Ming Yi jailed for 10 months
Written by Our Correspondent
Buddhist monk and former CEO of Ren Ci hospital Ming Yi was sentenced to 10 monts in prison for misappropriating Ren Ci’s funds by approving the loan and lying to the COC in an oral statement about it.
His former personal assistant Raymond Yeung, was jailed for 9 months on the same charges.
Ming Yi was found guilty to have made an unauthorised loan of $50,000 on May 17, 2004. The loan was allegedly made to the Mandala Buddhist Cultural Centre but it was not reflected in Mandala’s financial records.
Before his conviction, Ming Yi was a highly regarded leader in the Buddhist community in Singapore.
He founded Ren Ci hospital in 1994 to help the chronic sick, then the only such hospital in Singapore.
Over the years, Ren Ci has grown from a small medicare centre at the old Tan Tock Seng hospital to a full-fledged community hospital with a building of its own.
Ming Yi had appeared on the Ren Ci Charity Show on several occasions doing dangerous stunts to raise funds for the charity.
Despite the guilty verdict, Ming Yi still have a group of loyal followers which explained PM Lee’s visit to the Singapore Buddhist Federation yesterday to officate the opening of its new building in Geylang.
In his opening address, PM Lee acknowledged the role of Buddhists and Taoists helping to maintain Singapore’s racial and religious harmony for 40 years:
“Buddhists and Taoists are among the largest religious groups in Singapore. They have always shown tolerance, setting the basic tone for our society and the general mood of tolerance and understanding among the different communities,” he said.
There were previously calls for Ming Yi to disrobe after he was convicted. The head of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, Venerable Kwang Sheng said that it is a personal decision for Ming Yi to make.
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Omi on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 12:30 pm
We shd leave the poor man alone.
10 months is fair considering what he has done for Ren Ci. Who would absell from Westin? Dorai?
He personally partook in many near death-defying acts to secure funds for the organisation those years.
His mistake was, like everyone, he only wanted to live like a well-paid CEO not unlike one church pastor we know of in Singapore.
He’d have got off the hook if the money was paid out as black and white salary, approved by the council or management.
God bless Ming Yi and trying sparing his our evil words which may richochet.
cy on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 12:49 pm
hopefully, he can repent on his mistake so as to dispel his bad karma.
What a coincidence that LHL visit to the new buddhist federation comes close to the closing of this case. Turning over a new chapter?
Fievel on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 1:04 pm
With great power comes great responsibility.
-_- Spiderman -_-
Sinkapore on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 1:08 pm
Yes, 10 months is really fair for one who has done SO MUCH for the sick and needy. Besides, he stood to gain nothing from this ‘illegal loan’.
If there’s any ‘honest mistake’ to qualify as one, this certainly is!
Terry Lam on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 1:18 pm
Wonder would he still achieve Nirwana after life?
Hope he learned his lesson as this is part of his “Karma”…
JUST4FUN on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 1:54 pm
WHY and HOW a man with plenty of saving still have to take 50k and put it into his account. Are their justice, when all his work are transfer to the next person that done nothing and take over all the credit. 10 month jail for a person who have done so many good to singaporean. LIFE is different now for him.
Hanko on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 2:26 pm
Reap what you Sow.He deserved to be punished.
Put Buddhism before self.Disrobed and all will
be forgiven and forgotten.Go and enjoy your
lowlife with your Raymond after both of you are
released.
Karma on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 2:29 pm
I think he and his ” Gay ” lover deserve much more for cheating on the charity!…what hissentences got to do with a church pastor??…weather church pastor or monks or any type of priest cheats on charity should be treated like a criminal
offender…he certainly got away with a light sentences!.
He stay in jail to do a self reflection lah!!no integrity like the Banks here!!
SG Buddhist on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 4:13 pm
I take issue with your writer’s assertion that “Despite the guilty verdict, Ming Yi still have a group of loyal followers which explained PM Lee’s visit to the Singapore Buddhist Federation yesterday to officate the opening of its new building in Geylang.”
This is an unsubstantiated, misleading and totally unprofessional journalistic claim.
