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NAME:
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1.
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The
name of the association shall be "DIRECT SELLING ASSOCIATION OF
SINGAPORE" (DSAS) and shall represent the interest of direct selling
and servicing companies located or operating in Singapore |
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OBJECTS:
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2.
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(a)
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To
foster, promote and protect the method of merchandise distribution
and servicing in
which its members are engaged. |
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(b) |
To
promote a high standard of merchandising and servicing practices. |
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(c) |
To
foster favourable public relations and present the views of its
members to government bodies and consumer groups. |
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(d) |
To
cooperate with government bodies in respect to matters relating
to the methods of production marketing and servicing employed by
its members. |
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(e) |
To
cooperate with other organisations and groups having similar objectives.
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(f) |
To
collect and disseminate information and data pertinent to the affairs
of the members. |
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(g) |
To promote among its members friendly business relations, mutual
confidence and goodwill, and |
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(h) |
To
meet the collective needs of member companies and to do so always
in the public interest. |
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POWERS:
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3.
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The
association shall, among other things, have the power and authority
to acquire, hold, own, lease, rent or dispose of property of any
kind, necessary and incident to the carrying on of its purposes,
to sue and be sued in its associate name, to enter into obligations
or contracts and to do any acts incident to the transaction of its
business or expedient for the attainment of the purposes and objects
for which the association is formed . |
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CONSTITUTION:
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4.
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The
association shall consist of Active, Associate and Honorary Members
and such other types of members as may be established from time
to time. |
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QUALIFICATION
FOR MEMBERSHIP:
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5.
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A
person firm or company having a business located in Singapore and
engaged in the distribution of merchandise or rendering of services
directly to the consumer in the home, as distinguished from sales
contracts made by direct mail or any stores of the seller is eligible
for Active membership. A person, firm or company engaged in supplying
products to Active members are eligible for Associate membership.
The Executive Committee may confer Honorary Membership on individuals
in recognition of their contribution to the growth and development
of the Association.
An Honorary Member shall have all the privileges and rights of an
Active Member but shall not be required to pay any entrance fee
or annual dues. |
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PLAN
OF OPERATION:
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6.
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The
association shall operate as a non-profit making membership trade
association without capital stock of any kind. The association shall
not afford pecuniary gain, incidentally or otherwise, to its members;
nor shall distribution of association assets be made to any of its
members or past members or to an owner or executive of any such
member . |
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LOCATION:
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7.
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The
registered place of business of the association shall be C/O 150 South
Bridge Road, #10-03 Fook Hai Building, Singapore 058727 or at any other place
from time to time decided by the Committee subject to the approval
of the Registrar of Societies. |
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ADMISSION
OF MEMBERS :
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8.
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Admission
to membership shall be upon application from persons, firms or corporations
properly qualified for membership, which applications shall be subject
to acceptance or rejection as provided in the by-laws. |
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VOTING
AT ELECTIONS:
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9.
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Each
Active and Honorary Member shall have one vote in the determination
of any question before the association or at the election of members.
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ENTRANCE
FEE & SUBSCRIPTIONS:
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10.
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The
entrance fee and the annual subscription required to be paid by
each member shall be determined by the committee from time to time,
and shall be payable on the lst day of January in each year or on
admission. |
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COMMITTEE:
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11.
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The
management of the association shall be deputed to a committee consisting
of a Chairman, 1st Vice-Chairman, 2nd Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer and minimum of 3 and not more
than 7 members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
A committee meeting shall be held at least once in two months after
7 days notice to committee members. The Chairman may call a committee
meeting at any time by giving 3 days notice. At least one half of
the committee members must be present for its proceedings to be
valid. |
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ELECTION
OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
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12.
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All the committee members shall retire at the Annual General Meeting after a two-year term but shall be eligible for re-election, except for the Treasurer who has served for two consecutive terms. To fill up the vacancies a person or persons from member firms or corporations may put forth their names for election at the Annual General Meeting to the Committee. The Committee may also recommend as candidates a sufficient number of persons selected from member firms or corporations to fill the vacancies. Every Active and Honorary Member of the association shall be entitled to vote for as many candidates as there are vacancies to be filled and no more. The candidates up to the number of the vacancies who shall receive most votes shall be declared elected and in case of two or more candidates receiving an equal number of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. A committee member so elected shall hold office for a two-year term. |
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MANAGEMENT:
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13.
