00:00A lack of consistent regulation and oversight has left charitable organizations vulnerable to transparency lapses and misconduct.
00:11Pushpan Murugia, CEO of the Center to Combat Corruption and Chronism, said this has resulted in several NGOs and charitable bodies being mired in scandals.
00:22He cited Amman Palestine Berhad and Yayasan Akal Budi, both established to serve charitable causes, as notable examples.
00:33Pushpan was asked to comment on the deregistration of ICLAS, a society for small-time entrepreneurs, after it failed to submit its annual financial statements.
00:43He also called for the government to improve the governance of these bodies and mooted the establishment of a single oversight body to govern their activities.
00:54Similarly, lawyer Salim Bashir called for laws which would compel NGOs to disclose the sources of their income and how their funds are being managed.
