Nguyen Thanh Dan, president of the Vietnam Fatherland Front’s provincial chapter, acknowledged the Hoa Hao Sect’s contributions to An Giang’s socio-economic development achievements in 2009, especially to charity campaigns.

He said Hoa Hao Buddhists united to surmount the difficult times, fully observed Party and State guidelines and policies and took an active part in local exemplary role model movements.

Last year, they raised more than VND40 billion to purchase an ambulance to transport poor patients to hospital free of charge, upgrade the rural transport system, repair makeshift bridges and build houses for the poor.

He called on more than 2 million Hoa Hao Buddhist followers across the country to live an evangelical life and join hands to make further contributions to their homelands and the nation.