Biomedical Engineering Society (Singapore) Constitution

Article 1 : Name

The society shall be known as the “Biomedical Engineering Society (Singapore)”, hereinafter referred to as the `Society’.

Article 2 : Place of Business

The place of business of the Society shall be at “c/o Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Block 4, #04-8, 4 Engineering Drive 3 Singapore 117583” or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Committee and approved by the Registrar of Societies.

Article 3 : Objects

The general object of the Society is to promote professional excellence in Biomedical Engineering.  The Society will :-

3.1 Serve as an impartial and non-political advisory body on biomedical engineering.

3.2 Effect scientific exchanges among its members and others by collecting and disseminating information through publications, correspondence, regional courses and scientific meetings.

3.3 Encourage, promote and assist in efforts to co-ordinate or guide research and development related to biomedical engineering.

3.4 Encourage, guide and support the efforts of those responsible for the education  and training of the professions involved and coordinate these activities.

3.5 Undertake appropriate projects to encourage and facilitate uniform practice by developing standards nomenclature, techniques and instrumentation.

Article 4 : Membership

Membership of the Society shall consist of :

a) Ordinary members who will be entitled to all the rights and privileges conferred by the Society.

b) Fellow members who will be entitled to all the rights and privileges of ordinary members.

c) Life members who will be entitled to the rights and privileges of ordinary members.

d) Associate members who will be entitled to the rights and privileges of the ordinary members, except the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.

e) Honorary members who will be entitled to the rights and privileges of ordinary members, except the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.

f) Corporate members who will be entitled to the rights and privileges of ordinary members, except the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.

g) Emeritus Members who will be entitled to the rights and privileges of ordinary members, except the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.

h) Student members who will be entitled to the rights and privileges of ordinary members except the right to vote and to hold office in the Society.

Article 5 : Admission of members

5.1 Admission requirements to the different classes of membership :

a) Ordinary membership is open to any person with a university degree, engaged in activities associated with biomedical engineering.  Candidates for ordinary membership shall be :

1) proposed and seconded by existing ordinary members.

2) approved by the Executive Committee

b) Fellow Membership shall be restricted to persons who are not less than 40 years of age and have been a member of the Society for a period of three years, or in special instances of shorter period as the Executive Committee might approve, provided that in the case of candidates who possess the qualifications for election to Members, the  Executive Committee might waive the stipulation as to their having been Members; and who have been engaged for at least 5 years in a senior position of biomedical engineering, or of equivalent standing, and have satisfied the Executive Committee that they are worthy of election as Fellows. Nominations of Fellow membership shall be made in writing by ordinary members only to the Executive Committee and must receive the unanimous approval of a duly constituted meeting of the Executive Committee.

c) Life Membership. Any person who has been a member for more than three years may apply to the Society for Life membership. Life members are required to pay a one time membership fee, and are not required to pay annual dues to the society.

d) Associate membership is open to any person engaged in activities associated with biomedical engineering but do not meet the requirement of an Ordinary member as stipulated in Article 5.1(a). Candidates for ordinary membership shall be :-

1) proposed and seconded by existing ordinary members.

2) approved by the Executive Committee

e) Honorary membership shall be restricted to persons who have contributed to and advanced the practice of biomedical engineering.  Nominations of honorary membership shall be made in writing by ordinary members only to the Executive Committee and must receive the unanimous approval of a duly constituted meeting of the Executive Committee.

f) Corporate membership. A Corporate member is a business or organisation that supports the stated purposes of the Society. Corporate membership neither implies membership of its employees nor affects their individual memberships. Corporate members are publicly recognized by the Society for their support. Nominations of coporate membership shall be made in writing by ordinary members only to the Executive Committee and must receive the unanimous approval of a duly constituted meeting of the Executive Committee.

g) Emeritus membership. Any person who has been a member for more than three years may apply to the Society for Emeritus membership at the time of retirement from active professional practice. Emeritus members are not required to pay annual dues to the Society.

h) Student membership is open to any bona-fide student of a tertiary institution, genuinely interested in the theory and practice of biomedical engineering.  Candidates for student membership must :

1) provide proof of their student status, and

2) be approved by the Executive Committee at the beginning of each year of their membership.

