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http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/...-temple-serangoon-suspected-criminal-offences
Serangoon Road temple under criminal probe
Serangoon Road temple under criminal probe
The Commercial Affairs Department is investigating the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple at Serangoon Road for suspected criminal offences. Photo: Robin Choo/TODAY
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BY
KELLY NG
[email protected]ISHED: 1:25 PM, AUGUST 22, 2017UPDATED: 8:40 AM, AUGUST 23, 2017
SINGAPORE — White-collar crime police are investigating suspected offences at the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, which volunteers and worshippers claim are related to the “mismanagement of a substantial amount of funds”.
It was also revealed on Tuesday (Aug 22) that the 182-year-old temple on Serangoon Road — one of the oldest in Singapore — is the subject of a concurrent inquiry by the Commissioner of Charities (COC), after a review that flagged “certain areas of concern with regard to governance and administration”.
The Commissioner’s office issued a brief statement on Tuesday saying it had received feedback about the temple’s management and that triggered a review.
It declined to answer TODAY’s questions about the nature of the complaint and when the review was carried out. The police also declined to further comment on the probe by the Commercial Affairs Department.
However the Commissioner said temple operations can continue, adding that it will work with the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) to ensure proper management of the temple and that religious activities are not affected during the period of inquiry.
In response to queries, the COC said it would be premature to comment on its inquiry or the possible actions it may take, given that investigations are still going on. But “in the meantime, the COC’s office has required Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple to provide periodic reporting for close monitoring of its management and finances”.
HEB chief executive officer Raja Segar said the board will help to run the temple’s operations in the interim. “But how are we going to do that exactly has not been clearly spelt out. It is just a general request (from the COC) for assistance to ensure that ...the temple operations run well, together with the current board of the temple,” Mr Segar told TODAY. The HEB was informed of the alleged wrongdoing on Tuesday, he added.
After news of the investigations broke on Tuesday afternoon, a volunteer at the temple told TODAY that he knows of three individuals — the chairman Mr Sivakadacham, secretary Mr Selvakumar R and an unnamed employee — who are assisting the authorities with the investigations.
The volunteer of two years, who asked not to be identified, said members of the temple’s management committee have been embroiled in a dispute since at least last year.
According to him, the dispute concerned “expenses not being properly accounted for”.
The volunteer added that he found it “odd” that members of the management committee at Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple were also trustees of the temple. “There is some conflict of interest,” he said.
As of November 20 last year, four of seven committee members were also trustees at the temple, the COC’s statement on Tuesday said.
TODAY understands that there are no explicit guidelines on whether committee members can concurrently undertake the trustees role.
A worshipper at the temple, who wanted to remain anonymous, corroborated the volunteer’s claims. According to him, there was “some disagreement within the management” and an internal audit was conducted around three to four months ago.
“Some of them could have blown the whistle,” he said.
A female devotee, who goes to the temple every week, said worshippers have “heard for some time that things were not quite right in the financial sense”. She has heard that a “substantial sum of money” was involved. “Well, (God) is watching and whoever has done wrong will be duly dealt with,” she added.
Some worshippers at the temple on Tuesday afternoon were surprised by news of the probes.
One of them, who would only give his name as Mr Krishna, said: “The people there are very helpful, and the temple is generous in giving food to help the needy.” The 31-year-old runs a shop at Little India Arcade.
One of the oldest Hindu temples in the Kampong Kapor district, the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple *— which has been earmarked for conservation — was founded by Tamil pioneers in 1835.
The building underwent a S$7 million makeover in August 2012.
http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/...-temple-serangoon-suspected-criminal-offences
Serangoon Road temple under criminal probe
Serangoon Road temple under criminal probe
The Commercial Affairs Department is investigating the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple at Serangoon Road for suspected criminal offences. Photo: Robin Choo/TODAY
View all 0 comments
BY
KELLY NG
[email protected]ISHED: 1:25 PM, AUGUST 22, 2017UPDATED: 8:40 AM, AUGUST 23, 2017
SINGAPORE — White-collar crime police are investigating suspected offences at the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, which volunteers and worshippers claim are related to the “mismanagement of a substantial amount of funds”.
It was also revealed on Tuesday (Aug 22) that the 182-year-old temple on Serangoon Road — one of the oldest in Singapore — is the subject of a concurrent inquiry by the Commissioner of Charities (COC), after a review that flagged “certain areas of concern with regard to governance and administration”.
The Commissioner’s office issued a brief statement on Tuesday saying it had received feedback about the temple’s management and that triggered a review.
It declined to answer TODAY’s questions about the nature of the complaint and when the review was carried out. The police also declined to further comment on the probe by the Commercial Affairs Department.
However the Commissioner said temple operations can continue, adding that it will work with the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) to ensure proper management of the temple and that religious activities are not affected during the period of inquiry.
In response to queries, the COC said it would be premature to comment on its inquiry or the possible actions it may take, given that investigations are still going on. But “in the meantime, the COC’s office has required Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple to provide periodic reporting for close monitoring of its management and finances”.
HEB chief executive officer Raja Segar said the board will help to run the temple’s operations in the interim. “But how are we going to do that exactly has not been clearly spelt out. It is just a general request (from the COC) for assistance to ensure that ...the temple operations run well, together with the current board of the temple,” Mr Segar told TODAY. The HEB was informed of the alleged wrongdoing on Tuesday, he added.
After news of the investigations broke on Tuesday afternoon, a volunteer at the temple told TODAY that he knows of three individuals — the chairman Mr Sivakadacham, secretary Mr Selvakumar R and an unnamed employee — who are assisting the authorities with the investigations.
The volunteer of two years, who asked not to be identified, said members of the temple’s management committee have been embroiled in a dispute since at least last year.
According to him, the dispute concerned “expenses not being properly accounted for”.
The volunteer added that he found it “odd” that members of the management committee at Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple were also trustees of the temple. “There is some conflict of interest,” he said.
As of November 20 last year, four of seven committee members were also trustees at the temple, the COC’s statement on Tuesday said.
TODAY understands that there are no explicit guidelines on whether committee members can concurrently undertake the trustees role.
A worshipper at the temple, who wanted to remain anonymous, corroborated the volunteer’s claims. According to him, there was “some disagreement within the management” and an internal audit was conducted around three to four months ago.
“Some of them could have blown the whistle,” he said.
A female devotee, who goes to the temple every week, said worshippers have “heard for some time that things were not quite right in the financial sense”. She has heard that a “substantial sum of money” was involved. “Well, (God) is watching and whoever has done wrong will be duly dealt with,” she added.
Some worshippers at the temple on Tuesday afternoon were surprised by news of the probes.
One of them, who would only give his name as Mr Krishna, said: “The people there are very helpful, and the temple is generous in giving food to help the needy.” The 31-year-old runs a shop at Little India Arcade.
One of the oldest Hindu temples in the Kampong Kapor district, the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple *— which has been earmarked for conservation — was founded by Tamil pioneers in 1835.
The building underwent a S$7 million makeover in August 2012.
