How to become a professional Chartered Accountant in Malaysia

Accounting is a rewarding profession in Malaysia, with plenty of room for advancement. Accountants have a steady career, good compensation, and plenty of prospects for promotion. As an accountant, you'll be in responsibility of an individual's or a company's financial accounts, ensuring that they are accurate and in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations. To organise and manage financial records and ensure that taxes are paid, you would need to follow standard accounting practices. Accountants also provide advice to their clients or employers on how to cut costs and increase revenues. Accountants must also examine trends in order to forecast future revenues and expenses.

If you enjoy numbers and arithmetic, you should consider enrolling in an accounting foundation degree. You must have a credit in mathematics and a pass in English at the SPM level to pursue any accounting qualification. 

With a degree in accounting, you will be responsible to prepare important financial reports  and keep them up to date. Preparing tax returns and ensuring that taxes are paid on time and correctly. Evaluating financial processes in order to promote best practises, uncover problems and develop solutions, and assist organisations in running more efficiently.

You will have the doors open for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)exams as well as Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) exams.

You will be able to find work in the sector once you have completed your degree and the required practical papers (ACCA/CIMA). You are qualified to proceed into basic practise.

 In order to gain membership in Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), you need to have minimum 3 years of professional job experience in the subject of accounting. This membership is necessary for professional growth and advancement.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is the largest professional accounting organisation. It offers the Chartered Certified Accountant (CCA) credential, which is based on internationally recognised accounting and auditing standards.

ACCA offers greater in-depth and specialised information about accounting, particularly at the Professional Level, than an accounting degree that covers numerous areas outside of the profession.

Many people can get an ACCA qualification just after SPM by enrolling in the ACCA Foundation programme. It is a one-year curriculum that concentrates on the fundamentals and prepares students for the professional credentials required.

To finish all of the professional papers and take the required tests, the full-time ACCA course will take at least two years of study.

You will be able to find work significantly sooner than your colleagues once you have completed the programme.

Even if you have a degree, you must have an ACCA qualification. In order to advance your career and develop your qualifications, you still need to be a member of MIA.

Read Also: Top 8 universities in Malaysia for Accounting & Finance.
 

It is safe to say that a degree and professional certificate are the best options, this may not be the case for every employer.Potential employers of accounting graduates today demand extra characteristics from graduates, in addition to technical competence, in response to the changing needs of the corporate world.The  qualitative talents such as being more effective communicators, having great leadership skills, and being able to think clearly and critically are some of these qualities.
 

• Universiti Malaya
• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
• Universiti Putra Malaysia
• Universiti Teknologi MARA – UiTM
• Monash University Malaysia
• Universiti Sains Malaysia
• Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
• University of Nottingham Malaysia
   

The following is a list of the salaries paid to accountants and other similar professionals:

Accounting & Taxation – Annual Salary (RM):

• Tax Manager (2015) 145 – 216k+ – (2016)145 – 216k+
• Credit Controller (2015) 96 – 168k+ – (2016) 96 – 192k+
• Cost Controller (2015) 96 – 168k+ – (2016) 96 – 180k+
• Accountant (2015) 60 – 108k – (2016) 60 – 108k
• Internal Auditor – Manager (2015) 96 – 144k – (2016) 96 – 144k
• AP/AR Analyst (2015) 54 – 96k – (2016) 54 – 96k

Finance – Annual Salary (RM):

• Chief Financial Officer (2015) 336 – 540k+ – (2016) 336 – 540k+
• Head of Shared Services (2015) 336 – 540k+ – (2016) 336 – 540k+
• Finance Director – MNC (2015) 300 – 420k – (2016) 300 – 420k
• Financial Controller – SME (2015) 180 – 240k+ – (2016) 180 – 240k+
• Senior Finance Manager (2015) 144 – 240k – (2016) 144 – 240k
• FP&A Manager (2015) 120 – 216k+ – (2016) 120 – 216k+
• Corporate Finance Manager (2015) 120 – 216k+ – (2016) 120 – 216k+
• Finance Manager/Team Lead (2015) 108 – 180k – (2016) 96 – 180k
• Finance Director – SME (2015) 240 – 300k – (2016) 240 – 300k
• Financial Controller – MNC (2015) 216 – 300k+ – (2016) 216 – 300k+
• Head of Functions (2015) 216 – 300k+ – (2016) 216 – 330k+

Analyst – Annual Salary (RM):

• Senior Financial/Business Analyst: 85 – 120k
• Financial/Business Analyst: 60 – 96k

Treasury – Annual Salary (RM):

• Treasury Manager: 150 – 192k+