I received this rather disturbing open-letter from the Organizing Committee of Borobudur Interhas 2012.
Please take time to read & comment.
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To All Participants and Friends of Borobudur
InterHash 2012.
Please share this correspondence widely with all in
Hashdom.
INTERHASH START-UP FUNDS AND BOROBUDUR INTERHASH
2012
The
Management Committee of the Borobudur InterHash 2012 is committed to providing
an affordable and fun InterHash for all who attend. We have prepared some
of the best InterHashing in the world for you to enjoy with some of friendliest
Hashers on earth. We are committed to achieving this outcome regardless
of any situation concerning the transfer of InterHash start-up funds from
Kuching InterHash 2010.
Since the
first InterHash at Hong Kong during 1978, respective management committees have
established and developed a start-up fund to support the next InterHash and
provide for financial emergencies. Customarily, each InterHash Committee
has remitted start-up funding to the following InterHash soon after the
completion of the preceding InterHash.
In
keeping with this custom and as soon as possible after InterHash 2008, the
Perth InterHash Committee properly transferred US$25,000.00 to the Management
Committee of InterHash 2010 in Kuching for the purposes of start-up funding.
Kuching
Interhash 2010 accounts available to Borobudur InterHash 2012 reveal that an
amount of Malaysian Ringgit 100,000.00 was reserved for transfer to Borobudur
but the amount remains in a Kuching Interhash 2010 bank account.
No start-up funds have been
remitted from Kuching to Borobudur InterHash 2012.
The
Borobudur InterHash 2012 Management Committee has written seeking the
co-operation of the following parties to rectify this situation:
(i)
selected
members of the Kuching InterHash 2010 Committee;
(ii)
the
Chairman of the Hornbill Hash;
(iii)
the Chairman of the Malaysian Hash Council;
(iv)
the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Heritage, Sarawak; and
(v)
the solicitors who acted for and on behalf of the Hornbill Hash House (ROS Regn
no. 0478-08-SWK) in the matter of the closure of the “InterHash Project 2010
Discharge of Treasurer”.
Despite
these requests and now less than two weeks prior to the beginning of InterHash
2012, the Management Committee of Kuching InterHash 2010 has failed to remit
any InterHash start-up funds in accordance with the fiduciary responsibilities
of its Members. Because of this unacceptable situation but principally
because such start-up funding remains the property of the InterHash Community
and not the property of InterHash 2010 Kuching, Borobudur InterHash 2012 decided
to share this correspondence with the InterHash community.
The
Management Committee of Borobudur InterHash 2012 believes the actions of the
Kuching InterHash Committee of Management reflect poorly on ALL members
of the Malaysian Hash Community, not just the Kuching InterHash Committee; the
Hornbill Hash and the Malaysian Hash Council. After all, the Malaysian
Hash Council found it necessary to intervene in the management of Kuching
InterHash 2010 when it considered there were significant divisions within the
Committee of Management. We urge all Malaysian Hashers to instruct their
respective Hash Office Bearers to demand that the Kuching InterHash 2010
Committee immediately remits the InterHash start-up funding to the nominated
bank account of Borobudur InterHash 2012.
The
Borobudur InterHash 2012 Management Committee also expects the Kuching
InterHash 2010 Management Committee to provide a detailed, audited and public
explanation of the particular bank balance in Kuching which “stands at
almost RM 600,000” and any plans to disburse that extraordinary amount of
money which is the outcome of InterHash Kuching 2010. (The Borobudur
InterHash 2012 Management Committee will publish any explanation provided in the
best interests of InterHash.)
The
Borobudur InterHash 2012 Management Committee also considers that the failure
of Kuching InterHash 2010 Committee to remit the start-up funds threatens
future Malaysian Federal Government support for and funding of the Yayasan
(Foundation) Hash Heritage which aims “to rebuild The Hash House for use as
a recreational centre for the interest of the people and hashers both locally
and worldwide and maintaining and preserving The Hash House”. http://www.thehashhouse.org/management/intro_FAQ.html The next Annual General
Meeting (AGM) of this Yayasan is scheduled for 30 May 2012 and attendees of
that AGM are urged to remain mindful of this threat resulting from the actions
of Malaysian Hash members to its future.
While the
start-up funds remain in the bank accounts of Kuching InterHash 2010, the
Borobudur InterHash 2012 Management Committee considers it is highly unlikely
that the hosting rights of any future Hash events of regional and/or
international significance will be granted to Malaysian Hash Clubs. This
will lead to the potential for Malaysian Hashing to become isolated in an
international context which is a sad outcome for the only nation able to claim
the title of Home of the Hash House Harriers.
Finally,
the Borobudur InterHash 2012 Management Committee wishes to remind you of its
aim to provide what it believes will be the best possible InterHash in the
unique natural and built environments of Borobudur. The Borobudur
InterHash 2012 Management Committee believes that all in attendance will enjoy
an affordable and fun InterHash despite the failure of the InterHash Kuching
2010 Committee to transfer the InterHash start-up funds from its bank account
to Borobudur InterHash 2012. We urge you all to enjoy Borobudur InterHash
2012 and your stay in Indonesia.
Yours
sincerely
MB
Susantin Sinarno
Liem Chie An
Treasurer
Chairman
