Debated in Parliament on 14 Mar 2016.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth what permissions and safeguards are there to govern businesses or individuals who claim to collect public donations on behalf of charitable causes.
Anyone, including businesses and individuals, conducting fund-raising appeals in Singapore for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes is regulated under the Charities (Fund-Raising Appeals for Local and Foreign Charitable Purposes) Regulations 2012. The Regulations spell out the duties and obligations of fund-raisers, which include disclosure of clear and accurate information; proper management and usage of donations; as well as keeping accounting records of donations received and disbursed.
Additionally, anyone intending to raise funds for foreign charitable causes is required to apply for a Fund-Raising for Foreign Charitable Purposes (FRFCP) permit from the Commissioner of Charities (COC) prior to the commencement of the appeal.
While a permit from the COC is waived for fund-raising appeals for local charitable purposes, a licence from the Police will be required when the fund-raising is conducted in publicly accessible places or from house-to-house.
If in doubt, members of the public can check if a fund-raising appeal is for a registered charity and has a valid permit or licence through the Charity Portal or by using the SMS verification service.
If there is reason to believe that a fund-raiser has violated any of the Fund-Raising Regulations, the Office of the Commissioner of Charities will look into the matter. The Commissioner may also invoke his powers to restrict or prohibit the conduct of any fund-raising appeal if there is reason to believe that the appeals have been improperly administered.
Fund-raisers should be mindful of their obligations under the Fund-Raising Regulations. They should also ensure that the causes for which they are fund-raising are legitimate, as part of their duty to donors. On the other hand, members of the public should remain vigilant and be discerning in responding to such public appeals so as to avoid falling victim to improper fund-raising activities.
PAPERCUTS