History Repeats

In August 2016 I had asked the then president of Lions Club of Kota Kinabalu Host, Thomas Ho Thau Phin if I may use the letter head of the club to solicit donations from Public Listed Companies. He had asked me to contact Delce Teresita Prudente and collect the soft copy of the Letter Head.

Delce, when contacted, told me some cock and bull story that only the president was allowed to sign the letter head.

I then handed over the communications I had with public listed companies and asked the board to get someone to write to Public Listed Companies for donations.

At that time, it really did not make sense to me as to why there was such a big fuss about using the letter head to collect donations when I was the chairman of one of the committees.

Of course, now that we all know there were another three bank accounts operated by the Past Presidents' Council it all makes sense.

Donations collected may be banked into the ‘secret bank’ accounts and used for whatever purposes the Past Presidents wanted to use it for.

On 20.12.2017, just a little more than one year after the above episode Lion Francis Liew had used the letter head to write to the Director of ROS and copied the letter to the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs.

Bearing in mind that Delce Teresita Prudente had said that only those who have been authorised by the president of the club or the BOD, it would mean that the letter was approved by either President Betty Epin or the BOD.

Otherwise, as Thomas Ho had insinuated in August 2016 the only possibility is that Francis Liew Shin Pin stole the letter head and wrote the letter to ROS and to the Deputy Minister.

To confirm one way or the other, on 22.10.2019, I wrote to Delce and a few of the key members of the Club asking them if they had actually authorised Francis Liew to use the letter head.

Here is part of my email sent to Delce and 6 other key members and DG Gan Kean Siong , and copied to ROS Head Office.

“I would be grateful if you would kindly inform me as to how Lion Francis Liew was allowed to use the letter head to write to ROS and copy the letter to Ministry of Home Affairs on 20.12.2017.

Bear in mind that you had informed me that only the members authorised by the president is allowed to use the letter head. Refer to the email exchanges copied below. 

I believe you are a stickler of ‘protocol and procedures’ as mentioned in your email below. As such please let me know as to how Francis Liew was allowed to write the letter to ROS and copy it to the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs.

Did the Board approve the contents of the letter and use of letter head?

Surely you know that many matters in the letter are untrue including the following paragraph:

“Again, upon enquiry, your Mr.Mahar Zemi Bin Jawawi indicated our PP Council should not have bank accounts. Our PP Council does not have bank accounts; all bank accounts are in the name of our club; a few PP Council members are cheque signatories to certain bank accounts with mandate from the Board of Directors; payments from these accounts were prior approved at Board meetings and financial statements of these bank accounts were presented to our club members at Members meetings”

I believe the president for 2016/2017 was Lion Betty Epin. Is she aware of this letter? Is the Board of Directors aware of this letter?

I am writing this as a civic conscious citizen of this country. A crime has been committed and I as a civic minded citizen not only have a right but a duty to bring this up to relevant authorities.”

I attached the email exchanges between Delce and myself in August 2016.

Here are some relevant parts of the emails exchanged:  

            

“However, by using the letterhead - - - may we be reminded that, as in any organisation, any act on behalf the club needs the Board of Directors' approval.

I would suggest that your good proposal be brought to the BOD meeting and that the relevant letters be issued by authorised members of our club.

It is not my intention nor my authority to deny you of the letterhead but I am just observing proper protocol and procedures. Hope you understand my position.” (Delce)

In a subsequent email the following was what I received from Delce:.

“I called President upon reading your email as I was sure that President would have overlooked this part of the standard procedures adopted by our club.

 As practiced, any member, granted authority by the BOD may issue internal/external correspondences.

Observance of these standard procedures and protocol are some of the reasons that made KK Host strong as it is and I hope we continue to uphold these for many years to come.  Sometimes, some of us may overlook but I guess, it is our responsibilities to look out for each other so we remain guided and that our objectives in joining Lionism are not distracted.”

Based on the above it can be concluded that the BOD, or the Past Presidents authorised the use of the letter head and would have read the contents of the letter before it was sent to ROS and to the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs.

I shall initiate legal actions against the deponents of the affidavits and the key members of the Past Presidents Council to whom this email was addressed after 5^th November 2019.

I hope that this time around matters are settled amicably and not let History repeat. Let us all move on.