The Nalanda Award is presented to individuals or organizations in recognition of their outstanding achievement, invaluable services and contribution to the Buddha-Sasana. The recipients of the Award were carefully selected by the Senate and Faculty of Nalanda Institute based on merit.
The felicitation ceremony for the 2008 Nalanda Awards was held in conjunction with WACANA Conference on 7 December last year, in the presence of the four-fold assembly of bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, and the Buddhist laity.
Leadership Integrity
Bro. Chim Siew Choon
Bro. Chim was the Pro-tem Secretary that assisted in the registration of Subang Jaya Buddhist Association (SJBA) on 23 November 1988. When the Association commenced its activities in August 1989, he was its Vice President. In 1991, he was elected the President and has since been heading the Asso- ciation until today. In 1994, he successfully led SJBA’s members and devotees to build the RM1.65 million SJBA Vihara on a piece of land given by the Selangor State Government.
Under the leadership of Bro. Chim and his team, SJBA started from a conceptual idea to what it is today-a friendly, caring, community-based and spiritually- oriented Dhamma Centre. The Association has 2,600 members and with about 70 teachers and 1,000 students enrolled in its Sunday School. SJBA also boasts a dynamic welfare support team and a vibrant Youth Section.
All these achievements are no doubt the result of good planning, hard work and team effort. But underscoring these factors is the all-important element of integral leadership. Without sound leadership, not much can be accomplished even with the best ideas, intentions and available resources.
We therefore salute the achievements of Bro. Chim Siew Choon and his diligent team of SJBA leaders and members for offering their services to the Malaysian Buddhist community for the past two decades. We also thank him, his family, and all his team members for their invaluable sacrifice all these years. Anumodana.
Dhammaduta
Datuk Dr. Victor Wee
Datuk Dr. Victor Wee is an outstanding and accomplished individual who has served his community, country and the Buddha-Sasana diligently for more than three decades. He has been leading the Buddhist Gem Fellowship (BGF) as its President since 1999. He was also former Chairman of the Buddhist Missionary Society Youth Section. Throughout the years, Dr. Victor Wee received many recognitions including the prestigious Outstanding Young Malaysian Award given by JAYCEES, and the Bodhi Award presented by the Yayasan Belia Buddhis Malaysia (YBBM).
These accolades are testimony to his tremendous contributions to whatever cause he has taken up. But above all, Dr. Victor Wee is also a visionary Dhammaduta who pioneered a new thinking and approach to missionary work. Being an accomplished singer and musician, he used songs and hymns to reach out to the masses, especially youths. He has recorded five albums of English Buddhist hymns with the Wayfarers. He also established new conventions in organizing dynamic and experiential youth camps, management workshops to train more Buddhist leaders, and a systematic training programme for lay missionaries.
The Buddhist community salutes the efforts and hard work of Datuk Dr. Victor Wee. We also rejoice over his many remarkable achievements over the years. May he be blessed with good health and long life to continue propagating the Dhamma, and leading the Buddhist community to greater heights. Anumodana.