Yes, Ming Yi MAY still have a group of loyal Buddhist followers – they attend services at his Fo Hai Chan Monastery – as evidenced by WanBao’s article on 10 November which intervieed them at the temple and reported that some of them asked the public and judge for clemency.
However, your writer’s claim implied that a large percentage of Singapore’s Buddhists still supported Ming Yi and further make the unsupoorted claim that because of this large percentage of Ming Yi supporters, PM Lee deem it necessary to officiate at the opening of the SBF’s building in Geylang.
We do not know what proportion of SG’s buddhists support, are neutral, or are against Ming Yi in light of the jail sentence. The majority sentiment on the Buddhist ground may in fact be against the high living Ming Yi.
PM Lee afraid of a supposed Buddhist backlash because Ming Yi has been sentenced to jail and that’s why he deemed it necessary to officiate at SBF’s opening ?
That is pure drivel and nonsense.
BTW, Ming Yi was once a sec-general of SBF, but he left way before the Ren Ci saga blew up in his face, so there is simply no link between Ming Yi’s sentence and PM Lee’s fear of Ming Yi’s followers.
PM Lee just wanted to let SG Buddhists know that the government still supports them and their community causes. That is why he has also agree to appear as Ren Ci’s guest-of-honor in its next TV fund show.
Bottomline : Sometimes, a rose is just a rose.
If TR writers don’t have the facts, reasons and analysis to back up their assertions, I hope they won’t write those stupid claims. It will only make you and TR look bad. As it is, there is no author’s name in TR and we don’t know who wrote what drivel.
i don believe it on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 4:24 pm
wah lau, 50K only make such a hooha. those millions one also neber mind, move on and on…
Crap on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 4:29 pm
Visit to the Buddhist Federation? Likely trying to cushion the impact of any fallout from the Buddhist community on the excessive sentencing. Let see whether they can even raise $2 million from the Ren Ci charity show planned for February.
Aik on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 5:11 pm
As to whether he can still achieve Nirvana? The answer is Yes. Just because he have broken some civil law does not mean he is going to burnt in hell.
There is no such thing as committing Sins in Buddhism. That applies to religions whose doctrine centres on a God; where an act against God commandment is a called a Sin.
There is only actions that lead one towards or away from Nirvana in Buddhism. One’s Intention is of upmost importance as to whether it is going to lead one towards or away from Nirvana.
Nirvana in the Theravada belief is equate to a state of eternal Quiescence.
Albino Hum on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 5:18 pm
Could this have been prevented if he were paid 1 million a year?
Fleeing Dogman de Horland on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 5:20 pm
How long TT Durais got huh?
Who siphoned more?
Do they tally?
noah on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 5:46 pm
Buddhism and taoism the majority in Singapore was based on data from 2000. Given the high rates of interfaith conversions in recent years, I think the majority now should be the Christians instead. Islam should be increasing as well due to increased interracial marriages. Hindus should be decreasing also due to many having converted to other faiths as well.
Karmic Horlando on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 7:11 pm
Seems like Karma Exists , but prolly for some and not all humanoids. Some gone all the way to the grave and still never hit by karma after enjoying a long life.
what happen to karma in those instances?
Lim Pek on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 7:34 pm
Too harsh … Durai got 3 months for millions of $. 10 months for 50k.
Brendan on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 8:04 pm
Aiyah! You know the drill….Out of jail within 2-3 month due to “good behavoir” like Durai. If I was a lesser mortal who stole an apple, then? Go figure
David on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 8:16 pm
Could be a wayang, once he is in there and they said his jail performance is good and term shorterned to 3 months or earlier. Remember ex-NKF durai treatement? in my opinion TT durai was not even punished yet.
Short-changed Citizens on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 8:45 pm
Why the double standard again?
How come TT Durai gets away so lightly when his crime is more severe than Min Yi’s?
Is it because of his connection to the Peanut Wife of Some Millionaire Ghost?
Crap on Sat, 21st Nov 2009 9:48 pm
By the way, how does ‘SG Buddhist’ know that the writer account is ‘unsubstantiated, misleading, and totally unprofessional. Isn’t that also an unsubstantiated comment?
