Our Constitution

RULES OF THE SINGAPORE ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOL OLD BOYS' ASSOCIATION Registered under the Societies Act (Cap 311 1985 Edition) (Amended 1985, 1990, 2000 and 2005)

 

NAME
1 The association shall be called "The Singapore Anglo-Chinese School Old Boys' Association".
   

PRELIMINARY
2

In these presents, unless there be something in the subject or context inconsistent therewith, the words and expressions following shall have the meanings hereinafter assigned to them respectively:

 

"The Association" means the abovenamed Association.

 

"The School" means the Singapore Anglo-Chinese School which includes the Anglo-Chinese Junior College, the Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) , the Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) and Anglo-Chinese School (International).

 

"The Rules" means the Rules contained in these Rules, with such (if any) modifications as may from time to time be made therein.

 

"Committee" means the Committee hereinafter mentioned.

"Old Boys" means:

 
  i

former pupils (whether male or female) of the School, the Anglo-Chinese Continuation School, the Methodist Boys Afternoon School or the Oldham Methodist School who shall have been such pupils for a period of not less than one academic year; and
  ii teachers and former teachers (other than Old Boys) of the School, the Anglo-Chinese Continuation School, the Methodist Boys Afternoon School or the Oldham Methodist School who have been such teachers for a period of not less than five academic years.
 

 

Words importing the singular number include the plural and vice versa.

Words importing the masculine gender include the feminine gender and vice versa.
   

CONSTITUTION
3 For the purpose of proper control, supervision, and management and for the performance of its objectives, the Association shall be governed by a Committee as provided under Rule 9.
   

PATRONS
4 The Bishop of the Methodist Church, Singapore shall be invited to become a Patron of the Association. Other persons may be made Patrons of the Association if they are recommended by the Committee and approved by a General Meeting, provided that at no time shall the total number of Patrons exceed four.
   

OBJECTS
5 The Objects of the Association shall be:
  i To promote the advancement and improvement of its members physically, intellectually, socially and morally.
  ii To develop a true spirit of loyalty and love for the Alma Mater.
  iii To secure the co-operation and active interest of Old Boys in carrying out aims and objects of the School.
  iv To foster the ideals of the true citizenship and to promote the feeling of comradeship among the races.
  v To promote the welfare of the School, its teachers and Old Boys.
  vi To participate in the management of the School through the nomination of representatives to the Board of Governors and (where applicable) the respective Boards of Management of separate units of the School.
  vii To provided scholarships, prizes and financial assistance to teachers and pupils of the School.
     

MEMBERS
  i The number of members of the Association is unlimited.
  ii The Association shall consist of Honorary, Life, Ordinary, and Associate Members.
  iii Persons who have done some special service for the Association or the School are eligible for Honorary Membership and may be elected as such by the Association in General Meeting on the recommendation of the Committee. An Honorary Member shall have none of the liabilities of Members as regards subscriptions and shall not be entitled to vote or hold office, but shall have the privilege of attending the meetings of the Association and such other privileges as may be conferred upon him by the Rule or By-laws.
  iv Any Ordinary Member of the Association may become a Life Member on the payment of the required subscription.
  v Old Boys as defined in Rule 2 are eligible for Ordinary Membership.
  vi The following persons shall qualify for Associate Membership:-
   
a former pupils (whether male or female) of any boys' school in Malaysia under the control of the Methodist church in Malaysia;
b teachers or former teachers of the School who do not qualify for Ordinary Membership under Rule 6(5);
c parents of:
 
i pupils (whether male or female) of the School; or
ii Old Boys who do not qualify for Ordinary Membership under Rule 6(5).

 

The committee may also from time to time elect any person to Associate Membership that it shall deem fit having regard to such person's interest in or connection with the School. Such membership shall be for such period and upon such terms as to subscription and otherwise as may be determined from time to time by the Committee.

 

Associate Members shall not be entitled to vote at General Meeting of the Association or to hold office in the Association.
  vii The Association shall not accept as a member any person who is currently attending any school as a student unless they are admitted as associate members with no voting rights. Such Associate members shall not pay subscription fees. The Association shall not accept as a member any person who has not attained the age of eighteen.
  viii Provided that all persons who are members of the Association as at the date that this revised
Rule 6 take effect shall, notwithstanding the above provisions of the revised Rule 6, remain
members of the Association and retain their existing category of membership.
     

ADMISSION OF MEMBERS
7 A candidate for election as an Ordinary or Associate Member shall submit his name to the Committee for election.
   

SUBSCRIPTION
8 The subscription for Ordinary and Associate Memberships shall be such sums and payable on such period as may from time to time be fixed by the Committee.
   

MANAGEMENT
9 The Management of the affairs of the Association shall be vested in a Committee composed of the
following members:
  i The President;
  ii Two Vice-Presidents;
  iii The Honorary Secretary;
  iv The Honorary Assistant Secretary;
  v The Honorary Treasurer;
  vi The Honorary Assistant Treasurer;
  vii Five Committee Members;
  viii The Principals of the Anglo-Chinese Junior College, the Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road), the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), the Anglo-Chinese School (Junior), the Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) and Anglo-Chinese School (International) shall be ex-officio members.
  ix If considered necessary by the elected Committee Members, up to five co-opted members in accordance with Rule 11(4).
     

