My complaint to Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants

I wrote to Malaysian Institute of Certified Accountants (MICPA) on the 3.3.2018 in their website.

The following is an email I wrote to MICPA on 4.3.2018.

From: luqman michel <luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk>

To: micpa@micpa.com.my <micpa@micpa.com.my>

Sent: Sunday, 4 March 2018, 09:57:57 GMT+8

Subject: Unbecoming of an MICPA member

Dear Sir,

I believe Mr.John SF Ho, a former partner of PMM/ KPMG is in your list of members.

JOHN SF Ho has used his name as an accountant to hoodwink members of Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu Host by opening 3 bank accounts under the club that has not been made known to BOD or to most of the members.

When I questioned the members about the secret bank accounts John SF Ho called for an EGM and had me expelled from the club so that I will not be able to complain to relevant authorities.

On questioning, John SF Ho has deceived ROS and the members saying that not all the bank accounts of the club need to be audited.The 3 secret bank accounts were not audited by internal auditors.

John SF Ho, has also said that balances in all the bank accounts need not be presented to ROS or to all members.

This is a disgrace to MICPA.

Kindly respond.

Thank you and kind regards,

Luqman Michel

(Worked in Ernst and Young when

it was known as Turquand, Young and Co,)

Mr.Foo Yoke Pin, the secretary of MICPA responded and I wrote another email with the following attachment on 6.3.2018

6.3.2018

Some info on John Ho and his misdoings.

I joined the Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu Host in October 2014.

I was appointed to the Board in July 2015 and served from July 2015 to June 2016.

During my term as one of the directors I noticed that the 2 bank accounts given to the BOD and emailed to members did not reconcile with the activities undertaken by our club.

When I left Turquand Young and Co in 1979 I was an audit senior and since then had worked as finance manager in a few private companies. As such I was able to see that treasury reports presented at BOD meetings did not reflect a true and fair view of the income and expenses of the club.

When I queried the club members via email I did not get any response as most members are unaware of the 3 bank accounts that are not shown to members. Only a few are privy to these accounts.

Mr. John Ho had convinced the ‘privileged’ members that the club need not show the balances of the 3 accounts to the members or the BOD.

The balances of the 3 bank accounts have never been submitted to ROS which had, on my complaint, given them a show cause letter under section 13 (2) of the Societies Act. ROS is still investigating the case.

Meanwhile, John Ho collaborated with a former officer of Sabah Bank which has changed its name to Alliance Bank to open bank accounts in Alliance Bank under the name of Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu Host which name was not registered with ROS until many years later in November 2016.

Two accounts are in Hong Leong Bank Berhad with the name Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu (this is the name approved by ROS and the certificate was issued in this name- without the suffix ‘Host’).

Mr.John Ho could get away with all these because of the fact that members in the club trust him as a professional who had been a partner of PMM and later KPMG.

There are many other matters such as manipulation of minutes but I believe the above is sufficient for taking him off the list as a member of MICPA.

All my posts under my name on FB are open to public.

My blog posts, started on 2.11.2016, should be able to convince you that all matters I have written are genuine as otherwise I could be sued for defamation by John Ho and by the club.

You may view my blog at: www.myclubexperiences.blogspot.com

I would be grateful if you could kindly let me know if I should at the same time write to CPA Australia and NZ or wait for your investigation to be over first.

Kindly acknowledge receipt of this email.

Thank you and kind regards,

Luqman Michel

 I did not receive any response from Mr.Foo Yoke Pin and I decided to telephone MICPA  on 2.5.2018 and I was informed that Mr.Foo Yoke Pin had retired. My attempt to get in touch with the new CEO Novie Tajuddin on 2 and 3rd May was unsuccessful. My request for a return call was also not met. I managed to telephone him on the 4th and he politely said that he has just been appointed and will get back to me before the 11.5.2018.

The following is the email I received from him on 10.5.2018

On Thursday, 10 May 2018, 20:58:15 GMT+8, Novie <novie@micpa.com.my> wrote:

Dear Mr Luqman Michel,

Thank you for your letter of complaint via email dated 6 March 2018 against Mr. John Ho Sui Fah.

It has been deliberated in the investigation committee and as your allegations in your complaint relate to his social activities pertaining to a Non-Governmental Organisation( NGO) , namely, the Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu and you have not provided us with specific supporting evidence to support your allegations, MICPA is not in a position to pursue the matter further at this juncture. We suggest that you take up the matter with the management of Lions Club, Kota Kinabalu. 

Thank you.

Yours faithfully, Novie Tajuddin Chief Executive Officer We shall examine the response by Novie Tajuddin in my next post.