Singapore donors 'becoming more selective'

More must be done to build an inclusive society, says DPM Tharman

While donations by individuals in Singapore tripled between 2006 and 2010, donors were also becoming more selective of where their dollars went.

This observation was shared by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam when he spoke at the inaugural Philanthropy in Asia Summit at Fullerton Hotel yesterday.

"Charities are expected to be transparent and well-governed," he said, adding that some donors have even set up their own foundations and charities.

Sketching out the challenges the philanthropic sector faces, even as global economic uncertainties make it imperative for more to be done to build an inclusive society, he added: "We still have a long way to go, just for sheer scale, to catch up with the developed countries."