几天前，SGM寄出了一封备忘录。
A few days ago, a memo from SGM was sent out… (English text after the Chinese text)
大家好！适逢SGM综合文化中心成立15周年纪念，SGM公关部暨先锋会委员联合推行艺文教育系列巡回分享，题为“创价艺文之道”，主要内容为创价学会驰骋于文化大道、艺术大道的理念与实践。分享会上除了主题分享，也会为大家介绍即将于10月15日至12月18日，在SGM综合文化中心举办的第九回SGM典藏展，展题为“发现美——SGM典藏展”。此外，各本部代表也将推行各地域的团体观览安排。
巡回分享会将以本部单位举行，全吉隆坡共有21个本部单位的中文会场和1个吉隆坡单位的英文会场。此分享会可公开给所有干部、会友和创价之友参加。
每个本部都有一份分配好日期的日程表，这是为了鼓励干部和会友来参加这次教育之旅。我们确信这次旅途中倾注了许多努力和计划。我们十分赞赏SGM开展了这次活动。
我们相信这个项目是对于花费马币$2790万购买古董和艺术品这件事的一个回应。在多年购买古董和艺术品之后，SGM终于主动来讲解介绍和展示他们这几年来获取的收藏品。
然而，让我们不要忘记这些艺术收藏品是用会友辛苦挣得和真诚地贡献的钱所买的。
我们把我们自己放在一个会友的立场上。我们料想当他们在研究那些艺术收藏品时，以下这些问题将会浮现在他们的脑海里：
1.这件艺术品的价格是多少？
2.是谁评估的这件艺术品的价格？它看起来对我来说并不是非常贵。
3.是谁同意的买这件艺术品的决定？
4.买这些东西真的有必要吗？
5.这对马来西亚的广宣流布有帮助吗？（我认为没有，因为会员人数已经停滞超过十年了）
6. 为什么这些年来卖买古董没有传达给会友呢?
我的钱用于可以造福其他会友和广宣流布目的是不是更好，比如：
1.建造更多的教育设施（比如，其他州的Tadika Seri Soka）或者资助想在TSS学习但是负担不起的低收入群体的学费。
2.在Cheras会馆建造多层停车场（前总理Choo-San十年前就提出了这个建议但一直没有进展）。在开会时，会员只能把他们的车辆停在山顶，然后步行大约十分钟到会馆。也发生过过住在邻居抱怨车子停在了他们家门口的情况。池田先生在建立SGM会馆时一向考虑得十分小心谨慎，从而不会给会员和我们的邻居带去不便。
3.翻新和池田和平纪念馆的卫生间。一些厕所，特别是池田和平纪念馆的，出了故障，气味也很难闻。同样，我们为什么不为成员的便利考虑呢？他们一直都在使用会馆。
4.帮助几年前的尼泊尔地震受灾者或者柔佛洪水受灾者？在尼泊尔地震时，会友必须要在会馆举办的一个慈善晚会上从他们自己的口袋里掏钱去帮助尼泊尔地震受灾者。如果SGM可以把资金用于帮助那些不幸的社会团体，难道不会比购买古董更有意义吗？
我们真的想知道SGM会如何回答会友思想中的这些问题。我们也希望SGM可以把这个话题插入到教育之旅的分享中去，不要只是借此证明马币$2790万变成了一件件的艺术品和古董。
我们希望SGM的高层干部能够在做出任何决定时把会友放在他们心中的第一位。毕竟，我们需要对会友贡献的每一分钱负责，保证钱被用于最符合会友和社会的利益的用途，而不是某些个人利益。
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A few days ago, a memo from SGM was sent out.
The main topic will share on Soka Gakkai’s ideology and practice in the realm of culture and art. Besides the theme sharing, there will be an introduction of the 9th SGM Art Collection exhibition titled “Discovering Beauty – SGM Art Collection Exhibition” and promotion by respective Honbu leader on the Honbu group tour arrangement.
The educational programme will be held in 21 Honbu based Chinese venues and 1 KL based English venue and opened to all leaders, members and soka friends to attend.
There was a time table with allocated dates for each Honbu to encourage leaders and members to attend this tour-cum-education.We are quite sure that a lot of efforts and planning have been put into this and we applaud SGM for running this.
We believe this programme is a response to the issues raised on the spending of MYR$27.9M on collection of antiques and art. SGM takes the initiative to educate and showcase the collection that SGM procured over the years.
However, let’s not forget that these art collection were purchased using members hard earned and sincere contribution.
We put ourselves in a member’s point of view. We imagined these are the questions that will arise in their mind as they study the art collection:
- How much was this piece of art?