5.2 Candidates wishing to join the Society must duly and accurately complete the prescribed application forms and submit to the Honorary Secretary.

5.3 Upon the admission of a member, notice in writing thereof shall be given to the applicant.  The applicant shall be furnished with a copy of this Constitution and (excepting the case of any Honorary member) a request to remit to the Treasurer within 21 days from the date of such request, the amount of the first subscription.  Upon payment of the subscription and not before, the applicant shall become a member of the Society.

5.4 Any person upon the admission to Ordinary Membership or Fellow Membership, may use MBES or FBES designation respectively, as a mark of quality and professional integrity.

5.5 It shall remain the prerogative of the Executive Committee in exercising its powers of selection to consider carefully the suitability of the candidate for admission as member, having regard to the objects of the Society.

Article 6 : Subscription

6.1 Membership dues may be changed from time to time by the Executive Committee subject to approval by two-thirds majority of a general meeting of members.

6.2 Annual subscription except the first subscription of a new member as provided by Article 5.3, shall be payable in the first month of each financial year.

6.3 A member who falls into arrears with the annual subscription shall be notified immediately by the Honorary Treasurer.  Failure to settle the arrears within 21 days of such notification may result in the deletion of the member’s name from the register. However, if a satisfactory explanation is given, the member may be re-admitted to the register at the discretion of the Executive Committee and upon receipt of payment of all arrears.

6.4 Honorary member are not required to pay the annual subscription.

6.5 Annual subscription may only be varied by a general meeting of the members.  Any special subscriptions for particular purposes may only be raised from members with the consent of a general meeting of the members.

Article 7 : Executive Committee

7.1 The management of the Society shall be vested in an Executive Committee, consisting of the following to be elected at each Annual General Meeting :-

• A President
• A Vice-President
• An Honorary Secretary
• An Honorary Assistant Secretary
• An Honorary Treasurer
• A Membership Officer
• Four Ordinary Committee Members

7.2a Nominations for membership to the Executive Committee shall be proposed and seconded at every Annual General Meeting and election will follow on a simple majority vote of the members.  All officers except the Honorary Treasurer may be re-elected year after year. The Honorary Treasurer may hold a maximum continuous term of 2 years.

7.2b Members seeking election to the Executive Committee must be a member for the past twelve months.

7.2c Only members with valid membership for the past twelve months are eligible to vote.

7.3 Not more than three of the Past Presidents, including the Immediate Past President, may be appointed by the Executive Committee who shall hold office for such period up to one year as the executive committee may determine. Past Presidents shall have voting rights on Executive Committee resolutions.

7.4 The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint any ordinary member to fill any casual vacancy in the committee until the next Annual General Meeting.  Any changes in the committee shall be notified to the Registrar of Societies within two weeks of the change.

7.5 The Executive Committee has the power to authorise the expenditure of a sum not exceeding  $10,000/ per month from the Society’s funds for the Society’s activities.

7.6 An Executive Committee meeting shall be held at least once in two months, after seven days’ notice to Executive Committee members.  At least one half of the Executive Committee members must be present at the meeting for its proceedings to be valid. Minutes of the meeting shall be opened to inspection by any member of the Society at least one week’s written notice to the Honorary Secretary.

7.7 The Executive Committee may from time to time appoint Sub-Committees for specific purposes.  Such Sub-Committees shall report their proceedings to the Executive Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the direction of the Executive Committee.

7.8 The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint, pay and dismiss persons employed by the Society.

7.9 Any member of the Executive Committee who absents himself/herself from three successive Executive Committee meetings without a written explanation to the Honorary Secretary, shall automatically cease to be a member of the Executive Committee.

7.10 The duty of the Committee is to organise and supervise the daily activities of the Society and to make decisions on matters affecting its running when the general meeting is not sitting.  It may not act contrary to the expressed wishes of the general meeting without prior reference to it and always remains subordinate to the general meeting.

7.11 Not more than 4 members may be co-opted by the Executive Committee who shall hold office for such period up to one year as the Executive Committee may determine.

