Establishment and composition of the Council
s 3
(1) There is hereby established a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal to be called the Malaysian Veterinary Council. (2) The Minister shall appoint the members of the Council which shall consist of— (a) the Director General; (b) the Head of the Veterinary Department of Sabah or his nominee, who shall be a veterinary surgeon in the public service; (c) the Head of the Veterinary Department of Sarawak or his nominee, who shall be a veterinary surgeon in the public service; (d) two members nominated by veterinary surgeons registered in Part I of the Register from among them; (e) two members nominated by veterinary surgeons registered in Part II of the Register from among them; (f) one veterinary surgeon from among the staff of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, nominated by the Council of the University; and (g) two veterinary surgeons who are nominees of the Minister. (3) No person shall be nominated and appointed to be a member under paragraphs (2)(d) to (g) unless such a person is a citizen and is a registered veterinary surgeon. (4) No person may at the same time serve as a member in more than one capacity. (5) A person may be nominated and appointed to be a member under paragraphs (2)(d) to (g) notwithstanding that he has previously been a member under any of the paragraphs of subsection (2). (6) The members referred to in paragraphs (2)(d) to (g) shall hold office for a period not exceeding three years but shall be eligible for re-appointment if qualified under this Act. (7) Any person who is a member by virtue of the provisions of any of the paragraphs (2)(d) to (g) may at any time resign his office by letter addressed to the President. (8) Where any person who is a member by virtue of the provisions of any of the paragraphs (2)(d) to (g) dies before completion of his term of office, or resigns, or otherwise ceases to be a member by reason of any provision of this Act, a person shall be nominated and appointed in his place in accordance with the provisions applying in the case of the person dying or resigning or ceasing to be a member for the residue of the term for which such person might have held office if he had not died or resigned or ceased to be a member: Provided that on the death or resignation of a member nominated under any of the paragraphs (2)(d) to (g) within twelve months before the date on which his term of office would have come to an end by effluxion of time, the vacancy shall not be filled for the residue of that term. (9) If any of the bodies of veterinary surgeons referred to in paragraphs (2)(d) to (f) does not within a period of three months from the date on which the office falls vacant, nominate a person to be a member of the Council, the Minister shall appoint in his place as a member a person qualified to be so nominated and any person so appointed shall be deemed to be a member as if he had been duly nominated by such body of veterinary surgeons. (10) Immediately upon the coming into force of this Act and until such time as the members referred to in paragraphs (2)(d) to (f) are nominated and appointed, the Minister shall appoint in their place respectively such persons as are qualified to be respectively so nominated and appointed and the persons so appointed shall be deemed to be members as if they had been duly nominated and appointed under the said paragraphs (d) to (f). (11) A veterinary surgeon shall not be qualified to be nominated and appointed to be a member, under the provisions of any of the paragraphs (2)(d) to (g)— (a) if he has been found guilty by a court of any offence involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude, or of any offence punishable with imprisonment (in itself only or in addition to or in lieu of a fine) for more than two years; or (b) if he is an undischarged bankrupt. (12) If a member who has been nominated and appointed under the provisions of any of the paragraphs (2)(d) to (g) ceases, by reason of any provision of this Act, to be qualified to be so nominated and appointed, he shall be deemed to have vacated his seat.