Row over management of Hong Kong monastery sparks calls for rethink of plan to scrap Chinese temples law
Allegations of mismanagement at a monastery in Tai Po have reignited debate over an 87-year-old law under which the government has the power to close and seize the assets of Chinese temples, which is set to be relaxed under a legislative amendment to be tabled next year.
The Buddhist Ting Wai Monastery in Tai Po is embroiled in controversy after one of its directors, Mary Jean Reimer, moved last week to freeze its bank accounts amid questions over its use of millions of dollars in donations. Its abbess, Sik Chi Ding, and a monk, Ru Zhi, were arrested by the Immigration Department amid allegations they were involved in a bogus marriage.
The scandal erupted amid a review by the Home Affairs Bureau of the Chinese Temples Ordinance, enacted in 1928 to curb rampant fraud by fake religious institutions. Under it, all Chinese temples - the definition of which includes Buddhist and Taoist monasteries and nunneries - must register with the government. The Chinese Temples Committee, headed by the secretary for home affairs, has the power to force a temple to surrender its assets and close if wrongdoing is discovered. There is no such law governing other religious institutions.
In practice, however, only about 350 of the estimated 600 Chinese temples in the city have registered in accordance with the ordinance. Ting Wai Monastery is not on the list. It is registered under the Companies Ordinance and has been granted tax exemption as a charity.
Launching a two-month public consultation in March, the bureau said the ordinance was too harsh by modern standards and suggested removing the power to seize assets. A new clause would instead empower the minister to join legal proceedings against temples accused of mismanagement or abusing funds. Mandatory registration would be replaced by a voluntary system.
READ MORE: Buddhist Association distances itself from monastery at centre of row
Civic Party legislator Dr Kenneth Chan Ka-lok, who had cautioned against relaxing regulations, said the bureau should think again in light of the Ting Wai case.
"If the registration system becomes voluntary, many will simply choose not to register… This monastery in Tai Po is unregistered despite the current law. Why has the government never checked these temples and required them to register? Does it lack resources to do so or does it simple want to give up the law enforcement power?" he asked.
Pointing to reports some temples had been involved in running illegal columbariums, he said an effective ordinance should be able to scrutinise a wider range of irregularities at religious institutions.
But Christopher Chung Shu-kun, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, argued that the "discriminatory and draconian" ordinance should be repealed as it targeted only Chinese temples.
Chan, a Catholic, said he agreed all religions should be treated fairly but he had yet to consider how other religions should be regulated.
The Democratic Party's Helena Wong Pik-wan, a Protestant Christian, said Buddhist and Taoist institutions were more loosely organised than other religions, making self-regulation more difficult. Therefore there was a need for the government to take a more proactive role in scrutinising them.
"Most Protestant and Catholic churches would seek tax-exempt status from the Inland Revenue Department and are required to submit their financial statements to be audited for this purpose. … They also have a stronger membership system so a Christian would usually be affiliated with a certain church," she said. "Buddhists and Taoists have a different tradition and many believers may sporadically visit a temple and make a donation there without being a member. It is more difficult for them to track where their donations have gone."
The bureau told the last week it would look into allegations against Ting Wai Monastery.
On the review of the ordinance, a bureau spokeswoman said it would conclude the views collected in the public consultation and report the results to the Legco's panel on home affairs next year.
The bureau did not answer a question on how many enforcement actions it had taken against unregistered Chinese temples.