Article 8 : Powers and Duties of Office-Bearers

8.1  The President :

a) may call a meeting of the Executive Committee at any time by giving five days’ notice

b) shall preside over all General and Executive Committee meetings

c) shall have a casting vote at all meetings which he/she attends

d) shall countersign all cheques and bills of the Society

8.2 The Vice-President shall assist the President and deputise for the latter in his absence.

8.3 The Honorary Secretary shall :-

a) notify members of all General and Executive Committee meetings

b) keep all members fully informed of all important activities

c) record minutes of all the General and Executive Committee meetings and submit them for adoption at the next meeting

d) conduct the correspondence of the Society under the directions of the Executive Committee

e) maintain an up-to-date register of membership

f) keep all records, except financial, of the Society and be responsible for their correctness

8.4  The Honorary Assistant Secretary shall :-

a) assist in performing the duties of the Honorary Secretary

b) assume the duties of the Honorary Secretary in the latter’s absence

c) succeed the Honorary Secretary in the event of the latter’s position becoming vacant

8.5 The Honorary Treasurer shall :-

a) be responsible for all funds and collection and disbursement of all moneys on behalf of the Society

b) maintain an accurate record of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness

c) be responsible for keeping the Executive Committee informed of the financial state of the Society at all committee meetings

d) be responsible for presenting the fiscal year’s statement of account to the Annual General Meeting.

Cheques, etc for withdrawals from the bank shall be signed by any two of the following :- namely, the President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.

8.6 The Membership Officer shall :

a) be responsible for all matters pertaining to the subscription of the members

b) advise on all membership matters

c) be responsible for membership applications

8.7  The Ordinary Committee Members

The Ordinary Committee Members shall assist in the general administration of the Society and perform any duties assigned by the Executive Committee from time to time.

Article 9 :  General Meeting

9.1 The Supreme authority of the Society is vested in a general meeting of the members, presided over by the President.  All members shall have the right to speak in the General Meetings.  Only ordinary, fellow and life members shall have the right to vote, make nominations, stand for elections or table motions.

9.2 General meetings shall be convened by the Honorary Secretary and shall be :-

a) The Annual General Meeting

b) Extra-Ordinary General Meeting

9.3 The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the last quarter of each year, upon a date and time to be fixed by the Executive Committee for the following purposes :

a) to receive from the Executive Committee an Annual Report, Statement of Accounts for the proceeding financial year and a Provisional Budget for the ensuing financial year

b) to elect the Executive Committee and to appoint two auditors for the ensuing year;

c) to decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted to the meetings as provided in Article 9.5

d) to approve any proposed amendments to the constitution

9.4 At least fourteen (14) days before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting, the Honorary Secretary shall inform all members in writing of the date fixed for such Annual General Meeting.

9.5 Any member desirous of moving any resolution at the Annual General Meeting may give notice thereof in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than one week before the meeting.  The proposed resolution must be seconded by another existing member.

9.6 An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall be held :

a) when the Executive Committee deems necessary

b) on the written request of not less than thirty (30) ordinary members or one quarter of the  voting membership whichever is lesser, together with a written statement of the proposal for which the meeting is desired.  Such a meeting shall be held within twenty-one (21) days upon the receipt of the written request and the agenda for such meeting shall be limited to the matters contained in the said written statement.

9.7 The Honorary Secretary shall give written notice to all members of any Extra-Ordinary General Meeting at least fourteen (14) days before the date fixed for such General Meeting.  The written notice shall include the agenda for the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting and no other subject shall be discussed thereat.  If the Executive Committee does not within two (2) months after the date of the receipt of the written request proceed to convene an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting, the members who requested for the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall convene the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting by giving ten (10) days’ notice to voting members setting forth the business to be transacted and simultaneously posting the agenda on the Society’s notice board.

9.8 All General Meetings shall be chaired by the President, or in his absence by the Vice-President, or if he is also absent then any member appointed by the Meeting.  Every ordinary, fellow and life member shall be entitled to one vote upon any election or motion.  In case of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

9.9 At any General Meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless a ballot is demanded by the voting members.  There shall be no voting by proxy unless otherwise specified.

