Norman
Lie’s BOD papers – 7.2.2017
The
year of the Rooster started with a bang for KK Host with
two main events that had attracted members’ interest to turn up in large
numbers, the impending handover of the Asrama Desa Lion on 18 February
2017 is a long awaited event that will culminate as the highlight of fiscal
year 2016-17. (Other than the 50th Anniversary celebration in October 2016)
The
first event on 3 January 2017 was
unfortunately unprecedented, involving 41 members which would go down in
History of the Club as a day of immense controversy and somewhat sordid an
affair where members in general were lobbied to attend and make decisions based
on evidence put forward by 18 members to judge LM’s legitimacy to remain a
member of the Club. No need for me to expound further the outcome of the 03
January special meeting.
Critics
may argue that LM is a done and gone case which should not be raised to the
irks of other members who wish to move on from this, unhappy episode for some
and bitter/sweet for others; whatever is the prevailing sentiments of KK Host;
LM is history and his association ended two weeks after the 3 January 2017
special meeting at the KK Host club House.
We
should all as gentlemen and ladies, accept the verdict of a democratic
process where the decision of the majority prevailed , respected and honoured
by the memberships in general and in LM’s case it was passed by a landslide
decision of 38 votes to none opposition and with 3 abstained.
It
would have been well and dandy if the departure of LM was settled free of
encumbrances that it would not turn back to haunt KK Host as PP Dr
Arabi had put it that “we should be prepared to face the possible consequences,
if any, because of our action tonight”.
However
it pains me as the man responsible to have invited LM to attend various Club
activities including one when, as President, I led a team of over 20
1.
members
to visit our sister club in Medan Indonesia. Upon returning and me as
the sponsor; LM was accepted as a full fledge member of KK Host. I have no
qualm then that LM would be an active contributing member to club projects and
activities and my instinct on LM has proven right for the past 2 years.
Others
may have a different view about LM but if LM is indeed a trouble maker some
have made him out to be and if all the evidences pointed to the inevitable
that LM is guilty as charged; then as his sponsor, I would be duty bound
to hammer the first nail on the casket where LM should rest.
On my
own volition I did some prop and search on LM’s various claims against KK Host
as well as the credibility of the Charges hurled onto him as mentioned in the
petition to have LM sacked from the Club. To my discovery the facts before
me were something more than meets the eye.
Let me
first of all try to put into perspective and to reconstruct the events that led
to the calling of 03 January 2017 special meeting.
1. A
requisition for a special meeting was tabled by 18 members during the 6th BOD meeting in December 2016 for the
purpose of taking action on Luqman Michel for cause. To spare all readers the
full text of the write up where LM was accused of various infringements
detrimental to KK Host and chief amongst LM’s wrong doings were all the public
postings allegedly rendered LM unworthy of membership with KK Host. Such
opinion was supported amongst others by a so called authority and a
panellist on Robert’s Rule Questions and Answer Forum; Kim Goldsworthy
whose only notable answer was a simple emphatic “yes”.
It
would be too simplistic and grossly inadequate for an acclaimed
authority or professional where valued opinion is needed and depended upon to
make decision of such immense magnitude to just come out with a one word
verdict of Yes or No without further deliberations. And it is
based on this kind of flimsy evidence amongst others; LM was found guilty.
2.
2. On
the same night where the Requisition was tabled, LM’s attempt to clarify
and explain his case was unceremoniously interrupted and cut short by
the intrusion of an unruly non-member in full view of all members in attendance.
LM’s right to defend his position was unfortunately not allowed to continue as
the Chairperson abruptly ended the meeting thus denying LM the right to
finish his dissertation properly and rationally.
3. On
26 January 2017, I wrote to the website of Kim Goldsworthy at rrconsult@earthlink.net
and received a reply the next day on 27 January at 12:30pm from the man
himself and his answers to my query was as follows;
“Without
me going into too much detail, here is what happened:
. An
anonymous person posted a generic question (no bylaws were ever cited in the
post) to a Q –and –A website of parliamentary procedure.
. I
gave a generic reply.
Now,
I suddenly find myself as a cited “source” (?) that I have “confirmed” (?)
specific writings which I had never read!
I am
surprised and shocked that this “John Ho” turned my generic answer to a
customized or personalised opinion of a specific letter, or of a specific
person.
I
would refer you to this person “ John Ho” and ask him what his question was,
and what my reply was ,back when the postings was made.
I
think the context will be obvious to the average reader of the cumulative
texts.
3.
If
not, you may write me again.
I
answer generic question about parliamentary procedure for free.
(I
charge a fee for more complex questions, e.g. a written opinion, or if I need
to read bylaws & constitution rules)
I
hope this helps.
