COMPANIES ACT 2016 
“member” means—
(a) in the case of a company limited by shares, a person whose name is entered in the register of members as the holder for the time being of one or more shares in the company; or
(b) in the case of a company limited by guarantee, a person whose name is entered in the register of members;    

A member is a person who is legally recognised by the company as belonging to it. Membership is established by having the person's name entered in the Register of Members, which the company is required to maintain under the Companies Act 2016.
The legal status of a member depends on the type of company:

• In a company limited by shares, a member is the registered holder of one or more shares.
• In a company limited by guarantee, a member is a person whose name appears in the Register of Members, even though the company has no share capital.

Accordingly, legal membership is determined by registration in the Register of Members, not merely by ownership of shares or an agreement to become a member. Types of Members
1. Member of a Company Limited by Shares
In a company limited by shares, a member is a person who:

• Holds one or more shares;
• Has his or her name entered in the Register of Members; and
• Is recognised by the company as the registered shareholder.

Membership arises upon registration in the Register of Members. 2. Member of a Company Limited by Guarantee
A company limited by guarantee does not have share capital.
Instead, a member is simply a person whose name appears in the Register of Members and who has agreed to contribute a specified amount to the company's assets if it is wound up.
Such companies are commonly established for:

• Charitable purposes;
• Professional associations;
• Religious organisations;
• Educational institutions;
• Clubs and societies; and
• Non-profit organisations.

Register of Members
The Register of Members is the official statutory record maintained by the company that identifies its members.
The register generally records:

• Full name of each member;
• Identification details;
• Address;
• Date of becoming a member;
• Number and class of shares (for companies limited by shares);
• Date of cessation of membership, where applicable; and
• Other particulars required under the Companies Act 2016.

Only persons whose names appear in this register are recognised as members for legal purposes. Rights of Members
Members generally enjoy the following rights under the Companies Act 2016:

• To attend and vote at general meetings (subject to the company's constitution and share rights);
• To receive notices of meetings;
• To receive dividends, where declared;
• To inspect certain statutory registers and company records;
• To participate in major corporate decisions;
• To transfer shares, subject to applicable restrictions;
• To receive a share of surplus assets upon winding up, after creditors have been paid; and
• To exercise remedies available under the Companies Act 2016, including actions for oppression or unfair prejudice where applicable.

Responsibilities of Members
Members are generally responsible for:

• Paying for shares subscribed (where applicable);
• Complying with the company's constitution;
• Exercising their voting rights responsibly;
• Observing statutory obligations under the Companies Act 2016; and
• In the case of a company limited by guarantee, contributing the guaranteed amount if the company is wound up.

Practical Examples
Example 1 – Company Limited by Shares
ABC Sdn. Bhd. issues 100 ordinary shares to Mr. Tan.
Once Mr. Tan's name is entered into the Register of Members, he becomes a member of the company. Example 2 – Share Transfer
Ms. Lim purchases shares from an existing shareholder.
Although payment has been made, she does not become a member until her name is entered into the Register of Members.
The previous shareholder remains the legal member until the registration is completed. Example 3 – Company Limited by Guarantee
Helping Hands Foundation, a company limited by guarantee, admits Ms. Wong as a member.
Her name is entered into the Register of Members.
Although she owns no shares, she is legally a member of the company. Example 4 – Beneficial Owner vs Registered Member
Mr. Lee purchases shares through a nominee arrangement.
The nominee's name is entered in the Register of Members, while Mr. Lee remains the beneficial owner.
For the purposes of the Companies Act 2016, the nominee, not Mr. Lee, is the legal member of the company because the nominee's name appears in the Register of Members. Legal Significance of Registration
The Companies Act 2016 recognises the registered member, rather than the beneficial owner, as the person entitled to exercise membership rights.
Accordingly:

• Ownership alone does not create legal membership.
• A purchaser of shares becomes a member only upon registration.
• Membership ceases when the person's name is removed from the Register of Members.

