Denial and avoidance strategy of SGM top guns

In March 2017 KL All Leaders Meeting, the General Director started his speech with a lengthy explanation on how some people were spreading rumour of Ikeda Sensei being held captive and stopped from public appearance. He went on to say that such allegations were unfounded and carried out with malicious intent.

Then, he went on to say that the postings on SGM issues in the social media is baseless and aim at creating doubts in the minds of those who read. ‘These authors were skilled at writing persuasively. They can make black appear white, and white, black.‘ Clear instructions were given to all leaders attended – Do not read.

He ended the speech with asking those who are unhappy with SGM to leave. He didn’t put it that nicely though.

What is the problem we find with these content?

1. Avoidance. He avoided all the crucial questions that are hurting like thorns inside the flesh. Why are there no forensic audit? Why is Mr TKH still in the General Council? Why did the ECC sacked leaders again and again, first in Johor and now KL? What are the basis of these termination? Why is there little or no significant progress on the governance transformation, although it is close to one year since the memo announcing it?
2. Instead, GD chose to focus on some wild and sensational allegations of Sensei being held up in his home. Why do you choose to focus on these wild and baseless allegation? Of course it will be easy to counter it. But, why avoid the bigger questions? The crux and the core questions? Without an honest and transparent answers to these crucial questions, the crisis in SGM will continue to fester. Now, who is causing disunity and creating chaos here? Social media, or you, Big Brother?
3. Denial. Till today, there has been no formal admission of a problem within SGM. Instead, we find the top guns to be very defensive and prefer to whack NBA, conspiracy theory or some imagine devil. We find them constantly raising the issue of destroying harmony, slander and creating great evil causes if one were to raise question.
4. The leaders are not blind. They are not stupid either. To keep blaming ‘external factors’ and not willing to deal with the real problem can only work for awhile. It’s been more than two years. Many are getting tired. And many are fed up and beginning to throw in the towel.
5. Course of action for top guns – this is our recommendations –
   • First, admission. Don’t blame others and punish sincere and dedicated leaders by sacking them. This only shows that you are protecting yourselves by sacrificing others.
   • Second, apologise. Trust is the most critical condition in a faith based organisation like SGM. And trust is exactly being eroded by the actions and inaction of the top guns. To turn the situation around, and begin ragianing and building trust, apology is the first step.
   • Third, make a promise that you will not repeat cruel and inhumane actions of sidelining, sacking and bad-mouthing. It’s bad, anger more people and counter productive. Directly against the spirit of Buddhist Humanism of Soka Gakkai.
   • Fourth, layout a detailed plan for corrective measures to prevent the crisis today from repeating. You did have one general plan last April, but lacking in detail and no time line and specific milestone to achieve. Thus, things not get done.

We admit that there are some websites in the internet are out to discredit Mr Ikeda and destroy the Soka Gakkai. This is not one of them. We are the disciples of Ikeda Sensei. We feel that your strategy of denial and avoidance are seriously damaging the organisation and negatively affecting kosen-rufu in Malaysia. It didn’t work.

We want what is good for the members and the future of SGM. And we are only doing this because the traditional channel did not work. We tried many times before, but it falls on deaf ears.

We are  deeply saddened and hurt by all the damage and pain that occurred in the past two years. But only the top guns can put a stop on this. Can turn this around. It’s high time to heed the words of Nichiren Daishonin in Establishing the Correct Teachings for the Peace of the Land.

Therefore, you must quickly reform the tenets that you hold in your heart and embrace the one true vehicle, the single good doctrine. (WND1,25)