Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF ASEAN CHESS CONFEDERATION

1.1 This Society shall be known as the “ASEAN Chess Confederation”, hereinafter referred to as the “ACC”.

1.2 The ASEAN Chess Confederation was founded on 28 May 2000, Vung Tau City, Vietnam, whereby its Constitution was adopted.

PLACE OF BUSINESS

2.1 The place of business shall be at No. 1 Goldhill Plaza #03-01 Podium Block, Singapore 308899 or such address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Board and approved by the Registrar of Societies. The Society shall carry out its activities only in places and premises which have the prior written approval from the relevant authorities, where necessary.

OBJECTS

3.1 The ASEAN Chess Confederation (ACC) is a regional chess organisation which intends to further the interests of chess in ASEAN, as well as the interests of its member-federations.

3.2 The ACC is established for chess development in ASEAN.

3.3 The ACC will establish and coordinate the activities of its members and organise competitions, in particular, the SEA Games and the ASEAN Age-Group Championships.

MEMBERSHIP

4.1 The founding member-federations were the national chess federations of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

4.2 Any member of ASEAN and its national chess federation is considered to be an automatic member-federation of the ACC and has the right to vote.

4.3 Each member-federation may be represented by a Delegate who shall have voting right and not more than two (2) Counsellors at a General Meeting.

4.4 Honorary Life Presidents

A distinguished person who had contributed significantly to the development of Chess in the ASEAN region may be elected at a General Meeting as Honorary Life President for life. An Honorary Life President shall be invited to all meetings of the ACC but shall have no voting right.

4.5 Knight of ASEAN

The Knight of ASEAN is a distinguished award to a player who had achieved significantly results in world-level competitions and has also help develop Chess in his member-federation.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND OTHER DUES

5.1 Subscriptions shall be determined by the General Meeting on recommendation from the Board from time to time.

5.2 The funds of the ACC shall be derived from free-will offerings.

SUPREME AUTHORITY AND GENERAL MEETINGS

6.1 The supreme authority of the ACC is vested in a General Meeting of the member-federations.

6.2 An Annual General Meeting shall be held in conjunction with a major regional event; preferably during the SEA Games or ASEAN Age-Group Championships.

6.3 At other times, an Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the President, on the request in writing of not less than 30% or four (4) member-federations, whichever is the lesser and may be called at anytime by order of the Board. The notice in writing shall be given to the Secretary-General setting forth the business that is to be transacted. The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened within two (2) months from receiving this request to convene the Extraordinary General Meeting.

6.4 If the Board does not within two (2) months after the date of the receipt of the written request proceed to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting, the member-federations who requested for the Extraordinary General Meeting shall convene the Extraordinary General Meeting by giving two (2) weeks’ notice to the member-federations setting forth the business to be transacted and simultaneously posting the agenda on the ACC’s website.

6.5 At least one (1) month’s notice shall be given of an Annual General Meeting and at least two (2) weeks’ notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting. Notice of meeting stating the date, time and place of meeting shall be sent by the Secretary- General to all member-federations. The particulars of the agenda shall be posted on the ACC’s Notice Board and website seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.

6.6 Any notice of meeting must be sent to member-federations by email, fax or mail.

6.7 Voting by proxy is allowed at all General Meetings. A member- federation and its Delegate is allowed only one (1) proxy.

6.8 The following points will be considered at the Annual General Meeting:

  • (a) The previous financial year’s accounts and annual report of the Board.
  • (b) Where applicable, the election of office-bearers and Honorary Auditor for the following term.

Any member-federation who wishes to place an item on the agenda of a General Meeting must do so provided notice is given to the Secretary-General two (2) weeks before the meeting is due to be held.

6.9 At least 50% of the member-federations or six (6) Delegates, whichever is the lesser, present at a General Meeting shall form a quorum. Proxies shall be constituted as part of the quorum.

6.10 In the event of there being no quorum at the commencement of a General Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour and should the number then be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to amend any part of the existing Constitution.

6.11 Resolutions are passed by a majority of the votes, without counting the abstentions. The President has a second and casting vote to establish a majority.

MANAGEMENT AND BOARD

7.1 The administration of the ACC shall be entrusted to a Board consisting of the following to be elected once in every three (3) years:

  • A President
  • 2 Deputy Presidents
  • A Secretary-General
  • A Deputy Secretary-General
  • A Treasurer-General
  • Not more than 7 Vice-Presidents

7.2 Delegates or Counsellors may be nominated for any office. Names for the above offices shall be proposed and seconded at the Annual General Meeting and election will follow a simple majority vote of the members. All office-bearers, except the Treasurer- General may be re-elected to the same or related post for a consecutive term of office. The term of office of the Board is three years.

7.3 Election will be by a secret ballot. In the event of a tie, a re- vote shall be taken and if it still results in a tie, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.

7.4 A Board Meeting shall be held at least once every six (6) months after giving two (2) weeks’ notice. At least half (50%) of the Board Members must be present for the proceedings to be valid.

7.5 Any Member of the Board absenting himself from three (3) meetings consecutively without satisfactory explanations shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Board and a successor may be co-opted by the Board to serve until the next Annual General Meeting. Any changes in the Board shall be notified to the Registrar of Societies within two (2) weeks of the change.

7.6 The duty of the Board is to organize and supervise the daily activities of the ACC. The Board may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the General Meeting without prior reference to it and shall always remain subordinate to the General Meetings.

7.7 The Board has power to authorize the expenditure of a sum not exceeding Singapore Dollars Fifty Thousand (S$50,000) per month from the ACC’s funds for the ACC’s purposes.