-Kim Goldsworthy
Parliamentarian
3
morning
Coincidentally,
before the conclusion of this write up, LM has posted on his FB a 2 page reply
of Kim Goldsworthy in official letterhead. Therein Goldsworthy gave an even
more detailed reply to LM than his was to mine.
4. Some
of LM’s main “grudges” on Club affairs dwelled chiefly on the Status of KK
Host, Recording of meeting minutes and Presentation of Club accounts. These
are issues which were seldom or never been raised in almost all meeting much
less to question and to cast aspersion the possibility of any illegality or
improprieties been committed; and that men/women elected to run the affairs of
the club harboured ulterior motives contrary to club interests or in betrayal
of the duties they were entrusted to carry out.
I would
not quickly conclude based on findings after a visit to ROS /JPPM on 01February
2017; I leave you the readers /members to judge for yourself if all the
alleged “Illegal practices of KK Host as revealed by LM are unsubstantiated and
without merits”. If KK Host has always claimed to be a stickler of rules and
our ways of doing things are without flaws and can withstand any
scrutiny; may be some of our seasoned members can volunteer to shed some
light as to why inaccuracies and discrepancies were rampant as reported
& now still in the records of JPPM.
4.
My
findings are as Follow;
i.
Based on the Statement of Return 2015
submitted to Jabatan Pendaftaran Pertubuhan Malaysia (JPPM) after
the AGM dated 24/08/2016; the following information was reported
therein and still in the official File system of JPPM as of today;
Name:
THE LIONS Club OF KOTA KINABALU &
not what we are known as
LIONS
CLUB OF KOTA KINABALU (HOST)
Question 1: Why as the oldest club in K K,
we still could not get our name
Registered
correctly after 50 long years in existence?
ii.
I happen to be a signatory to Bank accounts open in Hong Leong Bank Berhad( HLBB)
Jalan Pantai and Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad (ABMB) Jalan Gaya
and familiar with the account opening codes/numbers used by both banks;
And staring back at me was a mutated
bank account with our Nama bank as in HLLB and Nombor Akaun
belonging to ABMB .
Nama
Bank : Hong Leong Bank Berhad ,(HLBB)
Nombor
Akaun : 10196 001008 6277 (ABMB)
Question 2: Is it a genuine mistake of mere
carelessness or need by special
design?
5.
i.
MAKLUMAT
PEMEGANG JAWATAN KUASA.( Please bear in mind the date of
report is 24/08/2016)
Position
reported
actual
2016/17 actual 2015/16
1.
President
Carol Lo
Thomas Ho
Carol
Lo
2.
V.President 1 Thomas Ho
Betty Epin
Thomas
Ho
3.
V. President 2 Peter Liew
Peter
Liew James
Chung
4.
Secretary
Francis
Liew Francis
Liew
Jessie
Goh
5.
Asst. Secretary Jessie Goh
no
one
no one
6.
Treasurer Arabi F. Wazani Jessie Goh
Arabi
F. Wazani
7.
Asst.Treasurer Jessie
Chong no one
no one
Question 3. What is Thomas Ho’s
legitimacy as” President “if it was IPP Carol
Lo’s
name that appears on JPPM registry?
Question 4. How were the 2 non
existing posts no.5 & no.7 created and most
members are not aware of?
Question 5. Why was Dr. Arabi named the
Treasurer when it was Jessie Goh
elected
and reported to LCI/MD308A2 Directory?
Question 6. Is there a higher authority in our
Club members are not aware
exist
that decide how and what should be reported to JPPM?
ASET
DAN LIABILITI
The
good news is that under assets, there was a reported RM12730.98 cash in bank
with no liabilities.
Question
7: Which bank is the money parked?
HLBB or ABMB?
Question 8: Is the Club premise and
all furniture /fixture everything therein
assets
of KK Host or other stakeholders?
6.
I have
obtained in print and paid for certified true copies
of all the above fficial circular informed all registered Bodies to start
implementing SISTEM ELEKTRONIK PENGURUSAN PERTUBUHAN (eROSES) for the purpose
of submitting returns. (Any one may request this circular from me,
no charge!)
And
straight from the horses’ mouth and the only one that speaks English
comfortably at the reception counter;
“The
onus is on the registered bodies own initiatives to update their information
and no longer that of JPPM to ensure accuracy of data in their system...”
The
mere act of submitting documents to the counter of JPPM with stamping of
date and signature written as acknowledged receipt is no longer suffice to assume
the job is done.
As the
lead person mandated by the PP council to form a peace committee to seek
reconciliatory peaceful settlement between LM and Thomas Ho last November 2016.
I was in fact taken aback at the turn of events that followed and led to the
expulsion of LM blamed for all thing wrong in the club.
