Greetings to my fellow colleagues.

I would like to update you on what the committee has been doing for the last 12 months. Firstly, on the administrative issues, MPA appointed the same accounting firm MMA is engaging for their tax return. I trust that MPA financial statements will be audited smoothly and the necessary accounting procedures followed accordingly as required by laws. Buying a piece of property is quite a complicated task for a society. The proposal was first mooted by our past president (Dr Chin CN) and was presented to members during our BGM 3 years ago. MPA financial statements have been good due to our hard working committees in the last ten (10) years. How do we choose a property? 

The principal of managing our seemingly treatment resistant patients is Diagnosis, Diagnosis and Diagnosis. Buying a good property is location, location and location. The value of one ringgit seems to be depreciating over time but conversely property at a good location will appreciate over time. MPA can easily rent out or sell the property. After much discussion and survey by present committees and Prof. Hussain, an office unit was bought at the price of RM660,000/- in 3 Two Square, Section 19, Petaling Jaya. 

The 15th MCPM and 12th AFPMH will be held on 23rd to 26th of June 2010. Please keep your schedule free for this meeting. The scientific committee is led by Dr. Haji Mohd. Daud Dalip and the committee will try to organize a worthwhile event for the members to attend and participate. We will upload more information on MPA’s website as and when it becomes available and will also circulate emails through the website on a regular basis to keep you notified of the latest information regarding the meeting, so please look out for the emails. MPA’s website is doing well. 

We currently have seven companies supporting the website with yearly sponsorships and the website receives between 5,000 and 6,000 visits from individuals every month. Our objective is to keep the website updated regularly for the benefit of MPA members and the community we serve, hence please feel free to email us information, educational materials and articles that you wish to publish in MPA’s website www.psychiatry-malaysia.org to be shared with your fellow members and the public as well as event details of any upcoming events that you know of. 

Please email to info@psychiatry-malaysia.org. The Malaysian Journal of Psychiatry e-Journal www.ejournal.psychiatry-malaysia.org is being upgraded to include an online reviewer system to enable the management of all the coordination of the articles and reviewing process between the Editor-in-Chief, Reviewers and Authors via this system with the objective of making the submission and reviewing process easier for all parties involved. If you have any articles for submission, please email it to editor@psychiatry-malaysia.org. In line with most other online journals, the committee has decided to make the MJP e-Journal available for free, but please note that all the online early articles and full volumes are available for all members in MPA’s website in the password protected member section. If you have lost your username and password to login to the member section, you can request it to be sent to you by emailing MPA’s webmaster at info@psychiatry-malaysia.org. 

The committee is also considering other ways of utilizing the online media to support the growing need for easier, faster and efficient procedures. We will keep you updated on new developments. Our BGM will be held during the 15th MCPM. Please submit your resolution in writing to the secretary one (1) month prior to the BGM. There will be an election for the next committee, so please propose your candidate or offer yourself to serve in the next committee. Time passes fast and it will be my ten (10) years serving in MPA’s committee in June 2010. I wish to thank the members for giving me the opportunity to serve in the committee. I would like to wish everybody Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Best regards, 

Dr Yen Teck Hoe 

President of Malaysian Psychiatric Association