More than 100 pages of audits fail to answer the question: Where does the money go?

There are pieces of paper so thin that light can pass through them, but they are heavier than a promise. Like the A4 sheet that singer Thuy Tien once published – a piece of paper she considered a testament to transparency. A handwritten statement, no stamp, no invoice, no comparison table, and no confirmation from any third party other than herself. The only thing that exists is… trust. And unfortunately, that trust has torn along with the edge of the paper.

Thuy Tien was once considered a beautiful symbol of volunteerism – the “goddess of Central Vietnam” amid the raging floods. But then, just a piece of paper and a few inappropriate statements made that image waver. The problem did not lie in her good heart, but in the way she expressed her kindness in an unprofessional, inappropriate way – even making people feel naive.

From Pham Thoai's 100-page audit report to the series of previous charity scandals, the public still cannot stop asking: Where did the money go?

I thought that stumble would be a wake-up call for artists. But no. Some famous faces – perhaps due to subjectivity, or believing in the short-term memory of the community – continue to repeat the same mistakes. Like the recent case of TikToker Pham Thoai – who raised more than 16.7 billion VND to support a child with a serious illness.

The first was a series of emotional images. Then came an outpouring of support from the online community. But then came a long and confusing silence. When questioned by public opinion, Pham Thoai organized a livestream, then continued to remain silent, then released a financial audit report of more than 100 pages, with an audit stamp and a system of technical charts.

On the surface, it was a well-written report. But unfortunately, it came too late. Transparency that comes only when pushed into a passive position is nothing more than an excuse. The reader finds it not a sense of trust, but a defensive attempt at reassurance.

More importantly, when examined closely, the report revealed many shortcomings: A transaction was not timely and was not accepted by the auditor. Many cash payments amounting to tens of millions of dong but there were no receipts and no one came forward to confirm them. A report labeled as audited but containing too many outdated gaps - was no different from legitimizing carelessness.

People don’t need a huge document to understand. They just need a timely statement, a few lines that clarify: Where the money went, to whom it was spent, what invoices or receipts were included, and who verified it. In the story of charity, what the public needs is not a report to “read,” but clarity to “understand.”

If we look more broadly, we can see a common point in the recent charity scandals: Lots of heart, but lack of bookkeeping skills. Artist Hoai Linh once left more than 14 billion VND sitting idle in his account for half a year, while people in flood-hit areas struggled every day. When asked, he gave a series of reasons - from circumstances, epidemics, to... all kinds of objective things, but it was absolutely not his responsibility. Charity does not have a "deadline", but there is still a very fragile line: Slow is heartless, and silence is easily misunderstood.

Tran Thanh was also caught in a public scandal and forced to submit a statement of more than 1,000 pages of transactions. The public not only “scrutinized” the money, but also saw the confusion of a famous artist when faced with the requirement of financial transparency. In that story, charity suddenly became a mirror reflecting laxity in responsibility – the more he explained, the more his image was scratched.

All of these cases – each one different – ​​bring the same lesson: Good intentions, no matter how great, are no substitute for skill and responsibility. Artists don’t need to be accountants, but if they’re taking money on behalf of the community, they can’t act like they’re spending it for themselves.

Pham Thoai’s report, no matter how meticulous, does not erase the fact that it came too late. Rather than being a proactive step to show responsibility, it is more like a “calming down” move after a crisis has erupted. And when a person has exposed too many shortcomings, suspicion is inevitable. Because trust – once damaged – is very difficult to heal.

People don’t need 100 pages of audits, just a few lines of timely transparency. A piece of A4 paper used to be a symbol of trust, but when trust is torn at the edges, everything becomes doubtful. From Thuy Tien to Pham Thoai, charity requires more than just a heart – it requires skills, responsibility and honesty before the public.

Thuy An

Source: https://congthuong.vn/hon-100-trang-kiem-toan-khong-tra-loi-noi-cau-hoi-tien-di-dau-381474.html