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(a) |
The Chairman shall act as the Chief Executive of the association in charge of the association's place of business until a paid executive director who will have no voting rights is appointed by the committee.
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(b) |
The two Vice-Chairman shall assist the Chairman and in the latter's absence, the 1st Vice-Chairman shall deputise for him, and in the absence of 1st Vice-Chairman, the 2nd Vice-Chairman shall deputise. In the event that the office of the Chairman is vacated for any reason whatsoever, the 1st Vice-Chairman shall assume the office of the Chairman until the following election. |
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(c) |
The Hon. Secretary shall keep all records except financial of the association and shall be responsible for their correctness. He will keep minutes of all general and committee meetings. The Assistant Hon Secretary shall assist the Hon Secretary in his duties. |
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(d) |
The Hon. Treasurer shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all moneys on behalf of the association and shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness. The Assistant Hon Treasurer shall assist the Hon Treasurer in his duties. The Hon Treasurer is authorised to expend up to $200.00 per month for petty cash expenses on behalf of the association. He will not keep more than $250.00 in the form of cash and money in excess of this will be deposited in a bank to be named by the committee. Cheques, etc. for withdrawals from the bank will be signed by either the Chairman or Secretary in addition to the Treasurer. |
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(e) |
In the case of any casual vacancy in the office of the Chairman, 1st Vice-Chairman, 2nd Vice-Chairman, Hon Secretary, Asst Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer, Asst Hon Treasurer, or any member of the committee, the Committee may fill the vacancy therein, by co-option or as soon as practicable convene an Extraordinary General Meeting for the election of a specific person or persons selected from member firms or corporations to fill the casual vacancy for the remaining term. |
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ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING:
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14.
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An
Annual General Meeting of the members of the association shall be
held not later than 31st day of March for the following purposes:
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(a) |
To
receive from the committee a report, balance sheet and statement
of accounts for the preceding financial year and an estimate of
the receipts and expenditure for the current financial year. |
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(b) |
To
fill the vacancies in the committee and to appoint an auditor for
the ensuing year. |
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(c) |
To
decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted to the meeting
as hereinafter provided. |
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15.
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Any
member desirous of moving any resolution at the Annual General Meeting
shall give notice in writing to the Secretary not less than 30 days
before the date of such meeting . |
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EXTRAORDINARY
GENERAL MEETING:
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16.
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The
committee may at any time for any special purpose call an Extraordinary
General Meeting and it shall do so forthwith upon the requisition
in writing of any four Active or Honorary Members stating the purpose
for which the meeting is required. |
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CONVENING
GENERAL MEETING:
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17.
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Fourteen
days at least before the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary
General Meeting, a notice of such meeting and of the business to
be transacted thereat shall be posted in the association' s premises
and a copy thereof shall be sent to every member, and no business
other than that of which notice has been so given shall be brought
forward at such meeting. |
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PROCEEDINGS
AT GENERAL MEETINGS :
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18.
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At
general meetings of the association the Chairman and in his absence,the 1st Vice-Chairman shall take the chair. In the absence of both the Chairman and the 1st Vice-Chairman, the 2nd Vice-Chairman shall take the chair. In the event the Chairman and both the Vice-Chairmen are absent, a member selected by the committee shall take the chair. Every Active
and Honorary Member shall be entitled to one vote upon every motion
and in case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second
or casting vote. The committee shall be empowered, if it thinks
fit, to make regulations for enabling members unable to be present
to vote by proxies or in writing. |
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QUORUM:
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19.
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The
quorum at all general meetings shall be not less than four Active
or Honorary Members or 20% of the members entitled to vote whichever
is the higher. In the absence of a quorum, the general meeting shall
be adjourned for at least 14 days. When the members then present
be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered
a quorum but they shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions
to any of the existing rules. |
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REFERENDUM:
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20.
