In our About Us page, we started by saying we are not anti-Gakkai. What we are against are the current top management of SGM, specifically the 6-man ECC who is not able to manage the crisis that started in Johor which now resulted in a split of the organisation.
在我们的 “关于我们” 的页面,我们强调了我们不是反学会。 我们反对的是目前SGM的管理层,特别是中央委员会6位会员ECC无法应对在柔佛开始的危机,现在导致组织分裂。
虽然我们批评他们的行动,但我们要明确表示,我们不支持离开SGM或SGI的想法。 日连大圣人,SGM和池田先生仍然是我们的信念,和师匠。
我们还听说NBA正在探索自己的教道,并阅读了其他佛教学校的佛法教导。 当我们获得更多资料的时候,我们会写一篇关于此事的文章,但我们想也必须快速的澄清我们站在立场。
我们的读者@bcphuah在辞职的评论,他说:
“对不起,但我真的不知道如何离开SGM和成立NBA,这些人可以希望对SGM的高层管理产生任何变化。 你希望如何有效地从外部而不是内部做出改变。 你不认为这是一个错误的策略吗? 通过形成NBA,他们烧毁了桥梁的意义,因为他们是不同的个体,无论在SGM中发生什么不应该再是他们的担忧的? 有人能在这里给我意见吗? 我真的不明白NBA的人在做什么或他们的真正目标是什么,而不他们对SGM高层管理人员的所谓不满意。
他说到重点了! 我们必须继续从内部得到正义。 一旦我们离开组织,我们将失去我们的战斗权利。
那么什么辞职职位? 这是我们对@bcphuah的回复
我们同意你@bcphuah 对此的评论。 这个文章是关于辞去干部职位和成为会友(并继续作战和用自己是会友的的声音发表),而不是离开组织。 当我们是干部时我们不能说出的苦衷,因为我们有义务履行我们的职责(*)。 但作为成员,干部现在现在对我们有负责。
我们希望这能澄清我们的立场。
(*)更新19/11 – 我们需要澄清这个声明。 该声明我们在进行SGM活动和讨论会议时面临的两难问题。 例如,我们宣布御供养和鼓励成员做出金钱上的捐款吗? 我们还邀请会友参观发现美艺术展,当我们知道SGM花费了2,790万会员资金在这些收藏品上?
In our About Us page, we started by saying we are not anti-Gakkai. What we are against are the current top management of SGM, specifically the 6-man ECC who is not able to manage the crisis that started in Johor which now resulted in a split of the organisation.
While we are critical of their actions, we want to make it clear that we do not support the idea of leaving SGM nor SGI. Nichiren Daishonin, SGM and Ikeda Sensei are still our beliefs, guiding principals, and mentor.
We also heard that NBA is exploring their own doctrines and reading up materials from other schools. We will write about it when we learn more but we thought a quick post to clarify where we stand is needed.
One comment by our reader @bcphuah in Resignation post, he said:
“Sorry, but I seriously fail to see how by leaving SGM and forming NBA, these people can hope to effect any change in the top management of the SGM. How do you expect to be effective in fighting for the change from the outside rather than inside. Don’t you think this is a wrong strategy? By forming NBA, they have burnt their bridges in the sense that now that they are different entities, whatever happens in SGM should no longer be any of their concerns or am I wrong? Can someone enlighten me here please? See, I seriously do not understand what it is the NBA people are doing or what is their real objectives other than their so-called unhappiness with the top management of the SGM.”
He hit the bull’s eye! We must continue to fight from within. Once we leave the organisation, we will lose our rights to fight.
What then of the Resignation post? This was our reply to @bcphuah
We agree with you @bcphuah on this. This post is about resigning as leaders and become a member (and continue to fight and voice out as members), not about leaving the organisation. We can’t voice out when we are leaders, being obligated to carry out our duties (*). But as members, the leaders are now answerable to us.
We hope this clarifies our stand and position.
(*) Update 19/11 – We need to clarify this statement. The context of the statement is on the dilemma faced by us when conducting SGM activities and in discussion meetings. For instance, do we announce gokuyo and encourage members to do monetary contributions? Do we ask members to visit the Beauty art exhibition, knowing that SGM spent $27.9M of members’ money on these collections?
