Publish the incomes and assets of leaders
I AM heartened to read Thursday's report, 'Watchdog finds four areas for improvement'. The Commissioner of Charities has highlighted areas of improvements to help the seven audited charities improve their financial management.
All seven religious groups had annual incomes of over $10 million each. A recommendation was made for proper documentation of loans issued by charities to fund their projects. The basis of the recommendation was for transparency and accountability.
Leaders of mega religious groups in Singapore have contributed significantly to the less fortunate and overseas missions. Temple devotees and church flocks have supported the noble aims of religious organisations. Many have given to temples and churches in the hope and belief that their financial sacrifices will be channelled fully to targeted beneficiaries.
In the same vein, religious leaders have gained the trust of their followers. They are expected to practise what they preach: help the less fortunate and renounce personal love of money.
Perhaps the mega religious groups, especially those with annual incomes of over $10 million, could follow the example of the civil service in transparent and full disclosure of government officers' remuneration. The earnings of government leaders, including the President, have been made known to the public.
I propose the Commissioner of Charities require all mega religious groups to publish regularly the following:
Gross annual incomes of religious leaders;
Public and members' donations to religious leaders;
Personal assets such as property and investment accounts of religious leaders; and
Business holdings and commercial interests of religious leaders.
To take a leaf from the Bible, the Levites, the Jewish religious leaders, served full time in the synagogues and held no property or wealth as their livelihood came from temple devotees' donations. They trusted God to meet their daily needs.
It would be unreasonable to expect religious leaders to live like paupers. However, because of their sacrificial love for the poor, they would not mind earning a minimum decent wage to meet their family lifestyle and daily expenses. Perhaps the Commissioner of Charities should consider a cap on the gross incomes of religious leaders.
To prevent tongues wagging over shepherds who fleece their sheep, an open accounting and disclosure of personal assets and annual incomes of religious leaders should be made known to the public. After all, it would be a cognitive disconnect and social incongruence for a religious leader to own a luxury car and live in a fine apartment while his brethren beg for food and shelter in the street.
George Lim
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_277947.html
I AM heartened to read Thursday's report, 'Watchdog finds four areas for improvement'. The Commissioner of Charities has highlighted areas of improvements to help the seven audited charities improve their financial management.
All seven religious groups had annual incomes of over $10 million each. A recommendation was made for proper documentation of loans issued by charities to fund their projects. The basis of the recommendation was for transparency and accountability.
Leaders of mega religious groups in Singapore have contributed significantly to the less fortunate and overseas missions. Temple devotees and church flocks have supported the noble aims of religious organisations. Many have given to temples and churches in the hope and belief that their financial sacrifices will be channelled fully to targeted beneficiaries.
In the same vein, religious leaders have gained the trust of their followers. They are expected to practise what they preach: help the less fortunate and renounce personal love of money.
Perhaps the mega religious groups, especially those with annual incomes of over $10 million, could follow the example of the civil service in transparent and full disclosure of government officers' remuneration. The earnings of government leaders, including the President, have been made known to the public.
I propose the Commissioner of Charities require all mega religious groups to publish regularly the following:
Gross annual incomes of religious leaders;
Public and members' donations to religious leaders;
Personal assets such as property and investment accounts of religious leaders; and
Business holdings and commercial interests of religious leaders.
To take a leaf from the Bible, the Levites, the Jewish religious leaders, served full time in the synagogues and held no property or wealth as their livelihood came from temple devotees' donations. They trusted God to meet their daily needs.
It would be unreasonable to expect religious leaders to live like paupers. However, because of their sacrificial love for the poor, they would not mind earning a minimum decent wage to meet their family lifestyle and daily expenses. Perhaps the Commissioner of Charities should consider a cap on the gross incomes of religious leaders.
To prevent tongues wagging over shepherds who fleece their sheep, an open accounting and disclosure of personal assets and annual incomes of religious leaders should be made known to the public. After all, it would be a cognitive disconnect and social incongruence for a religious leader to own a luxury car and live in a fine apartment while his brethren beg for food and shelter in the street.
George Lim
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_277947.html
