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New questions after transparency drive

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Zhuang Pinghuiin Beijing

The Red Cross Society of China's move to improve transparency and the image of the charitable organisation by publishing information on donations and expenditure online raised more questions yesterday - just one day after its launch.

Information on the source and the use of donations collected after the earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai, in April last year, was made available on Sunday, amid public fury over a series of scandals, including one involving an expensive lunch paid for by the organisation, and another over an employee's personal spending.

Additionally, a woman who falsely claimed to be working for the organisation posted online pictures showing off luxury cars and handbags, sparking a public outcry before the woman admitted to lying.

The system allows individuals who donated more than 100,000 yuan (HK$120,000) and organisations that gave more than 500,000 yuan to find out exactly which projects their money helped. But information on the progress of those projects was not included.

Internet users who made use of the system discovered that some of the money recorded as being donated for reconstruction had apparently been given before the earthquake took place. The data also revealed that the society earmarked 5.83 million yuan for 'project supervision' after the quake.

Internet users asked why the organisation needed to spend so much to oversee projects in a county of just 300,000 residents.

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