It's the season, beware of bogus monksRECENTLY, I spotted a number of foreign-looking monks begging within my estate. Despite past publicity on the issue of bogus monks, they continue to surface in Singapore.
What is more amazing is the timing of their arrival. Unseen for the past many months, they suddenly make their appearance at year-end - the bonus time for many. Their previous modus operandi - stationing themselves at MRT stations - made them easy targets for the police. So they are now constantly on the move.
Some go from door to door while others frequent carparks.
We have no way of verifying where their donations end up.
A solution to this problem requires the cooperation of members of the public. When you feel like donating for religious causes, give to religious institutions.
By continuing to make donations when approached by bogus monks, we are actually encouraging them to make an annual pilgrimage here.
Phillip Ang Keng Hong_________________________________________________________Whenever a monk comes I'll just say "I'm Christian" but when a nun comes I say "I'm Buddhist"
