Aware & Hainan Hwee Kuan

This week got to controversy about the dispute from 2 association. Do you think this particular one is a distraction from AWARE? April 16, 2009

Hainan Hwee Kuan dinner marred by dispute over funds

By Yen Feng

AN OPEN fight has broken out between two factions in the Hainan Hwee Kuan over the association's finances, with six council members resigning because of it. Last night, amid rumbling dissatisfaction over how funds were being used, chairman Thomas Foo faced more than 150 clan members at the association in Beach Road. The evening was supposed to be a casual social dinner but it ended in an emotional debate, with one former council member walking out in anger. Another urged council members not to treat one another as enemies. At the nub of the matter is the disagreement over how the Hainanese World Federation Congress, to be held here in October, should be organised. According to council member Christopher Chang, Mr Foo had proposed outsourcing the running of the conference, which is expected to draw nearly 3,000 delegates from around the world. It was supported by some of the 43 council members, including Mr Chang, who said: 'We are all volunteers here, how can we manage such a huge conference?' But other members objected to the expense. Last night, Mr Foo, together with the association's treasurer, Mr Zheng Xin De, ended up presenting its financial accounts, dating back to 2005, to the audience of council and non-council members. The feud is said to have begun in February, when the association's annual bank statements were presented at a general meeting. The objectors demanded a breakdown of the accounts, but were still dissatisfied when that was presented a month later. When their request for a further audit was defeated by majority vote, six council members resigned in protest. Last night, before walking out, former council member Albert Goh, 59, told the crowd it was not an appropriate time to discuss the matter. He said: 'This is an internal matter between the council. This is not the right place or time to discuss the association's confidential financial statements.' Two other former council members who were present, Mr Fu Qing Yun and Mr Zhuang Geng Zhou, did not comment.