DUTIES OF OFFICE-BEARERS

8.1 The President shall chair all General and Board Meetings. He shall also represent the ACC in its dealings with outside organizations and persons. Resolutions are passed by a majority of the votes, without counting the abstentions. The President has a second and casting vote to establish a majority.

8.2 One of the Deputy-Presidents shall deputise for the President in his absence. In the event of death or resignation of the President, one of the Deputy-Presidents shall be elected by the Board to hold office as Acting President for the remainder of the term of the President whose place he takes.

8.3 The Secretary-General aids the Chairman in the accomplishment of his obligations. He shall keep all records, except financial, of the ACC, and shall be responsible for their correctness. He will keep minutes of all General and Board meetings. He shall maintain an up-to-date Registrar of Members at all times.

8.4 The Deputy Secretary-General shall assist the Secretary-General and deputise for him in his absence.

8.5 The Treasurer-General shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the ACC and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. He is authorized to expend up to Singapore Dollars One Thousand (S$1,000) per month for petty expenses on behalf of the ACC. He will not keep more than Singapore Dollars Five Thousand (S$5,000) in the form of cash and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the Board. Cheques, etc. for withdrawals from the Bank will be signed by the Treasurer-General and either the President or the Secretary- General.

8.6 Vice-Presidents shall assist in the general administration of the ACC and perform duties assigned by the Board from time to time.

AUDIT AND FINANCIAL YEAR

9.1 Two (2) Delegates or Counsellors, not being members of the Board, shall be elected as Honorary Auditors after the election of office-bearers at the Annual General Meeting. They will hold office for a term of three years only and shall not be re-elected for a consecutive term. The accounts of the ACC shall be audited by a firm of Certified Public Accountants if the gross income or expenditure of the ACC exceeds Singapore Dollars Five Hundred Thousand (S$500,000) in that financial year, in accordance with Section 4 of the Societies Regulations.

9.2 The financial year shall be from (TO BE ASSIGNED BY THE ROS).

TRUSTEES

10.1 If the ACC at any time acquires any immovable property, such property shall be vested in trustees subject to a declaration of trust.

10.2 The trustees of the ACC shall:

  • (a) Not more than four (4) and not less than two (2) in number.
  • (b) Be elected by a General Meeting of members.
  • (c) Not effect any sale or mortgage of property without the prior approval of the General Meeting of members.

10.3 The office of the trustee shall be vacated:

  • (a) If the trustee dies or becomes a lunatic or of unsound mind.
  • (b) If he is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of more than one (1) year.
  • (c) If he is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable that he continues as a trustee.
  • (d) If he submits notice of resignation from his trusteeship.

10.4 Notice of any proposal to remove a trustee from his trusteeship or to appoint a new trustee to fill a vacancy must be given by posting it on the notice board in the ACC’s premises and website at least two (2) weeks before the General Meeting at which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such General Meeting shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies.

10.5 The address of each immovable property, name of each trustee and any subsequent change must be notified to the Registrar of Societies.

PROHIBITIONS

11.1 Gambling of any kind, excluding the promotion or conduct of a private lottery which has been permitted under the Private Lotteries Act Cap 250, is forbidden on the ACC’s premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.

11.2 The funds of the ACC shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court of law.

11.3 The ACC shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in force in Singapore.

11.4 The ACC shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes.

11.5 The ACC shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the ACC or its office-bearers, Board or members unless with prior approval of the relevant authorities.

11.6 The ACC shall not raise funds from the public for whatever purposes without the prior approval in writing of the Assistant Director Operations, Licensing Division, Singapore Police Force and other relevant authorities.

AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION

12.1 No alteration or addition/deletion to this Constitution shall be made except at a general meeting and with the consent of two- thirds (2/3) of the members present at the General Meeting, and they shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.

INTERPRETATION

13.1 In the event of any question or matter pertaining to day-to-day administration which is not expressly provided for in this Constitution, the Board shall have the power to use its own discretion. The decision of the Board shall be final unless it is reversed at a General Meeting of members.

DISPUTES

14.1 In the event of any dispute arising amongst member-federations, they shall attempt to resolve the matter at an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with this Constitution. Should the members fail to resolve the matter, they may bring the matter to a court of law for settlement.

DISSOLUTION

15.1 The ACC shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not less than three-fifths (3/5) of the membership of the ACC at a General Meeting convened for the purpose.

15.2 In the event of the ACC being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Confederation shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be disposed of in such a manner as the General Meeting of members may determine or donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore.

15.3 A Certificate of Dissolution shall be given within seven days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies.

RESOLUTIONS OF MACAU Annual General Meeting, 2014

Resolution 20141: Hosting ASEAN Age Group Championships
The Meeting resolved that from 2017, any federation which sent players to participate in ASEAN Age Group Championships with less than 20 youth players would not be allowed to host this prestigious event.  This was to encourage all member countries to send more players to play.

Resolution 20142: The Meeting unanimously agreed that a federation which does not participate with at least four youth players in the ASEAN Age Group Championships for two consecutive years prior to an Annual General Meeting shall not be entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting. This rule shall apply for the AGM 2017.

Resolution 20143: It was unanimously agreed that a federation which is in arrears of membership fees for more than two years prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting shall not be entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting. This rule shall apply for the AGM 2017.

Resolution 20144: It was unanimously agreed that the delegate or the holder of a proxy must be a citizen of the country where the federation belongs to and must have proven record of residency in that country for at least one year prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. This rule shall apply from the AGM 2015.