Constitution



1. NAME: The name of the Club shall be the Singapore Press Club. 2. ADDRESS: The place of business of the Club shall be at The Straits Times, 1000 Toa Payoh North, Singapore 318994 or at such other building as the general body of members may decide, subject to the approval of the Registrar of Societies. 3. AIMS: The Club shall: a) Try to promote friendly contact among journalists in Singapore and those in allied professions. b) Maintain a library. c) Sponsor lectures, talks and seminars as and when practicable. d) Issue bulletins and reports as and when necessary. e) Hold luncheon meetings, dinners and social gatherings for members and friends. f) Establish a Club House to serve as a focal meeting point for members and their guests. 4. MEMBERSHIP: a) There shall be the following seven categories of membership: Regular Associate Corporate Transient Non?Resident Honorary Life b) Eligibility to membership is confined to men and women whose qualifications meet the requirements of the Club, viz: c) Any person who is a regular member of the Club, as defined in Rule 4 a) and 4 b), shall have his regular membership status withdrawn in the event that he should change his occupation so as to fall outside the definition in, and the ambit of, Rule 4b). Such a person may be offered other appropriate membership of the Club. Regular Membership Editorial and management staff members of newspapers, news agencies, news?photo services, feature services, magazines, radio and television and resident freelance journalists whose main income is derived from the above media. Every member under this category must be resident in Singapore. Associate Membership Those whose business or professional work involves close relationship with the field of journalism, including ex-journalists, public relations and information officers in Government Ministries, Statutory Boards, the Armed Forces, Foreign Diplomatic Missions, Commercial Firms and other establishments in Singapore, whose association with the Club will advance its objectives. Corporate Membership The corporation that pays $300 as entrance fee shall be known as a "corporate member" and shall be entitled to all the privileges granted to associate members. A corporate membership shall be held in the name of a person to be designated by the Corporate Member and can be transferred at any time to another individual in the corporation as designated by the Corporate Member with the approval of the Management Committee. Transient Membership This shall be limited to those meeting the qualifications for either Associate or Regular membership but whose residence in Singapore is to be of a temporary nature, in no case more than three months. Non-Resident Membership Non-resident journalists who meet professional qualifications are eligible under this category. Club members leaving the country, upon application in writing prior to their departure, maybe accorded non-resident membership status. Upon proper notification to the Club, in writing, on their return such members on shall revert to their original Club standing. Honorary Membership With a unanimous vote of approval at a properly constituted meeting of the Management Committee, the Committee may invite any person who has contributed exemplary services to the Club to become an honorary member. Life Membership Any regular or associate member approved by the Management Committee may become a Life member. 5. FEES: Initiation fees shall be: Regular: $10 Associate: $100 Corporate: $300 Transient: $10 Non-Resident: $10 6. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Payable annually in advance at the following rates: Regular: $30 Associate: $100 Corporate: $100 Transient: Nil Non-Resident: $20 Honorary: Nil Life (Regular): $400 one time Life (Associate): $1,000 one time 7. APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP: a) Applications for all categories of membership shall be made on a prescribed form and must be proposed and seconded by two members of good standing, at least one of whom shall be a regular member. b) Approval or rejection for all forms of membership may be made only at a properly constituted meeting of the Management Committee on a simple majority vote. c) No reason shall be offered to those whose applications are rejected. d) The Management Committee shall use its discretion to classify, reject or accept applications and also to consider concessional rates for those in all classes. e) The Management Committee shall have absolute discretion to reclassify the status of any member as and when it sees fit, and specifically in the event that the change of occupation contemplated in the third paragraph of Rule 4 b) occurs. The decision of the Management Committee embodied in the notice of reclassification of a member's status shall be final and conclusive. The question as to what constitutes a sufficient change of occupation contemplated in paragraph 3 of Rule 4 b) shall be determined solely by the Management Committee. Upon any such reclassification of membership status, the Management Committee shall have discretion to offer such person any other appropriate membership status as the Management Committee thinks fit. 8. MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES: a) All members shall have equal privileges in the Club. However, in the matter of voting and in the holding of an elective office on the Management Committee, only those regular, associate and corporate members whose subscriptions are not in arrears for more than three months shall be entitled to attend and to vote at meetings and to be eligible to be elected to hold office on the Management Committee. b) No member shall receive any emolument or profit from the funds for the Club or use the name of the Club for personal benefit or gain. c) Each member may invite a guest or group of guests to the Club but each guest must at all times be accompanied by the member, who shall also record the names of the guests in the Club guest book. d) Guests from other overseas press clubs, which reciprocate with this Club, shall be granted Guest privileges. e) Members are subject to adherence to the Club rules and bye-laws and are fully responsible for the conduct of their guests on the Club premises. 9. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP: A member may resign his membership on one month's notice, in writing, to the Secretary. Resignation shall not release a member from his obligations to the Club until all his dues are paid and his resignation accepted by the Management Committee. 