11/21/2006

it is great to give

It is always a great thing to give Khoo Teck Puat gave $34 million to Beijing University. His own money. It is easier to give other people's money, or taxpayer's money. There is now a storm at NUS for giving 40% of its bursary to foreigners. At NTU, bursary is only for Singaporeans. There is a difference in philosophy here. One believes in charity begins at home. One is international philantrophy, give to the world. Hopefully their pocket is deep enough. Now the donors are not happy. They donated in the belief that this will be given to help needy local students. Now, was there a written position or an implied understanding of who the donation shall go to? According to Education Correspondence, Sandra Davie, these detractors, a new term for complainers, are unhappy. Maybe using the term detractor is more pleasant. But if there was an understanding, implied or written, that the fund should go to local students, then the complainers are more than detractors. The onus of proof to justify the allocation of funds to foreign students will then lie squarely on the administrators of the fund. Then I wonder what is the best term to describe them

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course, the donors are not happy. 40% are too much to foreigners, this is our money. Sandra Davies addressing the complainers as "detractors" 'cause not her own pocket money! Stop donating! Besides, bursary offered to foreigners, PR is another priviledge offer to them too.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i believe we should help whoever we can. but let's not forget our own hungry children. only when they are fed then we can think about others.

for political considerations, maybe just give a few, that's acceptable.