fast backwards.....2005

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Electric New Paper :
I don't get sky-high pay of $14,000 a month
Ren Ci's CEO clears misunderstanding over earlier reports
HE may be the chairman and chief executive officer.
But Venerable Shi Ming Yi of Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre doesn't draw a salary.
27 December 2005
HE may be the chairman and chief executive officer.
But Venerable Shi Ming Yi of Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre doesn't draw a salary.

And contrary to earlier press reports, he doesn't get $14,000 a month.

In fact, he stopped getting an allowance from Ren Ci this year, because he said he doesn't need it.

All because he sees himself as a 'volunteer'.

He told The New Paper over the phone yesterday: 'As long as people support me and give me enough to eat, I'm happy.'

He declined to reveal what his Ren Ci allowance had been.

The news that former National Kidney Foundation (NKF) chief executive T T Durai earned a massive $50,000 a month threw the spotlight recently on what CEOs of other charities are paid.

The question of Venerable Shi Ming Yi's pay resurfaced yesterday in a Lianhe Wanbao report.

Earlier articles in the Chinese press suggested he was getting a salary of more than $10,000, said the report.

The misunderstanding arose when the press were told, in response to queries, that the highest monthly salary paid out in Ren Ci is $14,000.

But it wasn't made clear this sum was paid to Dr Ong Seh Hong, Ren Ci's chief operating officer and clinical director.

Venerable Shi Ming Yi has since clarified that point.

He told the Chinese evening daily: 'No matter what, I'm a monk, and I'm different from other people.

'My conscience is clear.'

Venerable Shi Ming Yi said that, for some time, Ren Ci Hospital did give him an allowance.

'I am human after all, I need to eat and go overseas to spread Buddhist teachings.'

After the building of the Foo Hai Ch'an Monastery in Geylang - of which he is the abbot - was completed, it paid for Venerable Shi Ming Yi's living expenses.

So from this year, he stopped getting an allowance from Ren Ci Hospital.

VOLUNTEER

He sees himself as a volunteer with Ren Ci, and doesn't want to go further into the details of salaries.

He also added that he doesn't pressure the artistes to raise funds in the charity shows.

'I have never cheated the audience,' he said.

So, were the stars crying for real in the Ren Ci charity shows?

Venerable Shi Ming Yi said it's beyond his control, but he wants to emphasise that he didn't control them behind the scenes.

'I can say that I have never asked any artistes to do anything, or exaggerate anything,' he told Lianhe Wanbao.

'I also took part in the show, and know how hard it is to perform. I can understand how they feel.

'I may not perform well, so how can I dictate how they perform?'

A video, showing how Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre handles the cash that comes in through its donation boxes, will be aired at the Ren Ci Charity Show on 8 Jan.

BEING ACCOUNTABLE

Said Venerable Shi Ming Yi: 'The Ren Ci show is going into its fourth year, so there's a need to be accountable to the audience, let them better understand how we help the patients.'

For every dollar that goes into Ren Ci's coffers, 80 cents go to the patients and the rest is spent on operational and manpower needs like hiring doctors and nurses.

Its operating costs are about $13 million annually, of which 53 per cent comes from the Ministry of Health's endowment fund.

It needs to raise about $6m every year.

Launched in 2003, Ren Ci's TV charity shows have managed to raise about $7m each time.

http://upheavalofleetahsar.blogspot.com/2006/01/this-pic-was-sent-by-postnew.html