Date issued: 28 June 2007

CPA Australia Ltd and the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), will sign a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) today, that will enhance international mobility within the accountancy profession.

The MRA identifies areas for mutually beneficial joint initiatives and establishes guidelines for how appropriately qualified members can gain reciprocal membership. It also develops the already close relationship between the two bodies.

CPA Australia president Paul Meiklejohn FCPA, said, ‘Opportunities for accountants cross national borders. CPA Australia believes that strong international relationships with other significant and influential accounting bodies benefits our members, wherever they are in the world.

‘This MRA will pave the way for closer working relationships and further enhance the mobility and international recognition of the designations and memberships of both bodies.’
 
CPA Australia has entered into a range of strategic agreements with other organisations in the region, including the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore, the Vietnam Association of Certified Public Accountants and the Indonesian Institute of Accountants.

‘Such relationships enhance the knowledge and understanding of CPAs, and provide important new avenues through which we can progress and develop the accounting profession at many levels,’ said Mr Meiklejohn.

‘CPA Australia has a long and proud tradition of helping to advance the profession internationally and our ongoing belief is that we can achieve much more working together as a region than as individual nations.

Mr Meiklejohn commented that the MRA is particularly timely, coming as it does amid free trade agreement negotiations between the Malaysian and Australian Governments.

‘This MRA encapsulates the goodwill expressed by both accounting bodies, and accords with the aim of the Free Trade Agreement, to liberalise trade in services.’

The MIA is a statutory body established under the Accountants Act, 1967 of Malaysia and is empowered by law to regulate the accountancy profession in Malaysia.

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