gambling shall not be permitted at the Premises nor carried out by the Society.

17. AMENDMENTS OF RULES

These Rules may not be altered or amended except by resolution of a General Meeting. Such alterations or amendments shall take effect from the date of their approval by the Registrar of Societies (and is so directed, by the Director General of Inland Revenue). Any amendment to the Rules shall be forwarded to the Registrar of Societies (and is so directed, to the Director of Inland Revenue) within twenty-eight (28) days of being passed by the General Meeting.

18. DISSOLUTION

a) The Society may at any time be dissolved by the consent of the three-fourths (3/4) of the voting members, testified by their signatures to an instrument of dissolution.

b) Which instrument of dissolution shall set forth the liabilities and assets of the Society and the intended appropriation or division of the Funds and property of the Society.

c) In the event of the Society being dissolved, any excess from the Funds (Fund No. 1 and Fund No. 2), after fully settling all the debts and liabilities legally incurred on its behalf, must be donated to the Government (Federal or State) or any bodies/organizations which have been approved by the Director General of Inland Revenue and which have similar objectives as these Funds.

d) A one-month notice of the intended dissolution must be sent out to the Director General of Inland Revenue and this notice must be endorsed by the President and another member of the Management Committee.

e) PROVIDED ALWAYS the Societies Act 1966 shall apply in the event of a dissolution of the Society.

19. LOGO

The Society's logo shall be a round logo represented by colours which denotes the different mental levels of meditation and the sign in the middle represents the atom sign. The logo shall be as follows:-

MST LOGO

APPENDIX A

CRITERIA & QUALIFYING EXAMS

1. APPLICATION FOR AN EXAMINATION

a) The interested party (“Applicant”) will apply (verbally and/or writing) to the Teaching Committee to sit for the relevant Qualifying Examination for the upgrading of membership status.
b) The Teaching Committee will set up from time to time a panel of between 2 to 3 examiners (“Panel”) selected from the Teaching Committee of Meditators and Spiritual Travellers Society.
c) The Panel will then appoint from time to time, a time and place (“Appointment Date”) for the conduct of the Qualifying Exam.
d) More than one Applicant may be examined on any one Appointment Date.

2. CONDUCT OF EXAMINATION

The Examinations are themselves intended to be conducted orally, in the form of a question and answer interview between the Panel and the Applicant. The interview may be conducted on an individual basis or in groups as the Panel shall deem fit and appropriate. The Applicants may be required to demonstrate their respective skills in meditation.

Where appropriate or deemed required by the Panel, selected member or members of the Panel may be required to render a verbal and/or written assessment on the Applicant/s (“Report”) which Report shall be based on the selected member or members observation of the general conduct and demeanour of the Applicant/s as members of Meditators and Spiritual Travellers Society over a period of time sufficiently proximate to the Appointment Date.

All Reports shall be strictly confidential and shall not be revealed to the Applicant or any other third party.

3. CRITERIA FOR PASSING

The Applicant/s shall be assessed on the following: -
a) The Applicants’ understanding and practice of the Teaching Philosophy of Meditators and Spiritual Travellers Society.
b) The level of meditation attained by the Applicant.



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