Services Provided

Company Registration Services

Company SSM Registration
Company Secretary Services
Secretary Address
TIN Tax Number

Corporate Bank Account Opening

OCBC Bank Account Opening
Online banking account opened

Directors' address is affiliated

Malay directors have their addresses affiliated

Local directors are affiliated

Malay directors are affiliated

🇲🇾 Malaysia: A Solid Springboard for Commonwealth Law

Welcome to the Malaysian market. Before you decide to set sail and establish a presence in Southeast Asia, understanding local business rules and compliance requirements is a key step to steadily establishing roots. Malaysia's business environment is mature and stable, its legal system inherits the common law system, rules are clear and transparent, and it maintains an open and friendly attitude toward foreign investment access, providing a relatively regulated business environment for cross-border enterprises. However, its regulatory system also has a distinct "personality." Below are the core compliance points for foreign investment entry to help you avoid pitfalls.

YIMING GLOBAL helps you land in Malaysia with peace of mind

Focusing on the Malaysian market, we deeply cultivate local Commonwealth legal policies and compliance services. Tailored to the core structure and compliance requirements of foreign Sdn Bhd, our professional team handles registration, tax filing, and industry license applications in one stop, avoiding core risks such as director residency certification, capital payment binding, and equity compliance. Unlock tax incentives, open local compliance operation channels, and rely on a mature Commonwealth business system to help you efficiently establish roots in Malaysia and expand into the Southeast Asian market, making Malaysian business operations worry-free.

Core advantages of Malaysian registration

Inheriting the common law system, the legal system is mature and robust, with clear, transparent, and highly compliant business rules
Foreign-friendly policies, supporting 100% pure foreign ownership in non-sensitive industries, with no forced local shareholding
The registration process has been simplified online, with the SSM company committee system handling efficiently and transparently, resulting in a short review cycle
Registered capital is flexible, with a legal minimum of only RM1, allowing us to meet capital requirements for business and visa applications as needed

Choose the right identity: Which type of Malaysian company should you register?

Sdn Bhd (Private Limited)

✅ Foreign capital is rooted in Malaysia with a comprehensive passport and independent legal entity status

✅ It is a necessary carrier for foreign work visa applications, including legally signing contracts, issuing invoices, and operating business operations

✅ Allow 100% foreign ownership (excluding sensitive industries such as oil and gas, education, and finance)

Branch Office

⚠️ The parent company's overseas business is extended, with the business scope consistent with the parent company's

⚠️ Without independent legal person status, the parent company bears unlimited joint and several liability

[Risk Warning] Not recommended as a long-term operating entity

Representative Office (RO)

i️ Dedicated contact and research window, limited to market research and business negotiation purposes

i️ It is strictly forbidden to engage in any profit-making activities, and contracts for invoice revenue are not allowed

i️ The visa can be renewed for 2 years, but it is not possible to apply for a work visa for foreign employees

Hard Threshold: Sdn Bhd's core compliance requirements

Shareholder structure requirements

At least one shareholder, no nationality restrictions, can be held by individuals or corporate entities; No mandatory local shareholding, supports 100% foreign ownership, convenient equity change process, and adapts to cross-border business needs.

Management structure requirements

Director: At least one director with civil capacity, with the core red line "usually residing in Malaysia," who can be Malaysian citizens/permanent residents or foreigners holding valid residence visas and provide proof of residence.

Practical advice: If you do not currently have a residence visa, you may hire a compliant local nominee director, or provide proof of short-term rental or long-term stay in the hotel.

Company Secretary (CoSec): Legally mandated, must hire a licensed secretary in Malaysia to handle SSM filing/filing and other compliance matters, with no room for exemption.

Registered capital requirements

Legal bottom line: Only RM 1 (about 1.6 RMB), meets the legal requirements, and has no operational or visa value.

Remote operation (no need to work in Malaysia): recommended RM 1,000–10,000, low cost, easy account opening, no mandatory payment pressure.

Work visa application (DP10): 100% foreign ownership requires RM500,000-1,000,000 to pay RM350,000; local joint venture ownership <requires RM350,000 for 50% ownership.

🔴 Practical Focus: Paid-in capital deposited into the corporate account can be operated after verification, but cannot be transferred back to personal accounts; Failure to meet standards will affect visa renewal, license extension, and credit approval. Capital increase requires updating SSM filing and articles of association.

Standard Registration Roadmap (Simplified Online SSM)

There are important considerations for naming: SSM (SSM) Verification Name

Apply to SSM for name reservation, which must include Sdn Bhd; if there are no duplicate names, approval is required

Hire a licensed company secretary

Legally required documents, secretaries assist in preparing compliance documents and verifying information

Submit core documents

Sign Superform (Section 14) and submit your registration application online

Collect the company registration certificate

Upon approval, you will receive Section 17 and obtain the legal qualification to operate as a legal entity

Complete tax filing

Complete tax registration and obtain relevant documents for compliant taxpayer status

Bank account opening and capital injection

Corporate corporate accounts are opened and capital injection verification is completed as needed

Checklist of required registration documents

Basic Information (for shareholders/directors)

Color scanned copy of passport (validity ≥ 18 months, including photo/signature page)
Foreign nationals must provide their national ID card/driver's license, and local directors must provide MyKad Malaysian ID cards
Shareholders/directors holding clear passport photos (for KYC identity verification)
Proof of residence for the resident director for the past 3 months in English (optional) for utilities / bank statements / lease contract

Special supplementary materials

Individual shareholders/directors: Malaysian local mobile number, valid email, sign appointment/capital contribution declaration
Company shareholders: Overseas license/articles of association/shareholder register and latest proof of existence
Non-English documents require translation and stamping; Hague member states obtain Hague Apostille, others require embassy authentication
Overseas companies must provide a notarized and certified "Power of Attorney"

Additional documentation and compliance explanations

✅ All materials must be submitted in PDF format, with a scanned resolution ≥ 300dpi, clear, unblurred, and tilted, missing pages;
✅ The residence certificate for resident directors is a key focus of the review; it is recommended to prepare it 1-2 months in advance to ensure the validity period covers the registration process;
✅ Overseas document notarization and authentication takes 1-4 weeks, so plan ahead to avoid process bottlenecks;
✅ Documents must be authentic and valid. False materials will be blacklisted by SSM, affecting entry and business operations. It is recommended to back up the original documents.

Tax Compliance: The Core Cornerstone of Operating in Malaysia

The Malaysian tax authority is strictly supervised, and tax compliance is the core cornerstone of long-term stable business operations. Without compliance, the company cannot survive. The core tax types are as follows:

Corporate Income Tax (CIT)

Standard tax rate24%, enjoying the digital economy sector12%Preferential tax rates: 70% of export income for enterprises meeting the NIIF framework can be exempt from tax

Sales and Services Tax (SST)

New policies implemented in July 2025: sales tax of 5%-10% / service tax of 6%-8%. Essentials are exempt from tax, and small and medium-sized enterprises and B2B transactions are exempt

Withholding Tax

Interest is 15%, royalty fee is 10%, service fee is 3%-10%, and the payer must proactively withhold and pay on their behalf

Key compliance requirements

Withholding tax must be paid to the tax office within one month after payment; late payments will result in fines, which is a key compliance point that is easily overlooked

Clearly calculate the compliance path for registering a Malaysian company

Materials, timelines, and costs are explained clearly at once; if not approved, the guarantee is upheld as agreed.

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Malaysia Company Registration