10. EXPULSIONS AND SUSPENSIONS: a) Any member is liable to expulsion from membership for misconduct, non-payment of dues and such other misdemeanour as the Management Committee may decide by a two-thirds majority vote at a properly-constituted meeting. b) The Management Committee may suspend a member during the period of investigations. c) Prior to expulsion, a member with his witnesses shall have the right to a hearing with the Management Committee and this hearing shall be held within two weeks after the forwarding of a notice of suspension or advice of investigation to the member. d) Charges shall be listed in the notice given to the member requesting him to appear before a meeting to discuss his expulsion. e) Non-appearance of a member, charged with misconduct, at a meeting shall not prevent the Management Committee from discussing the charges in the absence of the offending member and leading to a vote of expulsion. f) A member so expelled shall be notified, in writing, and the notice sent to him by registered post. 11. MEETINGS: a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held each year in the month of March. Two weeks' notice shall be given for such a meeting and the agenda shall accompany such notice. The quorum shall be 30 members eligible to vote or 10 per cent of the total membership eligible to vote whichever is greater. b) The Management Committee shall meet once a month and the quorum shall be at least one more than half the elected members. Notice of meeting shall be given at least four days in advance. c) A Special (or Extraordinary) General Meeting may be called on any date by order of the Management Committee upon the written request of no less than 10 regular, associate and corporate members of the Club. When such a request has been properly made, the meeting must be convened not later than 14 days after receipt of such request, which must be accompanied by a letter specifying the subjects for which the meeting is requested. The quorum for such a Special Meeting shall be 40 members eligible to vote or one sixth of the total membership eligible to vote, whichever is greater at any of the above meetings. d) In the event of there being no quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned to the same day in the following fortnight at a place and time to be appointed. Should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to alter, amend or make additions to any of the existing rules. e) All elections at meetings shall be by a secret ballot. Everything else shall be by a show of hands unless otherwise decided and agreed to by a special vote. 12. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE: a) The Management Committee shall consist of a President who shall be a regular member, three Vice-Presidents, Honorary Secretary, Assistant Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Assistant Honorary Treasurer, and seven members, all of whom must be elected at an Annual General Meeting. One of the three Vice-Presidents and two of the seven members of the Management Committee may be associate or corporate members. The other two Vice-Presidents and four members of the Management Committee shall be regular members. b) All members of the Management Committee shall be eligible for re-election at the next Annual General Meeting except the Honorary Treasurer and the Assistant Honorary Treasurer, who may not hold the same post for more than two consecutive years. c) Vacancies on the Management Committee shall be filled from the ranks of the appropriate category of membership by the Management Committee at a properly constituted meeting. d) The Management Committee shall manage the Club, adopt policies and measures for the conduct of the Club's business, create sub-committees to plan and implement programmes and activities, and exercise such other powers as may be found necessary in the promotion and protection of the Club's interests. e) The Management Committee, through the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer, shall prepare and furnish to the general membership an annual report together with a statement of account for approval at a properly constituted Annual General Meeting. 13. CHAIRMAN: At all meetings Annual, Management Committee and/or Special (or Extraordinary) the President shall take the Chair. In his absence any one of the three Vice-Presidents shall take his place. In the absence of all four, one member of those present shall be elected by a show of hands to take the Chair, provided there is a quorum. 14. BYE-LAWS: The Management Committee shall promulgate bye-laws for the management of the Club's premises, library and other properties, and such bye-laws shall be adhered to by all members until they are annulled by a simple-majority vote at a properly constituted meeting of the Management Committee. 15. FUNDS: a) All funds of the Club, except petty cash of not more than $250, shall be deposited in a bank or banks designated by the Management Committee in the name of the Singapore Press Club. The custodian of these funds shall be the Honorary Treasurer. Withdrawals shall be under the signatures of the Treasurer and either the President or one of the three Vice-Presidents. b) Any investment of the Club's funds may be made only on the authorisation of a 75-per-cent vote of the regular members attending a properly constituted meeting. c) All expenditures exceeding $50 must be paid by crossed cheques. d) Any expenditure of more than $250 must be approved in writing by the President. Expenditure of more than $500 must be approved by the Management Committee and more than $5,000 by the General Body at a properly constituted meeting. 16. FINANCIAL YEAR: a) The financial year of the Club shall close on 31 December. b) The Club's account must be audited monthly by an internal auditor to be appointed by the Management Committee. The annual statement of account and balance sheet must be audited by a firm of chartered or certified accountants appointed at the Annual General Meeting. 17. PROHIBITIONS: a) The funds of the Club shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court. b) The Club shall not attempt to restrict or in any other manner interfere with trade or prices or engage in any Trade Union activity as defined in the Trade Union Ordinance. c) The Club shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes, provided that such prohibition does not compromise the right of the Club to invite persons of a political nature to attend and/or address Club functions in pursuance of the customary professional practices of journalists. 18. AMENDMENTS TO RULES: a) Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, no alteration or addition to these rules shall be made except at a general meeting with the consent of not less than 3/5 of the total Regular Membership present. b) No alteration or addition to these rules shall come into force without the prior sanction of the Registrar of Societies. 19. DISSOLUTION: a) The Club shall not be dissolved, except with the consent of not less than 3/5 of the total Regular Membership eligible to vote for the time being resident in Singapore expressed, either in person or by proxy at a general meeting convened for the purpose, or by postal vote. b) In the event of the Club being dissolved as provided above, all debts and liabilities legally incurred on behalf of the Club shall be fully discharged, and the remaining funds will be donated to a charity or charities as the members attending the meeting for the purpose of dissolution may decide by a simple majority vote. c) Notice of dissolution shall be given within seven days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies. 20. a) Residents in Singapore may be admitted into the premises of the Club, but they shall not be admitted to the privileges of the Club nor shall they be admitted into the premises more than six times in a calendar year. These visits are to be confined to not more than once in 14 days. b) A Visitors' Book shall be kept, in which shall be entered the names of all visitors and guests, together with the names and signatures of the members nominating them and the dates of their visits. No person shall be a visitor or guest till his name has been entered in this book. CLOSE