Commissioner
of Charities finds 'severe mismanagement' at Sri Veeramakaliamman
Temple
SINGAPORE: An inquiry by the Commissioner of Charities (COC) has
found "severe mismanagement" at the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple at
Serangoon Road, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY)
said in a statement on Monday (Apr 30).
Separately, the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) has also
notified COC of its investigation into the financial affairs of the
temple "for suspected criminal offences".
The COC inquiry "revealed severe mismanagement in the
administration of the Charity during the period Jan 1, 2011 to Jul
31, 2014", said the ministry, in particular by members of the
management committee, who were the cheque signatories and approvers
for payments.
The members involved were former management committee chairman R
Selvaraju (Selvaraju), current committee chairman and charity
trustee Sivakadacham (Siva), and Ratha Krishnan Selvakumar (Kumar),
charity trustee and present secretary of the management
committee.
The COC "noted severe lack of care and prudence" in the members'
discharging of their duties, said the ministry, adding that the
inquiry noted instances where the charity's funds and charitable
assets were "placed at undue risks".
For instance, the key office bearers had "prevalently issued
uncrossed cheques and allowed uncrossed cheques to be exchanged for
cash in the Charity's premises". The temple issued uncrossed
cheques totalling more than S$1.5 million between Jan 1, 2011 and
Jul 31, 2014, 45 of which were cheques in excess of S$227,000 that
were not issued to the names of the intended proceeds
recipients.
According to the statement, Kumar had also obtained loans of
S$350,000 without the management committee's approval and with no
written loan agreements with the lenders. There was also "limited
supporting evidence" of the cash from these loans being disbursed
to intended recipients.
The inquiry also found "serious issues of conflict of interest".
Kumar was one of the approvers for more than S$750,000 worth of
temple transactions with two vendors owned by his relative. He had
also been reimbursed for purchases related to his personal
business.
CHAIRMAN SUSPENDED FROM OFFICE
"Given the gravity of the Inquiry findings, under the Act and with
the consent of the Attorney-General, the COC has suspended Siva
from the exercise of his office as governing board member and
trustee of the Charity with immediate effect," said MCCY.
For as long as he is suspended, Siva is prohibited from taking part
in managing the charity or attending any of its committee meetings,
it said, adding that the COC also intends to remove Siva from his
office as governing board member and charity trustee.
"With regard to Kumar, the COC is of the view that Kumar should
also be barred from his office in the Charity in light of his
involvement in the mismanagement in the administration of the
Charity," said the ministry.
"It has come to the COC’s attention that Kumar has been previously
convicted of criminal offences involving elements of dishonesty",
rendering him disqualified from acting in the capacity of a
governing board member or charity trustee, the ministry
added.
The COC has also promised enforcement action against Selvaraju
should he resume any office in the temple.
It has, with the consent of the Attorney-General and assistance
from the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB), appointed three additional
governing board members to "put in place proper board governance
and internal controls" at the temple.
In a statement on Monday evening, HEB acknowledged that the COC had
requested its assistance in "ensuring continuity of operations" and
religious activities at the temple.
"HEB will assist the newly appointed and remaining management
committee members in every way possible to put in place proper
governance and internal controls in Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple,"
said the board.
Sri Veeramakaliamman is one of Singapore's oldest Hindu temples
built in the mid 19th century as a tribute to the goddess Kali. In
2014, the temple completed major restoration works costing S$7
million, involving artists from India which saw new facilities such
as a wedding hall and staff quarters added.
Source: CNA/hs