Goodies for poor pupils, thanks to Buddhist members

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SUBANG JAYA, Selangor (Malaysia) -- Some 500 less-fortunate students from the area were presented with school bags, stationery and shoes donated by  Subang Jaya Buddhist Association members last Sunday.

Children from 10 Malay, Tamil and Chinese schools along with some from mosques, temples and disabled societies  received the items.

This initiative is part of the Buddhist Association’s Educare programme which aims to lessen the parents’ burden  and ensure the less-fortunate have the essential items needed for school next year.

“This is our seventh year running this programme and the response is very good, thanks to  devotees and members,” said Educare organising chairman James Khoo.

Khoo said they managed to collect RM40,000 from donors and RM108 was spent on every child.

In the bags were also note pads, stationery and other things which he hopes will help the children in their studies.

Joining the  children were 60 Orang Asli students who came by bus all the way from SJK(C) Khing Ming in Kampung Tun Abdul Razak, Kuala Kubu Bahru.

“My friend told me about the poor students there who can’t afford to buy shoes or bags and so we felt it is only right to include them in our programme,” he said.

Khoo said the students were chosen by their respective schools or community leaders.

“Schools will present us with a list of names and we will prepare the items for them,” he said.

Joining him were Subang Jaya Buddhist Association Chim Siew Choon, Subang Jaya Municipal Councillor (MPSJ) R Rajiv and Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh, who donated RM10,000 from her state funds to the programme.

“I would like to congratulate the Buddhist association and their Educare programme as they really help the needy and deserving children regardless of race and religion,” said Yeoh.

Yeoh said this was her fourth year she had donated to the programme, and she hopes to do so again next year.

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Buddhist groups seek help from vigilantes to disrobe ring members

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MALACCA, Malaysia --  Several Buddhist groups in Kuala Lumpur and Penang have sought the help of the “monk police” here to help eradicate bogus monks in their areas.

<< Don’t be conned: Sangha Sanctity Protection Centre chairman Seek Kai Lun (centre), Seek Lee Terk (right) and Seck Kwan Si (left) showing posters that will be displayed in Malacca to warn the public against bogus monks.

The Sangha Sanctity Protection Centre, which set up the “monk police”, is now preparing to send over a team of five volunteers to carry out surveillance in both these states.

“We have been receiving calls from other Buddhist organisations in the country to aid them in thwarting the activities of such monks.

“A plan of action is being prepared to disrobe these bogus monks preying on innocent devotees,” centre vice-chairman Ronald Gan Yong Hoe told The Star yesterday.

Gan said the team had been trained to identify and disrobe these bogus monks who would then be deported back to their native countries.

“We are ready to provide our expertise,” he said, adding that the team would also be reinforced with another unit should the need arise or if there was a setback.

The centre had set up its own 10-man vigilante group on the belief that an organised syndicate was behind the culprits who walked around in saffron robes in the city here and took advantage of the public's generosity.

These “monks” would hand out amulets which they claimed have spiritual powers to bestow prosperity and health on those making donations.

A preliminary investigation conducted by the centre found that the bogus monks travelled to Malaysia from China and operated for a month before heading back to their homeland.

One bogus monk nabbed by the centre confessed that his group could earn up to RM9,000 from a month's stay here.

Gan said the centre was also anticipating more calls from Buddhist groups in other states.

“We are in the midst of recruiting more members to join our vigilante group in an all-out war to stop these monks,” he said.

The centre also distributed pamphlets to create awareness among the public to be wary of these monks.

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