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Tenth of December marked a memorable night for 610 aspiring professional accountants as ACCA celebrated their ascension into ACCA membership, joining the ranks of 140,000 other members around the globe. Held at the Doubletree by Hilton, ACCA Nite 2010 was an event organized by members for members.

"The modern day accountant does have a lot on his/her plate. It is no longer enough to have a basic understanding of receivables, payables and cash flow; accountants now play an active role in management and decision making. You are responsible for goal setting, forecasting and many other activities that were previously in the realm of management. You must also consider corporate culture and be able to adapt your techniques to meet specific company needs," advised Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohammad Noh, FCCA, President and CEO, Tenaga Nasional Bhd in his special address to new ACCA members.

Accountants must also have the initiative and drive to move not just their own companies, but also the nation as, "We hold a fiduciary position in nation building, seeing that we are trained to safeguard and protect assets against loss, mismanagement and misappropriation. We need to move in tandem with the Economic Transformation Programme, addressing the requirements of sustainability and green reporting," said Che Khalib.

Apart from being a landmark achievement, the ability to add the acronym - ACCA - after their names marks the beginning of a new chapter for members in their career development as it accords them greater flexibility and mobility in their progressive climb of the accountancy career ladder.

ACCA's Malaysia Advisory Committee President, Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad, in his welcoming remarks stated, "As a new member, the next step for you is whatever you want it to be. With over 100 years of experience, we have built and developed strong relationships across the world. Our world-class reputation means that your qualification is recognized all over the globe, allowing you international mobility in your career. Simply put, ACCA membership not only provides you with improved career and professional opportunities but also complete flexibility in your career choice. You can work in any business sector anywhere in the world."

During the night of networking, one common note was prevailing in all conversations; all believe that ACCA provides them with more than just a qualification. Both new and senior members deem that having the ACCA after their names provides them better social standing, reputation and respect.

Jennifer Lopez, Country Head, ACCA Malaysia concurs, "In a knowledge-based society, such social capital is an intangible driver to both individual self esteem and corporate value. With a growing demand for accountants to provide sound business advice in an increasingly complex business environment, our 610 new members are entering the profession at a time of great promise."

The remit of accountants has expanded from just number-crunching to embrace the roles of strategy, compliance, governance and corporate navigation, to name a few.

"Attaining ACCA's membership means the learning never stops. As a professional body that prides itself on continuous learning and keeping up-to-date on issues, ACCA is dedicated to supporting our members' knowledge acquisition as they progress in their career, through comprehensive and relevant Continuous Professional Development programs and resources. Given their unique skills and up-to-date knowledge, accounting professionals are being deemed the most suitable candidates to steer organisations on a steady path of sustainable value creation," concludes Lopez

All dressed in a tinge of red, ACCA members demonstrated their "flexibility and mobility" as they happily scuttle around the room participating in various games. The fun-filled evening provided new members with the opportunity to learn from the invaluable experiences of fellow members and network with the ACCA family. The night culminated with a presentation ceremony to new members followed by lucky draws.

Sponsors for ACCA Nite 2010 included Baker Tilly Monteiro Heng, Crowe Horwath, Equitiestracker Sdn Bhd, Evo Training & Consulting, Kelly Services (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, KPMG, Manchester Business School Pte Ltd, Redsoft Asia Sdn Bhd, RSM Robert Teo, Kuan & Co and SJ Grant Thornton.

For the 610 new ACCA members, congratulations and welcome to the ACCA family - the world is now indeed your oyster..!

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