Limiting the Tenure of Principal Office Bearers

By Sumanananda Premaseri

Bro. Sumanananda Premaseri was a Buddhist student leader back in his varsity days in the 1990s. He is currently still actively serving the Buddha Sasana and is attached to the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.

The vibrant Buddhist movement in Malaysia has seen the establishment of many Buddhist Societies in recent years. While there are serious challenges in attracting and retaining youths within these societies, let alone getting them to be principal office bearers, the opposite holds true for some senior members of the parent bodies. Some of the older societies suffer the malaise of overstaying individuals, thus causing their members to perceive the society as irrelevant to their lives, as they cannot see changes or progress in the organization.

For these societies, it is recommended that the tenure of key office bearers such as the President, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer be subjected to a stipulated maximum limit. By doing so, we are institutionally infusing the society with new blood and thus promoting its continuity.

If positions are viewed as platforms to serve more effectively, there is no shame in senior office bearers moving to other positions within the committee, so that the group continues to retain its seniors and draw from their experience. The absence of such clarity causes problem when a senior member loses a key position in an election, and as a result, he or she does not want to remain serving in the committee, or that he or she reacts adversely and mounts a challenge to regain the lost position.

The absence of tenure limits have resulted in certain societies seeing offensive tussles for positions in ways that go against the Teachings of the Buddha. Individuals in some societies are holding positions for too long. It becomes a sad episode when they are eventually challenged in an AGM, yet try desperately to cling to their posts.

Positions in the committee are merely platforms to serve the Buddhist community more effectively. They should not be held for reasons of enhancing one’s social status. It should ideally be viewed from the Buddhist perspective of Anatta (Non-Self). This leadership quality was exhibited many times by the Buddha-to-be, when he became rulers, and voluntarily relinquished his kingship to suitable heirs. He acted in accordance to the true principles of Dasa Dharma Raja, always putting the welfare of his subjects at heart and doing the needful to serve them.

As such, we also need to remind all leaders and office bearers of societies that they are true YBs, not “Yang Berhormat”, but “Yang Berkhidmat”, in the service of the Dhamma.