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I refer to the Malaysiakini report Auditor: Balkis never submitted accounts .

When I read the news regarding the RM9.9 million transferred out of the Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MP’s Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis)’s coffers, I can’t help but feel shocked over the legal claim made by Zahrah Kechik, wife of former menteri besar of Selangor.

I would think that such an action has a name for it - SLS for Sore-Loser-Syndrome. It is as if I have given a huge sum of money to a board of elected trustees for charitable causes and then when a new board has been elected, the former trustee takes legal claim of the money.

Zahrah claimed that the organisation is worried that the money, if transferred to the new administration, ie, the opposition party, will not be used for similar intentions ie, charitable causes. Such a concern is presumptuous and such action is pre-emptive, don’t you think?

I think the issue here is about trust. Yes, the distrust of the former administration towards the new administration and the distrust of the people in general over the protective claim of the money by former members of Balkis. After all, such issue could be solved easily without the need to point fingers or make legal claims.

Whatever pledges that have been made can very well be protected by a memorandum of agreements without the fear of it being jeopardised. Management of charitable funds need not be so messy if they have been carried out transparently and with legal accountability.

The fact that the transfer of RM9.9 million is in question today indicates that the organisation has not managed the funds properly and this itself is a huge cause for concern.

Organizations such as the UNDP have been managing funds donated by various donors amounting to billions of dollars all over the world and yet projects are still being carried out according to pledges made even though managers have changed.

I think another issue which needs to be tackled in our country is the management of public charitable funds. We’re talking about RM9.9 million, not RM9.90. It is not a laughing matter. Yes, Zahrah claimed that Balkis has worked hard over the years to raise their funds but have they worked hard to manage the funds properly as well? I think we are more interested in the latter rather than the former.

I just need to pose several questions without getting into the mumbo-jumbo of things:

1. Does Balkis stand for Wives of Selangor Assemblymen and MP’s Welfare and Charity Organisation or Wife of Datuk Seri Dr Khir Toyo and Barisan Nasional MPs Welfare Organisation?

2.Who has contributed to this sum of RM9.9 million? BN MPs or the people in general?

3. Have the former members of Balkis actually discussed with the wives of the new Selangor assemblymen and MPs about the funds and projects which have been pledged?

4. Does the organisation’s constitution have a provision which states how the fund will be managed should there be a change of administration, or are they so cocky that they never thought such a thing could happen?

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