November 18, 2016 at 10:41 am
Why can’t we voice up as leaders? We are all volunteers. We are not paid. And we have a sacred duty, our mission, to speak up and ensure that evil do not take root in the organisation. Continue to speak up as leader, and no need to resign. Of course, do it in the right manner and to the right person, at the right time. It also needs a lot of patient. If top leaders ‘beh tahan’ you, then, they will sack you. But why do we need to fear sacking? Can we NOT attain Buddhahood if sacked? Does the ECC has such power, to grant Buddhahood passage? Or that we fear creating bad causes or slander? This is a serious joke. This sacking, for the right reason, you can wear as a badge of honour. So, why resign? Only if some leaders felt that it is really heartbreaking and emotionally disturbing for them to be leader, they choose to resign. Just my thought.
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November 18, 2016 at 11:26 am
There will come a time when leaders that speak out will not be entertained. By that time , it doesn’t matter whether we are leaders or not , even if we are , it’s just by name. It’s good to make full use of the platform to speak out while we are still a leader. But again , it won’t be long cos SGM top leaders will ignore those voices. That’s why we are seeing the emergence of Daylight and Quiet-Revolution blogs. The emergence suggests that voicing out thru proper channel isn’t working as expected and hence , the authors need to use social media to address the issue in addition to educating the grassroots. If speaking out as a leader works well from the beginning , then I believe the chances of Daylight and Quiet-Revolution emerging will be lesser. I’m not saying that resignation is the best choice but being a leader doesn’t make much of a difference when it comes to addressing Current Issue. Just my 2 cents.
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November 18, 2016 at 12:11 pm
I fully concur with what ‘quietrevo’ said. It is the duty of leaders to speak up n point out what is not right in the orgn. I hv been doing this for umpteen years n hv been called ‘trouble-maker’ but this alright. I tell myself I am answerable only to the Gohonzon n so it doesn’t matter what others say or think abt me. I believe we shd encourage more members n leaders to speak up n not accept everything as gospel truth.
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November 18, 2016 at 5:45 pm
My view on resignation is that I am thinking about it because I am getting burnt out doing all these activities which I am now not sure if it will lead to expansion of kosen-rufu. There are many leaders who are very supportive of GD and the ECC today, but in reality, these leaders did not help out their own district or han in taking up responsibilities. All they do is pay lip services. If I am already not agreeable with general SGM direction at this moment but I still have to carry out these duties, I will begrudge the duties. Let these other leaders who are supporting of GD do the work, because I am sure their passion for GD will drive them to contribute their time and effort. I feel like I needed a break from SGM, from this incident, and focus on my own job/family/stuff. Just let me be a member and I am free to decide if I want to attend a meeting or not; if I want to do an activity or not. No feeling of responsibility to attend or perform the activity.
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November 18, 2016 at 6:15 pm
I do agree with Ringgit to a certain extend. Whether we are a leader or not , it might not make a difference. Becoming a practicing member will enable us to be more focused on our faith , practice and study due to available time and we don’t need to spend time on operational tasks that is required of a leader. Pros and Cons though.
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November 19, 2016 at 8:26 pm
Reply to Rissho and Ringgit
We, SGM, need a lot of good leaders like you around. The first duty as a leader is to our members. We must protect, encourage n guide them like our own children. SGM is not an org that belongs to six people only. It is a member’s organisation. All these precious members are entrusted to us by Sensei, as he cannot be everywhere. This was taught in NHR.
Fighting evil and corruption in a large org is not easy. More so a religious one. The problem is not our top leaders or tkh. The problem is our general leadership too immature, too timid and too obedient, too trusting, that enable evil elements get into SGM.
The solution is to make the people wise. Not asking everyone to abandon ship.
Dialogue is important. It is tiring and frustrating. But it is the only way. The aim of dialogue is to deepen and broaden the bonds between people, expanding the alliance of good people. We aim to manifest our Buddha nature to help others do the same. Not with the intention of winning argument and looking down on others who don’t agree or ignorant. We must keep in mind that all people are equally respect worthy.