3 kingdom on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 2:17 am
Ren Ci hospital has grown too big for a single man. If Ren Ci was small, uninteresting, and keeping a low profile, he would probably have survived untouch. Someone was watching closely.
Now all assets and donations will be handled unconditional to the govt similar to NKF – a huge wind fall without effort.
Silly Ming Yi must take full responsibility for his action.
Peter Su on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 2:32 am
He shld have kept himself very clean especially Ren Ci was once competing in the same league as NKF and President Charity.
He’s finished.
A Francis on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 2:36 am
Any organisation with a one man show often step out of line. Lack of cross checking.
PSLE Teacher on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 2:45 am
NKF and Ren Ci – a lesson that white also has black dot.
Crazy Horse on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 3:02 am
Simply find a $50k bomb somewhere, and throw it at him. He is demolished – its all over.
The only show left now is “THE PRESIDENT CHARITY.”
Rainnix on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 3:30 am
“His former personal assistant Raymond Yeung, was jailed for 9 months on the same charges.”
Since one of the reason given by the judge is that Raymond Yeung should not had “borrowed” money from RenCi meant for the poor, then how about the Marine Parade MP Ong who had also “borrowed” 500,000 for his housing loan (staff loan) from RenCi which the money is meant for the poor too?
Isn’t it a wayang double standard one country 2 systems?
CruEL on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 3:36 am
Human nature, if he cheats once and got away with it, he’ll do it again n again. 50k from what? 6-8 years ago. and only 1 time? With his fat bank account he needed that 50k?
When u r wine-ing and dining famous people for their money (donation to ren ci) u bring them to hawker centre where everyone gawks at your guest? Imagine Ming Yi and Andy Lau in Yishun hawker centre. Got peace to talk?
Its a pure case of You kick my dog (Goh/Durai) I kick your dog (Mingyi/Lee).
Durai SHOULDn’t have been jailed at all if you wanna talk justice. there was NO paperwork problems. Unfortunate for Ming Yi his paper work not so good.
And which exact buddhism scripture teaching says a Monk can’t be rich? The essence is not about being rich, its about NOT wanting/Needing. So if Ming yi tells u he has no wants/needs who are we to say LIAR!?
Metamorphosis on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 6:41 am
The Ren Ci Hospital has grown too big and become too attractive a proposition that some God in Heaven has been eyeing to take over the control.
Singapore may appear to be a Democratic country, but actually it is practising Socialism, with a strong semblance to Communism (in practice but not in ideology).
That is why the State must own everything – including your lives, money and properties.
Singapore is the only country in the world
1. Where taxi drivers cannot own taxis (even communist China, Russia and Vietnam citizens can own taxis);
2. Where your HDB flat is not yours but HDB’s, you paid heavily for a long-term rent (lease) for 99 years, but you can be vacated in 30 years if govt wants to redevelop the land where your flat happens to be;
3. Where your car is not yours even though you paid for it; your payment for the car only allows you a permit to use the car for ten years – worse than renting a car;
4. Where your son is not yours once he reached the age of 18, he belongs to the State until the age of 45 or 50;
5. Where your CPF money is not yours until you reach the age when they allow you to purchase the CPF Live Insurance, that allows you to draw a monthly amount to tie you over during your old age.
How many things and organisations has Temasek Holdings owned?
How many things and organisations has GIC owned?
How many things and organisations has the various ministries owned?
How many things and organisations has the various statutory boards owned.
Even the trade unions under NTUC are also owned by the State through the appointment of a Minister to effectively control it.
So, you know why Min Yi has to be finished off?
Liang Chau Wei on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 10:22 am
totally agree with you, Peter Su.
Karma on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 8:23 am
After Durai and Goh Kah Hong episode and putting them in prision..a good warning to all with ill intentions to cheat
on charity. But God is alway forgiving..I am sure both will show remose and repent so to move life forward and do
greater things for charity again!!! as we can turn negative to positive.
Wayne on Fri, 27th Nov 2009 11:59 pm
I only hope that Ming Yi does not further shame the saffron robe by wearing it into prison.