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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - RADM Lui apologised to the Tans woh...</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>4:36 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 7) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>31929.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Apr 19, 2010
Ex-ACM board raised alert on donation's value
Minister apologises to donors; hopes incident won't deter others
<!-- by line -->By Deepika Shetty
http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_516261.html
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<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
THE former board of the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) received due recognition yesterday for its role in alerting the National Heritage Board (NHB) that a donation valued initially at $15 million could be overpriced.
The acknowledgement of their role was made by Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew, commenting for the first time on the controversy that The Straits Times unveiled last Wednesday.
Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui also apologised to the donors, Mr and Mrs Tan Eng Sian, for the distress caused to them by the turn of events and expressed the hope that the incident would not deter potential donors.
The elderly couple eventually had asked for the return of the collection.
RADM Lui, who spoke to reporters after a five-hour ministerial visit to Punggol North constituency, said: 'The Asian Civilisations Museum board members alerted us that there was a possibility that this was too high a valuation.
'The ACM board did what they were supposed to do. They did their duty. They raised to us this concern.'
The former board, chaired by Ms Priscylla Shaw, had pushed for the collection to be re-valued. Subsequently, two other valuations were made.
RADM Lui's ministry asked the NHB to do the last valuation, he said. 'Eventually, it came out to be under $2 million. So that is what actually happened,' he added.
In 2008, the Tans had donated 300 pieces of Straits Chinese porcelain and silverware to the Peranakan Museum, which is run by the ACM.
The donation was announced last year amid much fanfare.
Last week, Mr Michael Koh, NHB's chief executive officer, told The Straits Times there was public feedback on the valuation in April last year that led NHB to do a second valuation.
Yesterday, Mr Lui also thanked the former board members for their contributions, saying: 'I deeply appreciate the job the board members have done. Priscylla Shaw as chairwoman and a number of other board members who have served us for many years, have given us many years of good service.
'They did their job as was required of them and they have done it well. It is regretful that they have chosen to resign for a variety of reasons.'
He also regretted how the Tans were pulled in as events unfolded. 'They did it out of goodwill, they did it out of altruistic reasons and I am most regretful that our donor has to be involved in all this. I am sorry that it has caused them so much distress,' he said.
Mr Tan, who is in his 80s, and his wife received the Distinguished Patron of Heritage Award, which they have returned.
Mr Lui also addressed public concerns about possible fakes and explained the valuing down of the collection.
'I think we are not talking about fakes here. We are talking about differences in valuation prices. As the articles in the newspaper and as people like Mr Peter Wee and others with expertise not just in valuing Peranakan artefacts but other artefacts and treasures have said - there will be differences in valuation.'
But, he added, given the challenges of putting a value to art, there need to be tighter procedures in place.
'Certainly for major donations, we cannot rely on a single valuation. We should have a spectrum of valuers and other valuations,' he said.
He also said it was understandable if donors were a little bit concerned and added: 'So we have to continue to engage and assure them we are improving our processes.'
When contacted, Ms Shaw said: 'I am very, very touched by the minister's kind words for us and I thank him deeply. For myself and I know for the rest too, we were just happy to serve to the best of our ability. All of us wish the ACM, the new board members and the staff all the best for the future.'
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Ex-ACM board raised alert on donation's value
Minister apologises to donors; hopes incident won't deter others
<!-- by line -->By Deepika Shetty
http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_516261.html
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
THE former board of the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) received due recognition yesterday for its role in alerting the National Heritage Board (NHB) that a donation valued initially at $15 million could be overpriced.
The acknowledgement of their role was made by Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew, commenting for the first time on the controversy that The Straits Times unveiled last Wednesday.
Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui also apologised to the donors, Mr and Mrs Tan Eng Sian, for the distress caused to them by the turn of events and expressed the hope that the incident would not deter potential donors.
The elderly couple eventually had asked for the return of the collection.
RADM Lui, who spoke to reporters after a five-hour ministerial visit to Punggol North constituency, said: 'The Asian Civilisations Museum board members alerted us that there was a possibility that this was too high a valuation.
'The ACM board did what they were supposed to do. They did their duty. They raised to us this concern.'
The former board, chaired by Ms Priscylla Shaw, had pushed for the collection to be re-valued. Subsequently, two other valuations were made.
RADM Lui's ministry asked the NHB to do the last valuation, he said. 'Eventually, it came out to be under $2 million. So that is what actually happened,' he added.
In 2008, the Tans had donated 300 pieces of Straits Chinese porcelain and silverware to the Peranakan Museum, which is run by the ACM.
The donation was announced last year amid much fanfare.
Last week, Mr Michael Koh, NHB's chief executive officer, told The Straits Times there was public feedback on the valuation in April last year that led NHB to do a second valuation.
Yesterday, Mr Lui also thanked the former board members for their contributions, saying: 'I deeply appreciate the job the board members have done. Priscylla Shaw as chairwoman and a number of other board members who have served us for many years, have given us many years of good service.
'They did their job as was required of them and they have done it well. It is regretful that they have chosen to resign for a variety of reasons.'
He also regretted how the Tans were pulled in as events unfolded. 'They did it out of goodwill, they did it out of altruistic reasons and I am most regretful that our donor has to be involved in all this. I am sorry that it has caused them so much distress,' he said.
Mr Tan, who is in his 80s, and his wife received the Distinguished Patron of Heritage Award, which they have returned.
Mr Lui also addressed public concerns about possible fakes and explained the valuing down of the collection.
'I think we are not talking about fakes here. We are talking about differences in valuation prices. As the articles in the newspaper and as people like Mr Peter Wee and others with expertise not just in valuing Peranakan artefacts but other artefacts and treasures have said - there will be differences in valuation.'
But, he added, given the challenges of putting a value to art, there need to be tighter procedures in place.
'Certainly for major donations, we cannot rely on a single valuation. We should have a spectrum of valuers and other valuations,' he said.
He also said it was understandable if donors were a little bit concerned and added: 'So we have to continue to engage and assure them we are improving our processes.'
When contacted, Ms Shaw said: 'I am very, very touched by the minister's kind words for us and I thank him deeply. For myself and I know for the rest too, we were just happy to serve to the best of our ability. All of us wish the ACM, the new board members and the staff all the best for the future.'
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