Kajang Sunday Dhamma School

Early History of the Kajang Sunday Dhamma School (July 2nd – September 17th 2000).

Dr Oong Hak Ching

The first Principal of the KSDS

The Kajang Sunday Dhamma School (KSDS) was formed by The BMSM Kajang Branch on the July 2nd,

2000 with an initial enrolment of 46 students, ranging from 4 to 13 years old. The idea to form the

Sunday school came from Sister Shindey Chin, one of the founder members and Assistant Hon.

Secretary of the Kajang Branch. During the 3rd General Committee Meeting on the 12th March 2000

Sister Shindey pointed out that “…it is possible now to commence on the Sunday [Dhamma] classes.”

(Minute, 12th March, Item2). According to Sis Shindey there were some teachers ready to give their

services as volunteers to teach Dhamma. She herself willing to serve as a teacher or as a substitute

teacher. Bro Goh Seng Chai, the Hon. General Secretary of the BMSM suggested the committee to

prepare a project paper for the BMSM in Brickfield for their consideration. During their our informal

meeting Dr Oong Hak Ching feels that they were not ready to run a Sunday School at that time as the

Kajang Branch just has been formed a few months earlier. This branch was formed on the May 22nd,

1999 at a borrowed premises , a small shop at Jalan Reko. This premises to small or unsuitable to run a

Sunday School.

In his opinion the establishment of KSDS could not be made with haste as there are many more

important things to do such as to organize Dhamma talks and membership drive. At that moment the

Kajang Branch agreed to carry out a big project, to hold the first Wesak Day Celebration scheduled for

May 18th, 2000 . Sister Thank Sow Eng , the Vice Chairperson of the Kajang Branch and Dr Oong, a

committee of the Branch at that moment still attached to the BISDS, Kuala Lumpur. Dr Oong taught

Rahula 2 class and Sister Thank in Sopaka class of the BISDS . They were still undecided whether to leave

or continue to give their services to the BISDS. For the time being they would not be able to focus in so

many project such Sunday school. However , in principle both of them had agreed to assist in the

establishment of the Sunday Dhamma school when the time was conducive. Sister Shindey Chin was

keen to continue with the Sunday school project.

The Kajang Branch later informed the BMSM headquarter in Brickfield its intention to form the

Sunday School. During the 4th General Committee Meeting held on 30th April 2000 that the President

(Dato Chee) of the BMSM agreed with the proposal to establish the Sunday School. Dato Chee who also

attending the Meeting “…suggested that Sis Shindey to form a committee and ensure that things are

done correctly as parents will be attending the school as well with their children.” (Minute, item 9). “

The Malaysian Buddhism Examination Syndicate will provide the syllabus in English and Mandarin.”

(ibid.) Dato Chee also informed us that starting from the 1st May the Kajang Branch can move to the

bigger premise located at Sun Cinema.

A Meeting (on Wesak programme) had decided that the task to establish KSDS was put under

the Dhammaduta Unit headed by Sis Thank ( in her capacities as a Vice Chairman of the Kajang Branch).

Brother Stanley Chen as the Chairman of the Branch informally proposed Dr Oong to lead the Sunday

School project and became the first Principal of The KSDS. It should be pointed out that this proposal

quite different from what had been decide earlier. But Sister Shindey Chin a bit reluctant to take this

post and accept the position as Deputy Principal or more accurately as Acting Principal for the first few

weeks as Dr Oong was not been able to attend any KSDS functions and meeting. In actual fact Sister

Shindey and Sister Thank really play significant role in the planning and starting the School. Both of

them taken the task in promoting the Sunday School concepts. They would identified any person or

organization that may be able to assist the establishment of the Sunday School . AS a BISDS teacher she

found out that Sister Ng Ah Lan willing to help us during the registration day and teach a lesson on

Buddhism to our student. She helped our student to get joy and delight in the Dhamma. We also

recruited some known dhamma teachers such as Sister Mudita Sim, Brother Tan Chin Lin and his wife .

Preregistration was held during the Wesak Day celebration. Respond from the

Buddhist community were encouraging and more than 30 children registered during the Wesak

Celebration. The parents also contact Dr Oong to ask for more detail information on the proposed

Sunday School. It seems that the Sunday Dhamma School has a great potential to succeed and can

become popular among the Buddhist community in Kajang area. One day the Branch will feel proud to

be associated with this Sunday school. The Kajang Branch never look back but to continued to be

positive in pursuing this project.

After the Wesak Day celebration which was held on May 18th the Branch Committee considered

that the proposal to establish the KSDS should be pursue. During the Meeting of the Branch Committee

on May 31, 2000 we decided to reorganized the Kajang Branch structure with the establishment of five

sub-committees:

1. Administration and Finance

2. Membership Drive

3. Fund Raising

4. Missionary works or Dhammaduta

5. Counseling and Training

After the reorganization of the Kajang Branch Sister Thank continued her role as the head of

Missionary works or Dhammaduta and Dr Oong joined as ordinary member in her sub-committee. This

Unit will carry out four main activities:

1.Dhamma Talks (Sis Thank and Dr Oong)

2. Sunday School (Sister Shindey and Dr Oong)

3. New Moon and Full Moon Puja (under Bro Kiang) and

4.Sunday Services. (Bro Kiang).

