CPA is a qualification that can be bought easily by money meaning to say that as long as the students pay the annual subscription + exam fees, the qualification is theirs.
On the other hand, most CPA grads are incompetent & struggle in the work place & don't even know the basic stuff.
I agree that the individuals' performance is more important than the paper qualification but bear in mind all the top performers are either ACCA, ICAEW, ICAA or MICPA.

If you had attended the CPA's AGM in Aust, don't be surprised if you find that most CPA members located in Aust are of the same view as me. I attended the AGM once in Aust in 2008. All members voiced their unhappiness concerning 4 main issues:
1. the low quality of the CPA exam;
2. CPA has become more commercialised & too profit oriented;
3. Most employers whether big or small prefer to hire ICAA grad & ignore CPA
4. CPA grads loose out completely in terms of technical skill.

Unfortunately all of these issues fell into deaf ears & nothing has been done.
Some members were so outspoken during the AGM & said "even a primary school kid or a blind person can pass the CPA easily".

However CPAs in M'sia are still blinded by the actual situation....time to wake up, pal.

---

Added on September 30, 2010, 1:33 pm
yes you can as long as you're a MIA member plus holding an audit license. You can sign the audit report but your credibility is a big question mark as a CPA.