Kuan Chee Heng or Uncle Kentang is known for his philanthropy work and many had relied on him for assistance. He often becomes the bridge for people, either to ask for help or to offer help.
However, after a fiasco earlier this week, Mr Kuan’s charity organisation came under heavy criticism from netizens. Netizens had questioned his charity after he sold a woman, who owned branded items, a car for RM1.
Despite him responding to the issue, the matter did not stop there. Netizens have started to wonder where their donations are going exactly. In response, Mr Kuan had a press conference with China Press to clear up matters.
To begin with, many had questioned why disbursement of their donations had been so slow, Mr Kuan explained that his team were inexperience in processing donations, and that they had procedures to follow such as reviewing each beneficiary’s eligibility. “It’s being done in stages,” he said while apologising for the delay.
Mr Kuan also explained why they needed so much money to run charity organisation. He said that they received over 50 to 60 calls a day, all asking for help in one form or another. “If I want to help them, I need to raise money externally, but I will be scolded by netizens if I keep raising money,” he said.
Mr Kuan then emphasized that he wasn’t the one saving people, but the donors. “The money you donate is used to save people,” he said, adding that he is just the bridge that connects them.
He also shared how much his organisation spends about RM200,000 on operating expenses per month, mainly for maintenance of the ambulances, and his staff of 70.
Facing all the doubt and criticisms online, Mr Kuan’s team had been working to block and delete those antagonistic messages on their Facebook pages. However, this backfired and cause more ire as netizens felt they were being silenced. He then explained that some of these messages may disturb other netizens, especially if their concerns weren’t communicated rationally.
However, Mr Kuan said he has been reading them and there are generally 2 main points to address. Some netizens felt that he has been selective with his help and they pointed that he favours the Malays because they get the most help. “I help many Malays because the Malay population is relatively large.” Mr. Kuan said and disagrees with these claims.
“I dare to tell you that there is no such thing as favourtism.” he said, while explaining that he cannot read Chinese. Hence, he does not always respond to messages in Chinese. He usually will have a few people to help, but there are times when they are not available.
Some have also claimed that Mr Kuan had hidden motives when helping others. They believed that he is attempting to win people’s hearts so that he can pave the way for his success in the general election. However, Mr Kuan sees this as another way to help the people, but at this stage, he have no such plans.
Meanwhile, netizens are still requesting him to be transparent and show his accounts. Some also suggested him to register his organisation under ROS, as they do not trust his personal account anymore.
Despite the fiasco, Mr Kuan has not stopped helping the people. His Facebook page is still active and there are still people who appreciate his work.
What do you think about this? Share your thoughts!
