Where financial regulations tighten each year and tax policies evolve rapidly, the company secretary role in finance and tax has become more strategic than ever. Gone are the days when secretaries were only responsible for preparing annual returns and filing forms with SSM.
Under the Companies Act 2016, every company in Malaysia must appoint a qualified Company Secretary within 30 days of incorporation. But what many business owners don’t realise is that a skilled, experienced Company Secretary does far more than ensure compliance
They help protect your company from legal and tax risks, maintain governance transparency, and act as a strategic advisor to directors and shareholders.
Adapting to Change: Malaysia’s Corporate and Tax Rules 2023–2025
Between 2023 and 2025, Malaysia has seen continuous changes in taxation, reporting standards, and corporate governance requirements.
The 2024 Budget introduced a 2% capital gains tax on unlisted shares and proposed further revisions under Budget 2025, including a review of corporate incentives and the potential Strategic Investment Tax Credit in response to the global minimum tax framework (EY Malaysia).
This new capital gains tax marks a major shift in Malaysia’s fiscal landscape, as it broadens the government’s revenue base while encouraging greater transparency in share transactions. Companies involved in mergers, acquisitions or equity restructuring are now required to keep detailed transaction records and updated valuations to support compliance and avoid audit complications.
Meanwhile, the Sales and Services Tax (SST) is expanding its scope from 1 July 2025 to include sectors such as property leasing, construction, financial services, healthcare and education, as part of Malaysia’s plan to broaden its tax base.
On the governance front, SSM’s enhanced beneficial ownership reporting (2024), Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG 2023), and the Malaysia Business Reporting System (MBRS) have tightened transparency standards, with stronger emphasis on board accountability and ESG disclosure.
At the same time, businesses are adapting to digital compliance requirements, including e-signature adoption, secure cloud record-keeping and LHDN’s MyInvois e-invoicing system for real-time tax monitoring.
These reforms signal a clear direction: Malaysian companies must integrate legal, tax, ESG and digital governance strategies to remain competitive and compliant in 2025 and beyond.
Why Strategic Company Secretarial Services Matter Now
As Malaysia’s business landscape evolves, the role of the company secretary has shifted from administrative support to strategic governance leadership.
Businesses now depend on their company secretaries to interpret new regulations, align governance with tax strategy, and ensure decisions made at board level translate into compliant, traceable actions.
In the current Malaysian business environment:
a) Tax compliance and corporate structure are interlinked
LHDN now cross-checks SSM filings with tax submissions, meaning late or inconsistent reporting can trigger red flags.
B) Regulatory oversight is increasing
SSM continues to tighten enforcement of annual return submissions and beneficial ownership updates, particularly for SMEs and dormant entities.
c) Corporate governance expectations are rising
The Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG 2023) highlights the ESG compliance and reporting role of company secretary, reinforcing their importance in promoting transparency, accountability and sustainability across organisations.
d) Digital transformation is redefining governance
The digital corporate secretaries responsibilities now encompass managing e-signatures, encrypted document systems and cloud-based filing platforms.
These technologies enable faster, more secure compliance and ensure directors have real-time access to essential governance data.
For SMEs and growing enterprises, failing to adapt to these expectations can lead to costly penalties, reputational damage, and even disqualification of directors.
A strategic company secretary ensures that your governance and tax reporting are aligned, transparent, and ready for audit.
Discover how to value a business with expert guidance from NKH Chartered Accountants and understand what truly drives your company’s worth.
How NKH Chartered Accountant Strengthens Your Company’s Strategic Foundation
NKH Chartered Accountant’s secretarial services in Selangor is built on the foundation of sustainable, compliant, and future-ready business management.
Our team combines licensed company secretaries, chartered accountants, and tax consultants, allowing us to deliver holistic, strategic compliance solutions that go beyond filing forms.
Here’s what makes NKH different:
1. Strategic Compliance, Not Routine Filing
We monitor regulatory changes from SSM, MOF and LHDN to proactively adjust your company’s governance and reporting structure.
Using our file scanner for Budget CHKT, we track upcoming Budget announcements and related policy updates to ensure your business stays compliant and prepared.
When Malaysia’s 2026 Budget is tabled or new LHDN guidelines are released, you can expect timely advisory updates from our team. No last-minute surprises.
2. Integrated Tax, Accounting, and Secretarial Expertise
Corporate governance doesn’t exist in isolation. NKH’s cross-functional team ensures that your share restructuring, director changes, or dividend declarations align with the Companies Act 2016 and the Income Tax Act 1967, preventing errors that could lead to tax penalties or disallowed deductions.
3. Risk Prevention & Audit Readiness
We build internal compliance checkpoints, including verifying meeting minutes, resolutions, and statutory filings, so that your company stays audit-ready.
SSM inspections, LHDN audits and due diligence exercises all find your corporate records clean and defensible.
4. Tailored Solutions for Every Stage
Startups seeking incorporation and licensing, as well as established firms undergoing mergers or capital restructuring, benefit from NKH’s scalable company secretarial services that adapt to business needs.
5. Local Expertise, National Recognition
With deep experience in Malaysia’s regulatory environment, NKH serves clients across Klang Valley, Selangor, and nationwide, helping businesses stay compliant while focusing on growth.
Explore how NKH Chartered Accountants, your reliable audit company in Selangor, can support your business with strategic governance and tax expertise.
The Bottom Line: Governance Is Strategy
In Malaysia’s current fiscal environment, marked by stricter LHDN audits, renewed focus on anti-money laundering and ESG-driven transparency, company secretarial work has evolved into a cornerstone of corporate governance strategy.
Beyond compliance, it is about protecting shareholder value, preserving business reputation and enabling long-term sustainability.
Companies preparing for restructuring, facing tax reviews and seeking to enhance ESG credibility can rely on NKH Chartered Accountant to turn compliance into strategic advantage.
Let our licensed company secretaries and experienced accountants help you transform compliance into strategic advantage.
Talk to our company secretary team today to schedule a consultation or request a quotation.
NKH Chartered Accountant — Where Compliance Meets Strategy.
Kim Heng is an accounting and taxation professional whose sterling reputation has drawn countless clients to the NKH Group. When the GST was first introduced, he was commissioned to give 100+ talks on GST implementation as well as over 20++ talks on E- Invoice implementation by multiple businesses and industry associations, showing the depth of their confidence in his expertise. In the following years, Kim Heng would go on to share his knowledge on (among others) branding, tax planning, and fundraising at 20+ seminars organised by business associates that were widely attended by the public. He has over 20 years of experience consulting and advisory on taxation, corporate structure planning, business valuer, company secretarial administration, constitution advisory, and etc.
