KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Sin Chew Daily) – Several syndicates have been earning lucrative commissions from cash donations made by Malaysians for charity homes.

Malaysians receive numerous messages and photographs sent by mainly young "professional volunteers" on WhatsApp and social media, including calls appealing for cash donations to support charity homes, saying these charity homes are in dire straits during the movement control order implemented by the government to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

These syndicates earn up to 50% in commission from cash donations sent by online transfer while the homes receive the other half.

A social worker familiar with the operation of these syndicates told Sin Chew Daily that a crowd funding platform in Klang Valley adopted a business approach to raise funds by hiring young people as "volunteers" to raise funds from the public with very attractive commissions.

"Professional volunteer" has become a new profession among the young people. The more money they raise, the more commission they will get.

This explains why Malaysians have been receiving text messages and phone calls day and night asking for help to support charity homes.

"Some charity homes accept a few senior citizens or mentally retarded children but claim they need large sum of funds to operate. They only provide basic meals and accommodation for the underprivileged but the person in charge of these homes are driving luxury cars and go for vacations," said the social worker.

A check on the Facebook page of the crowd funding platform shows screenshots of many cash donations made by online transfer.

The head of a welfare center revealed to Sin Chew Daily reporter who paid a visit to the welfare center as a donor, that the crowd funding platform owner contacted the welfare center to raise funds for the center by hiring young people to work as "agents" with 50% commission.

Members of the public are in the dark about the operation of such crowd funding platforms. Generous donors have transferred funds to support welfare centers after receiving heart-wrenching messages appealing for help.