This principle provides certainty regarding who is entitled to exercise shareholder rights and who is recognised by the company for corporate governance purposes. Compliance Requirements
A company should ensure that:

• An accurate Register of Members is maintained at all times;
• Changes in membership are promptly recorded;
• Share transfers are properly registered before recognising a new member;
• Statutory records are kept in accordance with the Companies Act 2016; and
• Membership records are available for inspection where required by law.

Importance
The definition of "member" is fundamental to the operation of the Companies Act 2016 because it determines who is legally recognised as having membership rights and obligations within a company. By linking membership to the Register of Members, the Act provides certainty as to who may exercise voting rights, receive dividends or other distributions, participate in general meetings, and enforce statutory remedies. The distinction between members of companies limited by shares and members of companies limited by guarantee also reflects the differing legal structures of commercial companies and non-profit organisations, ensuring that corporate rights and responsibilities are applied appropriately according to the nature of the company.  
 

《2016 年公司法》

“成员”（Member） 是指：

(a) 就**股份有限公司（Company Limited by Shares）而言，是指其姓名已登记于成员登记册（Register of Members）**内，并于当时持有公司一股或以上股份的人士；或

(b) 就**担保有限公司（Company Limited by Guarantee）而言，是指其姓名已登记于成员登记册（Register of Members）**内的人士。

成员（Member） 是指依法获公司承认为公司成员的人士。

成员资格（Membership）是透过其姓名正式登记于公司依法保存的**成员登记册（Register of Members）**而成立，而非仅因拥有股份或双方达成协议即可取得。

根据《2016 年公司法》，公司必须备存成员登记册，而只有登记于该登记册上的人士，方属于法律所承认的成员（Member）。

成员的法律地位因公司类型而有所不同：

• 股份有限公司（Company Limited by Shares）：成员是其姓名已登记于成员登记册，并持有公司一股或以上股份的注册股东（Registered Shareholder）。
• 担保有限公司（Company Limited by Guarantee）：由于该类公司没有股本，因此成员仅须其姓名登记于成员登记册，即取得成员资格。

因此，《2016 年公司法》强调，成员资格是以登记（Registration）为依据，而非以实际拥有股份（Beneficial Ownership）或签订协议为依据。

成员的类别（Types of Members）

1. 股份有限公司的成员（Member of a Company Limited by Shares）

股份有限公司的成员必须符合以下条件：

• 持有公司一股或以上股份；
• 姓名已登记于成员登记册；以及
• 获公司承认为注册股东（Registered Shareholder）。

成员资格自姓名登记于成员登记册之日起产生。

2. 担保有限公司的成员（Member of a Company Limited by Guarantee）

担保有限公司并无股本（Share Capital）。

成员是指：

• 姓名已登记于成员登记册；以及
• 同意于公司清盘时，按章程承担其承诺担保金额（Guaranteed Amount）的人士。

担保有限公司通常设立用于：

• 慈善机构（Charitable Organisations）；
• 专业协会（Professional Associations）；
• 宗教组织（Religious Organisations）；
• 教育机构（Educational Institutions）；
• 俱乐部及社团（Clubs and Societies）；以及
• 非营利组织（Non-profit Organisations）。

成员登记册（Register of Members）

成员登记册（Register of Members） 是公司依法必须保存的重要法定登记册，用以确认公司的合法成员。

登记册一般载有以下资料：

• 成员姓名（Full Name）；
• 身份资料（Identification Details）；
• 地址（Address）；
• 成为成员的日期（Date of Becoming a Member）；
• 所持股份数量及类别（适用于股份有限公司）；
• 成员资格终止日期（如适用）；以及
• 《2016 年公司法》规定须登记的其他资料。

