In any democratic organisation or institution, it is necessary for the decision and policy-making process to be guided by an independent constitution. As such, the founding members of our association has established a constitution to hold the committee accountable, to give members a voice, and to guide the decision-making process of the committee.

CHAPTER I ~ INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER II ~ OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE

CHAPTER III ~ MEMBERSHIP

CHAPTER IV ~ GENERAL MEETINGS

CHAPTER V ~ THE COMMITTEE

CHAPTER VI ~ FUNCTIONS AND POWERS

CHAPTER VII ~ FINANCIAL PROCEDURES

CHAPTER VIII ~ AMENDMENTS

CHAPTER IX ~ REGISTER

CHAPTER X ~ NOTICES

Article 1
The name of the association shall be the Otago Malaysian Students' Association or in Bahasa Melayu, Persatuan Pelajar Malaysia University Otago. The abbreviation in all languages shall be OMSA. The registered office of OMSA shall be within the Commonwealth of New Zealand or in the federation of Malaysia as the case may be.

Article 2
In this Organisation, unless the text otherwise requires:

• 'Organisation' means the Otago Malaysian Students' Association (OMSA);
• 'Members' means all ordinary, associate and honorary lifetime members of the Organisation;
• 'Executive Committee' means the elected committee as cited in Chapter V, Article 17, Paragraph 1 and Chapter VI, Article 24, Clause 1 of this constitution;
• 'Committee' means elected committee as cited in Chapter V, Article 16, Paragraph 1 and 2, and Chapter VI, Article 22, Clause 1 of this constitution.

Article 3
The objectives of this Organisation are:

• To protect the interests of Malaysian students studying in the state of Otago;
• To maintain liaison with the Federal Government of Malaysia by means through His Excellency the High Commissioner of Malaysia to New Zealand or directly to the Federal Government itself.
• To assist in the administrative duties of the Malaysian Students' Department (MSD) and any of its other functions as may be necessary for the benefit of the Malaysian students.
• To organise activities that promote, encourage and reflect the Malaysian way of life.
• To foster in New Zealand an interest in the people and culture of Malaysia.

Article 4
The Organisation and its members in pursuit of the objectives stated in Article 3, shall act in accordance with the following principles:

• The Organisation is based on the principles of the independence and equality of its members.
• All members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from the membership shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the constitution.
• All members shall settle their disputes by peaceful means in such manner that integrity and reputation of this Organisation are not endangered.
• All members shall provide the Organisation support and assistance to any of the activities it organises in accordance with the constitution.

Article 5
Membership to the Organisation is opened to all Malaysian citizen students studying in the Otago State. Membership to foreign nationals is allowed but must not at any time exceed a total of twenty five percent of the total number of members in the Organisation. Members are required to pay the annual subscription of the Organisation as determined by this constitution and hence be known as 'Financial Members'.

Article 6
Associate membership may be conferred by the Committee, by a simple majority vote. Associate membership may be awarded to an individual or an organisation. Associate members may attend meetings of the Organisation but no vote is accorded.

Article 7
Honorary Lifetime membership may be conferred by the Committee, by a simple majority vote. Honorary Lifetime membership may be awarded to an individual who has made a considerable and substantial contribution to the Organisation in any capacity. Honorary Lifetime members may attend meetings of the Organisation but no vote is accorded. Honorary Lifetime memberships are automatically conferred to OMSA Committee members.

Article 8
Any Member of the Organisation who has acted in violation of the objectives and principles of the Organisation as stated in its constitution may be suspended from the rights and privileges of membership. This can be executed by way of an unanimous decision of the committee or expelled from the Organisation by the members of the Organisation during the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting upon recommendation of the Committee.

Termination of membership may also occur:
- In failure to pay the annual subscription of the Organisation;
- By written resignation to the Committee

Article 9
There are two types of General Meetings, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the Special General Meeting (SGM).

