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Source:
www.mcys.gov.sg |
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THE COMMISSIONER OF CHARITIES
DE-REGISTERS THREE DUBIOUS CHARITIES UNDER THE AMENDED CHARITIES
ACT AND REJECTS ONE APPLICATION FOR CHARITY STATUS |
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MCYS MEDIA RELEASE NO: 29/2007 DATE OF
ISSUE:02/05/2007 |
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Following the implementation of new
regulations governing charity registration, public fund-raising appeals
and large charities on 1 May 2007, the Commissioner of Charities (COC)
announces today the removal of three charities from the Register of
Charities with immediate effect. |
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These are the Children of Singapore
Foundation, Children's Lukaemia Foundation Limited, and Club Sunshine
Limited (previously known as Kids-In-Distress Foundation Limited[1]). |
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The COC has also decided not to grant
charity status to Kidney Fund Organisation. |
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Children of Singapore Foundation,
Children's Lukaemia Foundation and Club Sunshine Limited |
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Since October 2006, the Commissioner of
Charities (COC) has been monitoring the Children of Singapore
Foundation, Children's Lukaemia Foundation Limited and Club Sunshine
Limited. These three charities, set up by Mr Rajendren Rajamani, have
been prohibited from carrying out any public fund-raising appeals. |
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The COC has found serious irregularities and
suspicious transactions in the administration of the charities by Mr
Rajendren, and has viewed the intentions of the charities to be not
exclusively charitable. |
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The office of the COC has also made a Police
Report against Mr Rajendren for further investigation by the Police. |
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Kidney Fund Organisation |
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The Kidney Fund Organisation (KFO) was set
up as a society and applied for registration as a charity with the
purpose of providing financial assistance to kidney patients for their
treatments and other needy patients such as those suffering from chronic
illnesses. |
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After careful scrutiny, the COC has decided
not to grant charity status to KFO. The COC is satisfied that the
organisation's intentions were not exclusively charitable as the bulk of
the donations it had collected did not benefit the charitable causes. |
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The total amount of donations collected was
about $110,000 in year 2006. Only a small fraction of the donations
received were disbursed to a few beneficiaries. |
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About 75% of the donations were used to pay
for the engagement of a commercial fund-raising company, Amanah Fitrah,
which is owned by KFO's Vice-President, whose wife is also the President
of KFO. The other trustee of KFO is also an employee of the commercial
fund-raising company. Such a close relationship has posed a serious
conflict of interest. |
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To protect the interest of the donating
public, the COC has also decided to prohibit the Kidney Fund
Organisation from any public fund-raising with effect from 3 May 2007. |
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[1]
Mr Rajendren had since transferred the Kids-In-Distress and Children's
Lukaemia Foundation to some new trustees in October and November 2006
respectively. The Kids-In-Distress has been renamed as Club Sunshine
Ltd. |
Issued by:
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports
2 May 2007 |
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Source:
www.mcys.gov.sg Media Release
2 May 2007 |
Commissioner of Charities
deregisters three dubious charities
