Dentists are at a loss over as to why the Malaysian Dental Association (MDA) is having a crucial annual general meeting (AGM) in Penang, when the annual congress is to be held in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, May 31.

This is the first AGM to be conducted following the deregistration of MDA last year.

Protesting this, 240 dentists submitted a written resolution for the 72nd Malaysian Dental Association (MDA) AGM to be held in Kuala Lumpur and together with the annual congress, a scientific convention attended by most dentists.

According to the MDA constitution, only 100 members are required to petition for an extraordinary general meeting to discuss and propose the change in venue from Penang to Kuala Lumpur.

The petitioners suspect that moving the AGM from Kuala Lumpur to Penang is aimed at galvanising the support of from dentists in the northern zone for a particular presidential candidate.

When contacted, MDA president Dr Teh Tat Beng said: “The MDA is acting according to the constitution and we have replied to the protesting members.

'There will be not EMG as requested'

“We will continue with the meeting in Penang and there will be no extraordinary general meeting (EGM) as requested by the members.”

This comes despite a petitioner threatening to lodge a report with the Registrar of Societies for violation of the MDA constitution by refusing to hold the requested EGM.

The MDA council in reply to the petitioners also pointed out that “all members shall abide by the constitution and not act in any way inconsistent with its objectives”.

Among the petitioners seeking the meeting be held in Kuala Lumpur is the Health Ministry’s principal director of oral health Dr Khairiyah Abdul Muttalib.

The head of the Armed Forces dental division, Major-Gen Dr Sukri Hussein, also signed the petition along with about 30 army dentists, urging that the AGM be held in Kuala Lumpur.

“Hijacking the AGM away from Kuala Lumpur is against the members’ wishes,” said one petitioner.

The MDA has an approved budget of RM1.5 million to hold the AGM, with members arguing that the budget was approved on the understanding that it will be held in conjunction with the annual congress.

“Holding the AGM and the scientific convention (congress) separately is unprecedented and will cost the members more as most of them are in the Klang Valley.

“Taking the AGM away from the scientific convention is unconstitutional, as per Article X (Section 7), that states all decisions made at the general meetings shall be binding on the association,” the petitioner added.