(AUDIT UPDATE) Uncle, You Better Pray ... MIA Also Cannot Help

Uncle, You Better Pray ... MIA Also Cannot Help

Years ago, an uncle walked into my office uninvited.

He didn’t smile. He didn’t sit.

He came straight to the point ... complaining loudly about his current accountant.

“Lousy service! Never reply! My documents all missing.”

He looked very frustrated. I listened politely.

After he finished his drama, I calmly said,

“Uncle, if your accountant is a member of MIA (Malaysian Institute of Accountants), you can complain to MIA online or go to MIA branch in Johor Bahru.”

He nodded, looked hopeful, and left.

But a few days later, he came back even more worked up.

“Boy ah, I checked already. That fella not even MIA member.”

He threw his hands in the air like kena cheated again.

Deep down, I wanted to joke,

“Uncle, want me to call my old gangster friends from school to settle or not?”

But of course, I just smiled and told him nicely,“In that case… pray, sembayang, 祷告 lah.”

Here’s the serious part: when can you complain to MIA?

If your accountant (do account, audit, tax and etc) is a registered MIA member, you can lodge a complaint but only for professional misconduct such as :

• Unprofessional conduct on rudeness, negligence, or disappearing acts

• Violation of ethics or law like breaching the Income Tax Act or Companies Act

• Failed audit/accounting work like sloppy work, late reports, or misleading info

• Improper promotion on offering audit or tax services without proper license

• False MIA claims that pretending to be a qualified member

Real case example:

A licensed internal auditor was engaged to complete an audit for a financial institution.

He failed to deliver by the agreed deadline.

Worse! He went silent despite numerous reminders.

MIA fined him RM5,000, charged RM5,000 in costs, and struck him off the register in 2023.

That’s what happens when the person is under MIA’s authority.

But if not a member?

MIA cannot touch them.

It’s like reporting a ghost to the police ... no IC, no file.

But wait ... got new hope?

The new Accountants Act is supposed to change this.

It’s supposed to give MIA the power to act against unregistered service providers too.

The keyword here is "supposed".

People have been talking about this new Act for years.

From the time my daughter entered kindergarten… until she graduated from university.

Still talking.

Don’t ask me when it will happen.

So what can SME bosses do now?

Many bosses ask me,

“We’re not professionals — how are we supposed to know if the person is qualified?”

Until the new law is in force, here are your options:

1. Verify MIA Membership before hiring

Check their name at www.mia.org.my ... it only takes one minute.

2. Get proper engagement letters

Everything must be in black and white

3. If they’re Not MIA Member

No complaint route. No protection.

Just pray, sembayang, 祷告.

That uncle’s story may sound funny.

But for many SME bosses, it’s very real.

PS : Authored by Mr Koh Teck Peng , the group principal, in his personal LinkedIn post

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