I wish
to therefore dispel some of these myths once and for all and what I am stating
here are mere hard facts, not siding any parties and without malice.
Contrary
to what had been made to believe that and I quote “ all avenues
of reconciliation were exhausted, as many negotiation committees were appointed
as peace makers to try to settle the matter amicably but they all failed. The
last option would be to expel him via a Special Meeting called for this
Purpose” on Page 4 bottom 2 paragraph of Minutes of Special Meeting
Dated 03 January 2017.
7
The
above statement is quite a distortion from the real situation for the following
reasons.
i.
All avenues of reconciliation were not
exhausted but purposely ignored by LM’s
nemesis, numerous attempts on peaceful settlements initiated by Horace Ho on
behalf of ML to President Thomas Ho & PDG John Ho were not successful; even
2-3 days before the Special meeting was called; Dr Arabi initiated on his own a
peace making gesture with LM which was accepted without any preconditions
whatsoever.
ii.
There was only one official
negotiation committee appointed by PP Council headed by me and not many as
claimed and made to believe. I have divulged
in detail in my earlier report a 5 page Statement through Club official Email
and what Sapp shortly after the petition to remove LM was at work.
iii.
The only reason the peace
mission failed was because Thomas Ho as
President , was incapable to make peace alone with LM and I quote in
President Thomas Ho own words spoken in the presence of all my committee
members “I will not agree to any peace arrangement with LM until PDG John Ho
has revealed his stand on peace with LM first”
That was
the only reason and the whole committee knew our effort to peaceful
settlement was doomed because President Thomas Ho was not at liberty to make
independent decision even as President of the day! I still keep in my
records; exchange of views during the mediation process where some of my
Committee members questioned President Thomas Ho’s motives and sincerity in the
negotiation.
I have
highlighted in my earlier open statement that LM had agreed to all peaceful
proposals tabled by my committee and even all earlier peace gestures initiated
by Horace Ho and Dr Arabi to PresidentThomas Ho and PDG John Ho and all to no
avail.
8.
And I
still stand by my earlier Statement “ So the role of the Committee
was just a wayang to impress the general membership that the due process of
giving a fair hearing was accorded to all parties but to no avail; hence the
need to rally a couldn’t wait petition to set the “get rid of Luqman “ motion
in place “.
Caught
in the crossfire was PP Chin Chee Thau for siding LM. PP Chin was
demanded to be removed from all his portfolio. Under pressure, PP Chin
relented and resigned; yet he was not spared being ridiculed in public postings
with the label of a Satay man, a long service past president of KK Host,
a campaign manager who contributed to the smooth election of 3 District
Governors in KK Host .In spite of his 40 ++ years of impeccable services also
to the Lions and Leo movements in our district is being treated an outcast
today.
Have we
forgotten KK Host is a service club where all members are supposedly equal in
standing contributing what they can afford to humanity?
It
defies logic to call ourselves Lions doing charity works and at the same time
fail to exhibit forgiveness, kindness and love of our own fellow members.
I wish
to unequivocally condemn the practice of using number to out
manoeuvre opponent(s) for the purpose of getting votes and thoughtlessly using
unsuspecting, ill-informed newly inducted members to participate in resolving
conflicts where our old and experienced seasoned members had failed
miserably.
Our top
priority to young Lions are supposedly to train and groom them for future
leadership and service to mankind and
here I had witnessed regrettably inducted under my purview as membership
chairman new Lions are being thrust to the forefront to judge and to
decide on the fate of senior Lion with even 40++ years of Lionistic service
records. This is a total distortion and corruption on the purpose of
membership recruitment. Sad to even notice that many still could not see the
folly of having the follow the herds mentally and no remorse for damage done to
these rookie Lions.
9.
All
genuine disputes should be discussed, negotiated in the spirit of peace and
justice for all. If we are not capable of coming to
the negotiating table for peaceful settlement. We shouldn’t be wearing the Lion
emblem as the whole World; our circle of Lions in MD308 are watching closely.
How far
are we prepare to go to display our ineptness in full view despite being the
oldest premier club? The divide between being a model
and a laughingstock is only paper thin; do not think that we can always claimed
the moral high ground lest we fall and tumble to self-destruction.
The
latest revelation by Kim Goldsworthy should
lend credence to the counter argument that LM had not been accorded fair
treatment by omissions of relevant facts deemed pertinent to his defence. Members
passed judgement on LM during the prematurely called EGM as he has not been
accorded his full right to be heard including a reminder from Datuk
Kenneth Yen to all members in attendance on show cause and the details of
which I would not repeat here.
K K Host
belongs to All Members, Equal in Stature, Different Only the size of Our
Hearts.(Wallets too)
By: PP Norman Lie Chin Man
07 February 2017
10
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