- Who assessed it’s price? It doesn’t look terribly expensive to me.
- Who approved the decision to buy this art?
- Was it really necessary to buy them?
- Has it helped kosen-rufu in Malaysia? (We presumed not much, as membership has been stagnant for more than 10 years)
- Why are these not made known to members all these years and the collection were only brought up after these issues were revealed?
Is it better for my money to be used for other purposes that will benefit members and kosen-rufu, such as:
- having more education facilities (for example, Tadika Seri Soka in other States) or subsidizing TSS school fees for the lower income group who wish to study in TSS but could not afford to do so.
- multi-level car park in Cheras Kaikan (previous GD Choo-san announced this 10 years ago and still no progress. During meetings, members have to park their cars right up to the hill and walked 10 minutes to Kaikan. There were also incidents where neighbours complained about cars parked outside their houses. Ikeda Sensei will always give careful consideration when it comes to building SGI centres so that it will not inconvenient members and our neighbours.
- renovation of toilets in IPA and Kinekan Hall. Some of the toilets particularly the Kinekan’s are faulty and smelly. Again, why have we not thought of the members’ convenience? They are the one using the centre all the time.
- helping Nepal earthquake victims or Johor flood victims a few years ago. During Nepal earthquake, members have to fork out from their own pocket to help the Nepal earthquake victims in a charity night event at Kaikan. Wouldn’t it be more meaningful if SGM can channel the funds to helping the unfortunate communities THAN buying antiques?
We really wonder how SGM will answer these questions that are in the members’ mind. And we hope SGM will slot this as a topic to share during the education tour and not just doing it to proof that the MYR$27.9M went into the pieces of art and antiques.
We hope that SGM’s top leadership will put members in their heart first before making any decision. After all, we need to be accountable for every dollar that the members contribute and ensure the money is used in the best interest of the members and communities and not for some personal agendas.
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September 11, 2016 at 10:56 pm
Yes everyone in SGM has a right to demand answers for the sensible questions raised here.
Most of the time leaders have use own transport to carry visiting members from other states of malaysia from airport and take them to dinners or lunch before sending them to hotel. Next two days ferry them to and fro to meetings and sent them off to airports when events finished and we have fork out our own money for these expenses.
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September 12, 2016 at 12:17 am
I’m a leader and I agree with you, James. Many times when we have nationwide or State wide meetings, the expense responsibilities lies with the leaders in the states to take care of the visiting members. Leaders are willing to fork out because they thought SGM does not have the funds. Instead of using the funds for these kosen rufu activities involving members, SGM used it for other unrelated matters.
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September 12, 2016 at 6:42 am
For many times , SGM top leaders will use “good fortune” as the reason to explain why we should use our own money for kosenrufu expenses within our respective areas. Even when cultural groups went for performance , at times they need to fork out their own money and expenses including SGM students in high schools. Like what other commentators mentioned earlier , we thought SGM doesn’t have the money and willingly we would spend the money to ensure that these activities will be smooth and successful in its operation. Let us not forget that many families in SGM are also struggling financially and our SGM top leaders daringly , without much guilt , would tell the members that they are accumulating good fortune by spending money cos it is for the sake of Buddhism.
In many Gosho and Sensei guidance , we were taught that our daimoku daimoku and strong faith in the Gohonzon are the reasons we are able to change our karma and never about contributing money being a factor to change our life. SGM should start to subsidise partial/full expenses for our district /community/ national level activities. Why is that ? Because it’s Rakyat’s money. Hmm… I should say it is “40,000 of Rakyat Soka’s” money. All of the money should be spend to develop the faith of Rakyat Soka. Every Rakyat Soka should be getting return of investment of the ‘tax’ that they’ve given to SGM as a Buddhist organisation such as better facilities in kaikan, sponsors for 4D seminars including youth and student seminars , and the list could go on and on in which I presume SGM top leaders would know what else the members could benefit from (I hope).
In the era , the leadership style that conveys “just trust us. We’ve known each other for a long time. Don’t ask so much. Sensei appointed these top leaders and we should trust them” isn’t going to work. This type of leadership belong to the 1970’s and 80’s. We need SGM National top leaders and every State Top leaders that has the mindset of the 21st century that practices transparency , accountability , and willing to listen , accept and be criticised by others in the face of crisis. We want top leaders both national and state level to have the attitude of “embracing all species ” as mentioned by Nichiren Daishonin in the Orally Transmitted Teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
If any SGM national top leaders or any State top leaders were to ask me on aspects that top leaders need to change or do human revolution , I would reply that they need to do human revolution in aspect of “Embracing all species ” as mentioned in the Orally Transmitted Teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
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September 12, 2016 at 9:49 am
The puzzling thing to me, is that many leaders are aware of this now, I am sure, and yet, many are just keeping quiet and suffering in silence. Why? Do they fear cause & effect for speaking up against Gakkai? If they do, then, their understanding of Buddhism fundamentals is already wrong. How can anyone look at wrong doings and then just allow it?
