KUALA LUMPUR :  The MIC's jewel in the crown, Maju Institute for Education Development (MIED), has been dealt another blow with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) investigating it for alleged violation of eight sections under the Companies Act.

The commission, in a letter dated Dec 21, 2009, informed the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob that investigations were under way.

It was learnt that Ismail had ordered CCM chief executive officer Datuk Azmi Ariffin to investigate complaints against the MIED involving alleged breach of trust, financial mismanagement, abuse of power, negligence and breach of statutory duties by the trustees.

CCM noted that MIED was being investigated under the Companies Act under the following sections:

● Section 143 – failure to hold annual general meetings;

● Section 165 – holding the 23rd AGM (scheduled for Monday) to approve audited accounts for 2004, 2005 and 2006;

● Section 169 – failure to submit profit and loss accounts balance sheet and directors' report;

● Section 129 — failure to obtain the sanction of members to allow six trustees, who were already above the age of 70 in 2008, to continue in office for the year 2009;

● Section 152 — failure to pass a special resolution on trustees above the age of 70 seeking re-election;

● Section 132 — negligence of directors;

● Section 133 — granting loans to directors, and

● Section 364 (2) — misleading and false information in the balance sheet.

This development comes ahead of a MIED meeting on Monday to approve accounts for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 at the same time.

It also comes in the wake of an unprecedented derivative action under Section 181 of the Companies Act 1965 against nine trustees of the billion-ringgit MIED.

MIED was rocked last week when Tan Sri Dr K. Ampikaipakan resigned as AIMST University chairman, trustee and director of MIED. Two other AIMST directors are expected to follow suit.The class action suit by former
MIC Youth head S. Vigneswaran is set to open a can of worms arising from alleged irregularities that have wrecked the credibility of the party.

Section 181 allows MIED, as an entity, to sue to recover or punish its trustees, directors and officers for losses, fraud, negligence and other failures.

MIED founding member Tan Sri K.S. Nijhar said he was not aware of any investigation by the CCM. "Anyway, I welcome any investigation and if anybody within the MIED or associated with it has violated any law, then they deserve to be punished," he said.

MIED, a Section 24 company that operates with government grants and public donations, is limited by guarantee. It has been mired in financial irregularities and has not had a formal AGM since its establishment in 1984.