It was full house at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center Plenary Hall during a recent dialogue on harmonious conditions featuring Venerable Hsing Yun of Taiwan's Fo Guang Shan and Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat. It was no doubt who the audience came to listen to.
I was invited as a guest of Fo Guang Shan Malaysia and I really enjoy and rejoiced on the chance to listen to Ven. Hsing Yun that night.
Ven. Hsing Yun's real life stories that he shared with the appreciative audience that night was very simple and easily understood by all. At one stage, the moderator of the forum even tried to camouflaged a political discussion on MCA succession plan in view of the rumour that Ong Tee Keat is MCA president Ong Ka Ting's anointed successor.
The discussion on the role of the number one and the number two in a family or organisation really makes the audience listening attentively to every single word by Tee Keat on any hint of him being the next MCA president. Tee Keat, who is known to be blunt yet very cautious with his words did not took the bait. The focus of the night remained locked on Ven Hsing Yun.
The audience during the dialogue includes the new Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Khim and many MCA politicians in the VIP seats. After so much politicking since the 308 general election, at least a Buddhist event managed to bring politicians of both the political divide to sit down quietly and attentively listening to the Dhamma.
I really hope politicians from all sides will discard the old politics of boycotting an event or showing displeasure if the event organiser extends invitation to elected representatives from opposing parties. It will be a pity if those previously in opposition who suddenly found themselves governing a state government starts to act like prima donna's and reluctant to attend a rakyat's event due to the presence of another leader from the Federal government and vice versa. The people elected the representatives to work for them and not for the elected representatives to boss around with an attitude.
As Ven Hsing Yun advised that night, harmonious conditions is the most important of all that binds wealth, peace and positions together.
