Mercy Relief upbeat Singaporeans features Singapore Idol Hady Mirza

One of Singapore's largest humanitarian organisations, Mercy Relief, is optimistic that Singaporeans will continue to give generously.

This is despite the recent scandal affecting Renci Hospital and Medicare Centre, one of the country's biggest charities.Following its numerous relief efforts overseas, Mercy Relief is now turning its attention back home.

Mercy Relief received donations worth over US$700,000 from Singaporeans for Myanmar's Cyclone Nargis and Sichuan earthquake disasters. Every cent, it said, went towards the relief efforts in Myanmar and China.

It also said it is confident Singaporeans will continue to be charitable.T K Udairam, chairman of Mercy Relief, said: "I think the population is able to differentiate between what the money is going for and what some of the leaders are doing a bit out of the way.

"I really think we have not been affected that way, because we have been very clear that every bit of money we have, we give out to charity. So it has not been an issue." The organisation also limits each chairman's term to two two-year periods.

On whether the prosecution of Renci's former CEO for fraud will make donors wary of giving, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed feels the impact will be short-lived.

He said: "I suspect it will have an effect on Singapore minds... When you have charitable organizations subject to scrutiny and investigations, people will tend to be a bit cautious.

"But we see also, in the case of NKF (National Kidney Foundation), people are now coming round, responding to it - because people know there are a lot of people needing help, needing that touch of mercy, needing that touch of graciousness."

He was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of Mercy Relief's latest campaign to promote a more grateful and gracious society in Singapore.

The Senior Minister of State noted it would take some time for Singaporeans to be truly gracious as it is not their second nature.

The campaign features Singapore Idol Hady Mirza as its ambassador.