Don’t give up so easily. Set a target, and go out to have more and more joyful dialogue. The organisation future hinges on the quality of our leadership. Our dialogue will determine what kind of SGM in the future going to be. Not GD or ecc.
As to responsibility as leaders, I feel it is all right to inform your comrades that you don’t do gokuyo announcement. That’s fine. But make sure that you make yourself a trusted and adorable youth member that always can be counted on.
The practice of human revolution is transforming ourselves, making our Buddha nature so overflowing that others cannot help but notice. Without striving in our own area, we cannot never persuade others even if our arguments are strong.
Patience is important.
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November 20, 2016 at 8:34 am
quietrevo, you sound exactly like our 2 former GD & present GD that I have heard and learn and even copied down on my notebook for the past many years. And sorry to say it just don’t tally anymore.
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November 20, 2016 at 12:16 pm
James, I am sorry to hear that. You have a better solution? I am all ears.
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November 21, 2016 at 4:19 pm
queitrevo, sorry I don’t have a better one. But I still can’t see you are getting anywhere either. I am definitely not against what you are doing.
But I do believe, should push and empathise hard for open dialogue between the two factions. As we all know dialogue is the correct way to go and what Ikeda sensei teaches.
I believe this is everyone’s hope.
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November 22, 2016 at 12:04 pm
Quietrevo, what do you think of my suggestion above?
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November 22, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Just a note, James, that Johor had had numerous open dialogue with GD and top SGM leaders in the past two years. Other groups had dialogues as well and all suggestions, request for clarifications did not result in any progress made, giving the impressions that SGM top leaders were not sincere in handling or taking actions towards solving the issues. It’s the reasons the Johor comrades left the organisation in frustration and formed NBA. 2 years and more of empty dialogues will surely drain anyone out.
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November 23, 2016 at 11:02 am
So kosenrufu.info, then we should also have and push for Bersih in SGM too. Seek the ROS and lawyers for advice should we not?
Just a suggestion.
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November 23, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Reply to James on going to ROS and lawyers.
One of our readers have submitted a write up on Transparency and we pointed it out here as the reader was able to articulate the situation better than us. SGM’s Constitution was crafted such that there are only 320 members with voting rights. These 320 members are recognized by ROS and by Law and these 320 members can vote to change the top management. The remaining 39,700 members are just visitors and have no power. So, even if you go to ROS and lawyers, there is nothing they can do, James. SGM did not violate the Constitution. An analogy will be like how Mahathir crafted the Malaysia Constitution such that Sabah and Sarawak have so many Parliamentary seats and unless Sabah and Sarawak swing, BN will forever rule.
P.S. be sure to read the readers comments in the Transparency post as it also contained some interesting insights.
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November 24, 2016 at 11:28 am
Good morning James and Kosen-rufu.
Dialogue is perhaps the only way. I agree with your suggestion. Also, kosen-rufu also made a good point that to continue dialogue with top leaders is pointless if they are stuck in their mindset and have too much conspiracy theories of evil wanting to takeover the organisation by means of creating problem. Any criticism today will be seen as an attack on GD, attack on SGI and eventually attack on Sensei. They have poisoned the well pretty effectively. I am digressing. But point is that our target must be the members and the general leadership. We need more and more wise people at the local level to start thinking and questioning, and demanding accountability and speaking out against the use of authority to sideline and eliminate anyone who have a different opinion. To do this, we need to win friends and it is not an easy task to do. It is slow, and like you say, I may be going no where. In my heart, I have this firm believe that we can only build a solid org from the bottom, not the top. The top is determine by the bottom moving up. So, my friends and i decided to have this quiet revolution blogsite to clarify and hopefully spark more objective dialogue and refute weak points and arguments that may be counter productive.
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March 15, 2017 at 1:21 pm
Why spent so much money 27.8Million ringgit on those art works?That money can be put into better usage like establishing University Scholarship Foundation for poor needy deserving SGM followers who annually contribute millions of ringgit to SGM.INTERESTS earned from 28MILLION ringgit can support at least 12 full scholarships for university education.What more when SGM has more than than 300 million ringgit in FD deposit.I can see the plight of our poor members bright students in yearning for an education.Our members children do not enjoy BUMI status and that is where SGM must help.
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