Article 10
The procedures for the AGM may be such that:

• The AGM shall be held no more than six weeks after the end of the financial year.
• All Members shall receive at least seven days notice of the AGM.
• The minimum number of Members needed to be present to constitute a valid AGM would be no less than thirty percent of the 'Financial Members' of the Organisation.
• If at any meeting, a quorum has not assembled within 30 minutes of the time set down in the notice, no meetings shall be held.
• In failing to achieve a quorum, a second meeting shall be called, no sooner than one week but within a month from the original date. The second meeting shall be in quorum regardless of the number present.
• For the purpose of assessing a quorum, written apologies shall be counted.

Article 11
The powers and duties of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

• To decide the policy of the Organisation,
• To consider and adopt annual reports from the Secretary and other Committee members,
• To consider and adopt an audited balance and financial statement from the Honorary Treasurer,
• To amend the constitution in accordance to Chapter VII, Article 30 of this constitution,
• To elect the Committee in accordance to Chapter V, Article 18, Paragraph 1 of this constitution.
• To determine the amount to be levied as the annual subscription of the Organisation with the advice of the Committee.

Article 12
All matters other than what is provided by the constitution shall be decided by a simple majority vote. Voting shall be by voices or by show of hands unless a quorum of 2/3 of those present requests a secret ballot.

Article 13
A special General Meeting of the Organisation may be called:

• By the president at the request of the Committee.
• Upon the written requisition by no less than 50 'Financial Members' of the Organisation stating clearly the business to be considered at the Special General Meeting.
• On request by the committee of the Otago University Students' Association so long as the Organisation remains affiliated to it.

Article 14
Procedures for the Special General Meeting may be such that:

• Members are to be given at least seven days notice of the meeting with a statement of the business to be considered.
• The Special General Meeting shall have all the powers of the Annual General Meeting and shall be bounded by all the clauses applying to the Annual General Meeting.
• No other business shall be considered at a Special General Meeting other than what is stated in Clause 1 of this article.

Article 15

• All meetings of the Organisation are to be held with the knowledge and consent of the Committee of the Organisation at the time.
• The Committee shall implement all decisions passed in the Annual General and Special General Meetings.

Article 16
The Committee of the Organisation shall consist of 15 elected members who are Malaysian: the President, the Vice President I, the Vice President II, the Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer who make up the Executive Committee and ten other committee members who make up the General Committee.

The General Committee will assume the portfolios of: the assistant secretary, the Activity Officer I, the Activity Officer II, the Publication and Mass Media Officer I, the Publication and Mass Media Officer II, the Sports Officer, the Head of Economic Bureau, the Food and Beverage Officer, the International Student Council Representative, the Liason Officer. Positions in the General Committee can only be filled by 'Financial Members' of the Organisation.

Elected Executive Committee members are only allowed to hold one post and may not hold another post in any of the other University Clubs or Societies. Elected Executive Committee and General Committee members must not miss Committee meetings more than TWO times or else he or she will be required to resign. Warning will be given after 2nd absence.

Article 17
The five Executive Committee of the Organisation or the first five officers of the Organisation, as stated in Article 16, shall be elected respectively to their posts whereas the remaining eight committee members shall be elected as committee members and be appointed to their respective portfolios by the President of the Organisation.

These appointments must be made no later than two weeks after the decision and be published in a medium to inform the members of the Organisation.

The President by way of the Executive Committee may at any time reshuffle the Committee with the exception of the Executive Committee.

Any Committee member who has been voted out for violating the objectives and principles of the Organisation as stated in its constitution by more than 2/3 of the Committee will be required to resign. The Committee member concerned is allowed to defend him or herself for another chance to redeem the position in the Committee as considered by the other Committee members.

