THERAVADA BUDDHIST COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA MINUTES OF THE SECOND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL HELD AT SRI LANKA BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SENTUL, KUALA LUMPUR ON SATURDAY, 20 TH JULY 2013 AT 2.05 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRESENT: Bro. Chim Siew Choon (Selangor) – Theravada Buddhist Council of Malaysia (TBCM) Chairman and as per attendance list at the end of these Minutes. 1. QUORUM At 2.05pm, the Hon. Secretary, Bro. Fong Choong Fatt, Ananda (Selangor) confirmed the presence of the requisite quorum. Twenty three (23) out of thirty four (34) member organisations were present at the meeting. This represented 67.6 % of the total membership. 2. OBSERVANCE OF FIVE PRECEPTS The Chairman called the meeting to order and invited Ven. Datuk K Sri Dhammaratana Maha Nayaka Thera (Kuala Lumpur) to lead those present in the taking of the 3 Refuges and the observance of the 5 Precepts. 3. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP The Chairman invited Venerable B. Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera (Kuala Lumpur) to present the Certificate of Membership to the member delegates present. 4. WELCOME ADDRESS BY TBCM CHAIRMAN, BRO. CHIM SIEW CHOON 4.1 Bro. Chim welcomed all the members to the Annual General Meeting, particularly those who travelled from as far away as Penang, Kelantan and Sarawak. 4.2 Bro. Chim thanked Bro. Tan Ho Soon (Selangor) and Nalanda Buddhist Society Malaysia for offering to temporarily house TBCM’s Secretariat while TBCM seeks a permanent Secretariat site. 4.3 Bro. Chim proceeded to present the Executive Committee’s ‘Plans for TBCM’ (included in the Annual Report 2012 / 2013) which included time lines ‘Immediate’, ‘Medium Term’ and ‘Long Term’ plan of action. The ‘Plans for TBCM’, Bro. Chim explained were forwarded to the ‘Malaysian Community and Education Foundation’ in TBCM’s efforts to acquire funds for its action plans. The ‘Plans for TBCM’ were well received by the members. 5. TO READ AND CONFIRM THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS AGM ON 1 ST SEPT 2012 5.1 Bro. Fong Choong Fatt, Ananda, the TBCM Hon. Secretary, proceeded to Read the Minutes of the Previous AGM held on 1 st Sept 2012. 5.2 Bro. Goh Seng Chai (Selangor) proposed that in future Minutes of Meeting that the Nominees, Proposers and Seconders have also their 1 MINUTES OF THE SECOND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ‘THERAVADA BUDDHIST COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA’ HELD AT SRI LANKA BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SENTUL, KUALA LUMPUR ON SATURDAY, 20TH JULY 2013. Organisation’s State mentioned to provide other members with more information. There was no objection to Bro. Goh’s proposal. 5.3 Bro. Chim, the TBCM Chairman, raised the issue that the Minutes of the First AGM held on 1 st Sept 2012, did not report that the ‘New Constitution’, as formulated by the then Constitution Protem Committee, was discussed and approved. The members present then, gave the mandate to the newly elected Executive Committee to submit to Registrar of Societies (ROS) for approval. This omission is regretted, and that the Minutes of the current AGM should reflect it. 5.4 There being no further points raised, the Minutes of the First AGM held on 1 st Sept 2012, as presented, was Proposed passed by Bro. Maithripala Samaravera (Kuala Lumpur), and Seconded by Sis. Liang Mei Ling (Kedah). 6. To Receive and Adopt the Annual Report 1 st Sept 2012 – 8th June 2013 6.1 Bro. Fong Choong Fatt, Ananda, the TBCM Hon. Secretary, proceeded to lead the members present through the Annual Report. 6.2 Bro. Tan Chee Eng (Kuala Lumpur) proposed to include page numbering in future Annual Reports so as to ease referencing the different pages. The proposal was accepted without any objection. 6.3 Bro. Tan Ho Soon (Selangor) shared his observations on Buddhism in Malaysia, that per the recent census, 19.8 % out of 23.8 million population where categorised as Buddhists. In reality, this category comprised Taoists and others too, resulting in a much lower percentage of Buddhists in Malaysia. He advised all members of TBCM to look at the Macro issues and to study the Megatrends. There was a need to bring Buddhist Civilisation and Culture to the Community through better Marketing, Leadership and Vision. We need to Dream and Do, with greater Focus, instead of jumping all over. Sharing of good information, Success Stories and Inspiration during AGMs and in the course of our implementation was critical. 6.4 Ven B. Saranankara Mahathero (Kuala Lumpur) shared his observations that there was a Great need for Training of Leaders, Youth and Volunteers. Such Training should be organised Nationally with Good Trainers engaged. There was also a need to set up a Think Tank to come up with Strategies leading to Programmes. 6.5 Bro. Chim proposed that the Secretariat set up of a ‘TBCM Google Group’ for sharing of information and holding discussions online amongst TBCM members. The proposal was accepted without any objection. 