Shaolin Wahnam Institute Kuala Lumpur would like to wish all a safe and festive Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Let’s all forgive and be grateful in this holiday spirit.
To err is human, to forgive divine!
by my Sifu, Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit
Here is an analysis of Anthony Korahais’ campaign at http://flowingzen.com/14351/why-i-le…fter-17-years/ which will give insight to the issue.
People are misled to believe I am the wrongdoer. The name of the wrongdoer is not mentioned, but mine is. The focus of the campaign is how evil I have been.
There is no attempt to identify the wrongdoer. Anthony has declared he is not going to bring the case to court. The campaign does not help to prevent similar events happening again. There is also no attempt to help the victims. Indeed the campaign may revive the traumatic pains that the victims may have previously overcome.
To Anthony and those who resigned as instructors over this matter, the “wrong” that I have done is that I did not publicly renounce the accused, but I am made to appear as if I condoned sexual abuse despite the fact that I have mentioned many times that I don’t. Anthony’s statement that I have all the evidence is not true.
The only evidence that I can confirm is a woman who confessed to me. All the rest is unproven accusations. I have also stated that though the accusations are unproven, it does not mean they may not be true.
The reasons why I did not publicly denounce the accused are as follows:
1. I did not, and still do not, have sufficient evidence. I did not want to act as prosecutor, judge and executioner all in one person based only on accusations.
2. Bringing the issue into the open would adversely affect the victims, who probably did not want their affairs to be publicized.
3. I wanted to give the accused another chance. I hoped he would change, irrespective of the accusations which had yet to be proven.
Anthony is now teaching as his livelihood the very arts he has learned from me. He also often mentioned that I had saved his life. Publicly renouncing one’s sifu is bad enough. Running a campaign to smear the sifu who saved his life is far worse.
Anthony’s motives for running this campaign may be interpreted differently by different people, but it is a clear example of repaying kindness with vengeance.
Originally there was a long list of comments following Anthony’s post, including a courageous victim who described how my teaching had helped her overcome her trauma and lamented that Anthony was steering people away from me. Anthony has taken out the comments. The early comments praised Anthony for his action. The later comments raised the issue of Anthony betraying me, his teacher who saved his life. I would take the opportunity here to thank all those who, on their own accord, have spoken kindly for me.
It is shocking that by his own admission Anthony has been sick, his financial situation deteriorates and his married life strained during the two years he preoccupies himself with these accusations when he is teaching an art that is meant to give good health, good luck and happiness. From the chi kung perspective, the main cause is that Anthony’s heart is blocked by vengeance.
Christmas is a time for forgiveness besides rejoicing. Everyone, including Anthony, has a choice. Block the heart with vengeance and indignation, or forgive and be compassionate and open the heart to blessings of good health, good luck and happiness. There are many beautful things in life than clinching to grudges in the heart.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Everyone.
Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit,
22nd December 2014.
A few of our certified instructors have resigned from our List of Certified Instructors. All of them, except one, have indicated their wish to remain as my students and have expressed their gratitude for my teaching.
The one exception publicly renounced me as his sifu. In my more than 30 years of teaching, this is the second time a student renounced me as his sifu. The first time happened about 30 years ago. But he did so quietly, without even giving his name. He wrote to me anonymously to say that he did not want to be my student.
Their resignation is because of their objection to the way I have handled accusations against one of our former instructors. The accusations have not been proven, but this does not mean that the accusations, or some of them, may not be true, though I believe they were not as serious as the resigned instructors imagined them to be.
This accused instructor resigned from our school on his own accord. Some instructors wanted me to publicly denounce him but I did not do so because I did not want to act as prosecutor, judge and executioner at the same time. Moreover, despite what the instructor who denounced me as his sifu, said in his website, I had only one piece of evidence; the rest was unproven accusations.
A traumatic woman told me that she had sexual relationship with the accused and she regretted it. My utmost thought at her confession was not to denounce the accused but to help her overcome her trauma and continue to live happily and confidently. Bringing out the issue in the open might cause her and other victims more traumatic pain. Moreover, I hoped the accused instructor might repent.
I valued forgiveness more than indignation, regardless of whether the accusations were true or not. I wanted the victims and any aggrieved persons to leave the past behind and move on, rather than clinch onto grudges and be miserable for life. I believed I handled the case quite well. The woman told me recently and personally, “I am very happy now.” Indeed she looked happier and more beautiful than ever before. She is an inspiration for all of us.
All those who resigned had explicitly said that I had changed their lives, some mentioned that I had saved them. It is saddening that they resigned just because the accused recently attended my chi kung classes, invited by the organizer who did not know about the situation. But those who resigned had made their decision and I respect it, and wish them well.
I would take this opportunity to thank the many instructors and students in our school who have written to express support for my action. I would also like to clarify the position of students of the instructor who denounced me as his sifu. Those students who used to call me “sigung” should now call me “sifu” if they wish to learn from me, as their sifu, the person who denounced me as his teacher is no longer my student by his own choice. The students should continue to address this person as their “sifu”, and I have no objection if they also continue to learn from him.
Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit
19th December 2014.
Shaolin Wahnam Kuala Lumpur 