Who is considered a director?
Under section 2(1) of the Companies Act 2016, the term "director" is defined broadly: it includes any person occupying the position of director of a corporation by whatever name called, any person in accordance with whose directions or instructions the majority of directors are accustomed to act (the so-called "shadow director"), and any alternate or substitute director. In practice, the title on the business card matters less than the influence a person actually exercises over the board.
Who can be a director?
Section 196(1) requires a director to be a natural person of at least eighteen years of age. Corporate directors are not permitted under Malaysian law. Section 196(4) separately requires every company to have at least one director whose principal or ordinary residence is in Malaysia. That resident director can be a foreigner, provided he or she actually resides in Malaysia.
Who is disqualified from being a director?
Section 198(1) sets out five statutory grounds for disqualification. A person cannot act as a director if he or she:
- (a) is an undischarged bankrupt;
- (b) has been convicted of an offence in connection with the promotion, formation, or management of a corporation;
- (c) has been convicted of an offence involving bribery, fraud, or dishonesty (whether in Malaysia or elsewhere);
- (d) has been convicted of an offence under sections 213, 217, 218, 228 or 539 of the Companies Act 2016, namely, breach of director duties, responsibility of nominee directors, improper use of property or position, transactions involving directors, or fraudulent trading; or
- (e) has been disqualified by the court under section 199.
The bankruptcy ground and certain conviction grounds operate automatically. Court-ordered disqualification under section 199 follows on application by the Registrar, the Official Receiver, or a liquidator.
What the duties, and penalties, look like
A director who accepts the role must, under section 213, act in good faith in the best interests of the company, for a proper purpose, and exercise reasonable care, skill, and diligence. Breach of those duties carries, under section 213(3), a fine of up to RM3 million and/or imprisonment of up to 5 years, in addition to civil liability to the company.
Practical points before you say yes
- Run a basic background check on yourself: undischarged bankruptcy is the most common surprise.
- If you are being offered a "nominee" or "passive" directorship, remember that section 217 still treats you as a real director, silence is not protection.
- If you are appointing others, ask the questions before the appointment, not after.
If you are appointing a new director, or you are unsure whether an existing appointment remains compliant with section 196, please contact us for a confirmation review.
谁会被视为「董事」？
依《2016 年公司法令》第 2(1) 条，「董事」一词被广义定义：包括任何在公司中担任董事职位的人（无论职称如何）、任何使董事会多数董事习惯于按其指示或指令行事之人（即所谓「影子董事」），以及任何替任或候补董事。实务上，名片上的头衔远不如实际对董事会施加的影响重要。
谁可以担任董事？
第 196(1) 条要求董事须为年满 18 岁的自然人。马来西亚法律不允许公司担任董事。第 196(4) 条另规定，公司必须至少有一名董事，其主要或一般居住地在马来西亚。该居民董事可以是外籍人士，前提是其确实在马来西亚定居。
哪些情况会被取消董事资格？
第 198(1) 条列出五项法定取消资格的情形。下列任何一项成立者，不得担任董事：
- (a) 未解除之破产人；
- (b) 曾因涉及公司之促设、成立或管理而被定罪；
- (c) 曾因涉及贿赂、欺诈或不诚实之罪行被定罪（无论在马来西亚或他处）；
- (d) 曾因触犯《公司法令》第 213、217、218、228 或 539 条被定罪，即违反董事义务、提名董事之责任、不当使用公司财产或职位、涉及董事之交易，或欺诈性经营；或
- (e) 已依第 199 条被法院取消资格。
破产及部分刑事定罪情形自动生效。第 199 条下之法院取消资格，则需由公司注册官、官方接管人或清盘人提出申请。
义务与罚则
接受董事职位者，依第 213 条须以诚实信用、为公司最佳利益、为正当目的行事，并以合理之注意、技能与勤勉履行职责。违反者依第 213(3) 条，最高可被处以 300 万令吉罚款及／或 5 年监禁，并须对公司承担民事责任。
接受任命前的实务要点
- 先对自己做一次基本背景核查：未解除破产是最常见的意外。
- 若您被安排出任「挂名」或「被动」董事，请记住：第 217 条仍将您视为真正的董事，沉默并不构成保护。
- 若您是任命他人，请在任命前提问，而非任命后才发现。
若贵公司正考虑委任新董事，或对现任董事是否仍符合第 196 条之资格存有疑问，请与本所联系进行复核。