“CCM search has the information.”

This was the suggestion given to me as a quick way to complete the corporate information aspect of legal due diligence.

There are situations where a search from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) may be sufficient: where the client understands the limitations of a CCM search, the stakes are low, or the company is not active. In those circumstances, it may well be a proportionate approach.

However, for an active company, relying on a CCM search alone for corporate information is not enough for the following reasons:

CCM searches may not reflect the latest position. CCM records depend on timely filing by the company. There is often a lag before the latest filing is reflected in the search results.

Many key aspects of a company’s affairs do not appear in a CCM search. Board minutes and resolutions, when properly maintained, reveal information not available from a CCM search such as ongoing or threatened litigation, banking facilities, key management decisions, and the real picture of how a company is being run.

Certain statutory records carry legal weight. Under the Companies Act 2016, documents such as the register of members are prima facie evidence of the legal ownership of shares. Not reviewing them not only leaves gaps, but also raises a genuine question as to whether reasonable legal due diligence has been conducted.

A CCM search is a standard part of legal due diligence for corporate information, but it should not be the only exercise conducted, particularly for active companies.

If it is worth doing due diligence on a company, it is worth doing it properly.

This post was first posted on LinkedIn on 16 May 2026.