Date : Monday, January 25, 2010
Time : 2:52 AM
Title :

Ever since Mingyi was jailed for fraud, Ren Ci hospital experienced a drastic decrease in public donations to a quarter of what it actually received two years back. Despite all, Ren Ci hospital managed to raise $7mil in total. Hmm..


Charity is really a very vague word and today i know there are many different interpretations of charity. To me, charity refers to the generous actions or donations to aid those in need. The recent Mingyi saga really led me to think whether these donations really aid those in need. It is quite ironical that Mingyi actually blame NKF on national TV for causing loss of public trust a few years back. It is really a joke that his lifestyle is perhaps as ostentatious as TT Durai. hello? a few condos, a few BMWs in Singapore and Australia and he even had a pet horse in Sydney. -.- Many Singaporeans cant afford such luxury, a few condos, BMWs and yet they gave part of their hard earn money to Ren Ci for the patients who need help, definitely not for Mingyi luxurious lifestyle? haha. Ultimately, if the money doesnt reach the poor, it isnt charity.



On the other hand, charity may refer to benevolent feeling especially towards those in need. Well in this case, it doesnt really matter whether the donations really aid the poor. It only matters whether you are benevolent? As long as you believe that the money reaches the poor somehow somewhere, you are happy that you did your part. It doesnt really matter if it is a fraud because "what if" it isnt! This is what i call, "surface donation". haha, on the surface you are helping the poor but deep down, you arent certain. So are you donating because you are charitable and wish to lend a helping hand or are you donating to simply have a peace of mind? In the latter case, why donate? To sleep better at night? Well, i guess there's still a chance that the donations reach the poor which means it may be charity afterall?

I do believe many Singaporeans have a heart of gold, and they are more than willing to lend a helping hand to the ailing patients at NKF and Ren Ci respectively. But what gives them the peace of mind or reassurance that their money actually benefits the patients and not the pocket of the greedy people. As it is, the two charities has its fair share of the media spotlight and scandals that put many to shame. Thus in conclusion, my point is donors should seek accountability to the best of their ability, to ensure the money no matter how small a sum reaches the needy. Accountability ensures that there is a precaution against the greedy. Accountability ensures the maximum utils can be derived from the money donated and help the needy.

Oh! btw, donations to Renci hospital are subjected to 7%GST tax plus admin charges from the telecom company. So why not just write in a cheque and avoid those admin charges! :)

Happy donating!

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