Kota Kinabalu: The Tolumis Care Centre for the Disabled says it will never again readily allow its name to be used in fund-raising events following the failure of three such organisers to honour their promise.Its Manager, Ching Mee Sapai, said it did not receive a sen till today from these events. It was outrightly conned of its share of the proceeds in one instance and for which a police report was lodged.
It is hoping the other two would speed up on what was promised before the media and patrons since more than three months had lapsed.
Ching said she lodged a report against the latest case in which the organiser vanished with the money after she was asked to bank in the money from the proceeds from the sales of two tables.
Last December, she met a woman who approached her saying she wanted to help raise funds for the centre. Ching was also required to sell tickets of RM100 each to make the event, named "The Gift Of Hope 2012", a success.
Three other centres also supposed to benefit from the proceeds were Chesire, Care Heaven and the Grace Old Folks Home. The event was set for Jan. 15 at the D'Junction. Ching said the total tickets in her hand were RM6,000 and she managed to sell RM2,000 mainly to friends.
"I banked in the money as instructed and was told to continue selling the remainder," she said, showing the Maybank cash deposit receipt, the woman's business card and account number.
But the event failed to materialise on Jan. 15 and the woman told her it was postponed to Feb. 11. That also did not materialise. Ching had already sold the rest of the tickets by then and had refunded the money.
"I lodged a report and found out that the lady, who claimed she was from Johor Baru, was on the police wanted list and that 10 others have also lodged reports against her," she said. Ching said the woman could also not be contacted anymore.
Another event she is waiting to receive proceeds from was named "Celebrating a legend concert: Tribute to Datuk Justin Stimol".
"It was full-house that night on Nov. 5, 2011 and named Tolumis Care Centre as the main beneficiary with 60 out of 63 tables snapped up at RM5,000 for VIP tables and RM2,000 for normal tables.
The event was a joint collaboration between MNE Productions of beauty queen Madeline Nandu and MS Charity Event.
Among the VIPs at the concert was Plantations and Commodities Minister, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok with special performances from Felix Agus, Atama and some other local acts.
It's Organising Chairman, Fulton Mark Sitiwin, declined to disclose the amount of funds raised that night and told reporters that the proceeds will be kept in a unit trust account with monthly interest payments made to Tolumis.
"During the press conference I saw cheques with our centre's name written on it. But I have not seen any money coming till today," Ching said.
"For the Justin Stimol event, after the concert they never called me again.
The organising committee promised to issue the cheque after they would hold its meeting.
"Justin also asked me whether I have received my donation.
And I answered, 'what donation'?" she said, and hoped it was a case of waiting for the right time to hand over the money.
"A third event was a fund-raising golf tournament organised by a friend who came to my centre to do a video clip," said Ching, who added that she even had to do a presentation for the friend who invited a bunch of people to talk about her centre.
"Everyone was impressed with my success since my centre is not funded by the Government and run by a single mother and wanted to do their bit to help out," she said.
"At a sports event months later I met the person again and asked him.
The person even told me that Tan Sri (Dompok) was supposed to issue the cheque," she said.
"I am now skeptical of charity events and reluctant to answer phone calls.
My daughters are even afraid to open the doors to people who might want to use us for charity events.
"I don't understand why Tolumis is being used and people are attracted to it.
Perhaps, it is because we are not government funded," she said.
Ching, a government servant, said Tolumis was opened from her own effort and over time was approached by individuals for charity events to raise funds for upkeeping.
She said organisers would not mention specifically any amount that her centre would receive but, instead, the mechanism of donation is accumulated through proceeds after the event.
And the proceeds are balance from ticket sales, sponsors minus costs of running the event.