ELECTION OF OFFICERS
10

Members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. Each member so elected shall hold office for two years and shall be eligible for re-election provided that no member shall hold the office of President for more than four years consecutively or the office of Treasurer for more than two years consecutively. At the first Annual General Meeting held after the adoption of this new Rule 10, elections shall be held for the following officers to hold office for the following periods:

 

POST  
The President 2 years
The First Vice President 1 year
The Second Vice President 2 years
The Honorary Secretary 1 year
The Honorary Assistant Secretary 2 years
The Honorary Treasurer 2 years
The Honorary Assistant Treasurer 1 year
3 Committee Members 2 years
2 Committee Members 1 year

 

For the purpose of this rule a "year" shall mean the period between two successive Annual General Meetings. At each subsequent Annual General Meeting there shall be elections only for those posts falling vacant, and each member elected to fill such post shall hold office for two years.
   

POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
11 The Committee shall have the following powers:
  i

To elect amongst themselves three representatives of the Association (other than the President) to the Board of Governors of the School; and three representatives of the Association to the Board of Management of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).

 

For the avoidance of doubt, the President shall be the Vice Chairman of both the Board of Governors and the Board of Management of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).
  ii To elect Members of the Association in accordance with Rule 7.
  iii To manage the financial affairs of the Association.
  iv To co-opt if and when necessary not more than five members to serve on the Committee for a period expiring on the date of the next Annual General meeting.
  v To recommend new rules or the alteration or the repeal of existing rules for the consideration of the Association in the manner prescribed by Rule 21.
  vi To appoint Sub-Committees as they may deem necessary of expedient.
  vii To promulgate By-laws for the Association provided such By-laws shall not be in conflict with the Rules.
  viii To exercise such other powers and to discharge such other duties, as the Rules and By-laws of the Association may for the time being provide, and generally to act on behalf of the Association in all matters whereon the Rules or By-laws do not expressly or otherwise provide.
     

DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
12 i The President, or in his absence, a Vice-President, shall preside at all General and Committee
Meetings of the Association.
  ii Should the President and Vice-Presidents be absent, the meeting shall elect its own Chairman.
  iii In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
  iv

The Honorary Secretary with the assistance of the Honorary Assistant Secretary shall:-

 

a Keep a record of the proceedings of the Association and of the Committee Meetings.
b Attend to all correspondence of the Association.
c Be in charge of all documents and papers of the Association.
d Issue notices and convene General and Committee Meetings.
e Keep a Membership Register.
  v

The Honorary Treasurer with the assistance of the Honorary Assistant Treasurer shall:-

 

a Keep an account of all monies received and paid.
b Deposit all collections as directed by the Committee.
c Draw up a Balance Sheet annually which shall be duly audited before being submitted to the
Annual General Meeting for approval.
  vi Payments from the funds of the Association shall only be made on the authorisation of the
Committee.
  vii Any member of the Committee absenting himself from three consecutive meetings of the
Committee without reason shall cease to be a member thereof.
     

FINANCIAL YEAR
13 The financial year of the Association shall end on the 31st December of each year.

 

AUDIT
14 A member being a public or registered accountant but not a member of the Committee, shall be elected as Honorary Auditor of the Association at each Annual General Meeting and shall hold office for one year and shall be eligible for re-election. The Honorary Auditor shall audit the accounts of the Association each year and shall present a report upon such accounts at each Annual General Meeting. The President may at any time require the Honorary Auditor to audit the accounts of the Association for any period during the tenure of office of the Honorary Auditor and to submit a report of such audit to the Committee.
   

VACANCIES OF COMMITTEE
15 In the event of the death or resignation or absence from Singapore of any member of the Committee or in the event of a vacancy occurring in any other manner, the Committee shall have the power to appoint some member of the Association to hold office thereby vacated until the next Annual General Meeting.
   

MEETINGS
16

The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held not later than the 31st day of March each
year. The business of the meeting shall be:

 

i To receive the Report and pass the Accounts for the year ended 31st December.
ii To elect the officers for the years who shall thereupon take office. All nominations for the office bearers must be submitted to the Honorary Secretary at least 3 clear days before the Annual General Meeting, together with the names of a proposer and a seconder for the candidate, both of whom shall be members of the Association.
iii To elect an Honorary Auditor.
iv To make new rules or alter or repeal existing rules.
v To discuss any other business, notice of which shall have been given to the Honorary Secretary at least seven days before the date of the meeting.
   

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
17

An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association shall be called:-

 

i When deemed necessary by the Committee.
ii Upon written application of not less than twenty ordinary members.
   

NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
18 At least seven clear days' notice shall be given of any General Meeting.
   

COMMITTEE MEETINGS
19 There shall be at least one Committee meeting during each School Term.
   