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The
by-laws may provide that in the interim between membership the association
may settle and determine questions which may arise, by mail vote
or written referendum when submitted by authority of the Committee
or by the Chairman after notification to the Committee. Upon receipt
of such notification the submittal may be vetoed by majority vote
of the Committee by mail within seven days of date of such notification.
Such a vote shall have all of the effects of a vote taken at a regular
or special meeting of members, provided that at least 20% of the
membership or 4 members (whichever is the higher) vote for the question
issue or subject matter so presented unless there is a larger adverse
vote. |
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BY-LAWS:
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21.
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This
association shall have by-laws, the first by-laws to be adopted
by the ad-hoc committee and thereafter the power and authority to
establish, alter, repeal, amplify or amend shall be vested in the
committee, subject to the power of the members to change or repeal
such by- laws. The by-laws shall provide the manner in which firm,
corporate or other members shall participate in the affairs of this
association. The by-laws may provide for the adoption of an association
seal and for the adoption of an association emblem or emblems denoting
membership in this association. |
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AMENDMENTS
TO RULES:
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22.
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The
Rules of the Association may be amended by majority vote of the
Active and Honorary Members present in person or by proxy at a duly
convened general meeting at which a quorum is present. No amendment
of the Rules may be made at such meeting unless notice of the resolution
to amendment shall have been sent. |
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INTERPRETATION:
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23.
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The
Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of
these Rules and Regulations and by- laws thereunder and the decision
of the committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any
matter affecting the association and not provided for by these Rules
or by the by-laws and regulations made thereunder shall be final
and binding on the member. |
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DISSOLUTION:
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24.
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(a) |
The
association shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not
less than 3/5 of the members of the association for the time being
resident in Singapore expressed, either in person or by proxy at
a general meeting convened for the purpose. |
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(b) |
In
the event of the association being dissolved as provided above,
all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the association
shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be donated
to charitable organisations or divided equally among members. |
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(c) |
Notice
of dissolution shall be given within 7 days of the dissolution to
the Registrar of Societies. |
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AUDIT:
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25.
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The
Association shall appoint a firm of Public Accountants as its Auditor
at each Annual General Meeting. The firm of Public Accountants shall
be eligible to seek re-appointment each year. It will be required
to audit each year's account and present a report upon them to the
Annual General Meeting. It may be required by the Chairman to audit
the association's accounts for any period within their tenure of
office at any date and make a report to the committee. |
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TRUSTEES:
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26.
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If
the association at any time acquire any immovable property such
property shall be vested in Trustees subject to a declaration of
trust. Any Trustee may at any time resign his trusteeship. If a
trustee dies or becomes a lunatic or of unsound mind or moves permanently
or is absent from the Republic of Singapore for a period of one
year, he shall be deemed to have resigned his trusteeship. If a
trustee is guilty of misconduct of such a kind as to render it undesirable
that he continue as a trustee, a General Meeting may remove him
from his trusteeship. Vacancies in the trusteeship may be filled
at a General Meeting, but the number shall not be greater than five
or less than two. 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 affixing in the premises of the association a document
containing such proposal at least two weeks before the meeting at
which the proposal is to be discussed. The result of such meeting
shall then be notified to the Registrar of Societies. |
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PROHIBITIONS:
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27.
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(a) |
Gambling
of any kind such as the playing of paikow or mahjong, whether for
stakes or not, is forbidden on the association's premises. The introduction
of materials for gambling or opium smoking and of bad characters
into the premises is prohibited. |
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(b) |
The
funds of the association shall not be used to pay the fines of members
who have been convicted in Court. |
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(c) |
The
association shall not attempt to restrict or in any manner interfere
with trade or prices or engage in any Trade Union activity as defined
in any written law relating to trade unions for the time being in
force in Singapore. |
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(d) |
The
association shall not hold any lottery whether confirmed to its
members or not, in the name of the association or its office-bearers,
committee or members. |
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(e) |
The
association shall not indulge in any political activity or allow
its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes. |