Third SGM Headquarters Leaders Conference, A Fresh Departure Towards 2030

On 24 and 25 May, SGM convened its third Headquarters Leaders Conference at the SGM Culture Centre in celebration with several significant dates: Soka Gakkai Day and Soka Gakkai Mother’s Day (3 May), as well as Soka Gakkai Successors Day and SGM High School Division Day (5 May). A total of 1,026 leaders from across the nation participated in the conference.

On the first day, Soka Gakkai president Minoru Harada sent a congratulatory message, commending the Malaysian Soka family as a model of the oneness of mentor and disciple. He also encouraged everyone to move forward with ever-greater harmony and ever-brighter spirits towards the Soka Gakkai’s centennial in 2030.

SGM also announced several new leadership appointments, including changes to core leadership roles (see page 29), effective 3 May. The newly appointed men’s division leader Looi Chee Choong, women’s division leader Chan Yin Kwan, young men’s division leader Siow Yoon Kee, and young women’s division leader Koo Wei Qian shared their bold resolutions, with a focus on achieving the 8,000-youth shakubuku campaign.

In his keynote study session, SGM General Director Koh Sia Feai reflected on recent shakubuku progress and challenges. He urged leaders to deepen Buddhist study and enhance member care. He also stressed the importance of passing on faith from parent to child to enable the continuity of faith across generations.

SGM future division leader Nelson Tan gave an update on the division’s “Satu Kampung Jaga Satu Anak” (One Village Cares for One Child) initiative, calling on all leaders to foster successors in the spirit of carrying on President Ikeda’s legacy.

Meanwhile, SGM youth division leader Andrew Looi announced a new wave of youth shakubuku efforts, with two major initiatives this year: Run for Peace and the Youth Peace Culture Festival.

Day two of the conference highlighted SGM’s contributions to peace, culture and education, and SGM’s development towards 2030 was also unveiled. 

Mr Koh closed the conference by honouring the unsung heroes behind SGM’s achievements and outlining three key initiatives for the second half of 2025: achieving the goal of 8,000-youth shakubuku, holding Run for Peace in every state, and organising the Youth Peace Culture Festival. He emphasised that these efforts will collectively mark a glorious chapter for SGM this year.

Appointment of New Core Leaders

SGM’s Development Towards 2030

Study Department Initiatives

☞ Establish the study department secretariat

☞ Build rich and systematic study resources

☞ Implement three key study programmes

Publication Plans

☞ Launch a new digital publication platform, COSMIC Online, scheduled for 2026. Featuring five magazines, it allows readers to subscribe without needing a print subscription.

☞ Publish the complete 12-volume set of the simplified Chinese edition of the novel The Human Revolution (Completed in June 2025)

Organisational Projects

☞ Resume the SGM the Hall of the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu tour

☞ The annual Soka Fortune Baby Ceremony will be renamed the Soka Stars Celebration. It is open to children aged six and below.

☞ Launch the SGM Video Channel, a one-stop platform for SGM video and audio content, on the SGM member portal

☞ Ikeda Memorial Park, originally known as the SGM Cemetery and Columbarium before being renamed by President Ikeda in 2023, is expected to be completed by late 2026 or early 2027

Victory Reports (Highlights)

Initiating Dialogue

Yat Yu Dong attempted to apply humanistic education in his role as a teaching assistant but faced criticism from his supervisor. Inspired by President Ikeda’s dedication to humanity’s happiness, he resolved to follow his example and initiated a dialogue with his supervisor – an act of courage that helped resolve many issues.

Rebuilding Career

Woo Jia Harng went from owning a local specialty business with 16 retail outlets to closing all, incurring an eight-figure debt during the Covid-19 pandemic. A turning point came when a mall allowed him to restart his business with just a 10 percent deposit, and sales tripled compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Overcoming Financial Challenge

Tan Bee Khiaw fell victim to a RM120,000 business scam, but with strong daimoku, he cleared the debt, contributed to Soka International School Malaysia, and bought a home that now serves as a venue for SGM activities. Inspired by President Ikeda’s emphasis on education, he also ventured into education as a part-time music coach.

Excelling in Sport

Cadence Teh Zi Qi, 16, is a national gymnast who has trained for 10 years. Her dad encouraged her to keep moving forward like President Ikeda at a world champion’s pace. In 2024, she won five medals at the Sukma Games. This year, she was placed fifth in the World Cup balance beam finals in Croatia, supported by her daimoku.

Raising A Son with Special Needs

Ashley Pang Yek Sze supported her son Alex, who has Down Syndrome, in running an online bakery. Their earnings went towards supporting Soka International School Malaysia and various community projects. Alex received the 2024 Tuanku Bainun Young Changemaker Award, and Ashley received the Best Advocate Award.

Promoting Local Culture

Chew Aud Rey runs a company producing culture-inspired products. With a humanistic leadership style, she fosters a values-driven workplace. Her brand has earned wide recognition, including contributing to the Malaysia Pavilion wall design at the World Expo in Osaka, where its products were also featured.

General Director’s Keynote Study (Excerpts)

Let Each Person Awaken to Their Mission and Rise Forth

The 8,000-youth shakubuku campaign remains our most important focus this year. How are we going to achieve the target? It is by having each person awaken to their mission as a Bodhisattva of the Earth.

One day in November 1944, while in prison, Mr Toda awakened to the realisation that Buddhism is life itself. Shortly after, he had an even deeper realisation: “I am a Bodhisattva of the Earth.”

President Ikeda said this moment of realisation was the very instant Buddhism was revived in the modern age. It allowed people to grasp the true essence of Buddhism and opened the way for it to reach the people.

Upon awakening to the fact that he was a Bodhisattva of the Earth, Mr Toda was overjoyed and cried out from his prison cell: “My life is decided! My mission is kosen-rufu! I will dedicate my life to kosen-rufu.”

Following this realisation, as recorded in The Human Revolution, after being released from prison on 3 July 1945 – even though he was extremely weak physically – he didn’t rest for a single day. He immediately threw himself into rebuilding the Soka Gakkai and striving for kosen-rufu.

This profound awakening also inspired him to set the great vow of achieving a membership of 750,000 households when he became the second president in 1951.

With this vow, he put his life into action, fighting side-by-side with President Ikeda for over six years and seven months, and truly fulfilled his lifetime mission of achieving a membership of 750,000 households.

I sincerely hope that everyone will awaken to the gravity of our mission, the profound significance of shakubuku and joyfully take action, with the exuberance of a Bodhisattva of the Earth surging forward, to achieve the goal of 8,000-youth shakubuku this year.

What is most important is action. We must overcome the complacency and laziness that bind us. And only by taking action can we achieve victory.