只有姓名已登记于成员登记册的人士，方会在法律上被视为公司的成员。

成员的权利（Rights of Members）

根据《2016 年公司法》，成员一般享有以下权利：

• 出席股东大会并行使表决权（须受公司章程及股份权利限制）；
• 收取股东大会通知；
• 于公司宣布派息时收取股息（Dividend）；
• 查阅部分法定登记册及公司记录；
• 参与重大公司决策；
• 在符合法律及章程规定下转让股份；
• 于公司清盘并清偿债权人后，按规定分享剩余资产；以及
• 行使《2016 年公司法》赋予的法定救济权，包括压迫行为（Oppression）或不公平损害（Unfair Prejudice）等诉讼权利（如适用）。

成员的责任（Responsibilities of Members）

成员一般应承担以下责任：

• 缴付所认购股份应缴的股款（如适用）；
• 遵守公司章程（Constitution）；
• 负责任地行使投票权；
• 遵守《2016 年公司法》规定的各项法定义务；以及
• 如属担保有限公司成员，于公司清盘时缴付其承诺担保金额。

实务示例（Practical Examples）

例子一：股份有限公司（Company Limited by Shares）

ABC Sdn. Bhd. 向陈先生（Mr. Tan）发行 100 股普通股。

当陈先生的姓名登记于成员登记册后，他即正式成为公司的成员。

例子二：股份转让（Share Transfer）

林女士（Ms. Lim）向现有股东购买股份。

虽然双方已完成付款，但在林女士的姓名登记于成员登记册之前，她并未成为公司的法律成员。

在完成登记前，原股东仍然属于公司的合法成员。

例子三：担保有限公司（Company Limited by Guarantee）

Helping Hands Foundation（一家担保有限公司）接纳黄女士（Ms. Wong）成为成员。

当黄女士的姓名登记于成员登记册后，即使她并未持有任何股份，仍依法属于公司的成员。

例子四：实益拥有人与登记成员（Beneficial Owner vs Registered Member）

李先生（Mr. Lee）透过代名人（Nominee）安排购买公司股份。

成员登记册记载的是代名人的姓名，而李先生则属于股份的实益拥有人（Beneficial Owner）。

根据《2016 年公司法》，由于成员登记册登记的是代名人，因此代名人而非李先生属于公司的法律成员，并可依法行使成员权利。

成员登记的法律意义（Legal Significance of Registration）

《2016 年公司法》承认的是登记成员（Registered Member），而非实益拥有人（Beneficial Owner）。

因此：

• 单纯拥有股份权益，并不会自动取得法律上的成员资格；
• 股份购买人必须完成成员登记后，方正式成为公司的成员；
• 当成员姓名自成员登记册中删除时，其成员资格即告终止。

这一原则确保公司能够明确识别真正享有成员权利及承担成员义务的人士，为公司治理及股东权利提供法律确定性。

合规要求（Compliance Requirements）

公司应确保：

• 始终保存完整及准确的成员登记册；
• 成员资料发生变更时及时更新登记；
• 股份转让完成正式登记后，方承认新成员资格；
• 所有法定记录均依照《2016 年公司法》妥善保存；以及
• 于法律规定情况下，提供成员登记册供有关人士查阅。

重要性（Importance）

“成员（Member）” 是《2016 年公司法》中最基本及最重要的法律概念之一，因为它决定了谁依法享有公司的成员权利及承担成员义务。

《2016 年公司法》透过将成员资格与**成员登记册（Register of Members）**挂钩，为公司的成员身份提供明确及具法律确定性的认定标准。

这一制度的重要意义包括：

• 明确谁有权出席股东大会及行使投票权；
• 确定谁有权收取股息及其他分派；
• 确定谁可参与公司重大事务及公司治理；
• 明确谁有权依据《2016 年公司法》寻求法定救济；
• 区分**登记成员（Registered Member）与实益拥有人（Beneficial Owner）**的法律地位，减少产权争议；以及
• 同时反映股份有限公司与担保有限公司在法律结构上的差异，使商业公司及非营利机构均能适用符合其性质的成员制度，促进公司治理的透明度、稳定性及法律确定性。