I really do not understand this mentality!
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September 12, 2016 at 6:32 pm
Thanks for all your sharing. Can feel and understand the pains and what you all are saying.
Really hope things not will change but it’s a must!
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September 16, 2016 at 9:50 am
tq for the true information
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September 21, 2016 at 9:37 am
My thought goes to those sincerely dedicate their life for Kosenrufu when I read this article.
I spoke to a MD recently and he shared about an ungrateful attitude of his encounter with a top leader in one of the state (K) where he and I come from. The leader asked this MD to ferry some members from another state (D) where this MD works one day on the way back to K.
When this MD arrived at the restaurant back home with the members, a top MD took over the responsibility to bring the members for dinner. He just said coldly to the MD who had ferried these members back “there is none of your business here from now on, you can leave now.” Is this the right attitude of a centre figure? Is this not like burning the bridge after reaching the other end? This didn’t happen once or twice. Mind you because of this kind of attitude of many top leaders there, the wife of this MD (it took many years for him to Shakubuku his wife), stopped coming out to attend meetings and stopped chanting. She channels her energy and time towards helping in another charitable organization where people there are warm and friendly.
How long would it take for these arrogant leaders to be awakened that their character and attitude is turning people away? Can our kosenrufu movements expand with these bunch of arrogant leaders?
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September 21, 2016 at 9:45 pm
Thank you all for opening up and sharing. This is the ugly side of the leadership that many chose to ignore but we cannot close an eye anymore. The leaders have grown bolder and became arrogant. They are blinded to the fundamental of this Buddhism, which is compassion. And they have also forgotten that SGM exists to serve members, not the leaders. Remember the inverted triangle we were taught during new leaders orientation? Please keep opening up and sharing, so that we can awaken those that chose silence.
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October 24, 2016 at 12:29 am
You mentioned that RM27.9M were spent by SGM to purchase all these art and antique pieces over the years. However, the members were told that all these art and antique pieces had been donated by the exhibitors over the years. Now who is right? We are getting confused. Please clarify. Thank you.
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October 24, 2016 at 11:03 am
On 17 Jan 2016, Mr Lee Son Chee from SGM presented the findings from auditors to a hall full of leaders in Johor. In this presentation, he shared the audit work carried out in 2015. As part of the audit, SGM gave the auditors a list of 1,500 pieces of art collection. The auditors verified the listing against the billings/invoices for the works that were purchased. This presentation on 17 Jan was a fact witnessed by many. Thanks for bringing this up. Perhaps we can update in the Q and A document as well.
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October 25, 2016 at 12:50 am
Thank you for enlightening us with your reply. It would appear that SGM has been less than truthful with its members. This is a disgrace and you can be sure I will question them on this when I get the opportunity.
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October 27, 2016 at 12:52 pm
Talking of the purchase of antiques for Rm27.9 millions is a very BIG SUM and nobody seems to know about it ?Sound very rediculous and I am sure if reported to proper authority this will amount to CBT and is a criminal case which entials jailing n fines.I hope the leaders know what they are doing and stop n repent immediately before they go to JAIl which we do not hope to see but may have to happened as part of REVOLUTION.I really pity the poor members who worked so very hard in their hard lives and give contribution for the sake of KOSEN RUFU and to see their hard earned contribution goes into such nonsensical pursue of someone.I sincerely hope there is a very good reason for this DEED.If i am not wrong in Japan also happen with the FUJI ART MUSEUM and they were taken to court in early 1970s
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October 27, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Thanks for your comment, Sim. Firstly, the audited accounts statements are only sent to 300+ Full Members as required by the law. That’s just 1% of total members of SGM. And most of these Full Members have a lot of trust on SGM administrations as we observed the behavior of most pioneer members. Who would have suspected a thing, right?
Furthermore, by now, many of the Full Members are quite senior. Some are not active anymore. We don’t think any of them truly scrutinise the accounts.
Thirdly, we don’t think SGM spent $27.9M at one go. We would imagine these purchases were done over the years – $100 thousands or $200 thousands a year can easily be concealed deep inside a financial statement.
In a way, we should be grateful that these issues are surfaced now so we all can take corrective actions and hold the people responsible be accountable. That way we can all move forward and put all these behind us.
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