2 MINUTES OF THE SECOND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ‘THERAVADA BUDDHIST COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA’ HELD AT SRI LANKA BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SENTUL, KUALA LUMPUR ON SATURDAY, 20TH JULY 2013. 6.6 Further discussions on “Buddhist Leadership’ were held amongst TBCM Members which were split into three groups. The following lists each Group’s observations for all to consider in their organisations. 6.6.1 Group 1 put forward the following : a. Training to be a Leader in a Buddhist Society b. Dhamma Knowledge c. Experience in Leading Dhamma/Charity events at the Centre d. Familiar to the Organisation e. Good Relationship with members, devotees, and volunteers f. Society’s Vision, Mission and Action Plans is clear to All (including Organisation Chart, Rules & Responsibilities of Office Bearers and Committee Members) 6.6.2 Group 2 put forward the following : a. Succession Plan b. Basic Dhamma Knowledge c. Organisation Skills d. Good Communication Skills e. Instill Fellowship and Commitment f. Source / Harvest future Leaders from Sunday Schools and Youth Circles g. Dhamma Speakers (Develop Resources) h. Four Brahma Viharas 6.6.3 Group 3 put forward the following : Leaders should have a. Enthusiasm b. Vision & Direction c. Zeal d. Commitment e. Discipline, Morality and Intergrity f. Practising and Upholding the Dhamma g. Dasa Raja Dhamma h. Charisma i. Communication and Presentations Skills j. Interpersonal Skills 6.7 There being no further points raised, the Annual Report 1 st Sept 2012 – 8th June 2013, as presented, was Proposed passed by Bro. Goh Seng Chai (Selangor), and Seconded by Bro. Cheah Swee Seng (Selangor). 7. To Receive and Adopt the Audited Statement of Accounts for the Financial Year ending 31 st December 2012 7.1 Bro. Teoh Tiang Kwang (Selangor), the TBCM Hon. Treasurer, proceeded to lead the members present through the a. ‘Balance Sheet as at 31 st December 2012’, b. ‘Income and Expenditure Statement for the Period from 9 th May 2012 (Date of Registration) to 31 st December 2012’, 3 MINUTES OF THE SECOND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ‘THERAVADA BUDDHIST COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA’ HELD AT SRI LANKA BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SENTUL, KUALA LUMPUR ON SATURDAY, 20TH JULY 2013. c. ‘Statement of Receipts and Payments for the Financial Period 9 th May 2012 (Date of Registration) to 31 st December 2012’, d. ‘Notes to the Accounts for the Period from 9 th May 2012 (Date of Registration) to 31 st December 2012’, e. ‘Statement by Executive Committee’, and f. ‘Report of Honorary Auditors’. 7.2 There being no points raised, the Audited Statement of Accounts for the Financial Year ending 31 st December 2012, as presented, was Proposed passed by Bro. Tan Chee Eng (Kuala Lumpur), and Seconded by Bro. Chua Teck Seong (Selangor). 8. To Adopt the New TBCM Constitution Subject to ROS Approval 8.1 Bro. Chim, the TBCM Chairman, explained to the members that after obtaining the mandate in the First AGM on 1 st Sept 2012, the ‘New TBCM Constitution’ was submitted by the Hon Secretary to ROS for Approval. TBCM received an email reply from ROS that the submission was not approved. Subsequently, Bro Chim and Bro. Goh Seng Chai, went to ROS, Shah Alam, to obtain details on why the submitted Constitution was rejected but were told that there was no submission for their consideration, which conflicted with the fact that TBCM received an email reply from ROS on the status of the submission. 8.2 Bro. Fong, explained to the members present that the year TBCM was registered, 2012, was the year in which ‘eROSES’ came into operation and that all submissions were electronic and that hardcopy submissions were not possible. 8.3 Bro. Goh Seng Chai proposed some changes to the presented ‘New TBCM Constitution’ for which there was no agreement by the members present. 8.4 Bro. Chim proposed that the members in this AGM give their mandate for TBCM to resubmit the previously approved ‘New TBCM Constitution’ in whole or in multiple parts, multiple times as needed through the ‘eROSES’ system for ROS’s approval. The members present approved Bro. Chim’s resubmission proposal with a Proposal to Approve by Bro. Tan Chee Eng (Kuala Lumpur), and Seconded by Bro. Cheah Swee Seng (Selangor). 9. OTHER MATTERS The Hon. Secretary confirmed that he did not receive any Notice of matters arising. The Chairman then thanked all those who attended the Second Annual General Meeting. Ven. Aggacitta MahaThero was invited to give his closing remarks in which he mentioned that the meeting was conducted per the advice given by Buddha in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta (DN16) on the Seven Conditions of Welfare, in which all 4 MINUTES OF THE SECOND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ‘THERAVADA BUDDHIST COUNCIL OF MALAYSIA’ HELD AT SRI LANKA BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SENTUL, KUALA LUMPUR ON SATURDAY, 20TH JULY 2013.