- Joined
- Apr 9, 2009
- Messages
- 3,070
- Points
- 0
SINGAPORE - The Commissioner of Charities (COC) has launched a probe into a popular Hindu temple after being alerted to "some areas of concern" with how it was managed.
These related to "governance and administration" which "warrant further inquiry", said the COC in a three-paragraph statement yesterday, without elaborating.
The Sri Siva Krishna Temple in Marsiling Rise has been a registered society since 1970 and a charity since 1998.
In June 2006, the temple embarked on a major renovation project - it added nine new sanctums, hired skilled sculptors from South India to create new carvings and upgraded facilities at an ancillary building.
The renovation, which cost $1 million, was completed in 2008. The same year, at the invitation of the temple, the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) assisted the temple in organising its consecration and managing its financial affairs.
The board first alerted the COC at the end of July last year to some areas of concern with how the temple was being managed.
This then prompted the Commissioner to carry out a review of the temple.
After identifying "certain areas of concern", the COC then launched a formal inquiry into the temple "before deciding on the next course of action".
Under the Charities Act, the Commissioner has the power to order accounts, statements and documents to be made available for a formal inquiry.
When MediaCorp visited the temple yesterday, external auditors were poring through documents in a room.
The temple is most frequented on four days of the week - Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday - and attracts up to 600 devotees during festivals.
Besides being a religious site, the temple is also used for social gatherings, with yoga classes being organised on Saturdays.
In the 2007 financial year, the temple received $350,000 in income and spent around $330,000.
It has close to $3 million in assets.
The temple has 50 ordinary members, of which 16 are members of the management committee.
Mr A Sivalingam, president of the management committee, did not return MediaCorp's calls.
During the inquiry - which is expected to last between two and three months - the temple's operations will not be affected, the COC said.
The HEB has put in place measures for the temple to continue with its daily services, and to ensure that the temple is properly managed during the inquiry, the COC added.
The temple inquiry is the ninth launched against a charity by the COC, since it assumed the watchdog role.
Some of the COC's previous inquiries included probes into Buddhist monk Shi Ming Yi's charity dealings and Youth Challenge's accounting practices.
http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/...-Hindu-temple-under-probe-by-charity-watchdog
These related to "governance and administration" which "warrant further inquiry", said the COC in a three-paragraph statement yesterday, without elaborating.
The Sri Siva Krishna Temple in Marsiling Rise has been a registered society since 1970 and a charity since 1998.
In June 2006, the temple embarked on a major renovation project - it added nine new sanctums, hired skilled sculptors from South India to create new carvings and upgraded facilities at an ancillary building.
The renovation, which cost $1 million, was completed in 2008. The same year, at the invitation of the temple, the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) assisted the temple in organising its consecration and managing its financial affairs.
The board first alerted the COC at the end of July last year to some areas of concern with how the temple was being managed.
This then prompted the Commissioner to carry out a review of the temple.
After identifying "certain areas of concern", the COC then launched a formal inquiry into the temple "before deciding on the next course of action".
Under the Charities Act, the Commissioner has the power to order accounts, statements and documents to be made available for a formal inquiry.
When MediaCorp visited the temple yesterday, external auditors were poring through documents in a room.
The temple is most frequented on four days of the week - Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday - and attracts up to 600 devotees during festivals.
Besides being a religious site, the temple is also used for social gatherings, with yoga classes being organised on Saturdays.
In the 2007 financial year, the temple received $350,000 in income and spent around $330,000.
It has close to $3 million in assets.
The temple has 50 ordinary members, of which 16 are members of the management committee.
Mr A Sivalingam, president of the management committee, did not return MediaCorp's calls.
During the inquiry - which is expected to last between two and three months - the temple's operations will not be affected, the COC said.
The HEB has put in place measures for the temple to continue with its daily services, and to ensure that the temple is properly managed during the inquiry, the COC added.
The temple inquiry is the ninth launched against a charity by the COC, since it assumed the watchdog role.
Some of the COC's previous inquiries included probes into Buddhist monk Shi Ming Yi's charity dealings and Youth Challenge's accounting practices.
http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/...-Hindu-temple-under-probe-by-charity-watchdog