Article 18
Election of the Committee shall be done during the Annual General meeting of the Organisation. Nominations of the office bearers shall be done by way of:

• Written recommendations for the first five positions of the Executive Committee or as one of the ten General Committee members. All nominations are to be signed by the nominator and a seconder, and must be presented to the secretary of the Organisation no later than one week prior to the Annual General Meeting.
• Nominations during the Annual General Meeting itself: The nominee must be present during the Annual General Meeting unless there is written consent from the nominee of the nomination.

Article 19
Voting for the positions on the Executive Committee shall be by secret ballot unless otherwise decided so by 2/3 of the quorum present at the meeting. Voting for the remaining ten members of the General Committee shall be by voices or by a show of hands.

Article 20

• In the event of vacancy in the position of President, the Vice President I shall fill in the vacancy until a replacement is found by a Special General Meeting as provided by the Constitution.
• If a vacancy arises within other positions of the Executive Committee, the President shall name an Acting Executive Committee member, either from current members of the Executive Committee or the General Committee, to complete the remaining term of office.
• If a vacancy arises within the General Committee, the President shall act the same as stated in Clause 2 of this article.

Article 21
The control of the Organisation may be vested in:

• The Committee;
• The Annual General Meeting.
• The committee shall have rights to govern over the day-to-day running of the Organisation. The Annual General Meeting shall have rights to set the policies and the objectives of the Organisation.

Article 22

• The Committee shall consist of the Executive Committee and the General Committee;
• The quorum for Committee meetings shall be at least 5 Committee members;
• Voting shall be made by simple majority vote;
• The President shall have the casting vote;
• The Committee shall have the power to appoint special subcommittees for special purposes providing that each subcommittee will include at least one Committee member;
• The Committee shall meet at least 4 times a year and other times as deemed necessary by the President.

Article 23

• The Committee shall be responsible for the administration of the Organisation.
• The Committee shall be bound by the decisions of the Annual General Meeting.
• Any decision of the Committee shall be binding on all Members.
• The decision of the Committee on the interpretation of the constitution shall be binding.
• No individual shall take any action in the name of the Organisation without authority from the Committee.

Article 24

• The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the Vice President I, the Vice President II, the Honorary Secretary, and the Treasurer.
• The Executive Committee meetings shall be called by the President at least twice a year and at other times when required.
• The quorum for Executive Committee meetings shall be at least 5 Executive Committee members.
• Voting shall be made by simple majority vote.
• The President shall have a casting vote.
• Decisions made by the Executive Committee shall be binding on the Committee.

Article 25

• In order to ensure prompt and effective action by the Organisation, its Members must confer on giving the Committee primary responsibility for the provisions in the Constitution, and agree on allowing the committee to act on their behalf while carrying out its duties under this responsibility.
• In discharging these duties, the Committee shall act in accordance with the Objectives and Purpose of the Organisation.

Article 26
- All financial transactions of the Organisation shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer.
- The Treasurer shall be responsible to the Committee and the Members in any capacity.

Article 27
All main accounts of the Organisation must be made under its name and have at least two signatories. The President and Treasurer shall act as signatories at all times. The Vice President I shall act as one of the signatory in the absence of the President.

Article 28
Expenses of the Organisation shall be borne from the annual membership fee, investments, donations, commercial ventures, bequests, legacies, deeds of covenants, wakaf and other income.

Article 29
The committee shall appoint an Honorary Auditor whom shall not be a member of the committee to audit the accounts of the Organisation. The accounts of the Organisation shall be made available at all times to the auditor of the Organisation.

Article 30
Amendments to the constitution can only be made during an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting and shall come into force having passed by 2/3 majority vote by the Members present and voting at the meeting, the Patron having given due notification.

Article 31
The Honorary Secretary shall keep a Register of Members showing the name, address, telephone number and class of membership of each member. For the convenience of the members, the Honorary Secretary may from time to time publish the current Register of Members.

Article 32
Any notices required under this constitution shall be deemed to be duly served if sent to a member's address entered in the Register of Members or communicated through reasonable means. The accidental omission or the non-receipt of notices of a meeting, required under this constitution, by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of the meeting.