9.10 All General Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Procedure of meetings which shall be adopted by the meeting before proceeding to any other business.

9.11 At least one quarter of the total or thirty (30) number of voting members present (whichever is lower) shall form a quorum of all General Meetings.  Proxies shall not be constituted as part of the quorum.

9.12 In the event of there being no quorum, the General Meeting shall be postponed for half an hour, and the agenda fixed for the previous meeting shall be discussed.  No alteration of the agenda shall be made during the period of postponement.  No quorum shall be required for such postponed meeting provided that no amendments to the Constitution shall be passed at such meeting in the absence of a quorum.

Article 10 :  Amendments to the Constitution

10.1 Amendments to the Constitution shall only be made at a General Meeting.

10.2 The proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days before the General Meeting.

10.3 The proposed amendments shall be circulated to members at least seven days before the General Meeting.

10.4 Any resolution proposing the Repeal, Addition to or Amendment of these articles at any General Meeting shall be null and void, unless two thirds of the ordinary members present vote in favour of such resolution.

10.5 The amended rules shall not come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies.

Article 11 : Financial Year and Audit

11.1 The Financial Year shall be from 1st August to 31st July.

11.2 The Accounts of the Society shall be audited at the close of each Financial Year by two Honorary Auditors who shall be voting members but not members of the Executive Committee, not less than one month before the Annual General Meeting, who shall certify the correctness of the Statement of Accounts to be submitted to the Annual General Meeting.  They may be required by the President to audit the Society’s accounts for any period within their tenure of office at any date and make a report to the Committee.  The Auditors shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting for a term of one year only.  Such Auditors shall not hold office for consecutive term.  The accounts of the Society shall be audited by a firm of Certified Public Accountants if the gross income or expenditure of the society exceeds $500,000 in that financial year, in accordance with Section 4 of the Societies Regulations.

Article 12 :  General

12.1 No member shall, except for professional services rendered at the request of the Executive Committee, receive any profit salary or emolument from the Funds or transactions of the Society.

12.2 No member shall give the address of the Society in any advertisement, or use the Society’s address, or premises, for business purposes.

12.3 All notices posted to the Address given by the member in his application form, or such other address as he shall from time to time indicate to the Honorary Secretary in writing as his address, shall be deemed to have been duly given in the second day following the day of posting.

12.4 Every member shall faithfully and fully abide by each decision made by the Society or by the Executive Committee until such time as the decision is amended or revoked.

12.5 Public statements including circulars, letters, press release, pamphlets must first have the approval of the Executive Committee before their release.

Article 13 : Prohibition

13.1 Gambling of any kind and the playing of paikow or mahjong whether for stakes of not, are forbidden on the Society’s premises.  The introduction of materials for gambling or any illegal activities such as drug taking, opium smoking, glue sniffing and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited.

13.2 The funds of the Society shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in Court.

13.3 The Society 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.

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

13.5 The Society shall not hold any lottery whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Society or its office-bearers, committee or members.

13.6 The Society shall not attempt to restrict or interfere with trade or make directly or indirectly any recommendations to, any arrangement with its members which has the purpose or is likely to have the effect of fixing or controlling the price or any discount, allowance or rebate relating to any good and services to be supplied by them.

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

Article 14 : Interpretation

14.1 In the event of any question or matters arising out of any point which is not expressly provided for in the rules, the Committee shall have the power to use their own discretion.  The decision of the Committee shall be final unless it is reversed at a general meeting of members.

Article 15 : Dissolution

15.1 The Society shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not less than three fifths of the ordinary members of the Society for the time being resident in Singapore expressed, either in person or by proxy at a General Meeting convened for the purpose.

15.2 In the event of the Society being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Society shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will divided equally amongst the members, except Honorary members or donated to approved charities in Singapore.

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

- Revised 11 August 1993

- Revised 27 May 1999

- Revised 6 Nov 2004

- Revised 4 August 2006

- Revised 2011

- Revised 4 November 2015 (change of address)