QUORUM
20
i Twenty Ordinary Members shall constitute a Quorum at a General Meeting and six Committee Members a Committee Meeting.
ii If within half an hour appointed for holding a general meeting no quorum of ordinary members are present the general meeting may be held as if a quorum is present if there are twelve or more ordinary members present in person. PROVIDED THAT such reduced quorum of ordinary members may not exercise the powers of repeal or alteration or addition to the Rules proved under Rule 21.
   

NEW RULES, REPEAL OR ALTERATION OF EXISTING RULES
21
i Provided that at least fourteen clear days' notice in writing has been given to each member specifying the exact words of the proposed alteration or addition, new rules or alterations or repeal of existing rules may be proposed at the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary General Meeting by the Committee or by the signatories of the requisition for an Extraordinary General Meeting, and may be adopted by a majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting. A notice will be deemed to have been received the day after posting and for the purpose of computing the period of fourteen clear days the date of receipt and the date of the meeting shall not be counted.
ii Such new rules, or alterations or repeal of existing rules so adopted shall not come into operation or be applied until they have been approved in writing by the Registrar of Societies.
   

ANNUAL REPORT AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS
22 The Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Committee of the Association shall be printed and presented at the Annual General Meeting.
   

METHOD OF VOTING
23 The business of the Association shall be transacted by a show of hands vote except the election of officers which shall be by ballot.
   

POWER TO BORROW MONEY
24 The Committee may from time to time raise or borrow for the purposes of the Association such sums of money as it thinks proper, and it may raise or secure the payment of such monies in such manner and upon such terms and conditions in all respects as it thinks fit. PROVIDED THAT where any question arises involving either the raising or borrowing of money or the incurring of any capital expenditure by the Association of more than $50,000/- for any one project, than that question and any other question arising out of the same or incidental thereto shall be decided by a majority vote of the members entitled to vote expressed in person at a General Meeting.
   

ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY
25
i The Committee shall have the power to purchase or acquire movable or immovable property or other assets for the purposes of the Association without having to obtain the sanction of a General Meeting and shall have power to invest any funds of the Association not immediately required for any such purposes upon the security of any investments for the time being authorised by law for the investment of trust funds with full power to sell, realise, vary or otherwise deal with such movable property and investments.
ii The Committee may employ independent professional advice on any proposed sale or purchase of property or investments.
   

DISPOSAL OF PROPERTY
26 No immovable property of the Association or any part thereof shall be sold, assigned, transferred, conveyed, mortgaged or otherwise disposed of without a resolution authourising or sanctioning such sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance, mortgage or other transaction being first passed at a General Meeting of the Association.
   

CUSTODIAN TRUSTEES
27 The investments and immovable property of the Association shall be held by a corporate Trust Company as Custodian Trustee at such remuneration as may be agreed upon. The Custodian Trustee shall act in a nominee capacity and shall in no way be responsible to the Association for the management of such property and, further, shall be indemnified by the Association for any liability which may result from ;holding property as trustee for the Association. The Custodian Trustee shall be entitled to act in all dealings with the property in accordance with the wishes of the Committee as evidenced by true copies of resolutions passed at meetings of the Committee, such true copies to be certified as correct by the President or a Vice-President and the Honorary Secretary.
   

RESIGNATION
28 A member may at any time by giving notice in writing to the Secretary, resign his membership of the Association, but shall continue to be liable for any subscription or other debt due and unpaid at the date of his resignation.
   

EXPULSION, SUSPENSION AND CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
29

If any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee, act in any way prejudicial to the interests of the Association or its members or shall break any Rule or By-Law of the Association, the Committee shall consider the conduct of such member at a meeting of the Committee. If at such meeting it is considered that there is sufficient evidence to justify calling on the member to answer any charge made against him, a notice in writing shall be given to such member calling on him to attend and extraordinary general meeting of the Association for the purpose of answering such charges. Such notice shall not be less than seven clear day. At such meeting the member concerned shall be informed of the charges made against him and shall have the right to be heard in his own defence. If, after hearing such member, three-fifths of the members present at the general meeting shall vote for the expulsion of the said member, he shall, after the hearing, thereupon cease to be a member of the Association. The said meeting, may, at the conclusion of such hearing, by like majority suspend the member for such period as determined by the general membership. Notice thereof shall thereafter be sent to such member. If such member refuses to attend the meeting in answer to the notice calling upon him to do so, the Association in general meeting may nevertheless proceed in his absence. No appeal shall lie from the decision of the Association in general meeting to any other meeting (whether of the Committee or of the members of the Association) or to any Court of Law.

 
30 A person expelled under Rule 29 shall not thereafter be eligible as a member of the Association.
   

DISSOLUTION
31
i The association shall not be dissolved except with the consent of not less than three-fifths of the members of the Association, expressed either in person or by proxy at a general meeting convened for the purpose.
ii In the event of the Association being dissolved as provided for under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Rule, all debts and liabilities properly incurred by or on behalf of the Association shall be fully discharged and the remaining funds of the Association, if any, shall be disposed of in accordance with any decision taken by the members at the general meeting convened for the purpose of dissolving the Association.
iii Notice of the dissolution of the Association shall be given to the Registrar of Societies within fourteen days of the decision taken by the members to dissolve the Association.