The over 5,000-strong member Malaysian Dental Association (MDA) has been deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS), leaving its members in a state of shock.

The letter, dated June 6, 2014, stated that the MDA council did not provide satisfactory reasons as to why it should not be deregistered as per the ROS letter dated April 25, 2014, for violation of the Societies Act.

In the order letter signed by FT ROS assistant registrar Zuliana Mohd Akob, she noted that MDA’s appeal reply letter did not provide reasonable answers to its queries.

MDA's president Dr Teh Tat Beng met ROS officials this morning to be told to appeal to the home minister for the deregistration to be lifted.

"We had a good meeting with ROS officials this morning and appealed to them.

"They have advised us to write to the home minister and appeal for the deregistration to be removed. At the same time they have told us to suspend all activities concerning the MDA."

On Dec 8, 2013, the ROS had queried why the Extra Ordinary General Meeting (EOGM) started an hour late from the time stated in the notice of the EOGM .

Another serious offence was when the payment (earnest deposit) of RM315,000 for the proposed building to be purchased by MDA was paid one month before the (EOGM) without the members’ approval.

This was seen as a violation of the Societies Act and hence the ROS had queried this issue in its April 26 letter.

Penalised for  ignoring rules

It is learnt that the money was sanctioned by Wisma MDA’s board of trustees and this is seen another violation, putting the MDA in limbo and hamstringing the execution of its activities.

Now, the MDA which posted a notice on its website of an EOGM being held on June 22, 2014 is also cancelled.

One of the EOGM's resolution was to defer the purchase of three shop lots in Parklane Kelana Jaya, and instead buy one lot, subject to members’ approval.

Meanwhile, the president of the Malaysian Private Dental Practitioners Association (MPDPA), Dr R Vijendran, views this matter of deregistration of MDA which has been around for 75 years, with great concern.

MDA has helped to promote dentistry and oral health widely in the country. "We hope and pray that this issue will resolved favourably with the home minister."

Past-president of MPDPA Dr V Nedunchelian, who is currently a council member of MDA, said that it was unfortunate that a technical problem had resulted in the deregistration and he was confident that matters would be resolved amicably.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is currently the patron of MDA.