1 NAME
The Society shall be called the ‘Borneo Philatelic Society’.
2 OBJECT
The object of the Society is the furtherance of the study of the stamps and postal history of Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah (formerly North Borneo) and Labuan.
3 ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to all persons interested in the objects of the Society who have attained the age of eighteen years. The power of electing new members is vested in the Council.
4 BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
The benefits of membership shall, except where otherwise provided, include the receipt of the Society’s publication ‘The Sarawak Journal’, the exchange packet (for members living within the circuit of packets), auction lists and the use of the library.
5 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
i) The members’ subscription, which is payable annually on 1 July, shall be such a sum as a general meeting shall from time to time decide.
ii) Where two or more members of one family are members of the Society the additional member or members shall have the option of paying a reduced subscription.
iii) A new member elected between 1 April and 30 June shall pay an annual subscription upon election but will not be required to pay a further subscription until 1 July of the following year.
6 HONORARY MEMBERS
i) A member who has rendered distinguished service to the Society may be elected as an Honorary Member.
ii) An Honorary Member shall not pay a subscription.
iii) The number of Honorary Members at any time shall not exceed six.
iv) At an Annual General Meeting following a vacancy, the membership shall be invited to submit names within six months.
v) The Council shall consider these names and any others they might wish to consider.
vi) The Council may submit a name for the agreement of the Annual General Meeting.
7 THE COUNCIL
i) The management of the affairs of the Society shall be vested in a Council to be elected from the membership. The Council shall consist of the President, Vice President (United Kingdom)), Secretary, Treasurer, Editor of ‘The Sarawak Journal’, Publications Officer, Librarian, Packet Secretary, Social Secretary, Auctioneer, Webmaster, Chairman of the Publications Committee, and one additional member. Any of the above offices may be combined provided that no Council member shall hold more than two offices concurrently and that there shall be not less than five officers together with one additional member at any one time. The quorum for a Council meeting shall be five.
ii) The Council shall have the power to co-opt member(s) onto the Council and any member so co-opted shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting when that member shall retire and be eligible for re-election.
iii) Rules relating to the library, auctions and exchange packets shall be prepared by the Council. Alterations and amendments to these rules may be brought into immediate effect but they shall be submitted for retrospective approval at the next following General Meeting.
iv) Custody and control of all property belonging to the Society shall be vested in the Council.
8 WITHDRAWAL OF MEMBERS
Any member wishing to resign shall give written notice of that intention to the Secretary on or before 30 June, otherwise the member shall be liable for the ensuing year’s subscription.
9 ARREARS OF SUBSCRIPTION
A member whose annual subscription is in arrears on 31 December shall not be entitled to the benefits of membership and, if still in arrears on 30 June following, the member shall be removed from membership. A former member may, at the discretion of the Council, be re-admitted upon payment of the arrears.
10 REMOVAL OF MEMBERS
i) Should the conduct of any member, in the opinion of the Council, be injurious to the character or interests of the Society, the Council may, provided the member has previously been notified in writing of the allegations and has been given reasonable opportunity to reply, cancel the member’s membership, whereupon that person shall cease to be a member.
ii) A former member whose membership has been cancelled shall have a right of appeal to a General Meeting and shall have the right to attend and address that Meeting.
11 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
i) An Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in September or October of each year at such time and place as the Council shall determine for the purpose of receiving reports on the affairs of the Society, the approval of the financial accounts for the preceding financial year, the election of Council members and other business.
ii) Sixty days notice of the time and venue of the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to each member.
iii) Proposals for consideration at the Annual General Meeting shall be sent in writing to reach the Secretary not less than thirty days prior to the meeting.
12 SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
i) A Special General Meeting shall be held whenever the Council shall so determine upon the demand in writing of ten or more members.
ii) Thirty days notice of the time and venue of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to each member.
iii) The notice convening a Special General Meeting shall specify the matters to be discussed at the meeting and no other business shall be transacted at the meeting.
13 THE CHAIRMAN
At all meetings of the Society, the President or, in his absence, the Vice President (United Kingdom) or such other member of the Council as the meeting shall determine, shall act as Chairman. In the event of equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
14 ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
The constitution shall not be altered except by a simple majority vote at a General Meeting.
(This Constitution was approved at the 12th October 2014 Annual General Meeting. The name of the society was changed at the 9th October 2022 Annual General Meeting with effect from 1st January 2023)
