Following the recommendations of the Inter-Ministry Committee (IMC) on the Regulation of Charities and Institutions of a Public Character (IPC) in March 2006, the office of the Commissioner of Charities was transferred from IRAS to the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports on 1 September 2006.   The Commissioner of Charities shall have the general function of maintaining public confidence through 1.         promoting effective use of charitable resources 2.         encouraging development of better methods of administration 3.         giving charity trustees information on any matter affecting the charity 4.         investigating and checking abuses.   There are 5 Sector Administrators to assist the Commissioner of Charities to oversee the charities and IPCs in their sectors. They are as follows: Ministry of Education – Education Ministry of Health – Health Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts - Arts and Heritage People's Association – Community Singapore Sports Council - Sports Charities and IPCs with charitable objectives related to religion, social and welfare services, environmental protection or improvement, animal welfare, or which do not fall neatly under the above sectors are under the office of the Commissioner of Charities.   Click here to view contact information of the 5 Sector Administrators and the Commissioner of Charities. The Charities Unit was set up on 1 July 2006, to provide secretariat support to the Commissioner of Charities. The Charity Portal is maintained by the Charities Unit.

About the Commissioner of Charities

Mr. Low Puk Yeong was appointed the Commissioner of Charities on 1 September 2006. Prior to his appointment as the Commissioner of Charities, Mr. Low was the First Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.   Mr Low started his career with the Ministry of Defence as a system engineer in 1971 and has held various appointments including Director Finance, Director Manpower and later as Deputy Secretary in 1985. He was Deputy Secretary to the Ministry of Health in 1987, the Ministry of National Development in 1997 and Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources in 2004.   Mr Low graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (First Class Honours) degree from the University of Sinqapore in 1971 and also holds a postgraduate degree in MSc(Industrial Engineering). Mr Low was awarded a Public Administration Medal (Silver) in 1982.

About The Charities Unit

The Charities Unit hopes to facilitate self-regulation within the charity sector to maintain public confidence and support, while having sufficient consideration to the realities and differences charities and IPCs may face.   The Charities Unit's vision is to develop a well-governed and thriving charity sector with strong public support.   Our strategic objectives are: Ensuring regulatory compliance of charities and IPCs. Promoting good governance and best practices amongst charities and IPCs Becoming a proactive and pre-emptive charity advisory Our work includes: Undertaking enforcement action on errant charities Conducting field visits to charities and IPCs Providing secretariat support to the Charity Council to promote good governance and best practices in the charity sector Developing and reviewing policies to develop the charity sector Currently, Charities Unit has 14 staff members, including the Commissioner of Charities.