PREAMBLE

The national medical associations of the member states of ASEAN, recognising the importance of closer ties among the national medical associations in assisting all people in this region to attain the highest possible level of health, and realising the need for mutual cooperation and collective effort in maintaining the dignity and standards of the medical profession, having organised the Medical Association of South East Asian Nations (“MASEAN”), do hereby adopt and promulgate the Constitution in Jakarta, Indonesia on 1 March 1980.

 

ARTICLE 1

 

ARTICLE 2

1. To promote close ties among the medical associations and physicians in ASEAN;
2. To foster the study and dissemination of all aspects of medical knowledge;
3. To study and report on the problems which confront the profession in the region; and
4. To establish common policies in attaining the highest possible level of health care for the people.

ARTICLE 3

 

ARTICLE 4

 

ARTICLE 5

 

ARTICLE 6

 

ARTICLE 6A

 

ARTICLE 7

 

ARTICLE 8

 

ARTICLE 9

 

ARTICLE 10

 

BY-LAWS

1. The four (4) delegates to the MASEAN Conference from each member association (holding full or associate membership) shall be nominated by the member country.  Each delegate shall be a duly qualified and registered medical practitioner and a certified member of his/her national medical association.
2. For members of ASEAN without a national medical association, the Ministry of Health of these countries is entitled to send up to four (4) official observers to the MASEAN Conference.  However, such observers will not have voting rights.

1. The Chairman shall be appointed by the member association hosting the MASEAN Conference. The Vice-Chairman shall be appointed by the member association that is hosting the next MASEAN Conference.  Their term of office shall be two (2) years.
2. The Secretary-General shall be appointed by the member association hosting the Secretariat and the appointment shall be ratified by the MASEAN Council.  The Secretary-General shall be the head of the Secretariat of MASEAN.
3. The Deputy Secretary-General shall be from the member country that the Chairman of MASEAN Council is from. The term of office shall be of the same duration as and coincide with that of the Chairman.
4. The Treasurer shall be appointed by decision of the MASEAN Council provided always that the appointment is ratified by the MASEAN Conference. The term of office shall be two (2) years.
5. The Officers of MASEAN shall hold office in an honorary capacity and shall not receive remuneration in respect of their office.

1. Each member association (full and associate member) shall nominate two (2) council members.  One of them must be the incumbent president of the national medical association unless the incumbent president is already an Officer.  Should there be a change in the incumbent president of a member association (full and associate member) and the incumbent president is not already on the MASEAN Council, the member association shall re-nominate its council members to comply with the requirements under this By-Law.  Their term of office shall be two (2) years.

1. No subscription fee will be levied. By decision of the MASEAN Council at a Council Meeting, the following shall be defrayed out of MASEAN funds that have been raised by the MASEAN Council in accordance with Article 6A of the Constitution:
   1. Expenses for international transportation and accommodation incurred by member associations in relation to MASEAN Conferences,
   2. Expenses for internal transportation and meals incurred by the host in relation to MASEAN Conferences
   3. The maintenance of the MASEAN Secretariat
2. The Treasurer shall ensure that all funds raised by the MASEAN Council in accordance with Article 6A of the Constitution shall be kept in an account in a recognised bank in Singapore [or such other country as the MASEAN Council may from time to time direct]. Funds that are not immediately required to meet the expenses of MASEAN should be placed on deposit with a recognised bank or invested in readily realisable securities (such as government bonds or money market funds) as determined by the Treasurer together with the Finance Committee and subject to the approval of the MASEAN Council.
3. The Finance Committee shall comprise of not more than four members, and their term of office shall be two (2) years.
4. [The Treasurer shall ex officio be a member of the Finance Committee.] The other members of the Finance Committee shall be appointed by the decision of the MASEAN Council provided always that each appointment is ratified by the MASEAN Conference.
5. The Treasurer together with the Finance Committee shall ensure that proper accounting records are kept in respect of the funds and of MASEAN’s income and expenditure at all times, and shall submit a full and proper set of financial statements for audit as required.
6. An external auditor shall be appointed and be allowed to examine such records and statements in so far as they relate to the funds and MASEAN’s income and expenditure and to take copies and extracts of such records and statements for the purposes of verifying the accuracy of all records and statements given by the Treasurer and the Finance Committee. The external auditor shall also be required to keep confidential all information learnt during such examination.
7. The external auditor shall, at every annual budget review conducted during an ordinary MASEAN Council Meeting, present an audited statement of the income and expenditure of MASEAN and of its assets and liabilities.
8. The appointment of the external auditor and his remuneration shall be by the decision of the MASEAN Council provided always that such decisions are ratified by the MASEAN Conference.
9. The MASEAN Council shall not enter into a commitment to spend any funds unless satisfied that MASEAN will have sufficient funds available to meet payment(s) under that commitment.
10. Any two Officers shall be the signatories of cheques drawn under the funds, provided always that the Treasurer is one such signatory.

1. A MASEAN Conference shall be held every two (2) years and will be hosted by the member associations in turn according to alphabetical order of the name of each member country unless otherwise determined in the preceding MASEAN Conference.
2. An ordinary MASEAN Council Meeting shall be held every year.  An annual budget review shall be conducted at every such ordinary MASEAN Council Meeting.
3. The host of the MASEAN Conference shall not bear the cost of international transportation of the delegates to the host country and accommodation of the delegates but should facilitate visa applications and hotel reservations if so requested.
4. No registration fee shall be charged for official delegates from member associations by the host of the MASEAN Conference.  Internal transportation and meals should be provided by the host for the delegates for the duration of the MASEAN Conference[, and the expenses incurred in so doing shall, be defrayed out of MASEAN funds in accordance with By-Law 3a].
5. Extraordinary Meetings of the MASEAN Council shall be held [within sixty (60) days] following the receipt by the Secretary-General of a written request of a simple majority of full member associations.