Once again Dhammaduta Unit was assigned with the tasks of planning and preparation for the

establishment of Sunday Dhamma School. Dr Oong as designated Principal of the proposed Sunday

Dhamma School suggested to the Unit to have a closer look at the BISDS as a model such as the

structure of the staff, activities and academic matters. By following the BISDS as a model they created

the post such as the Principal ( Bro Dr Oong), Deputy Principal (Sis Shindey), two VP (Bro Moo in charge

of Administration and sister Yoke Lan- in charge of Teaching) and the heads of certain departments.

Dr Oong realized his spare time was limited as he still attached to National University of Malaysia and

always busy on Sunday, attending University Convocation, International conference, Workshop and

teaching Long Distance Learning students. Therefore the Dhamma Unit had agreed that the Deputy

Principal (Shindey) will carry out the duties of Principal for quite some time. She will be able to seek

assistance from the Head of Dhammaduta Unit (Sister Thank) and two Vice Principal (Brother Moo and

Sister Yoke Lan). They bought the books from BISDS Bookshop and followed the BISDS syllabus. Some of

our staff such as Sister Shindey, Lai Ping and Yoke Lan were encouraged to participate in the staff

training program which was held in the BISDS, Brickfield, Kuala Lumpur . As a matter of policy any staff

who like to teach at KSDS must have minimum qualifications such as teaching experience from any

Dhamma schools or basic knowledge on Puja, Chanting, Dhamma and Buddhism.

The Kajang Branch chose the July 2nd as the date to launch their Sunday school after the head of

the Dhammaduta Unit had consulted the late Chief Reverent Dr Dhammananda Maha Thero. The late

Chief also agreed to come to the Kajang Branch to give his blessing. However, Dr Oong was not be able

to witness the launching of the KSDS as he had to attend the UKM Convocation. He need to be with his

students to witness them receiving their degrees from the Chancellor of the University. However if he

has a choice he would skipped the Convocation ceremony and more happy to be together with the staff

and students of the KSDS on that day.

After the Convocation ceremony came to an end Dr Oong rushed to the Kajang Buddhist

Center.He found out that we get very response from the Buddhist community. Nearly 60 students have

registered and enrolled in our school. They were divided into three classes. Pre School Class, Age 7 to 9

Class and Class year 10 and above. The Late Chief looked very happy indeed. The late chief gave some

advice to him by saying that temple is the place that the people will come and go. So Dr Oong already

expected he might leave and other will come to serve the Sunday school.

As a Principal of the KSDS as he feel indebted and appreciate to many persons that gave them

the support and contributions.He as the first Principal was no not be able to play any significant role as

he was always not around. As he had mentioned when they launched the school he was in UKM. Later

he need to fly to Kota Kinabalu to present a paper in the IAHA Conference from 26th July to 31st. He has

been missing from KSDS for quite some time as he needs to present a paper in a Workshop in Melaka

and out station to teach PJJ (Distance Learning) students and KYM. There were not enough time to

prepare paperwork or holding any meeting for the Sunday School. He expected every member of the

staff would carry out their duties without much guidance from him.

During the 6th General Committee Meeting of the Kajang Branch he had informed the Meeting

on the progress of the Sunday school. Dr Oong had mentioned that there were 55 children have

registered for the class and the process registering of the student still going on. He has an

organizational chart of the staff but lack of details of their duties or functions. As he has mentioned

earlier he was quite busy at that time. He looked at the minute of the meeting and found some error. He

never said “So far there is no Dhamma teachers from Kajang Branch.” In actual fact Sister Shindey, Yoke

Lan and Lai Ping already attend the staff training program in Brickfield. He himself and Sister Thank also

were Dhamma teachers. Therefore the above statements seem irrelevant. It should be pointed out that

the Pre-school class teacher were from Kajang Branch. They had invited Sister Ng Ah Lan from Brickfield

to start the class in order to give some strong ground on the Dhamma knowledge and to make a great

impression on the students and their parents. She is a well known Dhamma speaker and Dhamma

teacher from BISDS, Brickfield.

During the meeting the Secretary General proposed that school fund be set up and

contribution from must properly recorded. He totally agreed to the proposal . But time constraint and

as he would not be around on the school days or Sunday he preferred to use his own fund to run the

Sunday Dhamma School. Any contribution from the public would go to the Branch Fund. In actual fact

Sister Thank and Dr Oong did not make any claim from the Branch Fund. They used their own resource

to buy and provide exercise books, files and other stationery for the school. It should be pointed out

that he was not directly in charge of the food for Sunday School and any contribution from the public go

directly to the Treasurer of the Kajang Branch. As far as he could remembered the Committee

members, some parents and devotees contributed RM50.00 for each school session for refreshments.

But in long term the Sunday school need to get financial support from the public and the Branch fund.

Then they need to have a proper record and be accountable to the public.

After a short period with the KSDS he decided to leave on 17th September 2000. He has

discussed the matters with Bro Stanley, Sis Shindey and some other staff at his house sometime in that

month. They agreed that Sister Loke Lan would takeover the post of the Principal of the KSDS. Dr Oong

returned to BISDS and joined Sister Cheah to teach Rahula 2. He still teach Rahula 2 until today or year

2010.